Archive for the ‘Classic’ Category

Classic Corner Review: The Greek Cross Mystery – Ellery Queen

Tuesday, November 10th, 2015
The Egyptian Cross Mystery
Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Signet (May 1, 1979)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0451086635
ISBN-13: 978-0451086631
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Synopsis:

Ellery Queen is pulled into a string of grisly murders. Someone is murdering people and leaving them nailed to a cross minus their head.

Characters:

Ellery Queen – Special Investigator
Andrew Van – Schoolmaster.
Stephen Megara – Yachtsman

Review

This is one of the darkest Ellery Queen stories I’ve read so far, and the one that’s held my attention the most. Ellery Queen is originally called to investigate a murder in which the victim is found hanging from a cross, and missing his head. For the first time, he’s unable to solve the case. Fast forward in time, and a second murder exactly the same occurs. Again Ellery Queen is on the case.

I really like the Ellery Queen mysteries. While the characters are rather flat, cookie cutter characters, the stories tend to be intriguing. I like the idea in the first of the books in which Ellery steps out from that invisible wall, and speaks to the reader with his challenge to solve the mystery. So far out of four or five of the novels, I’ve failed to meet his challenge, and I’m good with that. To do otherwise I think would mean the puzzle wasn’t as challenging to me as it could have been.

While not for all readers, I would recommend it for older teens and adults. The imagery and language is pretty tame for the time period in which they were published. However, for the contents of the books, I wouldn’t recommend it for younger readers, unless they were very mature.

Overall for Ellery Queen fans, I think you should check this one out.

About the Author

Ellery Queen was a pen name created and shared by two cousins, Frederic Dannay (1905–1982) and Manfred B. Lee (1905–1971), as well as the name of their most famous detective. Born in Brooklyn, they spent forty-two years writing, editing, and anthologizing under the name, gaining a reputation as the foremost American authors of the Golden Age “fair play” mystery. Although eventually famous on television and radio, Queen’s first appearance came in 1928, when the cousins won a mystery-writing contest with the book that would eventually be published as The Roman Hat Mystery.

Their character was an amateur detective who uses his spare time to assist his police inspector uncle in solving baffling crimes. Besides writing the Queen novels, Dannay and Lee cofounded Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, one of the most influential crime publications of all time. Although Dannay outlived his cousin by nine years, he retired Queen upon Lee’s death.

You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Classic Corner Review: The Moving Finger – Agatha Christie

Tuesday, March 17th, 2015
The Moving Finger
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Reprint edition (April 12, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062073621
ISBN-13: 978-0062073624
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Synopsis:

In a small English town, a visitor is drawn into a mystery as residents of the town begin getting a letter pointing out their sins. The letters seem harmless, until people start dying. Jerry Burton, a visitor to the town is determined to get to the end of it.

Characters:

Miss Marple – Amateur Detective
Jerry Burton – A man recuperating from an illness in a small English country town.
Joanna Burton – Jerry’s sister, and caretaker

Review

First of all, let me say I was pretty disappointed in this novel. It’s categorized as a Miss Marple mystery, so I was expecting the main character of the title to be Miss Marple. However, she doesn’t even make an appearance until about 40 pages from the end. It’s as if she’s only thrown in there to solve the mystery, after it seems Jerry has done all the work.

Now saying that, I wasn’t all that put off by Jerry being the main investigator. He was rather interesting, it just felt a bit deceiving. The characters are pretty stock and cardboard cutout characters for this genre. Ms. Christie never seemed to do a lot of work on characters outside of her main characters. This leaves all the border characters as rather forgettable.

The plot is simple enough to follow, and the solution in the end does make sense. I think above the character development, Ms. Christie’s strong suit is in designing a plot that keeps you guessing. So far I haven’t been successful in solving one of her mysteries.

Overall though, for fans of Miss Marple, Ms. Christie, or of the cozy mystery in general, I think this would fit into your reading pleasures. For others, it may not be their cup of tea. The language can be a bit off putting, as it’s early twentieth century and British.

Overall, a pleasant mystery, and a good way to spend a few hours, but no the most memorable of the Christy books I’ve read. Check it out, if you like mysteries, and be sure to drop back by and let us know what you thought.

About the Author
Agatha Christie was born in 1890 and created the detective Hercule Poirot in her debut novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920).

She achieved wide popularity with The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926) and produced a total of eighty novels and short-story collections over six decades.

You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Classic Corner Review: The Big Four – Agatha Christie

Thursday, October 2nd, 2014
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Reissue edition (July 1, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062364618
ISBN-13: 978-0062364616
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Characters:

Hercule Poirot – Famous Belgian Detective.
Arthur Hastings – Companion to Poirot and narrator.

Synopsis:

Poirot faces a challenge in four powerful foes bent on controlling the world.

Review

This was an interesting tale of Poirot. I’m used to the more typical mysteries, and this felt more like a thriller than a mystery. The majority of the story has Poirot and Hasting trying to uncover the identity of a mysterious master of disguises.

The story is fast paced, the plot is convincing, and the characters are entertaining. Poirot manages to always pull himself out of danger with some masterful trick.

While it was a departure from what I normally read from Christie, I found myself enjoying it very much. It may not suit the taste of all readers, as some of the language is old fashioned and modern readers may have a bit of trouble. I’ve found though, that if you stick with it, soon enough it all falls into place and the language differences disappear.

This would definitely fall on my recommend list for all you mystery fans out there, particularly fans of the classic authors such as Ms. Christie. Grab a copy, give it a read, and drop by and let us know what you thought.

About the Author

Agatha Christie was born in 1890 and created the detective Hercule Poirot in her debut novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920).

She achieved wide popularity with The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926) and produced a total of eighty novels and short-story collections over six decades.

You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Classic Corner Review: The Dutch Shoe Mystery – Ellery Queen

Tuesday, August 5th, 2014
Mass Market Paperback: 214 pages
Publisher: Signet; Special 50th Anniversary Edition edition (February 6, 1979)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0451085787
ISBN-13: 978-0451085788
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Characters:

Ellery Queen – Author and Amateur Detective
Richard Queen – Police Inspector
Abigail Doorn – Heiress

Synopsis:

An elderly woman is in the Dutch Memorial Hospital comatose, and about to undergo surgery. After she’s wheeled into the operating room, it’s discovered that she is dead. However, she was alive when in pre-surgery. When and how did someone manage to kill her between the pre-surgery room and the operating room. Ellery Queen and his Father are called upon to find out in The Dutch Shoe Mystery.

Review

Another interesting mental puzzle from one of the greats of this genre. With Ellery Queen, the characters as usual are a little stock and one dimensional, but the puzzles themselves are what makes the books. I tend to like fair play mysteries such as this. You are given all the clues, and if you pay attention, by the time the story is over, you’ll be able to solve the mystery yourself. So far in about 3 or 4 of his books, I’ve yet to be able to solve the mystery before Mr. Queen himself reveals the murder.

For a fun weekend read, at just 239 pages, you can’t go wrong with this. A great book for those rainy afternoons. While it may not appeal to the more modern Thriller type mystery readers, for those who enjoy the pursuit of the puzzle, then you may definitely want to check out this or one of the other offerings in the Ellery Queen series.

Language is at a minimum, but due to the context of the book, I’d say it’s rated PG-13. Being a product of the earlier 20th century, readers may also have some difficulty with the English used, as well as some of the more non politically correct terminology often used. But if you can ignore that, I’m certain you’d find this book enjoyable.

About the Author

Ellery Queen was a pen name created and shared by two cousins, Frederic Dannay (1905–1982) and Manfred B. Lee (1905–1971), as well as the name of their most famous detective. Born in Brooklyn, they spent forty-two years writing, editing, and anthologizing under the name, gaining a reputation as the foremost American authors of the Golden Age “fair play” mystery. Although eventually famous on television and radio, Queen’s first appearance came in 1928, when the cousins won a mystery-writing contest with the book that would eventually be published as The Roman Hat Mystery.

Their character was an amateur detective who uses his spare time to assist his police inspector uncle in solving baffling crimes. Besides writing the Queen novels, Dannay and Lee cofounded Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, one of the most influential crime publications of all time. Although Dannay outlived his cousin by nine years, he retired Queen upon Lee’s death.

 

You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Classic Corner Review: I, The Jury – Mickey Spillane

Tuesday, January 28th, 2014
Mass Market Paperback: 214 Pages
Publisher: Signet (December 1, 1948)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0451165926
ISBN-13: 978-0451165923
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Characters:

Mike Hammer – Tough Talking New York Private Eye.
Dr. Charlotte Manning – New York Psychiatrist.

Synopsis:

When his buddy Jack Williams is suspiciously and violently murdered, Mike Hammer vows to stop at nothing until the killer receives Justice.

Review

This was my first experience with Mickey Spillane’s writing, and I found myself drawn in. Mike Hammer can be violent, operate outside the law, but with respect to the police, and can be hard edged, but you also get to see a softer side to him. He’s a man who can also love.

The plot was rather complicated, and if the reader doesn’t pay a lot of attention, could get lost. It seems at time that there are too many involved in the crime and it was too complicated. But the setting pulls you into the dark world in which Mike Hammer operates. The books are much darker and grittier than the simpler plotted books of Christie and Queen. They don’t seem as much a who dun it, in the classic sense, as crime fiction.

For people who like the gritty, film noir type detective, I think you’d love these Mike Hammer Stories. If you are looking for a simple, clean mystery though, this isn’t it. For the type of book it is, which I enjoy alongside the classic mystery, I’d recommend it. There’s a reason Mickey Spillane is considered one of the masters.

You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Classic Corner Review: The French Powder Mystery – Ellery Queen

Thursday, January 23rd, 2014
Mass Market Paperback: 255 pages
Publisher: Signet (November 1, 1969)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 045104083X
ISBN-13: 978-0451040831
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Characters:

Winifred Marchbanks French – Victim.
Cyrus French – Rich Merchant.
Ellery Queen – Author and Amateur Detective.
Inspector Richard Queen – Homicide Detective.

Synopsis:

The woman of a wealthy store owner is discovered dead in the store display window. Ellery Queen and his father are called in to find out who killed the woman and why.

Review

The second in the Ellery Queen series of Who Dun It’s. These are written in a classic style where the story is presented, and then as in all the early Queen books, the reader is given the chance to solve the mystery. All the clues are given throughout the story, and while it’s the fourth Ellery Queen story I’ve read, I’ve yet to be able to solve one of them, though I come close at times.

The characters, as would be expected for this time period are rather cookie cutter. Authors of this time period spent more time on prose and plot it seems than on character development, so from a reader’s perspective it’s definitely a story driven novel.

I love these stories though, along with a lot of the classic mysteries, and this one kept me entertained. The language is a bit archaic and dry, so some readers may not be able to get involved in the storyline. If you can get through that though, and enjoy authors such as Doyle and Christie, then I think you’d like this. I’d rate it as PG or PG-13 due to the content, but I definitely recommend it for one of those rainy day, stay at home mysteries.

About the Author

Ellery Queen was a pen name created and shared by two cousins, Frederic Dannay (1905–1982) and Manfred B. Lee (1905–1971), as well as the name of their most famous detective. Born in Brooklyn, they spent forty-two years writing, editing, and anthologizing under the name, gaining a reputation as the foremost American authors of the Golden Age “fair play” mystery. Although eventually famous on television and radio, Queen’s first appearance came in 1928, when the cousins won a mystery-writing contest with the book that would eventually be published as The Roman Hat Mystery.

Their character was an amateur detective who uses his spare time to assist his police inspector uncle in solving baffling crimes. Besides writing the Queen novels, Dannay and Lee cofounded Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, one of the most influential crime publications of all time. Although Dannay outlived his cousin by nine years, he retired Queen upon Lee’s death.

You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Classic Corner Review: Hercule Poirot and the Greenshore Folly – Agatha Christie

Thursday, November 21st, 2013
E-Book: 75 Pages
Publisher: Witness Impulse (November 12, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10:
ISBN-13: 978-
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Characters:

Hercule Poirot – Belgian Detective.
Ariadne Oliver – Mystery Writer and Amateur Sleuth.

Synopsis:

Ariadne Oliver is hired by a wealthy family to host a murder mystery event at their lavish party. Hercule Poirot is called in to consult. However, things soon go very wrong, someone is murdered for real and Hercule Poirot is left to solve the case.

Review

A very short mystery from one of the masters of the genre. This was originally written as a short story to be given to a fund to put stained glass windows in a church near her. HoweverThe amount was ₤1000 ($1,619) or ₤18,000 ($29,149.20) in today’s money. The length however proved to be a problem. It was too short for the novel market, and too long for the short story market. It was pulled from publication, and Ms. Christy used some of the information in her next full length novel Dead Man’s Folly. A much shorter story called Greenshaw’s Folly was published in 1956 and can be found in the short story collection The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding which was published in 1960.

When the opportunity to read this, a story that hadn’t as written here, been published, and not seen in 60 years, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. I love Ms. Christie’s work and was eager to read it.

Having read it, I’ll say I enjoyed it. While it’s appeal will most likely be only to hard core Christie Fans, I found it an enjoyable short weekend read. There were some issues with it that made it apparent that it hadn’t had all the kinks ironed out. In the final solution, there are events that happened, that the reader had no way of knowing. In the field of mystery writing, that’s looked at as cheating. However, since this was never intended to be the completed product as-is, I look past that.

On a historical basis, I found it very interesting and a great looking into the development of a classic mystery novel. For fans of mysteries and particularly for dedicated fans of Ms. Christie, this is definitely one you want to pick up, just for a glimpse into the development cycle. If I had to rate it, I’d rate it PG-13 because there is a murder. It’s also, as common with all of Ms. Christie’s events, a tougher reader due to the British idioms, than a more modern mystery would be. Overall thought, for fans I’d recommend it. For $2.99 for the ebook and an entire evening or weekend’s entertainment, you can’t beat the price.

Agatha Christie was born in 1890 and created the detective Hercule Poirot in her debut novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920).

She achieved wide popularity with The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926) and produced a total of eighty novels and short-story collections over six decades.

 

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Danielle at Harper Collins for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

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Classic Corner Review: The Sleeping Murder – Agatha Christie

Tuesday, September 17th, 2013
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Reissue edition (April 12, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062073729
ISBN-13: 978-0062073723
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Characters:

Gwenda Reed – 21.
Giles Reed – Her Husband
Miss Marple – An Amateur Sleuth

Synopsis:

A young, recently married woman purchases her dream home. She starts noticing various things about the house seemed very familiar. She enlists the help of Miss Marple to determine why, and to find out why she keeps having these memories of a young woman being strangled.

Review

This was the last of Ms. Christie’s Miss Marple novels. The characters are what you’d expect from a Christie Novel. They are a bit like template characters, not a lot of in depth character development. The story I found very interesting. The plot is an intricate web, but in the end Ms. Christie always manages to make the story make sense.

Its impossible to give too much detail to stories like this, in fear of giving away spoilers. I’ll just say I’ll recommend this to fans of Ms. Christie, fans of mysteries in general, particular the classics, and anyone wanting a good quick story to read.

I’d rate it as PG and the language may be a bit difficult for some readers. However, if you can get past that, I think you’d find it enjoyable. Give it a read, and drop back by and let us know what you thought.

About the Author

Agatha Christie was born in 1890 and created the detective Hercule Poirot in her debut novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1920).

She achieved wide popularity with The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926) and produced a total of eighty novels and short-story collections over six decades.

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to at for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Classic Corner Review: The Poisoned Chocolates Case – Anthony Berkeley

Tuesday, September 10th, 2013
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Felony & Mayhem (February 16, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1934609447
ISBN-13: 978-1934609446
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Characters:

Roger Sheringham – President of a Crimes Circle of Amateur Sleuths
Sir Charles Wildman – Lawyer
Mrs. Fielder-Flemming – Actress
Morton Harrogate Bradley – Author of Detective Novels
Alicia Dammers – Novelist
Ambrose Chitterwick – Amateur Detective

Sir Eustace Pennefather
Graham Bendix
Mrs. Bendix

Synopsis:

The wife of Graham Bendix has been murdered. Mr. Bendix is accused of the crime. Chief Inspector Moseby of Scotland Yard approaches Roger Sheringham about the possibility of introducing the case to his amateur crime circle. How was Mrs. Bendix murdered? Who Murdered her? To find out, read The Poisoned Chocolates Case.

Review

This was the most unusual mystery I’ve read. While I’m used to who done it’s, this didn’t fit that formula. In this story a group of 6 amateur sleuths are given the facts in the case. They must use their own skills to determine who the killer was and why. They are given a week, and then each night one of them presents their thoughts on the case.

I found this a unique way to unveil the details of the story. The Poisoned Chocolates Case is considered a classic in the mystery genre, and it’s understandable why that is. The plot is very well detailed. The characters each have their own distinct personalities, but seem a bit cookie cutter. However, I let that slide given that this is from the golden age of detective stories.

Overall I found it a very pleasant reading experience and for anyone who likes the classic mystery style I’d recommend it. Suitable for all ages, though it may be difficult for young readers to understand.

About the Author

Born in 1893, Anthony Berkeley (Anthony Berkeley Cox) was a British crime writer and a leading member of the genre’s Golden Age. Educated at Sherborne School and University College London, Berkeley served in the British army during WWI before becoming a journalist. His first novel, The Layton Court Murders, was published anonymously in 1925. It introduced Roger Sheringham, the amateur detective who features in many of the author’s novels including the classic Poisoned Chocolates Case.

In 1930, Berkeley founded the legendary Detection Club in London along with Agatha Christie, Freeman Wills Crofts and other established mystery writers. It was in 1938, under the pseudonym Francis Iles (which Berkeley also used for novels) that he took up work as a book reviewer for John O’London’s Weekly and The Daily Telegraph. He later wrote for The Sunday Times in the mid 1940s, and then for The Guardian from the mid 1950s until 1970. A key figure in the development of crime fiction, he died in 1971.

You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

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Classic Corner Review: The Chinese Orange Mystery – Ellery Queen

Tuesday, May 28th, 2013
Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Signet (June 7, 1983)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0451123417
ISBN-13: 978-0451123411
Order book here:

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Characters:

Donald Kirk – Book Publisher, Gem and Stamp Collector.
Ellery Queen – Author and Amateur Detective.
Inspector Richard Queen – Homicide Detective.

Synopsis:

A dead body is discovered in the office of Donald Kirk. The man’s clothes are turned backward, as well as all the furnishings in the room. Ellery Queen, a friend of Kirk’s is called in to solve the mystery. To do so Ellery must find the man’s identity, why everything was turned around, and who would want to kill the man.

Review

This was the third mystery I’d read in the Ellery Queen series, and the best one I think so far. The author(s) kept me guessing from page one. One of the great aspects of the beginning of this series (books 1 through 10 I believe) is that when you get to the final reveal, the narrator steps out of the pages and invites the reader to solve the mystery. By that point all the clues necessary have been provided. To date I’ve yet to be able to solve one of these.

The style is the classic mystery style, rather than the thriller style today. It’s actually a format I prefer over the thrillers, though they can be rewarding reading experiences as well.

The characters are pretty one dimensional, which seems to be the drawback to stories such as this. They tend to be rich in story but light in character. The ending while a total shock made complete sense as it was explained, however, there did seem to be some bits of information that I as the reader didn’t seem to be aware of. However, that’s a minor complaint.

Seeing as how this novel was written about 70 or more years ago, I’d say it’s appropriate due to murder being committed for anyone 13 and over. An enjoyable story from a writer that I’m really beginning to grow into liking. I look forward to reading the next novel. Until then, go check this one out, and come back and let us know what you thought about it.

About the Author

Ellery Queen was a pen name created and shared by two cousins, Frederic Dannay (1905–1982) and Manfred B. Lee (1905–1971), as well as the name of their most famous detective. Born in Brooklyn, they spent forty-two years writing, editing, and anthologizing under the name, gaining a reputation as the foremost American authors of the Golden Age “fair play” mystery. Although eventually famous on television and radio, Queen’s first appearance came in 1928, when the cousins won a mystery-writing contest with the book that would eventually be published as The Roman Hat Mystery.

Their character was an amateur detective who uses his spare time to assist his police inspector uncle in solving baffling crimes. Besides writing the Queen novels, Dannay and Lee cofounded Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, one of the most influential crime publications of all time. Although Dannay outlived his cousin by nine years, he retired Queen upon Lee’s death.

You can discuss this book at here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

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