Reading the Detectives discussion

It's that time again! Please suggest books for our July 2020 group read.

You can nominate mystery/detective books written in/set in the GA period, or a little earlier or later.

As usual, just one nomination per group member. Also, only one book by any individual writer can be nominated per month.

Id like to nominate Monsieur Pamplemousse by Michael Bond. It was free on Amazon a couple of weeks ago.

Thank you, Carol - Monsieur Pamplemousse looks like a fun read, and it would be interesting to see what Michael Bond of Paddington Bear fame is like as a writer for adults. Here's part of the Amazon blurb:

Monsieur Pamplemousse, inspector of food and detective extraordinaire, is delighted to have the chance to dine once more at the famed La Langoustine, a restaurant nestling in the hills of Provence. Life as an undercover researcher for a top-class culinary guide can be lonely, and Monsieur Pamplemousse is ever grateful for the companionship of his friend and helper, Pommes Frites, a bloodhound with a finely-tuned nose.

Clearly someone wants Monsieur Pamplemousse out of the way, but nothing delights the detective more than the chance to practise the skills he learnt in his sleuthing days at the Sûreté…

Having only recently discovered that A A Milne wrote another mystery, in addition to The Red House Mystery, I would like to nominate:

Four Days' Wonder

Jenny Windell is a teenage girl who’s fascinated with murder mysteries. So when she finds her estranged aunt, Jane Latour, dead she’s excited to have a mystery of her own to solve, but worried she may be a suspect she flees the crime scene. On the run, she befriends Derek Fenton, the dashing younger brother of acclaimed crime writer Archibald Fenton, and persuades him to join her in her Sherlock Holmes like attempts to solve the crime. It’s no problem for them to outsmart dim-witted Inspector Marigold and they even find time for romance to blossom.

Susan, I bought a copy of Four Days' Wonder a while ago and am not sure where I put it! I have been meaning to read it for ages - I will have a look and find it. I also enjoyed The Red House Mystery.

I see that the group read by Georgette Heyer about four years ago, so I will recommend it for a re-read (if that's allowed).

When Ernest Fletcher is found bludgeoned to death in his study, everyone is shocked and mystified: Ernest was well liked and respected, so who would want to kill him?

Enter Superintendent Hannasyde who, with consummate skill, begins to uncover the complexities of Fletcher's life. It seems the real Fletcher was far from the gentleman he pretended to be. There is, in fact, no shortage of people who wanted him dead.
Then, a second murder is committed, with striking similarities to the first, giving a grotesque twist to a very unusual case.

We haven't read A Blunt Instrument here before, Rosina (it was probably mentioned during discussion of another Heyer book), so it's absolutely fine to nominate - and a 4-year gap would have been fine anyway. We have read two or three by Heyer and she is popular with members, so this is another great nomination.

Rosina wrote: "I see that the group read by Georgette Heyer about four years ago, so I will recommend it for a re-read (if that's allowed).

When Ernest Fletcher is found b..."

We read that one in the Heyer group, Rosina, might that be when you last read it? I’ve read it a few times, show a 2016 read with the Heyer group.

I've found my copy of Four Days' Wonder! It was almost where I thought, but had slipped over behind another book.

Judy wrote: "I've found my copy of Four Days' Wonder! It was almost where I thought, but had slipped over behind another book."

Sneaky books...;)

I think I’ve nominated this title before, but I’ve ordered a copy and want to read it, so I’ll give it a go. Fell Murder by ECR Lorac, published 1944, reissued by British Library Crime Classics.

From the Goodreads blurb: “Mystery crime fiction written in the Golden Age of Murder

'...this crime is conditioned by the place. To understand the one you've got to study the other.'

The Garths had farmed their fertile acres for generations, and fine land it was with the towering hills of the Lake Country on the far horizon. Here hot-tempered Robert Garth, still hale and hearty at eighty-two, ruled Garthmere Hall with a rod of iron. Until, that is, old Garth was found dead–'dead as mutton'–in the trampled mud of the ancient outhouse.

Glowering clouds gather over the dramatic dales and fells as seasoned investigator Chief Inspector Macdonald arrives in the north country. Awaiting him are the reticent Garths and their guarded neighbours of the Lune Valley; and a battle of wits to unearth their murderous secrets.

First published in 1944, Fell Murder is a tightly-paced mystery with authentic depictions of its breathtaking locales and Second World War setting.“

Great nominations so far. I'd be happy with any of them.

I so want to read all of them, so hoping those who don't win come up again

I do agree. They all sound great.

Susan in NC, your nomination of a book by E.C.R. Lorac reminds me, I was just looking at details on Amazon of a new BLCC book which sounds interesting, Crossed Skis: An Alpine Mystery. I then noticed that the author, Carol Carnac, is actually another pseudonym for E.C.R. Lorac! Sorry, not a nomination, just a digression. :)

Nominations so far:

Carol: Monsieur Pamplemousse by Michael Bond

Susan: Four Days' Wonder by A.A. Milne

Rosina: A Blunt Instrument by Georgette Heyer

Susan in NC: Fell Murder by E.C.R. Lorac

Any more?

I haven't read Ellis Peters's Felse books yet, but I own a handful, and am interested to see how they compare to her Brother Cadfael series. The first book is Fallen Into the Pit, and here is the blurb from Goodreads:

When an obnoxious former Nazi land-worker is murdered in the small English village of Comerford, Chad Wedderburn, classics master and hero of the Resistance in WWII, is accused of the murder. But none of his students believes he is guilty, including Dominic Felse, who discovered the body. Dominic resolves to discover the true murderer.

Tara wrote: "I haven't read Ellis Peters's Felse books yet, but I own a handful, and am interested to see how they compare to her Brother Cadfael series. The first book is [book:Fallen Into the Pi..."

I have a number of them, too. I think I have read one in the past. Not sure that Fallen sounds like the one I read.

Interesting nomination, Tara. Such good choices this month.

Yes, another great nomination, Tara. The poll will go up in a couple of days - so this is the last call for nominations!

Nominations so far:

Carol: Monsieur Pamplemousse by Michael Bond

Susan: Four Days' Wonder by A.A. Milne

Rosina: A Blunt Instrument by Georgette Heyer

Susan in NC: Fell Murder by E.C.R. Lorac

Tara: Fallen Into the Pit by Ellis Peters

Judy wrote: "Susan in NC, your nomination of a book by E.C.R. Lorac reminds me, I was just looking at details on Amazon of a new BLCC book which sounds interesting, [book:Crossed Skis: An Alpin..."

Thanks, Judy, I hadn’t come across that one yet, I will check it out! I like those collections, a great way to try out different GA writers for further reading- some really click and seem timeless, others just don’t work as well.

Just read the blurb, and it sounds very good - thanks, Judy, this was published in 1952, with a different Scotland Yard inspector I didn’t even know about! I never knew she wrote under her own name, good to know!

Tara wrote: "I haven't read Ellis Peters's Felse books yet, but I own a handful, and am interested to see how they compare to her Brother Cadfael series. The first book is [book:Fallen Into the Pi..."

Ooh, sounds good - I’ve saved several of these on Scribd - as a huge Cadfael fan, I’d love to check these out and compare!

Susan in NC wrote: "Judy wrote: "Just read the blurb, and it sounds very good - thanks, Judy, this was published in 1952, with a different Scotland Yard inspector I didn’t even know about! I never knew she wrote under her own name, good to know!..."

Thanks Susan! Seems this was another pseudonym, as her real name was Edith Caroline Rivett, so the pseudonyms are both riffs on her own name (I saw in the blurb that Lorac is an anagram of Carol!) I think sometimes authors use different names for different publishers, or for a different series - makes it hard for fans who want to read all their works, though things are a bit easier with the internet!

Very true!

Judy wrote: "I think sometimes authors use different names for different publishers, or for a different series"

My first real encounter with this as Iain Banks and Iain M. Banks, who used the different names to differentiate from different types of books.

Not GA related, just thought it was interesting. And yes, Lorac is a palindrome of Carol. Interesting insight into her mind!

They all look wonderful! Mine seems boring in comparison, but I´d like to read Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers.

I saw there´s been a read of the Sayers mysteries in 2016, but I´m relatively new to mysteries, so I try to catch up with many - if it´s allowed.

That's fine, Michaela, as it was 4 years ago now. Thanks for the nomination. :)

Oooh, I’m always up for Sayers!

Nominations so far:

Carol: Monsieur Pamplemousse by Michael Bond

Susan: Four Days' Wonder by A.A. Milne

Rosina: A Blunt Instrument by Georgette Heyer

Susan in NC: Fell Murder by E.C.R. Lorac

Tara: Fallen Into the Pit by Ellis Peters

Michaela: Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers

The poll is now open! We have 6 great nominations to choose from - please head along and cast your votes.

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

And the winner is...

Fell Murder by E.C.R. Lorac, a Golden Age mystery republished by British Library Crime Classics. This will be our July group read.

Thanks to Susan in NC for nominating this one. :)

It was quite a close poll this month.

Full results:
Fell Murder 7 votes, 29.2%
Monsieur Pamplemousse (Monsieur Pamplemousse Mystery, Book 1) 5 votes, 20.8%
A Blunt Instrument (Inspectors Hannasyde & Hemingway, #4) 5 votes, 20.8%
Four Days' Wonder 3 votes, 12.5%
Fallen Into the Pit (Felse Investigations, #1) 2 votes, 8.3%
Strong Poison (Lord Peter Wimsey, #6) 2 votes, 8.3%

Some great nominations again this month.

Susan wrote: "Some great nominations again this month."

Ive read & enjoyed Fell Murder. Good choice!

sadly, I can't find a free copy of this looking at my library (ebooks) and openlibrary.org.
I see it on amazon and, good grief, there is a hardcover listed for $971.90 plus shipping!
but the lowest price is $8 so I doubt I will read this one.
but I did just learn my library is starting curbside pickup on Monday, so YAY for library books!

Luckily one of my libraries offer it using Hoopla.

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Susan wrote: "Some great nominations again this month."

Ive read & enjoyed Fell Murder. Good choice!"

Thanks, Carol - I ordered the paperback after your review, I look forward to reading it with the group. With libraries closed here, I’m down to my own collection or e-books! So an unread paperback is to be hoarded and treasured!

Jackie wrote: "sadly, I can't find a free copy of this looking at my library (ebooks) and openlibrary.org.
I see it on amazon and, good grief, there is a hardcover listed for $971.90 plus shipping!
but the lowe..."

Lucky girl! Enjoy!

Susan in NC wrote: "Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Susan wrote: "Some great nominations again this month."

Ive read & enjoyed Fell Murder. Good choice]!"

Thanks, Carol - I ordered the paperback after your review, I l..."

This situation reminds me of a book I read, Howards End is on the Landing: A Year of Reading from Home, where the author challenged herself to spend a year reading only from her own personal library and reacquainting herself with books she owned, forgot she had, wanted to reread - I’d love to spend an afternoon sifting through her books! ;)

Fell Murder is available on Hoopla if you have access to that. I have access to it through my local library account.