Masters of the "Humdrum" Mystery

Masters of the Author: Curtis Evans
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 0786490896
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 310

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Book Description
In 1972, in an attempt to elevate the stature of the "crime novel," influential crime writer and critic Julian Symons cast numerous Golden Age detective fiction writers into literary perdition as "Humdrums," condemning their focus on puzzle plots over stylish writing and explorations of character, setting and theme. This volume explores the works of three prominent British "Humdrums"--Cecil John Charles Street, Freeman Wills Crofts, and Alfred Walter Stewart--revealing their work to be more complex, as puzzles and as social documents, than Symons allowed. By championing the intrinsic merit of these mystery writers, the study demonstrates that reintegrating the "Humdrums" into mystery genre studies provides a fuller understanding of the Golden Age of detective fiction and its aftermath.

Masters of the "Humdrum" Mystery

Masters of the Author: Curtis Evans
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 0786490896
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 310

Get Book Here

Book Description
In 1972, in an attempt to elevate the stature of the "crime novel," influential crime writer and critic Julian Symons cast numerous Golden Age detective fiction writers into literary perdition as "Humdrums," condemning their focus on puzzle plots over stylish writing and explorations of character, setting and theme. This volume explores the works of three prominent British "Humdrums"--Cecil John Charles Street, Freeman Wills Crofts, and Alfred Walter Stewart--revealing their work to be more complex, as puzzles and as social documents, than Symons allowed. By championing the intrinsic merit of these mystery writers, the study demonstrates that reintegrating the "Humdrums" into mystery genre studies provides a fuller understanding of the Golden Age of detective fiction and its aftermath.

Murder in the Closet

Murder in the Closet PDF Author: Curtis Evans
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476626332
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 304

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Book Description
Before the 1969 Stonewall Riots, LGBTQ life was dominated by the negative image of "the closet"--the metaphorical space where that which was deemed "queer" was hidden from a hostile public view. Literary studies of queer themes and characters in crime fiction have tended to focus on the more positive and explicit representations since the riots, while pre-Stonewall works are thought to reference queer only negatively or obliquely. This collection of new essays questions that view with an investigation of queer aspects in crime fiction published over eight decades, from the corseted Victorian era to the unbuttoned 1960s.

Old World Murder

Old World Murder PDF Author: Kathleen Ernst
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide
ISBN: 0738727377
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 168

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Book Description
Trying to leave painful memories behind her, Chloe Ellefson is making a fresh start. She's the new collections curator at Old World Wisconsin, an outdoor ethnic museum showcasing 1870s settlement life. On her first day, Chloe meets with an elderly woman who begs her to find a priceless eighteenth-century Norwegian ale bowl that had been donated to the museum years ago. But before Chloe can find the heirloom and return it to her, the woman dies in a suspicious car crash. Digging up the history and whereabouts of the rare artifact quickly turns dangerous. Chloe discovers that someone is desperately trying to cover up all traces of the bowl's existence—by any means necessary. Assisting Chloe is police officer Roelke McKenna, whose own haunting past compels him to protect her. To catch the covetous killer, Chloe must solve a decades-old puzzle...before she becomes a part of history herself. Praise: "Clever plot twists and credible characters make this a far from humdrum cozy."—Publishers Weekly "This series debut by an author of children's mysteries rolls out nicely for readers who like a cozy with a dab of antique lore. Jeanne M. Dams fans will like the ethnic background."—Library Journal "Information on how to conduct historical research, background on Norwegian culture, and details about running an outdoor museum frame the engaging story of a woman devastated by a failed romantic relationship whose sleuthing helps her heal."—Booklist "Old World Murder is strongest in its charming local color and genuine love for Wisconsin's rolling hills, pastures, and woodlands...a delightful distraction for an evening or two."—New York Journal of Books "A wonderfully-woven tale that winds in and out of modern and historical Wisconsin with plenty of mysteries—both past and present. In curator Chloe Ellefson, Ernst has created a captivating character with humor, grit, and a tangled history of her own that needs unraveling. Enchanting!"—Sandi Ault, author of the WILD Mystery Series and recipient of the Mary Higgins Clark Award "Propulsive and superbly written, this first entry in a dynamite new series from accomplished author Kathleen Ernst seamlessly melds the 1980's and the 19th century. Character-driven, with mystery aplenty, Old World Murder is a sensational read. Think Sue Grafton meets Earlene Fowler, with a dash of Elizabeth Peters."—Julia Spencer-Fleming, Anthony and Agatha Award-winning author of I Shall Not Want and One Was A Soldier "Museum masterpiece."—Rosebud Book Reviews "A real find...5 stars."—Once Upon a Romance

Mystery in the Channel

Mystery in the Channel PDF Author: Freeman Wills Crofts
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.
ISBN: 1464206724
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 634

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Book Description
Mystery crime fiction written in the Golden Age of Murder "Not only is this a first-rate puzzler, but Crofts' outrage over the financial firm's betrayal of the public trust should resonate with today's readers." —Booklist STARRED review The Chichester is making a routine journey across the English Channel on a pleasant afternoon in June, when the steamer's crew notice something strange. A yacht, bobbing about in the water ahead of them, appears to have been abandoned, and there is a dark red stain on the deck... Two bodies later, with no sign of a gun, there certainly is a mystery in the channel. Inspector French soon discovers a world of high-powered banking, luxury yachts and international double-dealing. British and French coastal towns, harbours—and of course the Channel itself—provide an alluring backdrop to this nautical adventure, along with a cast of shady characters.

The Hog's Back Mystery

The Hog's Back Mystery PDF Author: Freeman Wills Crofts
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.
ISBN: 1464203822
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 326

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Book Description
Mystery crime fiction written in the Golden Age of Murder 'As pretty a piece of work as Inspector French has done... On the level of Mr Crofts' very best; which is saying something.' —Daily Telegraph Dr James Earle and his wife live in comfortable seclusion near the Hog's Back, a ridge in the North Downs in the beautiful Surrey countryside. When Dr Earle disappears from his cottage, Inspector French is called in to investigate. At first he suspects a simple domestic intrigue—and begins to uncover a web of romantic entanglements beneath the couple's peaceful rural life. The case soon takes a more complex turn. Other people vanish mysteriously, one of Dr Earle's house guests among them. What is the explanation for the disappearances? If the missing people have been murdered, what can be the motive? This fiendishly complicated puzzle is one that only Inspector French can solve. Freeman Wills Crofts was a master of the intricately and ingeniously plotted detective novel, and The Hog's Back Mystery shows him at the height of his powers. This new edition of a classic mystery is introduced by the crime fiction expert Martin Edwards.

The Mystery of a Hansom Cab

The Mystery of a Hansom Cab PDF Author: Fergus Hume
Publisher: Read Books Ltd
ISBN: 1473378974
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 318

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Book Description
This early work by Fergus Hume was originally published in 1886 and we are now republishing it with a brand new introductory biography. 'The Mystery of a Hansom Cab' is a tricky tale set in Australia and is Hume's most famous crime novel. Fergusson Wright Hume was born on 8th July 1859 in England, the second son of Dr. James Hume. The family migrated to New Zealand where Fergus was enrolled at Otago Boys' High School, and later continued his legal and literary studies at the University of Otago. Hume returned to England in 1888 where he resided in London for a few years until moving to the Essex countryside. There he published over 100 novels, mainly in the mystery fiction genre, though none had the success of his début work.

Resume Speed

Resume Speed PDF Author: Lawrence Block
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781596067950
Category : Amnesia
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
A new town, a fresh start. A chance to escape old demons. Or meet new ones. He got on the Trailways bus in Galbraith, North Dakota, booked all the way through to Spokane. But the Help Wanted sign at the diner in Cross Creek was calling his name. Soon, he had a job working the grill and a place to stay, and a new name to go with them. But what he didn't have was peace of mind. Or a clear conscience. Or any memory at all of what he'd done the night before fleeing Galbraith. What he'd done to get the scratches on his wrists and the backs of his hands]] In this brand new novella, Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Lawrence Block delivers an unforgettable portrait of a troubled man trying to lay the ghosts of his past and make a new life for himself. But there are things you can't run away from, and one of them is who you really are. Subtle and painful and beautifully crafted, Resume Speed is Lawrence Block at the pinnacle of his storytelling powers.

The Castleford Conundrum

The Castleford Conundrum PDF Author: J. J. Connington
Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson
ISBN: 9781471906077
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 282

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Book Description
In this tale the author does an effective job of portraying an odious, stupid woman, Winifred Castleford, and her detestable, sponging in-laws. Even her seemingly sympathetic second husband, Philip Castleford, is offhandedly dismissed with contempt by Clinton Driffield as a cringing weakling.

The Two Tickets Puzzle

The Two Tickets Puzzle PDF Author: J J Connington
Publisher: Murder Room
ISBN: 1471906280
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 234

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Book Description
'Mr J. J. Connington is a name revered by all specialists on detective fiction' Spectator When Oswald F. Preston is shot dead on the 10.35 local train from Horston, two obvious suspects are immediately in the frame: his wife's lover and an employer with a grudge. With red herrings a-plenty, and a number of other contenders for murderer, including a young heiress, Superintendant Ross has his work cut out for him.

Mysteries Unlocked

Mysteries Unlocked PDF Author: Curtis Evans
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476616086
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 634

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Book Description
In honor of the 70th birthday of Professor Douglas G. Greene, mystery genre scholar and publisher, this book offers 24 new essays and two reprinted classics on detective fiction by contributors around the world, including ten Edgar (Mystery Writers of America) winners and nominees. The essays cover a myriad of authors and books from more than a century, from J.S. Fletcher's The Investigators, originally serialized in 1901, to P.D. James' Death Comes to Pemberley, published at the end of 2011. Subjects covered include detective fiction in the Edwardian era and the "Golden Age" between the two world wars; hard-boiled detective fiction; mysteries and intellectuals; and pastiches, short stories and radio plays.