just love to be invited to old-fashioned house parties…

I just love those trapped-here-in-the-blizzard, oh-the-bridge’s-washed-out, Agatha-Christie-inspired “house party” mysteries. I can see writing “Death on the Space Shuttle” or “Corpse in the Elevator” or some such. This “first Kincaid and James mystery,” however, transcends its genre, introducing very appealing characters, particularly its detective, his sidekick, the intended victim, and some elderly British sisters. I’ve never read Crombie before, and was surprised to find her a Texan; she seems to both honor and update the genre and the sense of place in Yorkshire is good. It wasn’t until I wondered about the lack of cell phones that I checked the copyright date (1993) and realized I’d totally missed this oft-nominated series.

Oops, I did it again…

When I got a this a a gift for Christmas, I recognized the series immediately; I’d read all of this series featuring the diffident and interesting house cleaner Lily Bard.  I was surprised I’d missed this one, since I often went out of my way to read Christmas mysteries.  Of course, round about 60 pages into it, I realized I had indeed read this when it first came out about ten years ago.  I keep doing this.  But rereading it was time well-spend; the book has stood up really well, largely on the strength of its characters and sense of place.  I have not read Harris’ more recent series, which gets rave reviews, but it might be time.

London Boulevard

Finished this early novel, soon to be, possibly, a film.  Liked it for its main characters and storytelling.  It’s fun to see similarities to other Bruen books, but I’ll take a pass on talking about that right now.

out-of-print

I’d love to read the first three novels of Ken Bruen’s Inspector Brant trilogy, but it seems they’re out of print. I’ve enjoyed Ammunition, Calibre, Vixen, and Blitz when I “discovered” Bruen recently.  I’ve read one or two of the Jack Taylor novels, too, and they’re good, but somewhat more depressing than jaded, a tone I seem to prefer.  I’d like to finish up reading the  Brant books before I move on to other Bruen fare.  Anal, I know.  I mean, most authors don’t write a series with all one character, break free entirely, then begin with a new character.  There’s usually some overlap.  And then a collaborator.  Or, I guess,  a ghostwriter? 

Anyway, imagine my surprise when I found it would cost about $34 minimum for a used copy of A White Arrest.  Or $32 for the McDead, I’m not sure what for the Alien thing, and almost $50 for the combined White Trilogy.  I checked  the local libraries and used book stores, but no luck.  I guess I can try inter-library loan or wait until the books are re-released, which some booksellers seem to indicate will happen.  But all that takes so much planning and doesn’t smell of instant gratification, which is what, after all, a mystery fix is all about.  Oh, well…

culinary mysteries

OK, I admit it.  I’ve cooked some recipes from culinary mysteries.  Back when Robert Parker’s Spenser was fresh and appealing (umm, about the time of the Godwulf Manuscript?), he was an inspiration in the kitchen.  Now, he seems to be eating out a lot.  At expensive Boston restaurants probably not on my budget.  Or he sits at home with Susan engaged and pompous and monosyllabic utterances of no interest whatsoever about their relationship.  How does he afford those upscale addresses for home and office?  He doesn’t seem to bill a lot.  Anyway, I digress.

My favorite culinary mystery writer is Diane Mott Davidson, and I actually have zeroxed some recipes and put them in the disorganized notebook filled with clippings and index cards of recipes which mostly I never use. I do bake her “Lethal Layers” cookies (easy and dense with pecans, chocolate chips, and brown sugar), and, at least once, have baked her “Monster Cinnamon Rolls,” “Strawberry Super Pie,” and “Castle Scones.” I liked her books better when the recipes appeared within the text of the story, rather than in an appendix, (and before I’d had enough information about the main character Goldie’s husband Tom, her son Arch, Arch’s school, and Goldie’s church.  Strangely, Goldie’s best friend Marla still appeals.) Some of the recipes are well-named, like “Dark Torte” in a book featuring lots of lawyers.  They’re not exactly haute cuisine, and some may have a step or two extra or a bit too much narrative, but they’re fun to read and, apparently, kitchen-tested. The only ones I hated where the ones in the book where Marla had had a heart attack and had to eat healthy.  Please, that is not appropriate in fiction.

It was sort of a shock to me, therefore, when I picked up a Joann Fluke mystery.  I like Christmas mysteries (so cozy, so improbable), so naturally I started with Sugar Cookie Murder.  It was down-homey and fun.  Really down-homey.  The main character, whose name has already escaped me, and her sisters solve a murder at the local Christmas buffet and taste-testing for a new cookbook at the local community center.  In Minnesota.  Very snowy Minnesota.  In a blizzard.  There are pages and pages of recipes at the end, mostly the kind you’d see in a church-fundraiser cookbook.  All of them are mentioned in the book. Lots of them seem to feature canned soup or jello as  ingredients.  It’s not upscale cooking; it’s comfort food with a local flavor (umm).  My favorite recipe might be the one for bait.  Yep.  Bait.

I know there are a lot of other culinary mysteries out there.  I don’t think I’ve read any of them.

Hello world!

Well, I did it again.  Got to about page thirty of a novel and thought, “Oh, shit!  I’ve read this!” Or have I?  Not sure. (Sometimes it’s a little hard to tell, especially when you read a lot of series books.  Or are a little disorganized.)

I guess it’s a good thing.  You can read some old favorites and not have a clue whodunit.  Reread everything on the shelf.  Go to the library and choose any book. Discover authors you’ve read before.  Not recognize your family. Wander away from home and find yourself in Toledo.

So I’ve decided I should keep some kind of record of what I read, at least in the mystery category.  (I can sort of remember what Conrad or Austen I’ve read.  And, to be honest, I don’t find myself rereading a lot of Conrad.)

I thought I’d keep track in a database or a notebook. But it seemed a little, well, overly organized and accountant-like.   Then I thought, why not just blog what I’m reading?  I’ve tried a blog once– a trip journal.  It was easier than designing web pages after a trip, which I’d done with trips to France and China, but proved to be not so practical, ’cause I didn’t really have much computer access and didn’t want to spend much time away from sightseeing– it was only a week’s trip to Scotland. 

So, anyway, here’s the blog.  We’ll see how long it lasts.