Reading the Detectives discussion

Nominations please for our May 2023 group read.

Please only nominate books written and published in the Golden Age period, or a little earlier or later - if in doubt whether a title is eligible, please ask.

As usual, just one nomination per group member, and only one book by any individual writer can be nominated per month. Also, as E.C.R. Lorac has now won two polls running, please don't nominate any of her titles this month - we'll give other authors a chance! :)

The Daughter of Time, by Josephine Tey

I will nominate Murder of a Lady by Anthony Wynne

Hoping it is available in the US

Duchlan Castle is a gloomy, forbidding place in the Scottish Highlands. Late one night the body of Mary Gregor, sister of the laird of Duchlan, is found in the castle. She has been stabbed to death in her bedroom - but the room is locked from within and the windows are barred. The only tiny clue to the culprit is a silver fish's scale, left on the floor next to Mary's body.Inspector Dundas is dispatched to Duchlan to investigate the case. The Gregor family and their servants are quick - perhaps too quick - to explain that Mary was a kind and charitable woman. Dundas uncovers a more complex truth, and the cruel character of the dead woman continues to pervade the house after her death. Soon further deaths, equally impossible, occur, and the atmosphere grows ever darker. Superstitious locals believe that fish creatures from the nearby waters are responsible; but luckily for Inspector Dundas, the gifted amateur sleuth Eustace Hailey is on the scene, and unravels a more logical solution to this most fiendish of plots.

I’m finding Murder of a Lady on Kindle and in audio and paperback versions on U.S. Amazon.

Abigail wrote: "I’m finding Murder of a Lady on Kindle and in audio and paperback versions on U.S. Amazon."

And it’s available on Scribd, ebook and audiobook.

Many thanks for looking.

Jill wrote: "Many thanks for looking."

You bet!

I "third" thanks, along with Susan and Jill, for checking availability in the U.S. Amazing what a difference an ocean can make, in terms of access. Not such a small pond, after all.

If available, I'll nominate The Mysterious Mr. Badman

The note read:
“Will the gentleman who took by mistake a copy of Bunyan’s Life and Death of Mr. Badman, return it as soon as possible, as the book is in demand.”

On holiday in Keldstone visiting his nephew, Jim, blanket manufacturer Athelstan Digby agrees to look after the old bookshop on the ground floor of his lodgings while his hosts are away. On the first day of his tenure, a vicar, a chauffeur and an out-of-town stranger enquire after The Life and Death of Mr. Badman by John Bunyan. When a copy mysteriously arrives at the shop in a bundle of books brought in by a young scamp, and is subsequently stolen, Digby moves to investigate the significance of the book along with his nephew, and the two are soon embroiled in a case in which the stakes have risen from antiquarian book-pinching to ruthless murder.

First published in a limited run in 1934, this exceedingly rare and fast-paced bibliomystery set against the landscapes of Yorkshire is long overdue its return to print.

I propose GAUDY NIGHT by Dorothy L. Sayers

KEITH

Susan wrote: "If available, I'll nominate The Mysterious Mr. Badman

The note read:
“Will the gentleman who took by mistake a copy of Bunyan’s Life ..."

I only see Audible and paperback versions available on Amazon in the US.

OK. We had Death of Jezebel by Christianna Brand re-released on kindle in the UK. Is it available in the US? If not, I'll give up this month!

Susan wrote: "OK. We had Death of Jezebel by Christianna Brand re-released on kindle in the UK. Is it available in the US? If not, I'll give up this month!"

It is available in US for $5. GR says I read it with the group in 2020.

Sandy wrote: "Susan wrote: "OK. We had Death of Jezebel by Christianna Brand re-released on kindle in the UK. Is it available in the US? If not, I'll give up this month!"

It is ava..."
Yes, we read it in August 2020

Hmmmm, well, if we already read it, perhaps not then. I am out of ideas.

Susan wrote: "Hmmmm, well, if we already read it, perhaps not then. I am out of ideas."

Early days yet.

I am sure others will be more inspired than me, Jill!

Thanks everyone for the nominations so far and checking the availability as well. Susan, sorry about The Mysterious Mr Badman, but maybe we can look at it again once it is hopefully published in the US?

Nominations so far:

Sarah: The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey

Jill: Murder of a Lady by Anthony Wynne

Keith: Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers

Since availability is an issue, how about an Agatha Christie? I don’t recall reading The Pale Horse , or if I did, I don’t remember it. Here’s the blurb:

"Wickedness...such wickedness...."
The dying woman turned to Father Gorman with agony in her eyes. "Stopped....It must be stopped....You will...."

The priest spoke with reassuring authority. "I will do what is necessary. You can trust me."

Father Gorman tucked the list of names she had given him into his shoe. It was a meaningless list; the names were of people who had nothing in common.

On his way home, Father Gorman was murdered. But the police found the list and when Mark Easterbrook came to inquire into the circumstances of the people listed, he began to discover a connection between them, and an ominous pattern....

Every name of that list was either already dead or, he suspected, marked for murder.

Looking at reviews on the book page, looks like several members have read this - if it’s too soon, I can nominate something else (not a Lorac, I promise, Judy ;) ) All the books nominated look great to me, either want to read or want to reread them.

I have ,I think just about all of Agatha Cfristie in my Calibre although I don' recall how or when now. I have read them all several times over the years and became bored with the 2 dimensional characters no matter how cleverly involved the plots are although Miss Marple is rather more lifelike to me. That is why i love Sayers , her characters grow into 'real' people and her writing is scholarly
Maybe I am too critical!

I've just checked back and The Pale Horse was a group read in July 2018, so as that will be almost five years ago by the time of this group read I don't think there is any problem with the nomination! Thank you Susan.:)

Nominations so far:

Sarah: The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey

Jill: Murder of a Lady by Anthony Wynne

Keith: Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers

Susan in NC: The Pale Horse by Agatha Christie.

How about a mystery by Anthony Berkeley? Murder In The Basement f.e. is available on Kindle Unlimited in Austria/Germany, otherwise a few Euros to buy. Wonder if there´s a chance to get it in the UK, US etc?

It's on Kindle Unlimited in the UK too, Michaela, but unfortunately I think there are often problems getting hold of Berkeley's books in the US. Please could someone check?

I love Berkley and have often suggested them but they are hard to geet hold of in the US. A possible Berkeley buddy read may work, Michaela? Only a handful are available on kindle in the UK, but I have snapped them up.

Thanks for checking! I knew there was a problem. Buddy read sounds good! :)

I'd be up for a Berkeley buddy read.

Judy wrote: "I've just checked back and The Pale Horse was a group read in July 2018, so as that will be almost five years ago by the time of this group read I don't think there is any problem with..."

Thanks, Judy. I don’t know how I missed reading it over all these years…

Keith wrote: "I have ,I think just about all of Agatha Cfristie in my Calibre although I don' recall how or when now. I have read them all several times over the years and became bored with the 2 dimensional cha..."

I love Sayers as well, Keith, and Miss Marple is a favorite of mine, but we just read her in “Body in the Library” in January. I was hoping to get around the availability problem, since Christie is the most published author, I thought her books should be in most members’ public libraries.

Michaela wrote: "How about a mystery by Anthony Berkeley? Murder In The Basement f.e. is available on Kindle Unlimited in Austria/Germany, otherwise a few Euros to buy. Wonder if ther..."

Murder in the Basement is available on kindle in the US, and on Audible. Must have been free / cheap at some time as I own it. Always glad to be inspired to read an owned book.

If Murder in the Basement is available, let's add it to the vote and, should it not win, I will add it as a buddy read.

Good news re Murder in the Basement, thank you Sandy. It can go in the poll. :)

Sounds good, thanks everyone! :)

Last call for nominations before the poll goes up tomorrow. We have five books nominated:

Sarah: The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey

Jill: Murder of a Lady by Anthony Wynne

Keith: Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers

Susan in NC: The Pale Horse by Agatha Christie.

Michaela: Murder in the Basement by Anthony Berkeley.

& I'll just mention for those who are from countries that have the same copyright laws as Canada Murder of a Lady is free there.

https://www.fadedpage.com/csearch.php...

And $1.99 on Kindle U.S.

Sarah wrote: "The Daughter of Time, by Josephine Tey"

Great choice, Sarah!

The poll is now open - please cast your vote for the book you most want to read.
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

A very close and exciting poll this month - we have two books currently tied in the lead, and another two tied in second place! If you haven't voted yet, or might want to change your vote, please take a look.
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

I will have to buy another book then!! Not quite a fan of e-books as of now!! A bit old school :D

Still a draw at the moment, between The Daughter of Time and Murder of a Lady! A few more days to go before the poll ends though.

I think Susan saying we would read Murder In The Basement anyway as a buddy read ,sort of wiped it out of the vote

Jill wrote: "I think Susan saying we would read Murder In The Basement anyway as a buddy read ,sort of wiped it out of the vote"

Thanks for the reminder ...

I voted for The Daughter of Time. The premise intrigues me. I've not read any of the series, and this is the fifth. Is this a series to be read in order?

Piyangie wrote: "I voted for The Daughter of Time. The premise intrigues me. I've not read any of the series, and this is the fifth. Is this a series to be read in order?"

I would say definitely not. It's quite unlike the other Inspector Grant books, which are contemporary detective stories - and even so, don't need to be read in order. I wasn't aware of any mega-thread linking them.

Piyangie wrote: "I voted for The Daughter of Time. The premise intrigues me. I've not read any of the series, and this is the fifth. Is this a series to be read in order?"

I can't remember any benefit to reading in order. Daughter of Time was the first I read and is quite different from the others in the series. Good book.

Thanks, Rosina and Sandy!

I read the first three books with this group, and then we stopped reading them. I forgot all about them so will try to fit in 4,5,and 6 at some time

Yes, I will definitely add the Berkeley as a buddy. Some of us have wanted to read more of him for a while.

I think I was the only person who couldn't get on with Daughter of Time, but it is definitely her most popular work.

The result is a tie - so we will read both the winning books, which received 11 votes each.

We'll read Murder of a Lady in May and The Daughter of Time in June, so there will be no poll next month. Thanks to all who nominated and voted!

Full results:
The Daughter of Time (Inspector Alan Grant, #5) 11 votes, 34.4%
Murder of a Lady (Dr. Hailey #12) 11 votes, 34.4%
Gaudy Night (Lord Peter Wimsey, #10) 4 votes, 12.5%
The Pale Horse (Ariadne Oliver, #5) 3 votes, 9.4%
Murder In The Basement (Roger Sheringham Cases, #8) 3 votes, 9.4%