Reading the Detectives discussion

Nominations please for our March group read! As usual, please only nominate books written and published in the Golden Age period, or a little earlier or later - if in doubt whether a title is eligible, please ask. Just one nomination per group member, and only one book by any individual writer can be nominated per month.

If you aren't sure whether we have read something, the group bookshelves may help, or just ask. If it was at least 3 years ago that we read it, it is fine to renominate. Looking forward to seeing your nominations!

Amazon usually confuses me, but all I see is an Audible version available in January. However, they also say I can't buy Impact of Evidence until April and I've bought it from them already (not the BLCC version).

Thank you Susan and Sandy - I've also had a quick look around and couldn't find info on any US editions apart from the Audible one. I'm thinking it might be better to wait a little to read this title as a group read, until either the BLCC version or another edition is available in the US.

It's unusual for us to get something first, but, no problem, I'll remove it.

I'd like to nominate Family Matters, first published in 1933 and rereleased by BLCC in 2017. From the GR blurb

Robert Arthur Kewdingham is an eccentric failure of a man. In middle age he retreats into a private world, hunting for Roman artefacts and devoting himself to bizarre mystical beliefs. Robert's wife, Bertha, feels that there are few things more dreadful than a husband who will persist in making a fool of himself in public. Their marriage consists of horrible quarrels, futile arguments, incessant bickering. Scarcely any friends will visit the Kewdinghams in their peaceful hometown Shufflecester. Everything is wrong - and with the entrance of John Harrigall, a bohemian bachelor from London who catches Bertha's eye, they take a turn for the worse. Soon deep passions and resentments shatter the calm facade of the Kewdinghams' lives. This richly characterised and elegantly written crime novel from 1933 is a true forgotten classic.

Thanks Susan - did you want to nominate something else?

Frances wrote: "I'd like to nominate Family Matters, first published in 1933 and rereleased by BLCC in 2017. ..."

Thank you Frances! Sounds great but the only US ebook I can see is $16.60 which seems a bit pricey - can anyone in the US confirm whether there are other editions as well?

Sorry, we continue to have issues with availability of books on both sides of the Atlantic!

Oh that's too bad! It was available at my local library so I assumed that would mean it was fairly widely available. Abebooks has lots of copies which sit at around $7 US but that doesn't help those who'd like an ebook.

Judy wrote: "Frances wrote: "I'd like to nominate Family Matters, first published in 1933 and rereleased by BLCC in 2017. ..."

Thank you Frances! Sounds great but the only US ebook I can see is..."

Yes, $16.60 for the kindle is all I see also…

Judy wrote: "Thanks Susan - did you want to nominate something else?"

I don’t see Susan’s nomination, what was the title?

Sandy wrote: "Amazon usually confuses me, but all I see is an Audible version available in January. However, they also say I can't buy Impact of Evidence until April and I've bought it from them already (not the..."

I had the paperback of , but with the name Carol Carnac as author, not Lorac. So perhaps it was an issue with author name? I can’t see Susan’s post

Speaking of Lorac, I’ll nominate Crook o' Lune , as I’ve got the paperback and haven’t read it yet.

I’ll nominate Crook o' Lune by E.C.R. Lorac:

It all began up at High Gimmerdale with the sheep-stealing, a hateful act in the shepherding lands around the bend in the Lune river – the Crook o’ Lune. Then came the fire at Aikengill house and with the leaping of the flames, death, disorder and dangerous gossip came to the quiet moorlands.

Visiting his friends, the Hoggetts, while searching for some farmland to buy up ahead of his retirement, Chief Inspector Robert Macdonald’s trip becomes a busman’s holiday when he is drawn to investigate the deadly blaze and the deep-rooted motives behind the rising spate of crimes.

Drawing on her own experience living in Lunesdale, Lorac spins a tale portraying the natural beauty, cosy quiet and more brutal elements of country living in this classic rural mystery first published in 1953.

Sorry about the repeat posts, was trying to add blurb and check cost - currently .99 on kindle in USA; paperback is $11

Susan in NC wrote: "Sandy wrote: "Amazon usually confuses me, but all I see is an Audible version available in January. However, they also say I can't buy Impact of Evidence until April and I've bought it from them al..."

It looked to me like there was a Kindle version for 99 cents US.

Thanks, Susan in NC - Crook o'Lune is £2.99 on Kindle and also on Kindle Unlimited in the UK, so that nomination looks fine!

Susan had previously nominated Murder as a Fine Art, published under the Carol Carnac name, but withdrew it because it looks like it won't be available in time in the US. Hopefully we can get to it soon though.

Is Bloody Instructions: An Antony Maitland Mystery by Sara Woods available in the US yet? or
Midsummer Murder by Clifford Witting?

Looks like Bloody Instructions is available in the US for $3.99 on Kindle and Midsummer Murder is also available for $4.99, Susan. Which one would you prefer to nominate?

Judy wrote: "Thanks, Susan in NC - Crook o'Lune is £2.99 on Kindle and also on Kindle Unlimited in the UK, so that nomination looks fine!

Susan had previously nominated Murder as a Fine Art, published under th..."

Thanks Judy. Sorry we are foiled yet again by various publication dates in different countries, but I’m glad this Lorac is available.

I look forward to Murder as a Fine Art becoming available for all,of us.

I will nominate Bloody Instructions: An Antony Maitland Mystery by Sara Woods

Book 1 in the Antony Maitland Mysteries
“Miss Bell found him,” said Antony. “That was about fifteen minutes after I got there. She let out a yell that brought us all running. He’d been stabbed in the back”

Who had the effrontery to fatally stab James Winter, a mild and highly respectable London solicitor, as he was inoffensively taking tea in his office?

The possibilities are plentiful, but police suspicion lands on a temperamental Shakespearean actor, Joseph Dowling, whose estranged wife the old man had been representing in her divorce action. The larger-than-life star of London’s latest hit production of Macbeth, Dowling not only had a motive for murder, he had a dagger to draw as well. These actors!

Now it may well be the last act for Dowling in his newest role—criminal defendant—unless brilliant barrister-sleuth Antony Maitland and his famed courtroom performer uncle, Sir Nicholas Harding, can put the spotlight on the real killer in this, Sara Woods’ highly-praised debut detective novel.

This gripping courtroom drama from 1962 features an introduction by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.

“This is just the sort of book I enjoy – a good detective story, with human characters and told with freshness and an amusing good humor.” - Francis Iles, author of Malice Aforethought

Sorry, I removed my previous nomination, so as not to confuse people.

Thank you Susan, that sounds great - I do enjoy mysteries featuring characters such as a "temperamental Shakespearean actor!")

We now have two confirmed nominations so far:

Susan in NC: Crook o' Lune by E.C.R. Lorac

Susan: Bloody Instructions: An Antony Maitland Mystery by Sara Woods

Thank you, Susan and Susan! :)

I'll throw out one for nomination: Murder Jigsaw by E. Radford. Written by Edwin and Mona Radford.

Takes place in a Cornish fishing village. An unpleasant Colonel is found dead in a salmon pool. He is dressed for fishing but Dr. Manson finds something suspicious. Also there are people around who have either motives or are known to have cursed him out.

This is $3.99 in US on Kindle. Originally published in 1944.

Thank you for the nomination, Jan - Murder Jigsaw is available in the UK too, £2.99 on Kindle here.

Nominations so far:

Susan in NC: Crook o' Lune by E.C.R. Lorac

Susan: Bloody Instructions: An Antony Maitland Mystery by Sara Woods

Jan: Murder Jigsaw by E. Radford

Does anyone have any more nominations to add before the poll goes up tomorrow?

I have one. The First Time He Died by Ethel Lina White. First published in 1935, the book is available for free download @ Project Gutenberg Australia.

Neer wrote: "I have one. The First Time He Died by Ethel Lina White. First published in 1935, the book is available for free download @ Project Gutenberg Australia."

In US: $6 for kindle

Thanks, Neer! The First Time He Died is also available in cheap Kindle editions on both UK and US Amazon websites.

Sandy wrote: "Neer wrote: "I have one. The First Time He Died by Ethel Lina White. First published in 1935, the book is available for free download @ Project Gutenberg Australia."

In US: $6 for Kindle..."

I think I just found an edition on US Amazon for $1.99 as well as the $6 one:
https://www.amazon.com/First-Time-He-...

It has a strange description but looks to be the same book from a look inside!

The poll is now open - please cast your votes here:
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/3...

We have a winner - it's Bloody Instructions: An Anthony Maitland Mystery by Sara Woods, which will be our March book.

Also, Crook o'Lune by E.C.R. Lorac was only a couple of votes behind, so let's read that one for April and skip the poll next month. :)

Bloody Instructions: An Antony Maitland Mystery (THE ANTONY MAITLAND MYSTERIES) 7 votes, 53.8%
Crook o' Lune 5 votes, 38.5%
The First Time He Died (Murder Room Book 636) 1 vote, 7.7%
Murder Jigsaw (Doctor Manson #2) 0 votes, 0.0%

Thanks, Judy, good plan - I know it’s hard to find titles available for all members

Great idea, I will update the list.