tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post7084063806730625534..comments2024-02-22T17:59:50.213-05:00Comments on in so many words...: Friday Forgotten (or Overlooked) Book: CAT OF MANY TAILS by Ellery Queen (1949)Yvettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-61984901207905844672018-08-25T10:01:51.007-04:002018-08-25T10:01:51.007-04:00Possibly, Mathew. Though I do recommend CAT OF MAN...Possibly, Mathew. Though I do recommend CAT OF MANY TALES, especially for the ambiance of New York in the 40's. Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-62261893159122123302018-08-25T10:00:49.621-04:002018-08-25T10:00:49.621-04:00I believe that it was also my first intro to Eller...I believe that it was also my first intro to Ellery Queen - the book, I mean. I never saw the Peter Lawford film.Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-76372246301835887662018-08-25T10:00:03.406-04:002018-08-25T10:00:03.406-04:00Oh those Wrightsville books were the pits. Absolut...Oh those Wrightsville books were the pits. Absolute pits. But thinking back, I did like THE CHINESE ORANGE MYSTERY, THERE WAS AN OLD WOMAN and THE FRENCH POWDER MYSTERY. But I must say that THE SPANISH CAPE MYSTERY wore me out. Ha.Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-71367830032468052822018-08-25T09:56:57.045-04:002018-08-25T09:56:57.045-04:00Yes. I did enjoy a few of their early books, but l...Yes. I did enjoy a few of their early books, but later not so much. Though CAT OF MANY TAILS is not an early book which is kind the exception to the rule.Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-70884232545031303812018-08-25T09:55:43.593-04:002018-08-25T09:55:43.593-04:00Oh this is definitely a good one, Rick. Perfect fo...Oh this is definitely a good one, Rick. Perfect for summer reading.Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-65656384458514840192018-08-04T14:13:13.298-04:002018-08-04T14:13:13.298-04:00I never caught the Ellery Queen bug. Not sure why....I never caught the Ellery Queen bug. Not sure why. I think I might have read one or two short stories, but never a novel. Not sure even your review will be enuf to get me on board, Yvette. In fact, I'll wager the review was more fun than an EQ book would be. Mathew Pausthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06157135006791553019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-80217594866912070392018-08-03T17:39:15.551-04:002018-08-03T17:39:15.551-04:00"Cat of Many Tails" was filmed in 1971 a..."Cat of Many Tails" was filmed in 1971 as "Don't Look Behind You" with Peter Lawford as Ellery &Harry Morgan as his "uncle". It was my first Ellery Queen novel & not a bad introduction to the seriesTaylor401306https://www.blogger.com/profile/13698330543360984204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-65196716248160389722018-08-02T18:15:06.597-04:002018-08-02T18:15:06.597-04:00This book was recommended to me when I first thoug...This book was recommended to me when I first thought to read an Ellery Queen mystery. I liked it pretty much, and had nothing to compare it to. I - a decade later - tried another, The Spanish Cape Mystery (1935) and liked it quite a bit. Much later again I read the Wrightsville books and decided never to read another Queen novel. Those multiple endings! Argh! If I changed my mind, I'd read another of the earlier ones, perhaps The Greek Coffin Mystery or the Chinese Orange Mystery.Rick Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07978136287154214297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-8027305123036351602018-07-30T00:22:06.818-04:002018-07-30T00:22:06.818-04:00Agree with your comments about the closing chapter...Agree with your comments about the closing chapters. I find a lot of later Queen fatally fatiguing. Their sort of artificiality worked best in my view in the 1930s.The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-81593831023312837672018-07-28T23:44:37.443-04:002018-07-28T23:44:37.443-04:00My Dad was a big Ellery Queen fan and, while EQ is...My Dad was a big Ellery Queen fan and, while EQ is not among my favorite literary detectives, I enjoy the books. I confess I haven't read this one, so your review has me intrigued enough to add this to my vacation reading list.Rick29https://www.blogger.com/profile/08358116647815569722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-74539178737990527192018-07-28T11:13:06.059-04:002018-07-28T11:13:06.059-04:00Well, as you might know, Lee grew to have writer&#...Well, as you might know, Lee grew to have writer's block, and the cousins hired ghost writers to do their books in the later years...some very impressive writers indeed as ghosts, but the ghosting did tend to tell.Todd Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815516018079824802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-45854633071243511562018-07-28T09:04:59.857-04:002018-07-28T09:04:59.857-04:00I agree with you about the characterless character...I agree with you about the characterless characters. I like the older Ellery Queen mysteries better than the later ones. I find myself picturing Jim Hutton and David Wayne as I read many of them. I do like the period atmosphere of the 1930s and 1940s best.joan.kylerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17015342608992682333noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-65836111974925932762018-07-27T20:23:00.776-04:002018-07-27T20:23:00.776-04:00I haven't listened to the radio version, Todd....I haven't listened to the radio version, Todd. Maybe I'll look on youtube one of these days. I didn't always dislike these books, but I guess I outgrew them. Who knows?Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-36612366001804700772018-07-27T20:21:32.946-04:002018-07-27T20:21:32.946-04:00It IS good, Tracy. I used to like them too, but I&...It IS good, Tracy. I used to like them too, but I've gotten old and grumpy. Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-68186461058708417242018-07-27T20:20:51.813-04:002018-07-27T20:20:51.813-04:00You're welcome, Mudpuddle. I know I'm prob...You're welcome, Mudpuddle. I know I'm probably in the minority over Ellery Queen, but yeah, those Wrightsville books - UGGO!!! Though I must say I did like a few of the early Queen books.Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-25310212949400502532018-07-27T18:53:18.358-04:002018-07-27T18:53:18.358-04:00A fair cop on the Queens as characters, though I&#...A fair cop on the Queens as characters, though I'm fonder of the literary, tv and probably the radio series than you...fwiw, EQMM was all Dannay's baby during his four decades there...I think Lee was more involved with their earlier magazine. Thanks!Todd Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815516018079824802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-47872064282284089602018-07-27T16:03:36.631-04:002018-07-27T16:03:36.631-04:00I read lots of Ellery Queen books years ago and I ...I read lots of Ellery Queen books years ago and I liked them. I want to read some now and see what I think but I haven't decided where to start. This one sounds good, and I have heard good things about it.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-21140595639043563392018-07-27T13:21:19.696-04:002018-07-27T13:21:19.696-04:00sometimes Ellery and company are indeed unbearable...sometimes Ellery and company are indeed unbearable; especially the Wrightsville novels... but i admit to liking the father-son relation and how they respect and work with each other: the ancillary characters help the gestalt, i think... i don't think i've read this one: maybe i did sixty or sixty five years ago... anyway, i'll see if i can look up a copy... tx for the interesting post...Mudpuddlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17194891656971454279noreply@blogger.com