This is a book of Sayer short stories which I've probably read. At one time I know I read pretty much all of Dorothy Sayers' output. And just a few years ago I know I re-read all the short stories in one handy anthology (not this one). So in a vague sort of way, yes I recommend. Hey, listen, any Dorothy Sayers is better than no Dorothy Sayers. All except for STRONG POISON which I have no patience for because I never liked that Harriet Vane - the woman poor Sir Peter fell hook line and sinker for. I mean, really, what she put him through...
Another author (pseudonym for John Dickson Carr) whose work I read once upon a time when I was young and loved puzzles and locked room mysteries and such. But again I ask you not to ask me for details. (Hey, that's what google is for.) All I can say with any equanimity is that I recommend John Dickson Carr and all his pseudonyms because once upon a time I was a big fan.
I'm a fan of the Lockridge's Mr. and Mrs. North books and have become a recent (well, last couple of years) fan of their Captain Heimrich books based on the one book I read. (Not this one.) Haven't read any others yet, but I certainly plan to.
As I mentioned, I read all of John Dickson Carr when I was young and impressionable and always planned to read them all again. But somehow I haven't. Still, if you haven't - read them all, I mean - then you must. If you want to call yourself a vintage mystery maven, that is. The main difficulty with Carr (and his output under various pseudonyms) is that his main characters are not especially warm or cuddly or even people you'd want to know - that can be a problem with mystery series. It's not enough. in my view, to be a genius writer of puzzles. Puzzles are okay, but there has to be some likability quotient attached.
Having said that: CASTLE SKULL is one Carr book I have recently reread and recommend highly. Especially for Halloween.
Don't know anything much about Edgar Wallace except that in times gone by his stuff was very popular and well-regarded. And I do love anything that has 'Crime Club' splashed across the cover.
Rufus King was new to me, a year or so ago, but now I'm a big fan. I've only read maybe three of his books, but plan on getting my hands on more. (Admittedly, I love the name 'Rufus' but that has nothing to do with my affection for his books. I promise.) I love this cover because it shows two of my favorite things: skeletons and a big old house. I mean, what more could you ask for?
I know I said I'd read all of Carr and his pseudonyms, but this one is not ringing ANY sort of bell so I will likely try to find a copy to read or re-read as the case may be. I love mysteries on boats.
Since this is Friday, don't forget to check in at author Patricia Abbott's blog, Pattinase, to see what other forgotten or overlooked books (and/or their covers), other bloggers are talking about today.
I enjoyed the few Leslie Ford books I could get my hands on....long out of print now.
ReplyDeleteThis bums me too. I remember seeing a ton of the Popular pbs of the Grace Lathams at my local used book store back in the 1990s, I bought 'em and read 'em, but the bindings were crummy and they'd fall apart. I wish I'd put them in a plastic bag and kept them. The Devil's Stranglehold was hilarious...
DeleteGram and Nancy: I'll keep an eye out for any over on the Abe Books website. That's where I generally have a bit of luck now and then. And I like that a lot of their books are free shipping. Currently I'm keeping an eye out for any Philip MacDonald books that don't cost an arm and a leg. :)
DeleteI love those covers! I'm with you about the skeleton and the big, creepy house. I'd have to read that one.
ReplyDeleteI think there are some Rufus Kings showing up here and there for not too much money, Joan. I do like this cover a lot. Only problem with these old paperback covers is that in reality, they fall apart. I've always wanted to make a collage of old covers and just never have found the time. One of these days...
DeleteJoan - Kindle has this one for 4.99. But of course then you don't get the great cover. Abe Books has the actual book with cover intact (far as I can tell) for about ten bucks. Decisions, decisions...
DeleteThanks for that information. I'll take a look. I may have to walk up to The Book Trader to see if they have any Rufus Kings. They have a large mystery section.
DeleteHi Yvette,
ReplyDeleteGreat selection of covers!
Leslie Ford was Zenith Brown nee Jones. She wrote as Brenda Conrad and David Frome too.
Thanks for the info, Nancy! I wonder why she didn't use her own VERY COOL name: Zenith Brown. Really? LOVE it!
DeleteYvette,
ReplyDeleteI've just begun reading the John Dickson Carr mysteries. I'm reading the Gideon Fell mysteries now.
Gideon Fell is a great name for a character I've always thought. I can't help humming the old nursery rhyme: "I do not like thee, Dr. Fell. The reason why I cannot tell. But this I know and know full well, I do not like thee, Dr. Fell." In reality, Fell was probably a mad murderer or something equally engaging. HA! Nursery rhymes in those days were often meant to scare kids.
DeleteI love skull and skeleton covers. Wish I owned a copy of all of those. I do have the Helen Reilly book with that cover. I would really like to find that edition of Death and the Gentle Bull. I perfect post for this time of year.
ReplyDeleteOh, you must read the Reilly book and report. :) I'm keeping an eye out for that '...Gentle Bull' book, too. For sure.
DeleteNice selection of skull/skeleton covers!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Richard! You know how much I love variations on a theme. :)
DeleteMrs. North (the Lockridges) is one of the most original characters in vintage mysteries... her circuitous logic raises a smile every time... like the covers - you don't see their like very often...
ReplyDeleteI really do enjoy the Mr. and Mrs. North books, Mudpuddle. Read them all years and years ago and lately have reread a few. Fun.
DeleteOK I'm primed for All Hallows Eve now, thanks to this collection of horrifying covers and ghastly titles. I might even read one or two this weekend during breaks from my labor of love: a valedictory tribute to Ed Gorman.
ReplyDeleteAll Hallows Eve + a good mystery = perfect together. The only Ed Gorman books I've read were one short series he did in which the titles were song titles from the 1950's. VERY entertaining. I know he always contributed to the Friday's Forgotten Book meme over at Patti's, too. I'm going to have to read more of his stuff - judging from the little I've read, he was a terrific writer.
DeleteYvette, this is the first time I have been to a skull/skeleton library. Thanks for this scary but memorable tour of vintage book covers.
ReplyDeleteGlad you 'enjoyed' it, Prashant. Halloween is a big deal over here - the neighborhood decorations are starting to rival those of Christmas. Not that I'm all that okay with it, but the kids love pretending to be scared. Ha! The little ones really have fun with it.
DeleteI suspect that you read Nine-And Death Makes Ten under it's alternate title, Murder In The Submarine Zone. It's a Henry Merrivale book.
ReplyDeleteI may have, Ron, but honestly I can't remember. Neither title sounds even the tiniest bit familiar. But I found a copy over at Abe Books and I'll soon see if anything about it rings a bell. :)
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