Favorite Hugh Pentecost tales, so far: An early novel about a woman who runs a detective agency: The Death Syndicate (1938) Two Impossible Crime short stories ...
Mrs Gregson has been acquitted of the murder of her husband, three years ago, but her reputation is in tatters. Now it appears that someone is out to kill off...
Lumina Flower is a new novelist who fears she may have inadvertently libelled Lotte Liselotte, a German actress from the silent film days. She heads off to a...
Through one of those odd coincidences, I just tried reading this a couple of months ago. Am ashamed to say I gave up in the middle, frustrated by anything that...
Many thanks, Mike, for your recommendations. I've visited your fine web site and have enjoyed reading your articles there. It's a great resource. Ed ... ...
In my Penguin copy of the book, The Times Literary Supplement is cited with 'It is by any standards a thoroughly fresh and entertaining story, excellently...
Mike Grost is rather unkind about this book on the Wiki. I wouldn't go nearly so far.The story is excellent for its period, and it does introduce the first...
Friends: Hey,Dr.Greene, a new Crippen & Landru Lost Classic? Enrique F. Bird Picó _____ From: GAdetection@yahoogroups.com [mailto:GAdetection@yahoogroups.com]...
Jon Jermey probably has a point, when he says that this book tells a lot about Inspector French. I still remmember how disappointing it was to read. Crofts'...
Paul Jerin, a chess whiz, is playing blindfold games against a dozen members of the Gambit Club. They sit in one room with the boards; he sits in another, and...
I think that this would make an excellent collection indeed. What do you say, Doug? Pentecost was the consummate “pro” among mid-century mystery novelists....
Major Brentwood dies by drowning, and his widow inherits the insurance. Nothing unusual about that - but the widow's previous husband also died by drowning,...
Roger Simons (not to be confused with Roger L. Simon the contemporary mystery novelist) was the pseudonym of Margaret and Ivor Punnett, an English couple...
My bibliography lists 16 titles by Simons, all with Insp. Fadiman Wace. The fleeting U.S. publisher Roy issued half a dozen of them. Author the authors' last...
I have just finished reading J D Carr's "Fire, Burn". It is excellent in the narrative but has gaping holes in the mystery. The mystery and its solution left...
This issues raised here are important. 1) From 1890-1960, short stories were much more popular than they are now. Magazines published mountains of them. Short...
Carr's reputation as a writer is based on solid achievements: Imaginative plots, especially impossible crimes. Rich atmosphere. A gift of humor. This means...
Does anyone know of a book that features Hugh Pentecost short stories? I am especially looking for "Room #23", published in 1925 and "The Day the Children...
The latter can be found in "Alfred Hitchcock's Daring Detectives". ... stories? I am especially looking for "Room #23", published in 1925 and "The Day the...
... No - have not seen one. ... This is in an anthology called "Maiden Murders" (1952), which contains the first mysteries of MWA members. ... This is in "All...
In a message dated 11/13/2006 8:09:12 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, MG4273@... writes: Many of today's mid-list authors should be asking themselves: "What...
Mike, I agree with much of what you say about the short story/novella (5,000 to 30,000 word count) being superior to the novel most of the time in the mystery...
On reflection, my previous post probably overstated some things. Certainly, there are a lot of good mystery novels. But still, the classic mystery often...
Many thanks Mike. I will try and track down now that I have a clue where to start. Anita ... From: MG4273@... To: GAdetection@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday,...
Sorry Mike, I have followed your website, off and on over the years(O even wrote to you to thank you for it the first time I came across it :)) but your...
You've raised some very interesting points, Mike, and I disagree with most of 'em. You see, I don't believe at all that detective fiction reached its peak with...
... The latter is a favorite of mine, which I read in its original appearance in THIS WEEK. Besides the other reprints, it also appeared in NEW ENGLAND CRIME...
... now. They remain my favorite form in both SF&F and mystery fiction. My major reading over the summer was, for example, Dr. Thorndyke and Reggie Fortune,...
... Mike, if you mean the Short Mystery Fiction Society group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortmystery/?yguid=8273033 and http://www.shortmystery.net), then...
