lyzard's list: Reading many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore in 2021 - Part 6

The rusty-spotted cat is the world's smallest wildcat, with adults weighing only 1kg on average and kittens only 50-60g. The species is found in India and Sri Lanka, usually in scrub forest but adaptable to other environments. They are agile and quick-moving, which along with their size has earned them the nickname 'hummingbird-cats'.

Rusty-spotted cats are solitary and nocturnal with low natural numbers that along with habitat destruction and the encroachment of farming land has them considered 'near threatened'. One Indian conservation program focuses upon encouraging reporting of kittens discovered alone while the mother hunts, and guarding them until she returns. A small number of zoos have reported successful captive breeding.


  

Last year's thread title was taken from a relatively obscure poem by Edgar Allan Poe. It was some time later before it occurred to me that - duh - I had overlooked a perfectly apt line from Poe's most famous poem:

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—
    While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
“’Tis some visitor,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door—
        Only this and nothing more...”

Probably no-one needs this but just in case, the full text of The Raven may be found here.

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Currently reading:



Tom Cringle's Log by Michael Scott (1833)

2021 reading:

January:

1. The Pelham Murder Case by Monte Barrett (1930)
2. Mystery At Lynden Sands by J. J. Conningtion (1928)
3. Dead Man Twice by Christopher Bush (1930)
4. Eight To Nine by R. A. J. Walling (1934)
5. The Secret Of The Old Clock by Carolyn Keene (1930)
6. The Van Diemen's Land Warriors, or The Heroes Of Cornwall by "Pindar Juvenal" (1827)
7. The Reviv'd Fugitive: A Gallant Historical Novel by Peter Belon (1690)
8. The Land Of Laughs by Jonathan Carroll (1980)
9. Patty Blossom by Carolyn Wells (1917)
10. Miracle Creek by Angie Kim (2019)
11. Fools' Gold by Dolores Hitchens (1958)
12. Beast In View by Margaret Millar (1955)
13. The Blunderer by Patricia Highsmith (1956)
14. Cause Of Death by Cyril H. Wecht with Mark Curridan and Benjamin Wecht (1993)
15. The Secret Of Terror Castle by Robert Arthur Jr (1964)

February:

16. Orley Farm by Anthony Trollope (1862)
17. The Benevent Treasure by Patricia Wentworth (1953)
18. Patty--Bride by Carolyn Wells (1918)
19. Lost Boy Lost Girl by Peter Straub (2003)
20. Call For The Dead by John le Carré (1961)
21. 813 by Maurice Leblanc (1910)
22. Blanche On The Lam by Barbara Neely (1992)
23. The Autobiography Of Mark Rutherford by William Hale White (1881)
24. The Adventuress by Arthur B. Reeve (1917)
25. The Secret History Of The Four Last Monarchs Of Great Britain by "R. B." (1691)

March:

26. The Source by James A. Michener (1965)
27. The Mystery Of The Stuttering Parrot by Robert Arthur Jr (1964)
28. Gray Dusk by Octavus Roy Cohen (1920)
29. Mr Jelly's Business by Arthur Upfield (1937)
30. Death Comes To Perigord by John Alexander Ferguson (1931)
31. Simon The Coldheart by Georgette Heyer (1925)
32. Patty And Azalea by Carolyn Wells (1919)
33. The Recess: A Tale Of Other Times by Sophia Lee (1785)
34. Anecdotes Of A Convent by Anonymous (1771)

2021 reading:

April:

35. The Observations by Jane Harris (2006)
36. Valley Of The Dolls by Jacqueline Susann (1966)
37. The Executor by Margaret Oliphant (1861)
38. The Rector by Margaret Oliphant (1861)
39. The Panama Plot by Arthur B. Reeve (1918)
40. Elsie And The Raymonds by Martha Finley (1889)
41. The Murder Of Sigurd Sharon by Harriette Ashbrook (1933)
42. The Wraith by Philip MacDonald (1931)
43. Poison In The Pen by Patricia Wentworth (1954)
44. President Fu Manchu by Sax Rohmer (1936)
45. Midnight by Octavus Roy Cohen (1922)
46. Sing Sing Nights by Harry Stephen Keeler (1927)
47. Missing Or Murdered by Robin Forsythe (1929)

May:

48. The Arrangement by Elia Kazan (1967)
49. The Mystery Of The Whispering Mummy by Robert Arthur (1965)
50. The Doctor's Family by Margaret Oliphant (1863)
51. Beauvallet by Georgette Heyer (1929)
52. The Great Impersonation by E. Phillips Oppenheim (1920)
53. The Life Of Mansie Wauch, Tailor In Dalkeith by David Moir (1828)
54. Elsie Yachting With The Raymonds by Martha Finley (1890)
55. The Window At The White Cat by Mary Roberts Rinehart (1910)
56. The Case With Nine Solutions by J. J. Connington (1928)
57. The High Adventure by Jeffery Farnol (1925)
58. Winds Of Evil by Arthur Upfield (1937)
59. Six Minutes Past Twelve by Gavin Holt (1928)

June:

60. Mr Fortune Wonders by H. C. Bailey (1933)
61. X Y Z: A Detective Story by Anna Katharine Green (1883)
62. Murder In A Library by Charles J. Dutton (1931)
63. Airport by Arthur Hailey (1968)
64. The Sea Mystery by Freeman Wills Crofts (1928)
65. The Spider's Touch by Valentine Williams (1936)
66. The Soul Scar by Arthur B. Reeve (1919)
67. Crumpled Lilies by W. Carlton Dawe (1933)
68. The Kennel Murder Case by S. S. Van Dine (!933)
69. The Drums Of Fu Manchu by Sax Rohmer (1939)
70. The Vanishing Of Betty Varian by Carolyn Wells (1922)
71. Where There's A Will by Mary Roberts Rinehart (1912)
72. The Listening Eye by Patricia Wentworth (1955)
73. The Marquise Of O. by Heinrich Von Kleist (1808)
74. The Foundling by Francis Spellman (1951)

2021 reading:

July:

75. The Struggles Of Brown, Jones, And Robinson by Anthony Trollope (1862)
76. Blood Money by John Goodwin (1931)
77. Inspector Frost In The City by Herbert Maynard Smith (1930)
78. The Mill Mystery by Anna Katharine Green (1886)
79. Elsie's Vacation And After Events by Martha Finley (1891)
80. The House Of Peril by Louis Tracy (1922)
81. The Choice by Philip MacDonald (1931)
82. The Swimming Pool by Mary Roberts Rinehart (1952)
83. The Mystery Of The Green Ghost by Robert Arthur (1965)
84. Courier To Marrakesh by Valentine Williams (1944)
85. Mind Hunter: Inside The FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit by John Douglas and Mark Olshaker (1995)
86. No More Parades by Ford Madox Ford (1925)
87. Perfume: The Story Of A Murderer by Patrick Süskind (1985)
88. Run! by Patricia Wentworth (1938)
89. Murder In Earl's Court by A G. Macdonell (1931)
90. Murder At Fenwold by Christopher Bush (1930)
91. Forest Of Montalbano by Catherine Cuthbertson (1810)

August:

92. The Crystal Stopper by Maurice Leblanc (1913)
93. The Silver Spoon by John Galsworthy (1926)
94. The Sealed Envelope by Ben Bolt (1931)
95. Murder Without Motive by R. L. Goldman (1938 / 1945)
96. Shadow On The Wall by H. C. Bailey (1934)
97. It Walks By Night by John Dickson Carr (1930)
98. Elsie At Viamede by Martha Finley (1892)
99. Zastrozzi, A Romance by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1810)
100. St. Irvyne; or, The Rosicrucian by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1810)
101. The Second Baronet by Louis Tracy (1923)
102. The Clifford Affair by A. Fielding (1927)
103. The Gazebo by Patricia Wentworth (1955)
104. Some Unknown Hand by Elaine Hamilton (1930)
105. Death In The Dentist's Chair by Molly Thynne (1932)
106. Crime In The Arcade by Walter Proudfoot (1931)
107. Chez les Flamands by Georges Simenon (1932)

September:

108. Salem Chapel by Margaret Oliphant (1863)
109. Scarlet Feather by Maeve Binchy (2000)
110. A Woman In Exile by Horace Annesley Vachell (1926)
111. The House Of Murder by H. L. Gates (1931)
112. The Five Suspects by R. A. J. Walling (1934)
113. Murder On The Blackboard by Stuart Palmer (1932)
114. The Mystery Of The Vanishing Treasure by Robert Arthur (1966)
115. Invisible Death by Brian Flynn (1929)
116. The Dark Highway by Arthur Gask (1928)
117. The Grouse Moor Mystery by John Alexander Ferguson (1934)
118. McLean Of Scotland Yard by George Goodchild (1929)

2021 reading

October:

119. Ellesmere by Mary Meeke (1799)
120. The Conqueror by Georgette Heyer (1931)
121. The Mysteries Of London: Volume III by George W. M. Reynolds (1847)
122. The Mysteries Of London: Volume IV by George W. M. Reynolds (1848)
123. Portnoy's Complaint by Philip Roth (1969)
124. The Fingerprint by Patricia Wentworth (1956)
125. The Hidden Staircase by Carolyn Keene (1930)
126. Death Must Have Laughed by John Victor Turner (1932)

November:

127. Elsie At Ion by Martha Finley (1893)
128. Recollections Of A Detective Police-Officer by "Waters" (William Russell) (1856)
129. The Cat's Paw by Natalie Sumner Lincoln (1922)
130. The Secret Of Skeleton Island by Robert Arthur (1966)
131. Ripley Under Ground by Patricia Highsmith (1970)
132. The Case Of Jennie Brice by Mary Roberts Rinehart (1913)
133. The Casual Murderer by Hulbert Footner (1932)
134. Love Story by Erich Segal (1970)
135. Brother Lowdown by S. K. Epperson (1990)
136. Blood Royal by Grant Allen (1892)
137. Passers By by John Galsworthy (1927)
138. The Bone Is Pointed by Arthur Upfield (1938)
139. Death Wears A White Gardenia by Zelda Popkin (1938)
140. The Tower Mystery by Paul McGuire (1932)
141. Richelieu: A Tale Of France by G. P. R. James (1829)
142. Self-Control by Mary Brunton (1811)

December:

143. Rachel Ray by Anthony Trollope (1863)
144. To The Islands by Randolph Stow (1958 / 1981)
145. The Dragon Murder Case by S. S. Van Dine (1933)
146. Wheels by Arthur Hailey (1971)
147. Sunglasses After Dark by Nancy A. Collins (1989)
148. In The Blood by Nancy A. Collins (1992)
149. The Affair At Flower Acres by Carolyn Wells (1923)
150. The Alington Inheritance by Patricia Wentworth (1958)
151. He Dies And Makes No Sign by Molly Thynne (1933)
152. The Confessions Of Arsene Lupin by Maurice Leblanc (1912)
153. Dr Night by Aidan de Brune (1926)
154. A Most Immoral Murder by Harriette Ashbrook (1935)
155. Swan Song by John Galsworthy (1928)

Books in transit:

Possible requests:
Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach {Sutherland Library}
Royal Escape by Georgette Heyer {ILL}
Mr Fortune Objects by H. C. Bailey {JFR}
The Crime Conductor by Philip MacDonald {JFR}
The Island Of Fu Manchu by Sax Rohmer {ILL / JFR}
Le Port des Brumes by Georges Simenon {ILL}

On interlibrary loan / branch transfer / storage / stack / Rare Book request:

On loan:
*The Bone Is Pointed by Arthur Upfield (31/12/2021)
*Rachel Ray by Anthony Trollope (31/12/2021)
*To The Islands by Randolph Stow (19/01/2022)
*Swan Song by John Galsworthy (19/01/2022)
*Wheels by Arthur Hailey (20/01/2022)
*Ripley Under Ground by Patricia Highsmith (22/02/2021)
*The Alington Inheritance by Patricia Wentworth (22/02/2021)
*The Dragon Murder Case by S. S. Van Dine (22/02/2021)

Purchased and shipped:

Ongoing reading projects:

Blog reads:
Chronobibliography: Incognita; or, Love And Duty Reconciled by William Congreve
Authors In Depth:
- Adelaide; or, The Countercharm by Catherine Cuthbertson
- Shannondale (aka "The Three Beauties; or, Shannondale: A Novel") by E.D.E.N. Southworth
- Lady Audley's Secret / The White Phantom by Mary Elizabeth Braddon
- Anecdotes Of The Altamont Family by "Gabrielli"
- The Cottage by Margaret Minifie
- The Old Engagement by Julia Day
- The Abbess by Frances Trollope
Reading Roulette: Pique by Frances Notley / Our Mr Wrenn by Sinclair Lewis
Australian fiction: Alfred Dudley; or, The Australian Settlers by Sarah Porter
Gothic novel timeline: Anecdotes Of A Convent by Anonymous
Early crime fiction: The Mysteries Of London by G. W. M. Reynolds
Silver-fork novels: Sayings And Doings; or, Sketches From Life (First Series) by Theodore Hook
Related reading: Gains And Losses by Robert Lee Wollf / The Man Of Feeling by Henry Mackenzie / Le Loup Blanc by Paul Féval / Theresa Marchmont; or, The Maid Of Honour by Catherine Gore

Group / tutored reads:

COMPLETED: Orley Farm by Anthony Trollope (thread here)
COMPLETED: The Executor / The Rector by Margaret Oliphant (thread here)
COMPLETED: The Doctor's Family by Margaret Oliphant (thread here)
COMPLETED: The Struggles Of Brown, Jones And Robinson by Anthony Trollope (thread here)
COMPLETED: Salem Chapel by Margaret Oliphant (thread here)

Next up: Rachel Ray by Anthony Trollope

General reading challenges:

America's best-selling novels (1895 - ????):
Next up: Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach

Georgette Heyer: straight historical fiction:
Next up: Royal Escape

Patricia Wentworth's Miss Silver series (shared reads):
Next up: The Alington Inheritance

"The Three Investigators" (shared reads):
Next up: The Mystery Of The Fiery Eye

Virago chronological reading project:
Next up: Aurora Floyd by Mary Elizabeth Braddon / The Perpetual Curate by Margaret Oliphant

The C.K. Shorter List of Best 100 Novels:
Next up: Tom Cringle's Log by Michael Scott

Mystery League publications:
Next up: The Gutenberg Murders by Gwen Bristow and Bruce Manning

Banned In Boston!: (here)
Next up: From Man To Man by Olive Schreiner

The evolution of detective fiction:
Next up: Clement Lorimer by Angus B. Reach

Random reading 1940 - 1969:
Next up: And Now Tomorrow by Rachel Field

Potential decommission / re-shelving:
Next up: Sunglasses After Dark by Nancy Collins

Completed challenges:
- Georgette Heyer historical romances in chronological order
- Agatha Christie mysteries in chronological order
- Agatha Christie uncollected short stories

Possible future reading projects:
- Nobel Prize winners who won for fiction
- Daily Telegraph's 100 Best Novels, 1899
- James Tait Black Memorial Prize
- Berkeley "Books Of The Century"
- Collins White Circle Crime Club / Green Penguins
- Dell paperbacks
- "El Mundo" 100 best novels of the twentieth century
- 100 Best Books by American Women During the Past 100 Years, 1833-1933
- 50 Classics of Crime Fiction 1900–1950 (Jacques Barzun and Wendell Hertig Taylor)
- The Guardian's 100 Best Novels
- Life Magazine "The 100 Outstanding Books of 1924 - 1944" (Henry Seidel Canby)
- "40 Trashy Novels You Must Read Before You Die" (Flavorwire)
- best-novel lists in Wikipedia article on The Grapes Of Wrath
- Pandora 'Mothers Of The Novel'
- Newark Library list (here)
- "The Story Of Classic Crime In 100 Books" (here)
- Dean's Classics series
- "Fifty Best Australian Novels" (here)
- "The Top 100 Crime Novels Of All Time" (here)
- Haycraft Queen Cornerstones (here)

TBR notes:

Currently 'missing' series works:

Dead Men At The Folly by John Rhode (Dr Priestley #13) {Rare Books}
The Robthorne Mystery by John Rhode (Dr Priestley #17) {Rare Books / State Library NSW, held / Internet Archive / Kindle}
Poison For One by John Rhode (Dr Priestley #18) {Rare Books / State Library NSW, held}
Shot At Dawn by John Rhode (Dr Priestley #19) {Rare Books}
The Corpse In The Car by John Rhode (Dr Priestley #20) {CARM}
Hendon's First Case by John Rhode (Dr Priestley #21) {Rare Books}
Mystery At Olympia (aka "Murder At The Motor Show") (Dr Priestley #22) {Kindle / State Library NSW, held / Internet Archive}
In Face Of The Verdict by John Rhode (Dr Priestley #24) {Rare Books / State Library NSW, held / Internet Archive}

The White-Faced Man (aka "The Praying Monkey") by Gavin Holt (Luther Bastion #2) {State Library NSW, held}

Secret Judges by Francis D. Grierson (Sims and Wells #2) {Rare Books}

The Platinum Cat by Miles Burton (Desmond Merrion #17 / Inspector Arnold #18) {Rare Books}

The Double-Thirteen Mystery by Anthony Wynne (Dr Eustace Hailey #2) {Rare Books}

The Black Death by Moray Dalton {CARM}

1931 / 1932 available reading:

Dancing Death by Christopher Bush {Kindle}
Dead Man's Music by Christopher Bush {Kindle / Fisher Library}
The Crime Conductor by Philip MacDonald {JFR}
The Grey Rat (aka "The Shuyler Mystery") by Ottwell Binns {mobilereads}
Snowbird by Ottwell Binns {serialised}
Gay Go Up by Anne Hepple {online; possible abridged? / Mitchell Library}
The Mystery Mission And Other Stories by Sydney Horler {Internet Archive}
Pitiful Dust by Vernon Knowles {Mitchell Library}
The Brink (aka "The Swaying Rock") by Arthur J. Rees {Mitchell Library}
The Solange Stories by F. Tennyson Jesse {JFR / Rare Books}
The Whisperer by J. M. Walsh {online; possibly abridged? / Mitchell Lbrary}
Captain Nemesis by F. Van Wyck Mason {JFR}
The Vesper Service Murders by F. Van Wyck Mason {Kindle}
The Vagrant Heart by Deirdre O'Brien {JFR}
The Black Joss by John Gordon Brandon {Mitchell Library}
Jinks by Oliver Sandys {JFR}
About The Murder Of A Night Club Lady by Anthony Abbot {serialised}
This Way To Happiness (aka "Janice") by Maysie Greig {Mitchell Library}
Storms And Tea-Cups by Cecily Wilhelmine Sidgwick (Mrs Alfred Sidgwick) {JFR}
Pawns & Kings (aka "Pawns And Kings") by Seamark (Austin J. Small) {JFR}
The Agent Outside by Patrick Wynnton {JFR}
Castle Skull by John Dickson Carr {owned}
The Top Step by Nelle Scanlan {Mitchell Library}
Murder In Wax by Leonard Clyde {HathiTrust}
The Dressing Room Murder by J. S. Fletcher {Kindle / Rare Books}
Poison Case No. 10 by Louis Cornell {HathiTrust}
The Man Who Was Dead by W. Stanley Sykes {HathiTrust}
The Jackanapes Jacket (aka "Murder At Hampton Court") by Edith Murray Keate {Kindle}
****
The Meriwether Mystery by Kay Cleaver Strahan {Kindle / HathiTrust}
(441)

The Matilda Hunter Murder by Harry Stephen Keeler {Kindle}

Storm by Charles Rodda {National Library, ILL?}
The Hangman's Guests by Stuart Martin {NLA / CARM}
The Lap Of Luxury by Berta Ruck {NLA}

NB: Rest of 1931 listed on the Wiki

Series back-reading:

The Red-Haired Girl by Carolyn Wells {Rare Books}
Invisible Death by Brian Flynn {Kindle} / The Creeping Jenny Mystery by Brian Flynn {Kindle}
The Clifford Affair / The Net Around Joan Ingilby by A. Fielding {Rare Books}
Burglars In Bucks by George and Margaret Cole {Fisher Library}
Nemesis At Raynham Parva by J. J. Connington {mobilereads}
Poison by Lee Thayer {AbeBooks / Amazon}
A Family That Was by Ernest Raymond {State Library NSW, JFR}
The Cancelled Score Mystery by Gret Lane {Kindle}
Inspector Frost And Lady Brassingham by H. Maynard Smith {Kindle}
A Man Could Stand Up by Ford Madox Ford {fadedpage.com}
Jalna by Mazo de la Roche {State Library NSW, JFR / ILL}
The Tunnel Mystery by J. C. Lenehan {Kindle}

Completist reading:

Thieves' Nights by Harry Stephen Keeler (#5) {Rare Books}
The Forsaken Inn by Anna Katharine Green (#8) {Project Gutenberg}
The After House by Mary Roberts Rinehart (#8) {Project Gutenberg}
The White Cockatoo by Mignon Eberhart {Rare Books}

Unavailable / expensive:

The Amber Junk (aka The Riddle Of The Amber Ship) by Hazel Phillips Hanshew (Cleek #9)
The Hawkmoor Mystery by W. H. Lane Crauford
The Double Thumb by Francis Grierson (Sims and Wells #3)
The Shadow Of Evil by Charles J. Dutton (Harley Manners #2)
The Seventh Passenger by Alice MacGowan and Perry Newberry (Jerry Boyne #4)
The Hanging Woman by John Rhode (Dr Priestley #11)
The Park Lane Mystery by Louis Tracy (Winter and Furneaux # 6)

A Century (And A Bit) Of Reading:

At least one book a year from 1800 - 1900!

1800: Juliania; or, The Affectionate Sisters by Elizabeth Sandham
1801: Belinda by Maria Edgeworth
1802: The Infidel Father by Jane West
1803: Thaddeus Of Warsaw by Jane Porter
1804: The Lake Of Killarney by Anna Maria Porter
1805: The Impenetrable Secret, Find It Out! by Francis Lathom
1806: The Wild Irish Girl by Sydney Owenson
1807: Corinne; ou, l'Italie by Madame de Staël
1808: The Marquise Of O. by Heinrich Von Kleist
1809: The Scottish Chiefs by Jane Porter
1810: Forest Of Montalbano by Catherine Cuthbertson / Zastrozzi by Percy Bysshe Shelley / St. Irvyne; or, The Rosicrucian by Percy Bysshe Shelley
1811: Self-Control by Mary Brunton
1812: The Absentee by Maria Edgeworth
1814: The Wanderer; or, Female Difficulties by Frances Burney
1815: Headlong Hall by Thomas Love Peacock
1820: The Sketch Book Of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. by Washington Irving
1821: The Ayrshire Legatees; or, The Pringle Family by John Galt / Valerius: A Roman Story by J. G. Lockhart / Kenilworth by Walter Scott
1822: Bracebridge Hall; or, The Humorists by Washington Irving
1823: The Two Broken Hearts by Catherine Gore
1824: The Adventures Of Hajji Baba Of Ispahan by James Justinian Morier
1826: Lichtenstein by Wilhelm Hauff / The Last Of The Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper
1827: The Epicurean by Thomas Moore / The Betrothed by Alessandro Manzoni
1828: The Life Of Mansie Wauch, Tailor In Dalkeith by David Moir
1829: Wilhelm Meister's Travels by Johann Goethe / The Collegians by Gerald Griffin / Louisa Egerton; or, Castle Herbert by Mary Leman Grimstone / Richelieu: A Tale Of France by G. P. R. James
1830: Alfred Dudley; or, The Australian Settlers by Sarah Porter
1832: The Refugee In America by Frances Trollope
1836: The Tree And Its Fruits; or, Narratives From Real Life by Phoebe Hinsdale Brown
1845: Zoe: The History Of Two Lives by Geraldine Jewsbury / The Mysteries Of London (Volume I) by G. W. M. Reynolds
1846: The Mysteries Of London (Volume II) by G. W. M. Reynolds
1847: Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë / The Macdermots Of Ballycloran by Anthony Trollope / The Mysteries Of London: Volume III by G. W. M. Reynolds
1848: The Kellys And The O'Kellys by Anthony Trollope / The Mysteries Of London: Volume IV by G. W. M. Reynolds
1850: Pique by Frances Notley
1851: The Mother-In-Law; or, The Isle Of Rays by E.D.E.N. Southworth
1856: Recollections Of A Detective Police-Officer by "Waters"
1857: The Three Clerks by Anthony Trollope
1859: The Semi-Detached House by Emily Eden / The Bertrams by Anthony Trollope
1860: The Semi-Attached Couple by Emily Eden / Castle Richmond by Anthony Trollope
1861: The Executor by Margaret Oliphant / The Rector by Margaret Oliphant
1862: Orley Farm by Anthony Trollope / The Struggles Of Brown, Jones, And Robinson by Anthony Trollope
1863: The Doctor's Family by Margaret Oliphant / Marian Grey; or, The Heiress Of Redstone Hall by Mary Jane Holmes / Salem Chapel by Margaret Oliphant
1869: He Knew He Was Right by Anthony Trollope
1873: Had You Been In His Place by Lizzie Bates
1874: Chaste As Ice, Pure As Snow by Charlotte Despard
1877: Elsie's Children by Martha Finley
1880: The Duke's Children: First Complete Edition by Anthony Trollope / Elsie's Widowhood by Martha Finley
1881: Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen / The Beautiful Wretch by William Black / The Autobiography Of Mark Rutherford by William Hale White
1882: Grandmother Elsie by Martha Finley
1883: Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson / Elsie's New Relations by Martha Finley / X Y Z: A Detective Story by Anna Katharine Green
1884: Elsie At Nantucket by Martha Finley
1885: The Two Elsies by Martha Finley / Two Broken Hearts by Robert R. Hoes
1886: The Mill Mystery by Anna Katharine Green / Elsie's Kith And Kin by Martha Finley
1887: Elsie's Friends At Woodburn by Martha Finley
1888: Christmas With Grandma Elsie by Martha Finley
1889: Under False Pretences by Adeline Sergeant / Elsie And The Raymonds by Martha Finley
1890: Elsie Yachting With The Raymonds by Martha Finley
1891: Elsie's Vacation And After Events by Martha Finley
1892: The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman / Elsie At Viamede by Martha Finley / Blood Royal by Grant Allen
1893: Elsie At Ion by Martha Finley
1894: Martin Hewitt, Investigator by Arthur Morrison / The Great God Pan by Arthur Machen
1895: Chronicles Of Martin Hewitt by Arthur Morrison
1896: The Island Of Dr Moreau by H. G. Wells / Adventures Of Martin Hewitt by Arthur Morrison
1897: Penelope's Progress by Kate Douglas Wiggin
1898: A Man From The North by Arnold Bennett / The Lust Of Hate by Guy Newell Boothby
1899: Agatha Webb by Anna Katharine Green / Dr Nikola's Experiment by Guy Newell Boothby
1900: The Circular Study by Anna Katharine Green

Timeline of detective fiction:

An examination of the roots of modern crime and mystery fiction:

Pre-history:
Things As They Are; or, The Adventures Of Caleb Williams by William Godwin (1794)
Mademoiselle de Scudéri by E. T. A. Hoffmann (1819); Tales Of Hoffmann (1982)
Richmond: Scenes In The Life Of A Bow Street Officer by Anonymous (1827)
Memoirs Of Vidocq by Eugene Francois Vidocq (1828)
Le Pere Goriot by Honore de Balzac (1835)
Passages In The Secret History Of An Irish Countess by J. Sheridan Le Fanu (1838); The Purcell Papers (1880)
The Murders In The Rue Morgue: The Dupin Tales by Edgar Allan Poe (1841, 1842, 1845)

Serials:
The Mysteries Of Paris by Eugene Sue (1842 - 1843)
The Mysteries Of London by Paul Feval (1844)
The Mysteries Of London by George Reynolds (1844 - 1848)
- The Mysteries Of London: Volume I
- The Mysteries Of London: Volume II
- The Mysteries Of London: Volume III
- The Mysteries Of London: Volume IV
The Mysteries Of The Court Of London by George Reynolds (1848 - 1856)
John Devil by Paul Feval (1861)

Early detective novels:
Recollections Of A Detective Police-Officer by "Waters" (William Russell) (1856)
The Widow Lerouge by Emile Gaboriau (1866)
Under Lock And Key by T. W. Speight (1869)
Checkmate by J. Sheridan LeFanu (1871)
Is He The Man? by William Clark Russell (1876)
Devlin The Barber by B. J. Farjeon (1888)
Mr Meeson's Will by H. Rider Haggard (1888)
The Mystery Of A Hansom Cab by Fergus Hume (1889)
The Queen Anne's Gate Mystery by Richard Arkwright (1889)
The Ivory Queen by Norman Hurst (1889) (Check Julius H. Hurst 1899)
The Big Bow Mystery by Israel Zangwill (1892)

Female detectives:
The Diary Of Anne Rodway by Wilkie Collins (1856)
Ruth The Betrayer; or, The Female Spy by Edward Ellis (1862-1863)
The Female Detective by Andrew Forrester (1864)
Revelations Of A Lady Detective by William Stephens Hayward (1864)
The Law And The Lady by Wilkie Collins (1875)
Madeline Payne; or, The Detective's Daughter by Lawrence L. Lynch (Emma Murdoch Van Deventer) (1884)
Mr Bazalgette's Agent by Leonard Merrick (1888)
Moina; or, Against The Mighty by Lawrence L. Lynch (Emma Murdoch Van Deventer) (sequel to Madeline Payne?) (1891)
The Experiences Of Loveday Brooke, Lady Detective by Catherine Louisa Pirkis (1893)
When The Sea Gives Up Its Dead by Elizaberth Burgoyne Corbett (Mrs George Corbett)
Dorcas Dene, Detective by George Sims (1897)
- Amelia Butterworth series by Anna Katharine Grant (1897 - 1900)
Hagar Of The Pawn-Shop by Fergus Hume (1898)
The Adventures Of A Lady Pearl-Broker by Beatrice Heron-Maxwell (1899)
Miss Cayley's Adventures by Grant Allan (1899)
Hilda Wade by Grant Allan (1900)
Dora Myrl, The Lady Detective by M. McDonnel Bodkin (1900)
The Investigators by J. S. Fletcher (1902)
Lady Molly Of Scotland Yard by Baroness Orczy (1910)
Constance Dunlap, Woman Detective by Arthur B. Reeve (1913)
Miss Madelyn Mack, Detective by Hugh C. Weir (1914)

Related mainstream works:
Adventures Of Susan Hopley by Catherine Crowe (1841)
Men And Women; or, Manorial Rights by Catherine Crowe (1843)
Hargrave by Frances Trollope (1843)
Clement Lorimer by Angus Reach (1849)
Clara Vaughan by R. D. Blackmore (1864)

True crime:
Clues: or, Leaves from a Chief Constable's Note Book by Sir William Henderson (1889)
Dreadful Deeds And Awful Murders by Joan Lock

Series and sequels, 1866 - 1919:

(1866 - 1876) **Emile Gaboriau - Monsieur Lecoq - The Widow Lerouge (1/6) {ManyBooks}
(1878 - 1917) **Anna Katharine Green - Ebenezer Gryce - The Mystery Of The Hasty Arrow (13/13)
(1896 - 1909) **Melville Davisson Post - Randolph Mason - The Corrector Of Destinies (3/3)
(1894 - 1903) **Arthur Morrison - Martin Hewitt - The Red Triangle (4/4)
(1895 - 1901) **Guy Newell Boothby - Dr Nikola - Farewell, Nikola (5/5)
(1897 - 1900) **Anna Katharine Green - Amelia Butterworth - The Circular Study (3/3)
(1899 - 1917) **Anna Katharine Green - Caleb Sweetwater - The Mystery Of The Hasty Arrow (7/7)
(1899 - 1909) **E. W. Hornung - Raffles - Mr Justice Raffles (4/4)
(1900 - 1974) Ernest Bramah - Kai Lung - Kai Lung: Six / Kai Lung Raises His Voice (7/7)

(1903 - 1904) **Louis Tracy - Reginald Brett - The Albert Gate Mystery (2/2)
(1905 - 1925) **Baroness Orczy - The Old Man In The Corner - Unravelled Knots (3/3)}
(1905 - 1928) **Edgar Wallace - The Just Men - Again The Three Just Men (6/6)
(1907 - 1942) R. Austin Freeman - Dr John Thorndyke - The Jacob Street Mystery (26/26)
(1907 - 1941) *Maurice Leblanc - Arsene Lupin - The Teeth Of The Tiger (7/25) {Project Gutenberg}
(1909 - 1942) *Carolyn Wells - Fleming Stone - The Red-Haired Girl (21/49) {Rare Books}
(1909 - 1929) *J. S. Fletcher - Inspector Skarratt - Marchester Royal (1/3) {Kindle}
(1910 - 1936) *Arthur B. Reeve - Craig Kennedy - The Film Mystery (14/24) {Project Gutenberg}
(1910 - 1946) A. E. W. Mason - Inspector Hanaud - The House In Lordship Lane (7/7)
(1910 - 1917) Edgar Wallace - Inspector Smith - Kate Plus Ten (3/3)
(1910 - 1930) **Edgar Wallace - Inspector Elk - The Twister (4/6) {Roy Glashan's Library}
(1910 - 1932) *Thomas, Mary and Hazel Hanshew - Cleek - The Amber Junk (9/12) {AbeBooks}
(1910 - 1918) **John McIntyre - Ashton-Kirk - Ashton-Kirk: Criminologist (4/4)
(1910 - 1928) **Louis Tracy - Winter and Furneaux - The Black Cat (8/9) {Rare Books}

(1911 - 1935) G. K. Chesterton - Father Brown - The Scandal Of Father Brown (5/5)
(1911 - 1940) *Bertram Atkey - Smiler Bunn - The Smiler Bunn Brigade (2/10) {rare, expensive}
(1912 - 1919) **Gordon Holmes (Louis Tracy) - Steingall and Clancy - The Bartlett Mystery (3/3)
(1913 - 1973) Sax Rohmer - Fu-Manchu - The Island Of Fu Manchu (10/14) {ILL / JFR}
(1913 - 1952) *Jeffery Farnol - Jasper Shrig - The Crooked Furrow (5/9) {Fisher Library}
(1914 - 1950) Mary Roberts Rinehart - Hilda Adams - Episode Of The Wandering Knife (5/5)
(1914 - 1934) Ernest Bramah - Max Carrados - The Bravo Of London (5/5)
(1915 - 1936) *John Buchan - Richard Hannay - The Thirty-Nine Steps (1/5) {Fisher Library / Project Gutenberg / branch transfer / Kindle}
(1916 - 1917) **Carolyn Wells - Alan Ford - Faulkner's Folly (2/2) {owned}
(1916 - 1927) **Natalie Sumner Lincoln - Inspector Mitchell - The Nameless Man (2/10) {AbeBooks}
(1916 - 1917) **Nevil Monroe Hopkins - Mason Brant - The Strange Cases Of Mason Brant (1/2) {Coachwhip Books}
(1918 - 1923) **Carolyn Wells - Pennington Wise - Wheels Within Wheels (8/8) {mobilereads}
(1918 - 1939) Valentine Williams - The Okewood Brothers - The Fox Prowls (5/5)
(1918 - 1944) Valentine Williams - Clubfoot - Courier To Marrakesh (7/7)
(1918 - 1950) *Wyndham Martyn - Anthony Trent - The Mysterious Mr Garland (3/26) {CARM}
(1919 - 1966) *Lee Thayer - Peter Clancy - Poison (7/60) {AbeBooks / Amazon}
(1919 - 1922) **Octavus Roy Cohen - David Carroll - Midnight (4/4)

*** Incompletely available series
** Series complete pre-1931
* Present status pre-1931

Series and sequels, 1920 - 1927:

(1920 - 1948) H. C. Bailey - Reggie Fortune - Mr Fortune Objects (10/23) {State Library NSW, JFR}
(1920 - 1975) Agatha Christie - Hercule Poirot - Curtain (38/38)
(1920 - 1921) **Natalie Sumner Lincoln - Ferguson - The Unseen Ear (2/2)
(1920 - 1937) *"Sapper" (H. C. McNeile) - Bulldog Drummond - The Third Round (3/10 - series continued) {Roy Glashan's Library}

(1921 - 1929) **Charles J. Dutton - John Bartley - Streaked With Crimson (9/9)
(1921 - 1925) **Herman Landon - The Gray Phantom - Gray Magic (5/5)

(1922 - 1973) Agatha Christie - Tommy and Tuppence - Postern Of Fate (5/5)
(1922 - 1927) *Alice MacGowan and Perry Newberry - Jerry Boyne - The Seventh Passenger (4/5) {Amazon}
(1922 - 1931) Valentine Williams - Inspector Manderton - Death Answers The Bell (4/4)

(1923 - 1937) Dorothy L. Sayers - Lord Peter Wimsey - In The Teeth Of The Evidence (14/14)
(1923 - 1924) **Carolyn Wells - Lorimer Lane - The Fourteenth Key (2/2)
(1923 - 1927) Annie Haynes - Inspector Furnival - The Crow's Inn Tragedy (3/3)

(1924 - 1959) Philip MacDonald - Colonel Anthony Gethryn - The Crime Conductor (8/24) {State Library NSW, JFR}
(1924 - 1957) *Freeman Wills Crofts - Inspector French - The Box Office Murders (5/30) {Rare Books / State Library NSW, JFR / ILL / Kindle / fadedpage.com}
(1924 - 1935) * / ***Francis D. Grierson - Inspector Sims and Professor Wells - The Smiling Death (6/13) {AbeBooks, expensive}
(1924 - 1940) *Lynn Brock - Colonel Gore - The Dagwort Coombe Murder (5/12) {Kindle}
(1924 - 1933) *Herbert Adams - Jimmie Haswell - The Crooked Lip (2/9) {Rare Books}
(1924 - 1944) *A. Fielding - Inspector Pointer - The Net Around Joan Ingilby (5/23) {Rare Books}
(1924 - 1936) *Hulbert Footner - Madame Storey - Dangerous Cargo (9/11) {Roy Glashan's Library}

(1925 - 1961) ***John Rhode - Dr Priestley - Dead Men At The Folly (13/72) {Rare Books}
(1925 - 1953) *G. D. H. Cole / M. Cole - Superintendent Wilson - Burglars In Bucks (aka "The Berkshire Mystery") (7/?) {Fisher Library}
(1925 - 1932) Earl Derr Biggers - Charlie Chan - Keeper Of The Keys (6/6)
(1925 - 1944) Agatha Christie - Superintendent Battle - Towards Zero (5/5)
(1925 - 1934) *Anthony Berkeley - Roger Sheringham - The Second Shot (6/10) {academic loan / Rare Books}
(1925 - 1950) *Anthony Wynne (Robert McNair Wilson) - Dr Eustace Hailey - The Double-Thirteen Mystery (2/27) (aka "The Double Thirteen") {AbeBooks / Rare Books}
(1925 - 1939) *Charles Barry (Charles Bryson) - Inspector Lawrence Gilmartin - The Smaller Penny (1/15) {AbeBooks / Amazon}
(1925 - 1929) **Will Scott - Will Disher - Disher--Detective (aka "The Black Stamp") (1/3) {AbeBooks, expensive}
(1925 - 1927) **Francis Beeding - Professor Kreutzemark - The Hidden Kingdom (2/2)

(1926 - 1968) *Christopher Bush - Ludovic Travers - Dancing Death (5/63) {Kindle}
(1926 - 1939) S. S. Van Dine - Philo Vance - The Casino Murder Case (8/12) {SMSA / fadedpage.com}
(1926 - 1952) J. Jefferson Farjeon - Ben the Tramp - Ben Sees It Through (4/8) {interlibrary loan / Kindle}
(1926 - ????) *G. D. H. Cole / M. Cole - Everard Blatchington - Burglars In Bucks (aka "The Berkshire Mystery") (2/6) {Fisher Library}
(1926 - ????) *Arthur Gask - Gilbert Larose - The Lonely House (3/27) {Roy Glashan's Library}
(1926 - 1931) *Aidan de Brune - Dr Night - The Green Pearl (2/3) {Roy Glashan's Library}
(1926 - 1931) * / ***R. Francis Foster - Anthony Ravenhill - Anthony Ravenhill, Crime Merchant (1/?) {expensive}

(1927 - 1933) *Herman Landon - The Picaroon - The Picaroon Does Justice (2/7) {Book Searchers / CARM}
(1927 - 1932) *Anthony Armstrong - Jimmie Rezaire - The Trail Of The Lotto (3/5) {CARM / AbeBooks}
(1927 - 1937) *Ronald Knox - Miles Bredon - The Body In The Silo (3/5) {Kindle / Rare Books}
(1927 - 1958) *Brian Flynn - Anthony Bathurst - The Creeping Jenny Mystery (7/54) {Kindle}
(1927 - 1947) *J. J. Connington - Sir Clinton Driffield - Nemesis At Raynham Parva (aka "Grim Vengeance") (5/17) {mobilereads}
(1927 - 1935) *Anthony Gilbert (Lucy Malleson) - Scott Egerton - Mystery Of The Open Window (4/10) {Rare Books}
(1927 - 1932) *William Morton (aka William Blair Morton Ferguson) - Kirker Cameron and Daniel "Biff" Corrigan - Masquerade (1/4) {expensive}
(1927 - 1929) **George Dilnot - Inspector Strickland - The Crooks' Game (1/2) {AbeBooks / Amazon}
(1927 - 1949) **Dornford Yates - Richard Chandos - Blood Royal (3/8) {State Library, JFR / Kindle*}

*** Incompletely available series
** Series complete pre-1931
* Present status pre-1931

Series and sequels, 1928 - 1930:

(1928 - 1961) Patricia Wentworth - Miss Silver - The Girl In The Cellar (32/32) {SMSA / fadedpage.com}
(1928 - 1936) *Gavin Holt - Luther Bastion - The Garden Of Silent Beasts (5/17) {academic loan / State Library NSW, held}
(1928 - 1936) Kay Cleaver Strahan - Lynn MacDonald - The Meriwether Mystery (5/7) {Kindle}
(1928 - 1937) John Alexander Ferguson - Francis McNab - Death Of Mr Dodsley (5/5) {unavailable}
(1928 - 1960) *Cecil Freeman Gregg - Inspector Higgins - The Murdered Manservant (aka "The Body In The Safe") (1/35) {rare, expensive}
(1928 - 1959) *John Gordon Brandon - Inspector Patrick Aloysius McCarthy - The Black Joss (2/53) {State Library NSW, held / JFR}
(1928 - 1935) *Roland Daniel - Wu Fang / Inspector Saville - Wu Fang (2/6) {expensive}
(1928 - 1946) *Francis Beeding - Alistair Granby - Pretty Sinister (2/18) {academic loan}
(1928 - 1930) **Annie Haynes - Inspector Stoddart - The Crystal Beads Murder (4/4)
(1928 - 1930) **Elsa Barker - Dexter Drake and Paul Howard - The Cobra Candlestick (aka "The Cobra Shaped Candlestick") (1/3) {AbeBooks / Rare Books}
(1928 - ????) Adam Broome - Denzil Grigson - Crowner's Quest (2/?) {AbeBooks / eBay}
(1928 - 1931) **John Stephen Strange (Dorothy Stockbridge Tillet) - Van Dusen Ormsberry - The Man Who Killed Fortescue (1/3) {Amazon}

(1929 - 1947) Margery Allingham - Albert Campion - The Case Of The Late Pig (8/35) {interlibrary loan / Kindle / fadedpage.com}
(1929 - 1984) Gladys Mitchell - Mrs Bradley - The Devil At Saxon Wall (6/67) {interlibrary loan / Kindle}
(1929 - 1937) Patricia Wentworth - Benbow Smith - Down Under (4/4)
(1929 - ????) Mignon Eberhart - Nurse Sarah Keate - Dead Yesterday And Other Stories (6/8) (NB: multiple Eberhart characters) {expensive / limited edition} / Wolf In Man's Clothing (7/8) {Rare Books / Kindle}
(1929 - ????) Moray Dalton - Inspector Collier - The Belgrave Manor Crime (5/14) {Kindle}
(1929 - ????) * / ***Charles Reed Jones - Leighton Swift - The King Murder (1/?) {AbeBooks}
(1929 - 1931) Carolyn Wells - Kenneth Carlisle - The Skeleton At The Feast (3/3) {Kindle}
(1929 - 1967) *George Goodchild - Inspector McLean - McLean Investigates (2/65) {State Library NSW, JFR}
(1929 - 1979) *Leonard Gribble - Anthony Slade - The Case Of The Marsden Rubies (1/33) {AbeBooks / Rare Books / re-check Kindle}
(1929 - 1932) *E. R. Punshon - Carter and Bell - The Unexpected Legacy (1/5) {expensive, omnibus / Rare Books}
(1929 - 1971) *Ellery Queen - Ellery Queen - The Roman Hat Mystery (1/40) {interlibrary loan / Internet Archive}
(1929 - 1966) *Arthur Upfield - Bony - The Mystery Of Swordfish Reef (7/29) {SMSA}
(1929 - 1937) *Anthony Berkeley - Ambrose Chitterwick - The Piccadilly Murder (2/3) {interlibrary loan}
(1929 - 1940) *Jean Lilly - DA Bruce Perkins - The Seven Sisters (1/3) {AbeBooks / expensive shipping}
(1929 - 1935) *N. A. Temple-Ellis (Nevile Holdaway) - Montrose Arbuthnot - The Inconsistent Villains (1/4) {Rare Books}
(1929 - 1943) *Gret Lane - Kate Clare Marsh and Inspector Barrin - The Cancelled Score Mystery (1/9) {Kindle}
(1929 - 1961) Henry Holt - Inspector Silver - The Necklace Of Death (3/16) {Rare Books}
(1929 - 1930) **J. J. Connington - Superintendent Ross - The Two Tickets Puzzle (2/2)
(1929 - 1941) *H. Maynard Smith - Inspector Frost - Inspector Frost And Lady Brassingham (5/7) {Kindle}
(1929 - ????) *Armstrong Livingston - Jimmy Traynor - The Doublecross (1/?) {AbeBooks}
(1929 - 1932) Clemence Dane and Helen Simpson - Sir John Saumarez - Re-Enter Sir John (3/3)
(1929 - 1940) *Rufus King - Lieutenant Valcour - Murder By The Clock (1/11) {AbeBooks, omnibus / Kindle}
(1929 - 1933) *Will Levinrew (Will Levine) - Professor Brierly - For Sale - Murder (4/5) {AbeBooks}
(1929 - 1932) *Nancy Barr Mavity - Peter Piper - The Body On The Floor (1/5) {AbeBooks / Rare Books / State Library NSW, held}
(1929 - 1934) *Charles J. Dutton - Professor Harley Manners - The Circle Of Death (4/6) {newspapers.com}
(1929 - 1932) Thomas Cobb - Inspector Bedison - Who Closed The Casement? (4/4)
(1929 - ????) * J. C. Lenehan - Inspector Kilby - The Tunnel Mystery (1/?) {Kindle}
(1929 - 1936) *Robin Forsythe - Anthony "Algernon" Vereker - The Polo Ground Mystery (2/5) {Kindle}
(1929 - 1931) */***David Frome (Zenith Jones Brown) - Major Gregory Lewis - The Murder Of An Old Man (1/3) {rare, expensive}

(1930 - ????) Moray Dalton - Hermann Glide - The Strange Case Of Harriet Hall (4/?) {Kindle}
(1930 - 1960) ***Miles Burton - Desmond Merrion - The Platinum Cat (17/57) {Rare Books}
(1930 - 1960) ***Miles Burton - Inspector Henry Arnold - The Platinum Cat (18/57) {Rare Books}
(1930 - 1933) Roger Scarlett - Inspector Kane - Murder Among The Angells (4/5) {expensive}
(1930 - 1941) Harriette Ashbrook - Philip "Spike" Tracy - Murder Makes Murder (5/7) {Kindle}
(1930 - 1943) Anthony Abbot - Thatcher Colt - About The Murder Of The Night Club Lady (3/8) {AbeBooks / serialised}
(1930 - ????) ***David Sharp - Professor Fielding - I, The Criminal (4/?) {unavailable?}
(1930 - 1950) *H. C. Bailey - Josiah Clunk - Garstons (aka The Garston Murder Case) (1/11) {HathiTrust}
(1930 - 1968) *Francis Van Wyck Mason - Hugh North - The Vesper Service Murders (2/41) {Kindle}
(1930 - 1976) Agatha Christie - Miss Jane Marple - Miss Marple's Final Cases (14/14)
(1930 - 1939) Anne Austin - James "Bonnie" Dundee - Murdered But Not Dead (5/5)
(1930 - 1950) *Leslie Ford (as David Frome) - Mr Pinkerton and Inspector Bull - The Hammersmith Murders (1/11) {AbeBooks / Rare Books}
(1930 - 1935) *"Diplomat" (John Franklin Carter) - Dennis Tyler - Murder In The State Department (1/7) {Amazon / Abebooks}
(1930 - 1962) *Helen Reilly - Inspector Christopher McKee - The Diamond Feather (1/31) {Rare Books}
(1930 - 1933) *Mary Plum - John Smith - The Killing Of Judge MacFarlane (1/4) {AbeBooks / Rare Books}
(1930 - 1945) *Hulbert Footner - Amos Lee Mappin - The Nation's Missing Guest (3/10) {fadedpage.com}
(1930 - 1933) *Monte Barrett - Peter Cardigan - Murder Off Stage (2/4) {Amazon}
(1930 - 1931) Vernon Loder - Inspector Brews - Death Of An Editor (2/2)
(1930 - 1931) *Roland Daniel - John Hopkins - The Rosario Murder Case (1/2) {unavailable?}
(1930 - 1961) *Mark Cross ("Valentine", aka Archibald Thomas Pechey) - Daphne Wrayne and her Four Adjusters - The Adjusters (1/53) {rare, expensive}
(1930 - ????) *Elaine Hamilton - Inspector Reynolds - Murder In The Fog (2/8) {unavailable}
(1930 - 1932) *J. S. Fletcher - Sergeant Charlesworth - The Borgia Cabinet (1/2) {fadedpage.com / Kindle}
(1930 - ????) *Carolyn Keene - Nancy Drew - The Bungalow Mystery (3/?) {unavailable?}
(1930 - 1937) *John Dickson Carr - Henri Bencolin - Castle Skull (2/5) {owned}

*** Incompletely available series
** Series complete pre-1931
* Present status pre-1931

Series and sequels, 1931 - 1932:

(1931 - 1940) Bruce Graeme - Superintendent Stevens and Pierre Allain - Satan's Mistress (4/8) {expensive / National Library of Australia, missing??}
(1931 - 1951) Phoebe Atwood Taylor - Asey Mayo - The Tinkling Symbol (6/24) {Rare Books / academic loan}
(1931 - 1955) Stuart Palmer - Hildegarde Withers - The Puzzle Of The Pepper Tree (4/18) {Kindle / ILL}
(1931 - 1933) Sydney Fowler - Inspector Cleveland - Arresting Delia (4/4)
(1931 - 1934) J. H. Wallis - Inspector Wilton Jacks - The Capital City Mystery (2/6) {Rare Books}
(1931 - ????) Paul McGuire - Inspector Cummings - Daylight Murder (aka "Murder At High Noon") (3/5) {academic loan / State Library NSW, held}
(1931 - ????) Carlton Dawe - Leathermouth - Leathermouth's Luck (4/??) {Trove}
(1931 - 1947) R. L. Goldman - Asaph Clume and Rufus Reed - Death Plays Solitaire (3/6) {Kindle}
(1931 - 1959) ***E. C. R. Lorac (Edith Caroline Rivett) - Inspector Robert Macdonald - The Murder On The Burrows (1/46) {rare, expensive}
(1931 - 1935) Clifton Robbins - Clay Harrison - Methylated Murder (5/5)
(1931 - 1972) Georges Simenon - Inspector Maigret - Le Port des Brumes (15/75) {ILL}
(1931 - 1942) R. A. J. Walling - Garstang - The Stroke Of One (1/3) {Amazon}
(1931 - ????) Francis Bonnamy (Audrey Boyers Walz) - Peter Utley Shane - Death By Appointment (1/8) {AbeBooks / Rare Books}
(1931 - 1937) J. S. Fletcher - Ronald Camberwell - Murder In The Squire's Pew (3/11) {Kindle / State Library NSW, held}
(1931 - 1933) Edwin Dial Torgerson - Sergeant Pierre Montigny - The Murderer Returns (1/2) {Rare Books)
(1931 - 1933) Molly Thynne - Dr Constantine and Inspector Arkwright - He Dies And Makes No Sign (3/3)
(1931 - 1935) Valentine Williams - Sergeant Trevor Dene - The Clue Of The Rising Moon (4/4)
(1931 - 1942) Patricia Wentworth - Frank Garrett - Pursuit Of A Parcel (5/5)
(1931 - 1931) Frances Shelley Wees - Michael Forrester and Tuck Torrie - The Mystery Of The Creeping Man (2/2)

(1932 - 1954) Sydney Fowler - Inspector Cambridge and Mr Jellipot - The Bell Street Murders (1/11) {AbeBooks / Rare Books}
(1932 - 1935) Murray Thomas - Inspector Wilkins - Buzzards Pick The Bones (1/3) {AbeBooks, expensive}
(1932 - ????) R. A. J. Walling - Philip Tolefree - The Cat And The Corpse (aka "The Corpse In The Green Pajamas") (6/22) {Kindle / Internet Archive}
(1932 - 1962) T. Arthur Plummer - Detective-Inspector Andrew Frampton - Shadowed By The C. I. D. (1/50) {unavailable?}
(1932 - 1936) John Victor Turner - Amos Petrie - Who Spoke Last? (2/7) {Kindle}
(1932 - 1944) Nicholas Brady (John Victor Turner) - Ebenezer Buckle - The House Of Strange Guests (1/4) {Kindle}
(1932 - 1933) Barnaby Ross (aka Ellery Queen) - Drury Lane - Drury Lane's Last Case (4/4) {AbeBooks}
(1932 - ????) Richard Essex (Richard Harry Starr) - Jack Slade - Slade Of The Yard (1/?) {AbeBooks}
(1932 - 1933) Gerard Fairlie - Mr Malcolm - Shot In The Dark (1/3) (State Library NSW, held}
(1932 - 1934) Paul McGuire - Superintendent Fillinger - Murder By The Law (2/5) {State Library, held}
(1932 - 1946) Roland Daniel - Inspector Pearson - The Crackswoman (1/6) {unavailable?}
(1932 - 1951) Sydney Horler - Tiger Standish - Tiger Standish (1/11) {Rare Books}

*** Incompletely available series

Series and sequels, 1933 onwards:

(1933 - 1959) John Gordon Brandon - Arthur Stukeley Pennington - West End! (1/?) {AbeBooks / State Library, held}
(1933 - 1940) Lilian Garis - Carol Duncan - The Ghost Of Melody Lane (1/9) {fadedpage.com / Internet Archive}
(1933 - 1934) Peter Hunt (George Worthing Yates and Charles Hunt Marshall) - Allan Miller - Murders At Scandal House (1/3) {AbeBooks / Amazon}
(1933 - 1968) John Dickson Carr - Gideon Fell - Hag's Nook (1/23) {Better World Books / State Library NSW, interlibrary loan}
(1933 - 1939) Gregory Dean - Deputy Commissioner Benjamin Simon - The Case Of Marie Corwin (1/3) {AbeBooks / Amazon}
(1933 - 1956) E. R. Punshon - Detective-Sergeant Bobby Owen - Information Received (1/35) {academic loan / State Library NSW, held / Rare Books}
(1933 - 1934) Jackson Gregory - Paul Savoy - A Case For Mr Paul Savoy (1/3) {AbeBooks / Rare Books}
(1933 - 1957) John Creasey - Department Z - The Death Miser (1/28) {State Library NSW, held}
(1933 - 1940) Bruce Graeme - Superintendent Stevens - Body Unknown (2/2) {expensive}
(1933 - 1952) Wyndham Martyn - Christopher Bond - Christopher Bond, Adventurer (1/8) {rare}

(1934 - 1949) Richard Goyne - Paul Templeton - Strange Motives (1/13) {unavailable?}
(1934 - 1941) N. A. Temple-Ellis (Nevile Holdaway) - Inspector Wren - Three Went In (1/3) {unavailable?}
(1934 - 1953) Carter Dickson (John Dickson Carr) - Sir Henry Merivale - The Plague Court Murders (1/22) {Fisher Library}
(1934 - 1953) Leslie Ford (Zenith Jones Brown) - Colonel Primrose - The Strangled Witness (1/17) {Rare Books}
(1934 - 1975) Rex Stout - Nero Wolfe - Fer-de-Lance (1/?) {Rare Books / State Library NSW, JFR / Kindle}
(1934 - 1935) Vernon Loder - Inspector Chace - Murder From Three Angles (1/2) {Kindle / ????}

(1935 - 1939) Francis Beeding - Inspector George Martin - The Norwich Victims (1/3) {AbeBooks / Book Depository / State Library NSW, held}
(1935 - 1976) Nigel Morland - Palmyra Pym - The Moon Murders (1/28) {State Library NSW, held}
(1935 - 1941) Clyde Clason - Professor Theocritus Lucius Westborough - The Fifth Tumbler (1/10) {unavailable?}
(1935 - ????) G. D. H. Cole / M. Cole - Dr Tancred - Dr Tancred Begins (1/?) (AbeBooks, expensive / State Library NSW, held / Rare Books}
(1935 - ????) George Harmon Coxe - Kent Murdock - Murder With Pictures (1/22) {AbeBooks}
(1935 - 1959) Kathleen Moore Knight - Elisha Macomber - Death Blew Out The Match (1/16) {AbeBooks / Amazon}

(1936 - 1974) Anthony Gilbert (Lucy Malleson) - Arthur Crook - Murder By Experts (1/51) {interlibrary loan}
(1936 - 1940) George Bell Dyer - The Catalyst Club - The Catalyst Club (1/3) {AbeBooks}
(1936 - 1956) Theodora Du Bois - Anne and Jeffrey McNeil - Armed With A New Terror (1/19) {unavailable?}
(1936 - 1945) Charles Kingston - Chief Inspector Wake - Murder In Piccadilly (1/7) {Kindle}
(1937 - 1953) Leslie Ford (Zenith Jones Brown) - Grace Latham - Ill Met By Moonlight (1/16) {Kindle}
(1938 - 1944) Zelda Popkin - Mary Carner - Time Off For Murder (2/6) {Kindle}
(1938 - 1939) D. B. Olsen (Dolores Hitchens) - Lt. Stephen Mayhew - The Clue In The Clay (1/2) {expensive}
(1939 - 1942) Patricia Wentworth - Inspector Lamb - The Ivory Dagger (11/?) {fadedpage.com}
(1939 - 1940) Clifton Robbins - George Staveley - Six Sign-Post Murder (1/2) {Biblio / rare}
(1939 - 1956) D. B. Olsen (Dolores Hitchens) - Rachel Murdock - The Cat Saw Murder (1/12) {expensive}

(1940 - 1943) Bruce Graeme - Pierre Allain - The Corporal Died In Bed (1/3) {unavailable?}
(1941 - 1951) Bruce Graeme - Theodore I. Terhune - Seven Clues In Search Of A Crime (1/7) {unavailable?}
(1945 - 1952) D. B. Olsen (Dolores Hitchens) - Professor Pennyfeather - Bring The Bride A Shroud (aka "A Shroud For The Bride") (1/6) {National Library}
(1947 - 1953) Michael Gilbert - Inspector Hazelrigg - They Never Looked Inside (2/6) {State Library NSW, JFR}
(1955 - 1991) Patricia Highsmith - Tom Ripley - Ripley's Game (3/5) {SMSA}
(1957 - 1993) Chester B. Himes - The Harlem Cycle - For Love Of Imabelle (aka "A Rage In Harlem") (1/9) {interlibrary loan* / Kindle}
(1961 - 2017) - John le Carré - George Smiley - A Murder Of Quality (2/9) {Fisher Library / Blacktown Library}
(1964 - 1987) Robert Arthur Jr (and others) - The Three Investigators - The Mystery Of The Fiery Eye (7/43) {freebooklover}
(1992 - 2000) Barbara Neely - Blanche White - Blanche Among The Talented Tenth (2/4) {Fisher Library / Kindle}

*** Incompletely available series

Non-crime series and sequels:

(1861 - 1876) **Margaret Oliphant - Carlingford - The Perpetual Curate (5/7) {Project Gutenberg}
(1867 - 1905) **Martha Finley - Elsie Dinsmore - Elsie At The World's Fair (20/28) {Project Gutenberg}
(1867 - 1872) **George MacDonald - The Seaboard Parish - Annals Of A Quiet Neighbourhood (1/3) {ManyBooks}
(1893 - 1915) **Kate Douglas Wiggins - Penelope - Penelope's Postscripts (4/4)
(1894 - 1898) **Anthony Hope - Ruritania - Rupert Of Hentzau (3/3)
(1898 - 1918) **Arnold Bennett - Five Towns - Tales Of The Five Towns (3/11) {Fisher storage / Project Gutenberg / Internet Archive}

(1901 - 1919) **Carolyn Wells - Patty Fairfield - Patty And Azalea (17/17)
(1901 - 1927) **George Barr McCutcheon - Graustark - Beverly Of Graustark (2/6) {Project Gutenberg}
(1906 - 1930) **John Galsworthy - The Forsyte Saga - Maid In Waiting (10/12) {Fisher Library storage}
(1907 - 1912) **Carolyn Wells - Marjorie - Marjorie's Vacation (1/6) {ManyBooks}
(1908 - 1924) **Margaret Penrose - Dorothy Dale - Dorothy Dale: A Girl Of Today (1/13) {ManyBooks}
(1909 - 1912) **Emerson Hough - Western Trilogy - 54-40 Or Fight (1/3) {Project Gutenberg}
(1910 - 1931) Grace S. Richmond - Red Pepper Burns - Red Pepper Returns (6/6)
(1910 - 1933) Jeffery Farnol - The Vibarts - The Way Beyond (3/3) {Fisher Library storage / fadedpage.com}

(1911 - 1937) Mary Roberts Rinehart - Letitia Carberry - Tish Marches On (5/5)
(1911 - 1919) **Alfred Bishop Mason - Tom Strong - Tom Strong, Lincoln's Scout (5/5)
(1913 - 1934) *Alice B. Emerson - Ruth Fielding - Ruth Fielding In The Far North (20/30) {expensive}
(1916 - 1941) John Buchan - Edward Leithen - Sick Heart River (5/5)
(1915 - 1923) **Booth Tarkington - Growth - The Magnificent Ambersons (2/3) {Project Gutenberg / Fisher Library / Kindle}
(1917 - 1929) **Henry Handel Richardson - Dr Richard Mahony - Australia Felix (1/3) {Fisher Library / Kindle}

(1920 - 1939) E. F. Benson - Mapp And Lucia - Trouble For Lucia (6/6)
(1920 - 1952) William McFee - Spenlove - The Adopted - (7/7)
(1920 - 1932) *Alice B. Emerson - Betty Gordon - Betty Gordon At Bramble Farm (1/15) {ManyBooks}
(1923 - 1931) *Agnes Miller - The Linger-Nots - The Linger-Nots And The Secret Maze (5/5) {unavailable}
(1924 - 1928) **Ford Madox Ford - Parade's End - A Man Could Stand Up (3/4) {fadedpage.com}
(1926 - 1936) *Margery Lawrence - The Round Table - Nights Of The Round Table (1/2) {Kindle}
(1927 - 1960) **Mazo de la Roche - Jalna - Jalna (1/16) {State Library NSW, JFR / fadedpage.com}

(1928 - ????) Trygve Lund - Weston of the Royal North-West Mounted Police - The Vanished Prospector (6/9) {AbeBooks}
(1929 - 1931) *Ernest Raymond - Once In England - A Family That Was (1/3) {State Library NSW, JFR}

(1930 - 1932) Hugh Walpole - The Herries Chronicles - Vanessa (4/4)
(1930 - 1932) Faith Baldwin - The Girls Of Divine Corners - Myra: A Story Of Divine Corners (4/4)
(1930 - 1940) E. M. Delafield - The Provincial Lady - The Provincial Lady In Wartime (4/4)
(1930 - 1937) *Nina Murdoch - Miss Emily - Miss Emily In Black Lace (1/3) {State Library, held}

(1931 - 1951) Olive Higgins Prouty - The Vale Novels - Fabia (5/5)
(1931 - 1934) T. S. Stribling - The Vaiden Trilogy - The Store (2/3) {Internet Archive / academic loan / State Library, held}
(1931 - 1935) Pearl S. Buck - The House Of Earth - A House Divided (3/3)
(1932 - 1932) Lizette M. Edholm - The Merriweather Girls - The Merriweather Girls At Good Old Rockhill (4/4) {HathiTrust}
(1932 - 1952) D. E. Stevenson - Mrs Tim - Mrs Tim Flies Home (5/5) {interlibrary loan}

(1933 - 1970) Dennis Wheatley - Duke de Richlieu - The Forbidden Territory (1/11) {Fisher Library}
(1934 - 1936) Storm Jameson - The Mirror In Darkness - Company Parade (1/3) {Fisher Library}
(1934 - 1968) Dennis Wheatley - Gregory Sallust - Black August (1/11) {interlibrary loan / omnibus}
(1936 - 1952) Helen Dore Boylston - Sue Barton - Sue Barton, Student Nurse (1/7) {interlibrary loan}

(1947 - 1974) Dennis Wheatley - Roger Brook - The Launching Of Roger Brook (1/12) {Fisher Library storage}
(1948 - 1971) E. V. Timms - The Gubbys - Forever To Remain (1/12) {Fisher Library / interlibrary loan}
(1953 - 1960) Dennis Wheatley - Molly Fountain and Colonel Verney - To The Devil A Daughter (1/2) {Fisher Library storage}
(1955 - 1956) D. E. Stevenson - The Ayrton Family - Summerhills (2/2) {interlibrary loan}
(1989 - ????) Nancy A. Collins - Sonja Blue - Paint It Black (3/7) {AbeBooks* / Kindle}

*** Incompletely available series
** Series complete pre-1931
* Present status pre-1931

Unavailable series works:

John Rhode - Dr Priestley
The Hanging Woman (#11)

Miles Burton - Desmond Merrion / Inspector Arnold
>everything from #2 - #11 inclusive

Natalie Sumner Lincoln - Inspector Mitchell
The Nameless Man (#2)

Louis Tracy - Winter and Furneaux
The Park Lane Mystery (#6)

John Alexander Ferguson - Francis McNab
Death Of Mr Dodsley (#5)

Moray Dalton - Inspector Collier
The Harvest Of Tares (#4)

David Sharp - Professor Fielding
When No Man Pursueth (#1)

Francis D. Grierson - Inspector Sims and Professor Wells
The Double Thumb (#3)

Roger Scarlett - Inspector Kane {NB: Now available in paperback, but expensive}
Murder Among The Angells (#4)
In The First Degree (#5)

Charles J. Dutton - Harley Manners
The Shadow Of Evil (#2)

Alfred Bishop Mason - Tom Strong
Tom Strong, Boy-Captain (#2)
Tom Strong, Junior (#3)
Tom Strong, Third (#4)

Roland Daniel - Wu Fang
The Society Of The Spiders (#1)

Agnes Miller - The Linger-Nots
The Linger-Nots And The Secret Maze (#5)

Books currently on loan:

        


    

Reading projects:

Blog:

        

        

Other projects:

        

        

Group read news:

The plan at the moment is for a group read of Anthony Trollope's Rachel Ray in December.

After that, I need some input from interested parties:

We have the choice of two very different Virago works: we can continue on with Margaret Oliphant's Carlingford Chronicles, with The Perpetual Curate, or we can take a break and revert to our Virago chronology with Mary Elizabeth Braddon's Aurora Floyd.

I am happy to go with either (we are probably talking February) so please let me know your preference.

Enough!

Please come on in and make yourselves at home...

Happy new one!

Happy new thread, Liz! I hope that your review slump is over!

>1 lyzard: Aw, how perfectly adorable!

Happy new thread, Liz!

Finally a cat at the top that wasn't completely new to me. So it took only a short look around at the www :-)

Thank you, I've pulled up a chair, studied the rusty cat (1 kg?!) and read some of the titles on the shelves! Happy new (review-generating?) thread!

>21 lyzard: I have a slight preference for The Perpetual Curate since I've read Aurora Floyd, but I would probably join in the group read regardless.

Happy new thread, Liz and also wishing you a splendid weekend into the bargain!

Happy new thread, Liz!

>21 lyzard: I'll definitely be around for Rachel Ray, and have no preference on the Virago selection-- I'm up for either one.

>2 lyzard: I just finished London Crimes, which is a collection of 7 pieces edited by Nadya Aisenberg published in 1982. Four of the pieces in this collection are by Dickens and were originally published in Household Words. There are another 2 pieces also published in Household Words, which are attributed to W. H. Wills, who often wrote pieces for Household Words. These 6 pieces appeared in Household Words from 1849 to 1851.

But the last piece in this collection is "The Gambler" from The Recollections of a Policeman by "Waters" aka William Russell.

But here's the curious thing: in the Preface to London Crimes, Aisenberg states that 3 of the pieces from Household Words included in London Crimes, ALSO appeared in Recollections 10 years later! The 3 selections appearing in Recollections are
"Modern Science of Thief Taking" (by W. H. Wills, Household Words, 1851); and "The Detective Police Party" and "Three Detective Anecdotes" (both by Dickens, Household Words, 1850).

Aisenberg claims that Waters/Russell added an introductory paragraph or two, but then appropriated these Household Words pieces verbatim. Aisenberg could find no evidence that permission was received from Dickens to re-publish these pieces.

Nothing like a mystery within a mystery...

Happy new thread, Liz.
Total awww moment at >1 lyzard:.

Hi, Jim, Stasia, Paws, Anita, Ninie, Paul, Kathy and Helen---thank you all very much for dropping in! :)

>24 alcottacre:

So do I but that remains to be seen! :D

>25 PawsforThought:, >26 FAMeulstee:, >30 Helenliz:

They are very gorgeous; it's hard to grasp how small they are.

>27 NinieB:

Question mark is right. :D

Noted, Nine, thanks. I should post those points on the Salem chapel thread while I'm thinking about it.

>28 PaulCranswick:

Thanks, Paul!

>29 kac522:

Thanks for the Virago input, Kathy.

I haven't really begun to research "Thomas Waters" / William Russell, though I know enough to know it's complicated---but apparently I had no idea how complicated!

Thank you very much for that information: it appears that The Recollections Of A Policeman - or a version of it - preceded Recollections Of A Detective Police-Officer; that there may be different versions of each; and that the former may have been pirated---which would be ironic if what you say about the stealing from Household Words is correct.

I have background of Russell primarily contributing to Chamber's Edinburgh Journal, though apparently he also had stories in The Sixpenny Magazine, St. James's and The London Journal. According to what's available, I might try to track down the origins of some of the collated stories.

Oh dear. This looks like being a MUCH bigger project than I anticipated... :D

Notes to self, mostly. The overriding question seems to be, who was doing the pirating?

Kathy, this is all your fault! :D

---Evidently W. H. Wills worked for Chamber's Edinburgh Journal in the early 1840s (and married a Miss Chambers), so he and Russell might have known each other there. Not sure if that has any relevance to the attributions??

---Wills collected his own writings in 1860 as Old Leaves: Gathered From Household Words, including Modern Science Of Thief-Taking (but not the other two stories), so that might be a starting point!

---From an online listing for the 1857 edition of The Recollections Of A Policeman:

Boston: Wentworth and Company, 1857., 1857. First edition. First U. S. edition thus. Although this is the first authorized American edition, the true first American edition was first issued as a pirated edition by Cornish, Lamport & Co. in 1852, with the text lifted from CHAMBER'S EDINBURGH JOURNAL and "some of our American Magazines." The first U. K. edition was published in 1856 as RECOLLECTIONS OF A DETECTIVE POLICE-OFFICER. Thomas Waters was the pseudonym of William Russell. Thick 8vo. Original green cloth, decorated in blind on front and rear covers, titles stamped in gold gilt on the spine, 376 pp. plus 4 pages of advertising, preface. Queen 's Quorum 2 says this book is "the most important criminological yellow-back of its time." The first collection of British Detective stories and preceded only by Edgar Allan Poe's TALES in 1845, according to Queen's Quorum.

BUT---

---apparently Chamber's Edinburgh Journal ran a series of stories under the general title "Recollections Of A Police Officer" beginning in 1849, BEFORE any of the Household Words articles.

I'm pinching this from someone else's blog-post (https://ashrarebooks.com/2015/06/04/mysterious-waters/):

"...and it is only with these modest tales in Chambers that we reach the real thing – the first professional detective in English fiction. Ten of these stories were subsequently published in unauthorised editions in New York in 1852 and 1853, under the title The Recollections of a Policeman. All eleven, plus a twelfth which had not appeared in Chambers, were then published in London as Recollections of a Detective Police-Officer in 1856, with a second series of eight further stories added in 1859. The stories purport to be the reminiscences of a genuine detective. He is called Mr Waters – just plain Waters to his superior officers. He has no first name, although his American publishers had for some unknown reason christened him Thomas, and the ‘authorial’ prefaces to the English editions are signed C. W. His first appearance in Chambers preceded the Inspector Bucket of Dickens’ Bleak House by some years and the Sergeant Cuff of Wilkie Collins’ The Moonstone by many more. The stories are the work of a journalist named William Russell, the inventor of the first Scotland Yard detective in fiction. Pause for a moment. Reflect on this..."

And this I need to track down:

"...a number of other works appeared under the Waters pseudonym, most notably The Game of Life (1857) – later republished under the title Leonard Harlowe – a first-rate piece of work, a really cracking tale of a breathtaking and audacious Victorian identity theft..."

>32 lyzard: Whew! Plenty of detective work there, Liz! And I had not noticed the different titles--I was focusing in on "Waters", as I had just read this other book (a month from now, it probably would have been out of my memory, sadly).

I was wondering whether, in the case of the other 2 Dickens selections, Waters/Russell had indeed written the pieces, but Dickens published them in Household Words without attributing to the original author. Doesn't sound like Dickens, but who knows?

FWIW, Aisenberg states in her preface that she included the Waters/Russell piece ("The Gambler") in London Crimes solely as an example of Waters/Russell writing style, and for the reader to compare it with the writing style of the 3 pieces lifted from Household Words.

Aisenberg includes a scan of the title page of the edition she referenced of "Recollections of a Policeman", and the scan reads:

Recollections of a Policeman
by
Thomas Waters
An Inspector of the London Detective Corps
Boston: Thayer and Elderidge,
114 & 116 Washington Street
1860

and she lists the Contents page of this edition:

*The Gambler
Guilty or Not Guilty
X, Y, Z
The Widow
The Twins
The Pursuit
Legal Metamorphoses
The Revenge
Mary Kingsford
Flint Jackson
**Modern Science of Thief-Taking
**The Detective Police Party
**Three "Detective" Anecdotes
The Martyrs of Chancery
Law at a Low Price
The Law
The Duties of Witnesses and Jurymen
Bank Note Forgeries
Doom of English Wills
Disappearances
Loaded Dice

Loaded Dice starts on page 361, just to give you an idea of the length of this volume.

*Included in London Crimes, as a sample of Waters/Russell
**The three pieces lifted from Household Words, 1850-1851, and included in London Crimes

>33 lyzard: Having read the pieces, I can tell you that "The Detective Police Party" and "Three Detective Anecdotes", attributed to Dickens, feature Inspector Wield, who in real life was supposed to be based on a Inspector Field, and who some claim as the model for Inspector Bucket, per Aisenberg. (or I may have that reversed--wording is unclear--may have been Wield who was the real detective, and later re-named Field by Dickens).

They have the 1852 edition of The Recollections Of A Policeman in full at the HathiTrust. It is 257 pages long---and it has this in the middle of it!---



The Modern Science Of Thief-Taking, A Detective Party and Three "Detective" Anecdotes follow.

So basically they were admitting the theft (ironically enough).

These stories had already been plagiarised in America, so readers of the time may have known their origins. Or maybe the publishers were happy to imply that Russell was their author.

Those three stories wrap up the book. The rest of the volume contains:

- The Gambler
- Guilty Or Not Guilty?
- X. Y. Z.
- The Widow
- The Twins
- The Pursuit
- Legal Metamorphoses
- The Revenge
- Mary Kingsford
- Flint Jackson

The 1860 edition called itself the "Second Series" of The Recollections Of A Policeman and added the stories you note.

Meanwhile, this is the contents page from the 1856 British version, Recollections Of A Detective Police-Officer:



So it seems to me that Russell himself had nothing to do with the plagiarism, but rather the American publishers pirated Dickens and Wills along with Russell.

The remaining question would be, where did the extra stories in the "Second Series" originate?

Of course none of this is getting my reviews written! :D

Aha! Inspector Liz solves the crime once again! Well done!

I get a stupid amount of fun out of doing that sort of thing. :)

>40 lyzard:...which is exactly why I brought the whole bloody thing up ;)

>41 kac522:

And I thank you!

BTW re: >35 kac522: I believe the real inspector was 'Field'. Dickens also wrote about him in his real identity, which makes the 'Wield' thing a bit weird.

>42 lyzard: My pleasure. If you have an American ancestor/relation you want found, let me know...that's where I can waste hours and hours and hours.

Right, I noticed that...in the collection in London Crimes, 2 stories call him Wield, but one story calls him Field.

>43 kac522:

Ha! That's the rabbit-hole my sister likes to disappear down. :)

>44 lyzard: Right, leave her to it--a place that you should NEVER go down....there's no end to it. Literally.

Happy new thread Liz!

>45 kac522:

I think I have quite enough bottomless hobbies already!

Just one more point before I leave it (honest!): in the preface to the 1856 edition, William Russell comments that his stories have been reissued "by permission from Messrs. Chambers' Edinburgh Journal", so I think we can consider him exonerated. Though it's easy to understand why anyone reading the American edition might have different ideas.

>46 swynn:

Thanks, Steve!

I'll be picking up Love Story tomorrow, BTW; I'm hoping it goads me into getting Airport and Portnoy's Complaint reviewed.

>40 lyzard: I do too. Unfortunately it keeps me from doing things I should be doing.

Happy Sunday, Liz!

>21 lyzard: I will likely join in for Rachel Ray!

>49 alcottacre:

"Should" is such an unpleasant word. :D

Thanks, Stasia!

>50 japaul22:

Hi, Jennifer, thanks for visiting! I hope you can. :)

My eReader is struggling with Recollections Of A Detective Police-Officer, so I think I'll have to finish it online. Which means I need a portable read.

{*girds loins*}

Now also reading Elsie At Ion by Martha Finley.

Best-selling books in the United States for 1968:

1. Airport by Arthur Hailey
2. Couples by John Updike
3. The Salzburg Connection by Helen MacInnes
4. A Small Town in Germany by John le Carré
5. Testimony of Two Men by Taylor Caldwell
6. Preserve and Protect by Allen Drury
7. Myra Breckinridge by Gore Vidal
8. Vanished by Fletcher Knebel
9. Christy by Catherine Marshall
10. The Tower of Babel by Morris L. West

Politics and sex dominate the 1968 best-seller list, albeit its #1 is an outlier.

Catherine Marshall's Christy, a holdover from the 1967 best-seller list, is another; so is Taylor Caldwell's Testimony of Two Men, about a doctor fighting to modernise medical practice in his small town and falling foul of narrow-mindedness and suspicion.

John Updike's Couples is about sexual misbehaviour in a New England community; while Gore Vidal's Myra Breckinridge is a satire of sexual and gender stereotyping and hypocrisy (and Hollywood).

Morris West's The Tower of Babel deals with attempts to provoke a war in the Middle East. Helen MacInnes' The Salzburg Connection is about a surviving Nazi clique using blackmail as a means back to power. John le John le Carré's A Small Town in Germany is a Cold War thriller built around the disappearance of a British diplomat.

Fletcher Knebel's Vanished places a similar plot on home soil, with the US President's re-election impacted by the mysterious disappearance of a close friend. Alan Drury's Preserve and Protect, meanwhile, begins with the death of a President when Air Force One crashes, and deals with the efforts of subversive elements to exploit the situation.

The year's best-seller, however, was Arthur Hailey's Airport.

Arthur Frederick Hailey was born in England in 1920. He was an avid reader and writer from and early age, but his family's circumstances were straitened, and in his mid-teens he was forced to give up school. He held several menial jobs until the outbreak of war, when he enlisted in the RAF and served as a combat pilot: his training and experience would ultimately shape his writing career.

In 1947, Hailey emigrated to Canada. Settling in Toronto, he held a variety of jobs while trying to establish himself as a writer. His big break came when his screenplay, Flight Into Danger, was purchased for adaptation on Canadian TV. The rolling wave of popularity of his story saw it adapted for TV in Britain and purchased for filming in the US, where it became the basis for the 1957 disaster-movie, Zero Hour! (and was subsequently mocked as Flying High! / Airplane!). Hailey also novelised his screenplay, which was published as Runway Zero-Eight.

Hailey was then in demand as a TV writer, but his ambition remained novel-writing. His first two novels, The Final Diagnosis and In High Places, were each selected by the Literary Guild of America. While they were well-reviewed, Hailey broke through commercially with 1965's Hotel, which set the pattern of his subsequent career: he began to specialise in sprawling, multi-plotted thrillers dealing with high finance, the business world, and sex.

In 1968, Hailey published Airport, which became that year's best-selling book in the United States, and touched off the modern era of the disaster movie via its film adaptation.

Hailey's financial success saw him become a tax exile: he relocated to the Bahamas, where he spent the 1970s writing "big business" thrillers that were critically condemned but popular with the reading public; most were adapted for film or TV. Hailey prided himself on the accuracy of his settings, spending many months researching the milieu of his novels.

Health problems led Hailey to announce his retirement at the end of the decade, but after major heart surgery he returned to work, transforming his experiences into the best-selling medical thriller, Strong Medicine, about the pharmaceutical industry. His subsequent output was minor, however, and he died of a stroke in 2004.

Publication date: 1968
Genre: Contemporary drama
Read for: Best-seller challenge

Airport - When Lincoln International Airport, in Illinois, is hit by a record snowstorm, its already over-burdened facilities are pushed to breaking-point. When a plane rolls off its runway in the snow and becomes stuck, the airport's manager, Mel Bakersfield, finds himself dealing with a wave of escalating crises. In particular, having lost one runway, Mel is forced to send his other services out over a nearby housing development with which the airport is already at war over noise pollution---and where a publicity-seeking lawyer is stirring up resentment and protest. But bad as Mel's night is, it is about to get exponentially worse: in the air-traffic control tower, his younger brother, Keith, who some months before was involved in a fatal incident, is contemplating suicide; while across town, failed businessman D. O. Guerrero has decided that there is only one way he can provide for his wife and children... Arthur Hailey's Airport is a somewhat surprising best-seller. It is a serviceable thriller, and certainly keeps you turning the pages; but the very thing that Hailey most prided himself upon, his research, almost brings the book (you should forgive the expression) crashing down. Whatever the individual topic, he simply cannot keep himself from regurgitating his knowledge in minute detail, so that the reader is effectively subjected to a series of lectures on everything from airport infrastructure to air-traffic technology to noise reduction - pilot training to the management of sexual misdemeanours amongst the flight staff---and you'd better like hearing about flight insurance! And even at the very height of his crisis, Hailey can't help stopping dead for a detailed explanation of how a plane's oxygen system functions. However---it is conceivable that at the time of the novel's first publication, much of this was a mystery to the general public, and therefore of interest; and in any event, it now serves as a snapshot of a time before a decade of disaster and terrorism changed the face of aviation forever. And, as I say, when Hailey can focus on his plot, Airport is an often quite gripping work, mixing several suspense-plots with a measure of sexual titillation via the adulterous activities of Mel Bakersfield's resentful wife, Cindy, and an affair between pilot Vernon Demerest - Mel's brother-in-law - and stewardess Gwen Meighan, which has resulted in the latter's pregnancy. As Mel deals with the overlapping crises threatening the functioning of his airport, he is also made aware of a series of seemingly unrelated but increasingly ominous events. A man buys a ticket to Rome, yet checks in no luggage; he buys insurance with scraped together notes and coins; and as he boards, his demeanour catches the attention of customs official Harry Standish, with his long experience of passengers hiding something. Later, having already had to deal with a most unusual stowaway, airline public relations officer Tanya Livingstone is called upon to help with a woman found in the airport in a state of shock---and what Inez Guerrero tells Tanya about her husband raises the nightmare possibility of a bomb on a plane...

    "I'd like to say something else." The eyes of the others swung to Harry Standish. "I have to tell you this because we haven't time to waste on modesty: I'm a good judge of people, mostly on first sight, and usually I can smell the bad ones. It's an instinct, and don't ask me how it works because I couldn't tell you, except that in my job some of us get to be that way. I spotted that man tonight, and I said he was 'suspicious'; I used that word because I was thinking of smuggling, which is the way I'm trained. Now, knowing what we do - even little as it is - I'd make it stronger. The man Guerrero is dangerous." Standish eyed the Trans America DTM. "Mr Weatherby---get that word 'dangerous' across to your people in the air..."
    Captain Kettering, the base chief pilot for Trans America, read the draft message carefully, his only reaction a tightening of the mouth as his eyes moved down the page... The second telephone rang, cutting through the temporary silence. Mel answered it, then motioned to Ned Ordway who took the receiver.
    Captain Kettering finished reading. The DTM asked, "Do you agree to sending that? We've dispatch standing by with a Selcal hook-up."
    Kettering nodded. "Yes, but I'd like you to add: 'Suggest return or alternate landing at captain's discretion,' and have the dispatcher give them the latest weather."
    "Of course." The DTM pencilled in the extra words, then passed the pad to Tanya. She bean dictating the message. Kettering glanced at the others in the room. "Is that everything we know?"
    "Yes," said Mel. "It is, so far..."
    The message from DTM Lincoln International was addressed, Captain, Trans America Flight Two, and began:
    Unconfirmed possibility exists that male tourist passenger D. O. Guerrero aboard your flight may have explosive device...

Finished Elsie At Ion for TIOLI #14.

Still reading Recollections Of A Detective Police-Officer by "Waters".

Publication date: 1936
Genre: Mystery / thriller
Series: Clubfoot #6
Read for: Series reading / TIOLI (tag from previous book)

The Spider's Touch - When James Fane, a young American, disappears during a diplomatic mission in Germany, his twin sister, Patricia, vows to move heaven and earth to clear his name of the implication of treason. What she and her lawyer, Hastings, are able to learn of the matter send them to Francis Okewood, formerly of the British Secret Service---and he, in turn, recommends a man called Robin Dallas as the only one able to help them, and Ned Hartigan, an American soldier of fortune, as the only one likely to know where he is. Hartigan agrees to help, but warns Patricia and Hastings that they will have to take Dallas - or "Dallas" - on trust, and make no inquiries into his past. As Hartigan anticipates, Dallas agrees to help---once he hears that the person suspected of being behind Fane's disappearance is Dr Adolph Grundt... After one too many prequels involving a British Secret Service agent encountering the notorious Dr Grundt - aka Clubfoot - "for the first time", Valentine Williams finally brought him into the between-the-wars present in this 1936 thriller. This in itself lend The Spider's Touch an added interest, as it offers a contemporary (albeit very British) view of pre-war Germany. Less welcome are Williams' ideas on how rich Americans act and speak; and the novel's main weakness is that it forces a wholly unconvincing "romance" between Dallas and Patricia---even after she violates the terms of their agreement and pries into the secrets of his past. The other flaw in The Spider's Touch is the one that afflicts all villain-focused series---namely, that no matter how determined and resourceful the heroes, the villain has to get away... With the Nazis in power, as the Kaiser's former strong-arm man Adolph Grundt is persona non grata in Germany; although none the less dangerous for that, nor any less determined to reclaim a position of power. It is this that has led him to entrap James Fane, intending to rob him of the secret plans he was carrying and to sell them to the highest bidder. Robin Dallas, we learn, once fell foul of Grundt in a similar way---and, being unable to clear his name, was court-martialed and imprisoned. In seeking to find James Fane - or at least, to clear his name, whether he be dead or alive - Dallas hopes also to find some way of clearing himself. Over the objections of Patricia Fane and Hastings, Dallas recruits three other men for the mission, each of whom has a score to settle with Grundt: Ned Hartigan, whose best friend was murdered by him; Captain Roger de Cantigny, formerly of the French military, whose brother died at Grundt's orders; and Colonel Wolfgang von König, whose career Grundt ruined. The four set out determined to get their revenge upon Grundt---but knowing that in doing so, they will not only have to evade the Nazis, but stay one step ahead of the American Secret Service agents who are also hunting James Fane...

    Grundt stood like a statue, the rugged face set inflexibly. Only the eyes seemed to live, sparkling with a certain ironical contempt as Robin went forward. Without the flicker of an eyelash he watched the contents of his pockets spilled out upon the writing-table---keys, wallet, a pistol, which Dallas promptly appropriated, some loose change and, buttoned into a flapped pocket contrived in the lining of the waistcoat, a large, blue linen envelope, sealed at the back with three red seals which had been broken.
    "Is this what you're looking for?" said Robin. He passed the envelope back to Fane and, raising the pistol to cover Grundt, added, "All right! I'll take care of him now."
    Fane pounced on the packet. A second envelope, the seals of which had also been broken, was contained in the first. From it the young man drew a set of blueprints on transparent paper. He unfolded one of them and glanced over it eagerly.
    "Okay!" he said and, restoring the prints to their envelopes, thrust the packet in his pocket. "Come on!" he cried. "Let's get out of here.---Oh!" He broke off. "What do we do with him?"
    Dallas was staring at Grundt. "Take your sister outside," he said to Fane over his shoulder.
    Patricia stepped forward. "Robin, what are you going to do?"
    Dallas said again, "Fane, please take your sister outside."
    She spoke tremulously. "You can't shoot a man in cold blood!"
    Grundt confronted them in a stony silence, his arms above his head. He betrayed no emotion save that he moistened his fleshy lips with his tongue from time to time.
    Gazing at him steadfastly, Dallas said, "Four of us had scores to settle with you, Grundt, but it looks as though I should have to be spokesman for all..."

>55 lyzard: Airport and Hotel were quite thrilling to teenage me. I still remember bits and pieces quite clearly even after 40 years. Of course, now they must seem like the 60s preserved in amber, especially Airport.

>51 lyzard: I agree. The word "should" needs to be banned, Liz!

>53 lyzard: I still have my late grandmother's copy of Christy, which I fondly remember reading when I was a teenager.

>54 lyzard: To my knowledge, I have never read anything by Arthur Hailey.

>58 NinieB:, >59 alcottacre:

Airport is the only Hailey I've read and I came at that backwards, via the film---which as Steve and I noted, tips the balance away from the airport and towards the plane (and thus was the modern disaster movie born, huzzah!).

Publication date: 1919
Genre: Mystery / thriller
Series: Craig Kennedy #13
Read for: Series reading / TIOLI (2+ title words starting with same letter)

The Soul Scar - Society lawyer Vail Wilford is found dead in his office in what looks like a suicide. However, the note left was typed, while two empty glasses were found by the body---one of the only showing traces of the drug atropin. When consulted by Doctor Leslie, medical adviser to the district attorney, Craig Kennedy is immediately interested---but most of his attention focuses upon Honora Wilford's insistence that she foresaw her husband's death in her dreams... It was rarely ever a good idea when Arthur B. Reeve made his scientific detective, Craig Kennedy, the subject of a novel rather than short stories, but this effort from 1919 hits a new low---combining all of the pre-existing annoyances with a new, overriding exasperation. The English-language translation of Sigmund Freud's On Dreams was published in 1914, but it didn't "take hold" until after the war---and if The Soul Scar is anything to judge by, it then took hold with a vengeance. The entire narrative of rests upon Kennedy's use of Freudian dream analysis, via which he dissects Honora's emotional and psychological state, and so gets to the truth of Vail Wilford's death; while we are subjected to endless harangues about the infinite psychological hang-ups of women in general and Honora in particular. The Kennedy books' attitude to women - that is, Reeve's attitude, as conveyed via Kennedy's sidekick, reporter Walter Jameson - is nearly always infuriating: every significant woman is "the loveliest creature I ever saw", while in character they must be perfect or they are nothing. (The tone is set the first time he lays eyes on her: The very perfection I saw fell short of some quality. It was that elusive thing we call "heart.") Meanwhile, Kennedy's lectures on Freud are interspersed with Jameson's own on the state of society---in which, as always, this (youngish) reporter ends up sounding like some sour old conservative grandfather, always grumbling about "young people today". And occasionally Arthur Reeve remembers that this is supposed to be a mystery novel about murder made to look like suicide. Investigation of the circumstances surrounding Vail Wilford's death uncover a dangerous emotional tangle. Vance Shattuck, to whom Honora was once engaged, had recently re-entered her life; and police suspicion soon focuses upon the two. However, Kennedy also discovers that Wilford was having Honora followed, and that she she was undergoing treatment by the psychiatrist, Doctor Lathrop, who was consulting Wilford about divorcing his wife, Vina---with whom Wilford may have been having an affair...

    Kennedy paced the floor a few moments, as though trying to piece together the fragments he possessed.
    "Let me proceed now with a preliminary psych-analysis, as the Freudians call it," he resumed, still pacing thoughtfully, "the soul analysis of Honora Wilford, as it were. I do not claim that it is final. It is not. But on such information and belief, as the lawyers say, as we have already, we are warranted in drawing some preliminary conclusions. They will help us to go on. If any of them are wrong, all we need to do is throw them overboard. Later, I shall add to that stock of information, in one way or another, and it may very greatly modify those conclusions. But, until then, let's adopt them as a working hypothesis."
    I could only wonder at him. It was startling in the extreme to consider the possibilities to which this new science of dreams might lead, as he proceeded to illustrate it by applying it directly to a concrete case which I had seen.
    "You recall what Leslie told us, what Mrs Wilford told us, and what Doctor Lathrop later confirmed---her dream of fear?" Craig went on. "At present, I should say that it was a dream of what we call the fulfillment of a repressed wish. Dreams of fear are always important. Just consider fear for a moment. Fear in such a dream as this nearly always denotes a sexual idea underlying the dream. In fact, morbid anxiety means surely unsatisfied love. The old Greeks knew it. Their gods of fear were born of the goddess of love. Consequently, in her dream, she feared the death of her husband because, unconsciously, she wished it."
    I was startled, to say the least. "But, Craig," I remonstrated, "the very idea is repulsive. I don't believe for a moment she is that kind of woman. It's impossible."
    "Take this idea of dream-death of one who is living," ignored Kennedy. "If there is sorrow felt, then there is some other cause for the dream. But if there is no sorrow felt, then the dreamer really desires the death or absence of the person dreamed about. Perhaps I did put it a little too sweepingly," he modified; "but when all the circumstances are considered, as I have considered them in this case already, I feel sure that the rule will apply here."

>60 lyzard: thus was the modern disaster movie born, huzzah!

And what would we do without it? lol

>55 lyzard: Yes to most of that, though I think I found the frequent exposition less distracting than you did. Though really I also thought maybe the exposition was the point, and the thrills and titillation just some continuity to hold the essays together. It worked for me -- and yeah, though I would never have guessed it, I found flight insurance interesting. I could stand to do another Hailey.

>63 swynn:

I just would have liked a few more scenes to play out without being interrupted by some sort of technical explanation. Your view of it might make sense, though; and certainly it was all a lot easier to take than *some* of our recent best-sellers...

>61 lyzard: Some of your esoteric reads intrigue me. This one, not so much...
I think my parents used to have several Hailey books on the shelf, but I don't remember every trying one myself. Can't think why they did, doesn't strike me as being to either parent's taste!

*waves to Liz*

>21 lyzard: I'm tentatively in for Rachel Ray next month.

>65 Helenliz:

No, this series struggled after the first few (not that that stopped Reeve churning them out), in particular drifting further and further away from the science that was the point in the first place. And trying to fill out a novel just emphasised its weaknesses.

My suspicion is that rather than send me to other Haileys, Airport sent me to The Poseidon Adventure. :D

>66 souloftherose:

OMG!!!!

{*Kermit the Frog arms*}

How lovely to see you here! I hope you're feeling better and that things are easier for you. It would be brilliant if you could join us for Rachel Ray, but please don't stress over it.

Publication date: 1933
Genre: Mystery / thriller
Series: Leathermouth #3
Read for: Series reading / TIOLI {flower in title or author's name}

Crumpled Lilies - Peter Gantian is surprised and then concerned when he discovers that his friend, the American millionaire, John Wallington, is involved with an attractive but somewhat mysterious woman called Miss Milstead; "Teddie" to her friends. Feeling an almost paternal concern for his young friend, and discovering that the American newspapers are reporting Wallington as engaged, Gantian allows himself to become on of a foursome with the couple and Teddie's friend, Ella Bannerman, a young widow, to determine for himself the seriousness, or otherwise, of the situation. Meanwhile, society is shocked by the suicide of Ronnie Pellew, the nephew of the Earl of Somersham. Gantian is summoned to Scotland Yard by his old colleague, George Mayford, of the Special Branch, who hints at an ugly scandal involving forgery and blackmail behind the suicide---and a woman---a woman who Gantian already has reason to believe was Teddie Milstead... This third entry in Australian author Carlton Dawe's series featuring former Secret Service operative, Colonel Peter Gantian - "Leathermouth" to his friends and enemies, due to a physical quirk - is a rather tiresome would-be thriller that foregrounds all of these novels' weaknesses. Though not, apparently, written for serialisation, these books suffer in just that way---being padded out with repetitions and unnecessarily long conversations, particularly those between Gantian and George Mayford, who begin every encounter by abusing each other in a way that's supposed to be funny; while the frequent speechifying between hero and villain becomes an eye-rolling cliché-fest. Meanwhile, the plot, such as it is, involves Wallington and Gantian falling - or walking - into repeated traps, and getting out of them again in a manner that relies far too heavily on the latter's legendary "luck". Gantian's dubbing of Teddie Milstead and Ella Bannerman as "crumpled lilies" is forced and annoying; while this story is presented without explanation out of chronological order, so that (for example) Gantian hasn't yet met the woman he spends the entire preceding book trying to get married to. More significantly, the villain behind what is eventually revealed as a plot to drain John Wallington of his fortune in order to fund an international conspiracy is someone that, technically, Gantian shouldn't have met yet---but the personal feud between Gantian and Soviet agent, Joseph Malinka, is nevertheless allowed to overshadow the threat posed to Britain (and by extension, the world) by Malinka and his gang of political conspirators. Such conspiracies are expensive, however; and Gantian learns that his "crumpled lilies" are weapons in the hands of the gang, being persuaded, coerced and then forced to drain susceptible young men of their money. John Wallington's millions are the ultimate prize, however, and when the young man is kidnapped for ransom, Gantian undertakes a desperate mission to free him---one that delivers him into the dangerous and vengeful hands of Joseph Malinka...

    "Rest easy, my friend: you'll never see Trebizond again...You don't suppose that having ventured here, we're going to let you go again? No, Malinka, get rid of that pleasant effort of the imagination. England is famous for her exaltation of her distinguished guests, and she means to exalt you very high indeed...
    "Just now you sneered at me and my folly. But what of yours? If anyone had told me that Malinka would have ventured into England I would have laughed at the incredibility of the idea. Malinka, the artful, the cunning one, the born intriguer, the despair of the Continental police! How many of you foreigners, blown big with your own conceit, have misjudged England and her potentialities, and lived to regret it? Do you for one moment suppose that I left no clue when I went to Trentham Court? Surely you know Leathermouth better than that, and the power of his friends? Consider how all your plans have been countered, your hopes frustrated: Benrose and Rossi have both been arrested; the arrest of Malinka and Stamnos may only be a question of minutes."
    "Possibly, my dear Leathermouth," Malinka mocked; "what a pity you won't be able to see it. I shall be desolated, of course, but it so happens I have decided to exterminate you, as I do other pests. You have crossed me once too often: there is no room in this little world for you and me. One of us must leave it quick, and it looks as though fate thought you the more worthy of sacrifice. I shall part from you with much regret, for, on the whole, you've made life interesting, and, at times, even tolerable. Yet these things have to be---it is your kismet."
    I smiled, though I never felt less like smiling. There was a cold placidity and self-possession about the man that suggested the deadly implacability of the snake...

Finished Recollections Of a Detective Police-Officer for TIOLI #1.

Now reading The Cat's Paw by Natalie Sumner Lincoln.

Ugh.

Best info at the time suggested otherwise, but it turns out that The Cat's Paw is one of Lincoln's Washington mysteries featuring Inspector Mitchell.

This is less of an issue than it might be, as with many American mysteries the police exist mainly just to make things more difficult for the other characters; and indeed, Mitchell's suspicions have already fastened upon the one person who is (to the reader) self-evidently innocent.

Anyway---this has prompted me to sort out and add this series to LT. Unfortunately it seems that several of the books are unavailable, and a couple only readable online via newspaper serialisation. Strange, considering how very popular Lincoln was at the time (though as is also the case with several American authors of this period, her racial attitude and language may have something to do with it).

>71 lyzard: "Ugh" sounds about right!

>72 alcottacre:

Turned out to be "ugh" all around. :(

Anyway.

Finished The Cat's Paw for TIOLI #2.

Now reading The Secret Of Skeleton Island by Robert Arthur.

>73 lyzard: Sorry about that, Liz!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Publication date: 1933
Genre: Mystery / thriller
Series: Philo Vance #6
Read for: Series reading / TIOLI (Morphy's birthday)

The Kennel Murder Case - When Arthur Coe is found shot dead in his bedroom, the door locked on the inside, it seems a straightforward case of suicide; but no-one quite believes it. Coe was a wealthy and egotistical man who made many enemies. He was also a collector of Chinese antiquities, having just the day before acquired a particularly rare and beautiful specimen---and, as Philo Vance points out when consulted by John Markham, the District Attorney, a man who has just done that doesn't kill himself. And when the bedroom door is forced, the investigators note another odd detail: apparently Coe shot himself in the middle of getting ready for bed. Investigation of the body soon determines that this is murder, not suicide: that Arthur Coe was already dead when he was shot; that he was beaten some time before death; and finally that the actual cause of death was stabbing. Another bizarre twist is the discovery in the house of a badly injured dog---a dog that did not belong to any member of the household... Whatever their other qualities, the Philo Vance mysteries of "S. S. Van Dine" (Willard Huntington Wright) were never remarkable for their credible plots; but Van Dine outdid himself in The Kennel Murder Case, offering up a mystery that could only possibly have been solved by someone who was both an expert in rare Chinese antiquities and on the breeding of Scotch terriers...and who do you suppose fits that description? So very improbable is this combination of elements that Van Dine tries to excuse them by foregrounding them---having his namesake narrator marvel in his opening paragraphs over this extraordinary coincidence. It doesn't help. Meanwhile, Vance's unravelling of the mystery leads him, and the reader, deep into the very different worlds of Chinese pottery and dog breeding and judging, serving up much more than we probably ever wanted to know about either---although I will say this: in his outrage over the injuries inflicted upon the inoffensive little dog (spoiler alert: it survives), Vance has never been closer to likeable. However, woven through - sometimes almost obscured by - these disparate elements is a bizarre and often gripping mystery. There was no shortage of people who might have wanted Arthur Coe dead, from Chinese agents outraged by his plundering of their country's treasures, to his live-in niece whose life he controlled by his money, to his brother, Brisbane, who hated him for a variety of personal reasons. The latter, indeed, becomes the investigators' prime suspect, when they determine that his departure for Chicago on business was an elaborate blind for his real movements; but their case falls apart when Brisbane Coe, too, is found murdered---having died the same night as his brother...

    So mystifying was this case, so apparently inexplicable were its conflicting elements, that the police were for adding it to their list of unsolved murder mysteries. And they would have been justified in their decision; for rarely in the annals of modern crime has there been a case that seemed to reverse so completely the rational laws by which humanity lives and reasons. In the words of the doughty and practical Sergeant Ernest Heath of the Homicide Bureau, the case “didn’t make sense.” On the surface it smacked of strange and terrifying magic, of witch-doctors and miracle-workers; and every line of investigation ran into a blank wall.
    In fact, the case had every outward appearance of being what arm-chair criminologists delight in calling the perfect crime. And, to make the plotting of the murderer even more mystifying, a diabolical concatenation of circumstances was superimposed upon the events by some whimsical and perverse god, which tended to strengthen every weak link in the culprit’s chain of ratiocination, and to turn the entire bloody affair into a maze of incomprehensibility.
    Curiously enough, however, it was the very excess of ardor on the part of the murderer when attempting to divert suspicion, that created a minute hole in the wall of mystery, through which Vance was able to see a glimmer of light. In the process of following that light to the truth, Vance did what I believe was the shrewdest and profoundest detective work of his career. It was his peculiar knowledge of special and out-of-the-way facts, combined with his almost uncanny perception of human nature, that made it possible for him to seize upon apparently unimportant clues and resolve them into a devastating syllogism...

Publication date: 1922
Genre: Mystery / thriller
Series: Pennington Wise #6
Read for: Series reading / TIOLI (double letters in both title and author)

The Vanishing Of Betty Varian - Headland Harbor, in Maine, has become a popular summer resort for the artistically inclined and those with a passion for golf. While most visitors stay in cottages of the clubhouse, on a high, narrow promontory sits Headland House, and old and beautiful residence that has just been purchased by the Varian family. Mr Varian is a wealthy, preoccupied businessman; his wife, clinging and helpless: but their daughter, Betty, is a lovely, spirited girl who soon attracts the young men of the district. A picnic is organised, to which a number of young people are invited---although not the young artist, Rodney Grannis, whose interest in Betty has drawn upon him the wrath of Mr Varian. Accounting for this to his friends, Grannis observes sourly that any man pursuing Betty will find his way blocked by her possessive father, who has set himself against his daughter's marriage to any man. The picnic goes ahead, although in its early stages both Mr Varian and Betty have reason to go back to the house for something---and neither one of them returns. Two of the party, Ted Landon and Claire Blackwood, volunteer to look for them at the house. When they get there, they find Mr Varian shot dead---and that Betty has vanished altogether... Carolyn Wells' The Vanishing Of Betty Varian is half of a pretty good book. Its set-up and the impossible nature of the mystery - there is a single, narrow, gated path up to Headland House, and no-one could approach the house or leave it without being scene - are both satisfying; as are the first steps taken in the investigation---which lead nowhere, though the local police are, if out of their depth, thankfully not stupid. The sheriff does, however, outrage the other parties concerned with his suggestion that Betty shot her father and then somehow hid herself or fled the scene; just how, he cannot say. The other interesting detail is the character makeover of Mrs Varian who, having always been known as weak and hysterical, reacts unexpectedly to the tragedy by pulling herself together and taking charge of the situation; and it is she and Rod Grannis together who decide to call in Pennington Wise. Ironically enough, it is with the arrival of the private detective that The Vanishing Of Betty Varian falls apart---though this is mostly because Wells writes herself into a corner. Far too much of the book is spent going around in a circle---namely, there-must-be-a-secret-passage-but-there-isn't-but-there-must-be and anyone familiar with Wells knows from the start how that is going to work out. Furthermore, Wise (inapt name!) does something towards the end so incredibly stupid that it is impossible to move past that incident; while conversely - though the novel never acknowledges the fact - the best piece of detection in the book is carried out, not by Wise or his sidekick / assistant, Zizi, but by Rod Grannis. The belated arrival of a ransom demand raises as many questions as it answers; and though Mrs Varian is determined to follow the apparent kidnappers' instructions, to Wise the ransom drop is an opportunity finally to get a clue to Betty's fate. Ultimately, however, the case turns on a dark secret in the Varians' past...

    "We would have seen anyone going in or out of the house,” Minna explained. “We were all watching.”
    “The back doors?”
    “There’s only one,” Rodney told him. “And that was locked on the inside. Locked and bolted. No, whatever happened, nobody came in through the kitchen.”
    “Do you assume an intruder, then, Mr Wise?” Minna asked.
    “I am obliged to, Mrs Varian. To begin with the only fact we can positively affirm, Mr Varian was shot,---and not by his own hand. This we assume because of the absence of the weapon. Now, either Miss Betty shot him or someone else did. I can’t think the daughter did it, for it’s against the probabilities in every way,---though, of course, it’s a possibility. But the difficulties in the way of explaining what the girl did with herself afterward, seem to me greater than the objections to assuming an intruder from outside. I mean from outside the family,---not from outside the house. The explanation of his entrance and exit is no more of a puzzle than the explanation of Miss Varian’s exit. And I think we must dismiss the idea that the girl concealed herself in this house,---whether alive or---a suicide.”
    “The girl didn’t do it,” came Zizi’s low murmur. She was sitting on an ottoman, near Minna, and now and then she caressed the hand of her hostess. “There’s a big mind at the back of all this. And you’re overlooking the death of the maid last night Why, Penny, it’s all of a piece.”
    “Yes”; and Wise roused himself from a brown study. “It is all of a piece, and it hinges on that bequest of the Varian pearls.”
    “Hinges on that?” said Zizi.
    “I mean that’s a key to the situation. When we learn why Mr Varian made that strange arrangement, we’ll be on our way to a solution of the mystery...”

>75 alcottacre:

Thanks, Stasia - you too!

>77 lyzard: I didn't even notice the detective's last name until you pointed it out, at which point I snorted with laughter . . .

Nice to have the review train up and running!

>79 NinieB:

"Penny" Wise, yes. Though very Pound Foolish in this one. :)

It occurs to me that I may have baulked at my reviews in the first place because of hitting several exasperating books in a row... :D

Publication date: 1912
Genre: Humour
Read for: Completist reading

Where There's A Will - Early in her career, Mary Roberts Rinehart alternated her crime novels with some rather frenetic comedies, and this is one of the latter. Roberts' style of humour may best be described as "piling on", but this 1912 story is effective enough if taken in small doses---rather like the rather dubious "health waters" at its heart. The Hope Springs Sanatorium is successful enough when its founder is alive, operating as a resort in the summer and a retreat in the winter; but when the old doctor dies its continuance falls - indirectly - upon Minnie Waters, the tart-tongued, red-headed overseer of its mineral spring. The land upon which the sanatorium is built, along with its adjacent golf links and deer park, has long been sought by the potential developers of a hotel, who see the doctor's death as their opportunity. However, the property is bequeathed to Dicky Carter, the irresponsible young grandson of its founder, as one last chance for him to make something of himself. Under the terms of the will, Dicky must occupy and run the sanatorium successfully for two months: if so, it is his outright; if not, it is to be sold and the proceeds donated to charity. But as time ticks away, and with Mr Thoburn, the obnoxious property agent, determined to sabotage things if he can, there is no sign of Dick... When Alan Pierce, a young man down on his luck, staggers in out of the snowy night, Minnie persuades him to impersonate Dick, to which he finally agrees. All is well until Dick himself shows up - along with his runaway bride - and must be concealed from Thoburn, the regular guests, and an influx of unexpected newcomers. Among the latter are Miss Patty Jennings, the lovely daughter of a millionaire businessman who is being courted by an Austrian prince; the prince himself, who shows up under a false identity; and Miss Summers, an actress with the mumps---and a grudge against Dick. Driven almost to distraction, Minnie finds herself leaning more and more on Dr Barnes, an out-of-work medico and jack-of-all-trades, who has broad shoulders, a lively sense of humour---and hair redder than her own...

    Alan was crazy about Patty from the minute he saw her, and he hadn't a change of linen or a cent to his name. And she, as you might say, on the ragged edge of royalty, with queens and princes sending her stomachers and tiaras until she'd hardly need clothes! Well, a cat may look at a king.
    He went over to the fireplace, where I was putting his coffee to keep it hot, and looked down at me.
    "I've a suspicion, Minnie," he said, "that, to use a vulgar expression, I've bitten off more than I can chew in this little undertaking, and that I'm in imminent danger of choking to death. Do you know anybody, a friend of Miss er---Jennings, named Dorothy?"
    "She's got a younger sister of that name," I said, with a sort of chill going over me. "She's in boarding-school now."
    "Oh, no, she's not!" he remarked, picking up the coffee-pot. "It seems that I met her on the train somewhere or other the day before yesterday, and ran off with her and married her!"
    I sat back on the rug speechless.
    "You should have warned me, Minnie," he went on, growing more cheerful over his chicken and coffee. "I came up here to-night, the proud possessor of a bunch of keys, a patent folding cork-screw and a pocket, automobile road map. Inside two hours I have a sanatorium and a wife. At this rate, Minnie, before morning I may reasonably hope to have a family."
    I sat where I was on the floor and stared into the fire. Don't tell me the way of the wicked is hard; the wicked get all the fun there is out of life, and as far as I can see, it's the respectable "in at ten o'clock and up at seven" part of the wicked's family that has all the trouble and does the worrying...

>76 lyzard: You know, it seems like I should have read some of the Philo Vance mysteries, but I do not think I ever have - although I remember hearing some of the old time radio show and seeing The Kennel Murder Case movie with one of my favorite actors, William Powell.

>82 alcottacre:

The films are a lot easier to take because William Powell as Vance is automatically a lot more likeable. I know how popular the books were at the time but Vance is insufferable and the mysteries themselves stretch credibility a bit too far for me.

>83 lyzard: Then it sounds like I am not missing anything by passing on the books :)

Happy weekend, Liz!

>84 alcottacre:

Well, I find them a bit much but I wouldn't like to discourage you from giving them a try if you felt inclined. They're very YMMV so you should probably give one a go.

(Mind you, I say all this, but I've just picked the next one up from the library!)

Thanks, Stasia, you too. :)

Finished The Secret Of Skeleton Island for TIOLI #16.

Now reading Ripley Under Ground by Patricia Highsmith.

Publication date: 1929
Genre: Mystery / thriller
Series: Inspector McLean #1
Read for: Series reading / TIOLI (same letter starting author's first and last name)

McLean Of Scotland Yard - George Goodchild's incredibly long-running series featuring Robert McLean of Scotland Yard began with this 1929 publication, which is actually a hefty collection of short stories (not, however, individually named), each featuring a different case in McLean's early career as a Chief Inspector---although occasionally with recurring characters, particularly the "master criminal", Doctor Fingal, whose pursuit by McLean takes on a more and more personal flavour over the course of the book. McLean himself is an early example of the "gentleman-policeman", sitting between Dorothy Sayers' Charles Parker and Patricia Wentworth's Frank Abbott; in fact, I suspect he was some influence upon the latter, with whom he shares a sleekly fair appearance and a finicky attitude to his clothes. McLean is a Scot, however, and a number of his cases find him on his home turf of Edinburgh. Despite his seniority, the Chief Inspector is a hands-on officer; and his various cases find him conducting wearisome surveillance, venturing into noisome criminal haunts in London and/or going undercover as the circumstances require. The cases presented in McLean Of Scotland Yard are sometimes a bit superficial, a bit too easily solved, as is often the way with mystery short stories, but they serve their purpose of introducing McLean and delineating his character and methods. He is a man as concerned with innocence as with guilt, and is often found clearing someone's name or keeping their secrets; although conversely, when in pursuit of his quarry, he is sometimes a little careless about the safety of bystanders. (We should note that this extends to his own family, with his sister, Mary, at one point being abducted by Doctor Fingal!) The cases here are an entertaining mix, dealing with murder, fraud, burglary, conspiracy, persecution, concealed suicide, and even an apparent haunting. A second collection of short stories followed, McLean Investigates, before the Chief Inspector's appearance in the first of many novels.

    In connection with his work McLean had ideas entirely his own. He never jumped to conclusions, and in consequence was sometimes accused of being long-winded, but there was always method in his apparent dilatoriness, and it was significant that nearly all his quests ended most unfortunately for his quarry. To have attained his present rank at the age of thirty was a feat worthy of note, but there were some unobservant enough to attribute his amazing successes to an altogether disproportionate amount of luck, when, as a matter of fact, luck played a negligible part.
    McLean's thirst for knowledge was insatiable. He was the born naturalist, a good biologist and a fair chemist. The differential calculus interested him almost as much as human finger-prints, and his knowledge of languages was considerable. When life was not too strenuous he would delve into obscure subjects, and forget the world of crooks, cranks, and common law-breakers. One little luxury he permitted himself---good dress...

Ooh-er!

I think I have an outside chance at a sweep this month...

>88 lyzard: Yay! Go for it, Liz!

>89 FAMeulstee:

Possibly a little over-ambitious. :D

Finished Ripley Under Ground for TIOLI #4.

Now reading The Case Of Jennie Brice by Mary Roberts Rinehart.

Publication date: 1931
Genre: Historical drama
Read for: Georgette Heyer historical fiction challenge

The Conqueror - Though illegitimate, William, the son of the Duke of Normandy, succeeds to his father's title and honours when still only a child. The duchy is rife with betrayal and conflict, with ambitious nobles attempting to seize it for themselves; but as William grows to manhood, having survived various attempts upon his life, he determines to unite Normandy---and to rule it absolutely. Through courage, daring and ruthlessness, William conquers or expels his rivals, even repelling the invading forces of France under Henry I. But William has ambitions far beyond the boundaries of Normandy: increasingly, his eyes turn towards England... Georgette Heyer's biographical novel of William the Conqueror is by far the most successful of her straight historical fictions to date, with its issues stemming not from her writing, but from its subject matter. At this distance it is evident that (perhaps while still doing her research for this), Heyer used the entirely fictional Simon The Coldheart as something of a dry run for this novel---perhaps to experiment with how best to make a ruthless and unloving individual into a protagonist that could still hold the interest and sympathy of the reader. To this end, Heyer presents William largely through the eyes of Raoul de Harcourt, a younger son of a noble Norman family, whose ideas about honour put him out of step with the plots and betrayals of his time, and who finds in the young William, just setting out in his quest for a united Normandy, the embodiment of an ideal. Via Raoul we are given both the best and worst of William: his capacity to compel love and loyalty even while giving little of himself in return; his great courage and daring; his soaring ambition; and his increasing ruthlessness---which finally isolates him even from those who love him best. Though his loyalty never wavers, Raoul begins to withdraw emotionally from William as the latter's ambitions drive him to less and less scrupulous means to his end: his very coldness and detachment a critical weapon in his armoury against the passionate and impulsive King Harold. But nevertheless, Raoul is there at William's side in the year 1066, as the forces of Normandy set sail for England... Around its central portrait of William, Heyer builds a detailed and yet never laboured picture of the fractured and warring society that produced him, one rife with intrigue and violence and the making and breaking of alliances. There is a confidence in Heyer's writing here that has been lacking in some of her earlier straight historical fictions, and it reaches its climax in her extraordinary account of the Battle of Hastings (one which foreshadows her celebrated depiction of Waterloo in An Infamous Army), which finds her blending a broad view of the conflict driven by history and hindsight - the movements of the rival forces, the tactics of their leaders, the critical moments when things could have gone either way - with an intensely in-the-moment description of the horrifyingly brutal hand-to-hand conflict that made up 11th century warfare. From this tale of courage and slaughter, two critical points finally emerge: how very close the Saxons under Harold Godwineson came to repelling the Norman invasion of England; and that ultimately, the entire course of human history was changed by a single arrow.

    The writer went on to inform Duke William that couriers had fled hot-foot to York, where Harold lay, to convey the tidings that the Normans had landed, and he advised William not to stir from his entrenchments, for King Harold, he assured him, was marching south in force, having sworn to die in battle rather than let the Normans advance a league into England.
    "Tell your master," said William, "that I shall give battle as soon as may be." He waited until the messenger had withdrawn, and turned his head to look at Raoul. A grim smile hovered round his mouth. "Marching south," he repeated softly. He glanced at the letter again. "He is advised to hold London, and await me there. Very good rede, Harold Godwineson, but you will not take it." He threw the letter on to the table before him, and leaned back in his chair. He said: "Brave words, but they did not come from his brain. My Raoul, well did I judge Earl Harold when I told you he would act on the impulse of his heart. He will meet me on these coasts, just as I have planned." His brows twitched together. "Eh, but he is a fool!"
    "He is also a very brave man," said Raoul, looking at him.
    "Brave! Yea, as a lion, but he will lose England by this folly. He will not let me advance one league! Why, spine of God, he should lure me on, further and further from the coast and my ships, into a strange land where mine army might be surrounded. Thus did I when France broke my borders. I made no speeches to fire men's loyalty, but planned how best I could save my country. Harold will not waste the fields he has sworn to protect! There spoke his heart: proud, noble, if you will, full of hardiment, but uncounselled by his head. I tell you, Raoul, had he stayed in London he might have ruined me."
    "And yet you braved this chance?"
    William laughed. "No. From the day I set eyes on him I knew I had nothing to fear from his strategy."

Best-selling books in the United States for 1969:

1. Portnoy's Complaint by Philip Roth
2. The Godfather by Mario Puzo
3. The Love Machine by Jacqueline Susann
4. The Inheritors by Harold Robbins
5. The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton
6. The Seven Minutes by Irving Wallace
7. Naked Came the Stranger by Penelope Ashe
8. The Promise by Chaim Potok
9. The Pretenders by Gwen Davis
10. The House on the Strand by Daphne du Maurier

Trash and sex - and trashy sex - dominated the lists in 1969, though we do have a few exceptions.

Chaim Potok's The Promise is a sequel to his 1967 best-seller, The Chosen and follows its young Jewish protagonists as they fight to reconcile their faith with their entry into adult life.

Mario Puzo's The Godfather is as much about family as it is about organised crime, as Don Vito Corleone tries to decide which of his sons should inherit his "empire".

Michael Crichton's The Andromeda Strain, the first of his anti-science science-fiction novels, deals with the accidental release of an alien microorganism. Weirdly enough, this novel is partnered by Daphne du Maurier's The House on the Strand, which blends history and science fiction in a story of a drug that can bring about time travel.

Irving Wallace's The Seven Minutes has sex at its heart, but is overridingly a story of censorship and scapegoating, when a young man blames his sex crimes on a "pornographic" novel.

Gwen Davis's The Pretenders is built around a man's rise to Hollywood power, but is chiefly about "beautiful people" indulging in sex and drugs and partying and sex. Penelope Ashe's Naked Came the Stranger finds a celebrity's career threatened by her husband's infidelity: she retaliates in type - multiple times - while keeping up appearances. Harold Robbins' The Inheritors is set in the world of high finance, and finds its joint protagonists making a lot of money and having a lot of sex. Jacqueline Susann's The Love Machine is about a rising TV star's sexual relationships with three contrasting women and the hang-ups that drive them.

And fittingly enough after all this, the year's #1 best-seller was Philip Roth's Portnoy's Complaint.

Philip Milton Roth was born in Newark NJ in 1933, and grew up in the then-predominantly Jewish Weequahic district. After graduating high school, Roth earned a BA at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania and a Masters from the University of Chicago. He then enlisted in the army, but after receiving a medical discharge began teaching comparative literature and creative writing, spending much of his career at the University of Pennsylvania.

Roth began publishing in the Chicago Review while working on his Masters. His first book, Goodbye, Columbus, published in 1959, contained the title novella and several short stories; it won the National Book Award in 1960. Several novels followed, with the heavily autobiographical Portnoy's Complaint becoming 1969's best-selling work. Its sexual explicitness and crudity of language made it highly controversial, however, and it was banned in a number of countries (including Australia, although South Australia fought back), as well as excluded from many American libraries. It was also attacked by various Jewish organisations.

Through the 1970s, Roth experimented with genres and created another, recurring alter-ego, Nathan Zuckerman, who appeared in several more semi-autobiographical works. Subsequently, Roth began publishing "alternative histories", using them to analyse American society, identity and politics.

Roth is a multiple award-winner for his work, receiving his second National Book Award for 1995's Sabbath's Theater; the PEN/Faulkner award for Operation Shylock, The Human Stain and Everyman; and the Pulitzer Prize for American Pastoral, among many other American and international awards. He also received the Man Booker International Award for lifetime achievement; and in 2010, the National Humanities Medal.

Philip Roth died of heart failure in 2018, at the age of 85.

Publication date: 1969
Genre: Humour
Read for: Best-seller challenge

Portnoy's Complaint - The kind of shock-waves that this book must have caused in 1969 can be easily imagined, as well as the mingled outrage and glee with which it was doubtless received, but at this distance it seems like a storm in a tea-cup---and a rather grotty tea-cup, at that. Less a novel than a self-revealing internal monologue, and a deliberate taboo-breaker - in a sense the literary version of what Lenny Bruce was doing on stage - Philip Roth's Portnoy's Complaint is a the portrait of a sex-obsessed young Jewish man and the parents he blames for his infinite hang-ups and screw-ups. It represents the crystallisation, if not the source, of many a Jewish stereotype---most obviously the devouring Jewish mother, to whom Roth / Portnoy devotes much consideration, as he recapitulates for our edification his sexual exploits and misadventures and his series of failed relationships---the one stemming from the other, we are to understand. Portnoy's Complaint was certainly intended as satire, not reality, and some of its humour still works; but overall Roth's attitude is exactly that of those objectionable individuals who will make an offensive remark and then insist they were "only joking" when called on it...and that we are at fault if we don't find it funny. Alex Portnoy's self-anaysis drips with self-loathing, bigotry and misogyny; while his sexual obsessions, and the scatalogically graphic language in which he conveys them, feel more like a childish attempt at being shocking rather than the "great literature" this is supposed to be; and honestly, in literary terms there are very few subjects I find less interesting than the penis. (Noting that Roth was an equal opportunity bore, publishing The Breast in 1972.) The novel's humour can't paper over its more distasteful aspects, and not least because - deliberately, though still frustratingly - Portnoy retreats into humour whenever he is danger of really understanding himself or admitting his culpability in his problems. Portnoy's Complaint is offered as its protagonist's outpouring to the therapist he has finally accepted that he needs---meaning that its very last sentence is my favourite in the book for more reasons than one.

    I am under the influence at the moment of an essay entitled "The Most Prevalent Form of Degradation in Erotic Life"; as you may have guessed, I have bought a set of the Collected Papers, and since my return from Europe, have been putting myself to sleep each night in the solitary confinement of my womanless bed with a volume of Freud in my hand. Sometimes Freud in hand, sometimes Alex in hand, frequently both. Yes, there in my unbuttoned pajamas, all alone, I lie, fiddling with it like a little boy-child in a dopey reverie, tugging on it, twisting it, rubbing and kneading it, and meanwhile reading spell-bound through "Contributions to the Psychology of Love," ever heedful of the sentence, the phrase, the word that will liberate me from what I understand are called my fantasies and fixations.
    In the "Degradation" essay there is that phrase, "currents of feeling." For "a fully normal attitude in love" (deserving of semantic scrutiny, that "fully normal," but to go on---) for a fully normal attitude in love, says he, it is necessary that two currents of feeling be united: the tender, affectionate feelings, and the sensuous feelings. And in many instances this just doesn't happen, sad to say. "Where such men love they have no desire, and where they desire they cannot love."
    Question: Am I to consider myself one of the fragmented multitude? In language plain and simple, are Alexander Portnoy's feelings fixated to his incestuous fantasies? What do you think, Doc? Has a restriction so pathetic been laid upon my object choice? Is it true that only if the sexual object fulfills for me the condition of being degraded, that sensual feeling can have free play? Listen, does that explain the preoccupation with shikses?

>93 lyzard: Daphne du Maurier's The House on the Strand, which blends history and science fiction in a story of a drug that can bring about time travel.

I had no idea this existed. It must go into the Someday Swamp, of course, somewhere near that Harold Bell gem.

>96 swynn:

I hope I've got that right, then, because that summary phrase was from memory!

>96 swynn: >97 lyzard: It's one of my favorite du Mauriers, and that's a pretty good one-sentence summary.

>98 NinieB:

Phew! Thanks, Ninie. :)

Finished The Case Of Jennie Brice for TIOLI #6.

Now reading The Casual Murderer by Hulbert Footner.

>95 lyzard: Yeah, that was a disappointment, and too much of ... well, all that it was.

On the other hand, one advantage to having read it is that there is stuff written *about* it that is more enlightening than the text itself. For example, I quite enjoyed Dean Franco's "Portnoy's Complaint: It's about Race, not Sex (Even the Sex is about Race)" (Prooftexts 29, no. 1 (2009): 86–115. https://doi.org/10.2979/pft.2009.29.1.86). Franco explains the novel's satirical take on Jewish support of racial justice -- a perspective that non-Jewish me was completely ignorant about and found fascinating. Franco also describes PC as a transparent "satire of the Jewish family romance." This claim was not transparent to me because I did not know that "the Jewish family romance" was even a genre. (e.g., Marjorie Morningstar I guess maybe?)

Sometimes the book you read for book club is crap, but the discussion is still interesting.

>101 swynn:

Thank you very much for that material. As you noted in your review the novel does give the impression of intending a broader take on society, with respect to its racial material and Alex's job, the significance of which has since been lost. It's very helpful to have another perspective on that.

I'm dubious about the other argument, though. The fact is, it really didn't make me think of Marjorie Morningstar, and surely it should have done? You could draw a parallel, I guess, or view them as gender-flipped takes on Jewish life---not "Will Marjorie marry a nice Jewish boy?", but "Will Alex get to lay a shiksa?" And you could argue that MM is about the inescapabability of Jewishishness. But I don't see it is a target for satire. There may have been other American books that were romanticising Jewish family life, but if so I'm not aware of them---not the way I'm aware of British-Jewish fiction like Naomi Jacob's Gollantz saga, for example.

As for the rest---well, as I've had reason to say before in this project, I don't think I was the target audience! :D

Publication date: 1955
Genre: Mystery / thriller
Series: Miss Silver #28
Read for: Shared read

The Listening Eye - Paulina Paine is visiting a gallery to see a portrait of herself painted by one of her lodgers, David Moray, which to her surprise is a great success; as well as two paintings by her cousin's son which frankly horrify her. Tired, Miss Paine sits for a time and allows her gaze to drift to some men nearby having an intense conversation. Having been deafened during the Blitz, Miss Paine has since become an expert lip-reader; and what she now "overhears" horrifies her... When Miss Paine later learns that the men, noting her gaze and recognising her from the portrait, question the gallery attendant about her identity, she is frightened enough to carry her story of planned robbery and murder to Miss Maud Silver. In telling it, she convinces herself that she is overreacting, but Miss Silver doesn't think so; and when Miss Paine dies in what may or may not be an accident, she is quite certain of it... The Listening Eye is an interesting mystery-thriller that deals with a more "hard-boiled" kind of crime than is usually the case in this essentially domestic series, with a particularly ugly kind of blackmail added to the initial robbery and murder; murders. Ultimately, however, the investigation does revolve around the country house of Lucius Bellingdon, owner of the diamond necklace that is stolen while being transferred between the bank and the house, and employer of Arthur Hughes, the courier shot dead at the scene. It is evident that this drastic measure was taken because Hughes would have recognised the thief---which not only restricts the list of suspects, but means the killer is someone in or close to the Bellingdon household. As the police pursue the usual inquiries, Miss Silver accepts a commission from Lucius Bellingdon to pose as his new secretary and investigate from the inside... The Listening Eye's blending of elements continues throughout the novel, with cold-blooded crime and personal conflicts and secrets rubbing shoulders throughout. There is as always an "official" romance, that between David Moray, the artist who painted the unfortunate Paulina Paine, and Sally Foster, an acquaintance of Bellingdon's beautiful but selfish adopted daughter, Moira Herne, both of whom become house-guests; but it has little bearing on the main plot, where the far more interesting relationship is that between Bellingdon himself and the intelligent and charming Annabel Scott, who knows Miss Silver as a detective, and becomes her trusted confidante. It is soon evident that more people that Lucius Bellingdon initially supposed could have had prior knowledge of the transfer of the necklace, which its owner presumed had been kept secret; while certain evidence suggests that Arthur Hughes was deliberately manoeuvred into the fatal position of courier. But there is another, and far more personal aspect to the case for Lucius Bellingdon, one which goes far beyond the loss of the necklace: it was only chance that he himself was not at the scene of the crime---and if the killer knew everything else, he must have known that too; meaning that Bellingdon may have been the real target...

    "Miss Bray mentioned that you had a house-party during this last week-end."
    "Yes, there were people here---there generally are at the week-end."
    "Quite so. But on this occasion, so shortly before the theft of the necklace and the murder of Mr Hughes, I should be interested to hear anything that you can tell me about your guests."
    He looked at her sharply. "I don’t see---"
    "I think you must, Mr Bellingdon," said Miss Silver. "I do not know just when you decided to withdraw your necklace from the County Bank, but I imagine that all the details were already decided upon at the time of this week-end party. You informed me that you had communicated them to the manager in writing, and since Tuesday was the day for the withdrawal it seems probable that your letter would have been posted on the Saturday or Sunday. Therefore any leakage of information on the subject would be likely to have occurred during that time."
    "It was posted on the Sunday."
    His tone was one of displeasure. It was by no means Miss Silver’s first experience of being invited to an investigation which subsequently proved very little to the taste of the person who had invited her. She looked steadily at Lucius Bellingdon and said,
    "This is not pleasant for you, is it? Before we go any further I should like to say that I appreciate your position. It is still for you to choose whether you really wish me to go on with the case. The police have it in hand, and there is no need for you to retain my services. It is still open to me to return to town and relieve you of the embarrassment of having introduced an enquiry agent into your private family circle. But what I must make quite clear to you is this. The course I have proposed is possible now, but it may not be possible tomorrow. It could, in fact, become impossible at any moment."
    He was frowning deeply. "What do you mean?"
    "I mean that at present I feel myself at liberty to withdraw, but if I continue on the case I am not, and could not be, prepared to hush anything up. The case is one of murder. Anything that throws light upon the murderer’s identity will be, and must be, at the disposal of the police. I am saying to you what I feel it my duty to say to any client. I cannot go into an investigation with the object of proving anyone guilty or anyone innocent. I can only go into it with the object of discovering the truth and serving the ends of justice."

>102 lyzard: I too am at a loss for how to interpret the reference to "Jewish family romance", and frankly was hoping you'd say something like, "Oh yes, this does remind me of the novels of X." (Franco, unfortunately, doesn't elaborate but just says that this is obviously what it is then goes on. The other papers I've read so far don't mention it at all.) I agree MM does not seem a very likely target, but I can't think of anything else I've read that could be described by that label. I'll go dig some more.

>104 swynn:

I'll be interested to hear anything you discover. I should clarify that I wasn't suggesting that Naomi Jacobs' novels romanticise Jewish family life, just that I am aware of British-Jewish fiction to a much greater extent than American-Jewish fiction. If you get a lead on the latter I'd like to know about it.

>104 swynn: & >105 lyzard: "Jewish Family Romance" does indeed seem a rather elusive genre.

Authors such a Bernard Malamud, E.L. Doctorow and Philip Roth are writers I kind of grew up with and like but I certainly don't see how they would fit.

Bernice Rubens and the plays of Jack Rosenthal across the pond would perhaps be more suitable whilst Howard Jacobson is a sort of Anglo-Roth.

>106 PaulCranswick:

Hi, Paul! Thanks for that info. Yes, it's hard to accept that line of argument when you can't come up with a supporting body of literature.

whilst Howard Jacobson is a sort of Anglo-Roth.

{*shudder*} :D

>93 lyzard: The Chosen is one of my all-time favorite books.

Happy Sunday, Liz!

>108 alcottacre:

That's the kind of Jewish literature I *am* familiar with. :)

Thanks, Stasia!

>109 lyzard: I have read several of Potok's books, including The Gates of November which is nonfiction, but none of them have surpassed The Chosen for me.

>110 alcottacre:

Noted, thank you. :)

Finished The Casual Murderer for TIOLI #9.

Now reading Love Story by Erich Segal.

Finished Love Story, still deciding TIOLI. for TIOLI #10.

And now, cleansing my palette in the spirit of going from one extreme to the other:

Now reading Brother Lowdown by S. K. Epperson.

Finished Brother Lowdown for TIOLI #11.

Now reading Blood Royal by Grant Allen.

Finished Blood Royal for TIOLI #12.

Now reading Passers By by John Galsworthy.

Today I will be going in to the State Library to also make a start on The Tower Mystery by Paul McGuire.

I touched on this quite a while back now: I was reading McGuire's series featuring Inspector Cummings, only to discover that it overlapped with a different series featuring Superintendent Fillinger.

Naturally everything then went on hold.

Both series are quite hard to get hold of, though as McGuire was Australian (despite his books being set in England) the State Library does hold them and so I have reading in-library as a last resort.

I will also be checking into the publication history of the first book in Henry Wade's series featuring Inspector Poole, as there seems to be a question of whether The Missing Partners and The Duke Of York's Steps are two different works, first and second in the series, or whether the latter is the reissue title of the former. As it happens, the State Library holds a copy under each title.

Copying this here for ease of reference:

Inspector Cummings:

*Murder In Bostall (1931)
*Three Dead Men (1933)
Murder In Haste (1934)
*Daylight Murder (1934)
7.30 Victoria (1935)

Superintendent Fillinger:

The Tower Mystery (1932)
Murder By The Law (1932)
Death Fugue (1933)
There Sits Death (1933)
Murder In Haste (1934)
*Daylight Murder (1934)

Finished Passers By for TIOLI #8.

Now reading The Bone Is Pointed by Arthur Upfield; still reading The Tower Mystery by Paul McGuire.

You are just marching through the TIOLI challenges! Good going, Liz.

Happy weekend!

>120 lyzard:

I've been zinging along on the back of a few shorter works, but I have to knuckle down now to some longer ones. :D

Thanks, Stasia!

Finished The Bone Is Pointed for TIOLI #13.

Now reading Death Wears A White Gardenia by Zelda Popkin.

Oh! - I forgot to report on this, but as mentioned up-thread, while I was at the State Library I accessed their copies of Henry Wade's The Missing Partners and The Duke Of York's Steps, as there is some online confusion over which of these is the first in the Inspector Poole series, or whether they are the same book under different titles.

The answer turns out to be "neither": The Missing Partners is a standalone mystery set (or opening) in Liverpool, while The Duke Of York's Steps is a London-set story that introduces Poole.

I didn't get into either book too deeply, but the confusion may have arisen over a similar set-up and use of names in both. Perhaps while (or after) writing the first book, Wade had an idea for how better to use his scenario?

Liz--thought of you when I saw this thread: https://www.librarything.com/topic/336441

>123 kac522:

Oh, lovely! Thank you, Kathy. :)

And that indirectly reminds *me* that I need to remind *you* - you generally - that there will be a group read of Anthony Trollope's Rachel Ray next month.

All welcome as always. I will post an announcement on the message board, and more reminders when we get closer to the start date.

Publication date: 1808
Genre: Classic
Read for: A Century Of Reading

The Marquise Of O - This novella by Heinrich von Kleist caused a storm of controversy upon its first publication, notoriously opening with the virtuous widow-daughter of an aristocratic family advertising for the father of the child she is (to her) inexplicably carrying. This situation provides the framework for an ironic examination of the nature of honour, the vast difference between truth and the appearance of truth, and the fragility of the social order. For the modern reader, the most difficult aspect of this outrageous satirical dissection of its society is that what proves to be the rape of the Marquise is treated merely as a plot-point, both within and without the narrative. However, the text validates the private and personal feelings of the Marquise over the public evidence of her "disgrace", as she holds hard to her belief in her own virtue despite being spurned by her outraged family ("A clear conscience and a midwife!" sneers the Marquise's mother, in the story's most famous line). In von Kleist's satirical depiction of his society, real virtue concedes to false shame and public perception triumphs over private morality, with crime, cruelty and dishonour swept aside in the name of "keeping up appearances".

The Count did not move, but knelt beside the Commandant's wife, and taking the outermost hem of her dress in his hand he kissed it. "Dear, gracious, noble lady!" he whispered, and a tear rolled down his cheek. "Stand up, Count," she answered, "stand up! Comfort my daughter; then we shall all be reconciled, and all will be forgiven and forgotten." The Count rose to his feet, still shedding tears. He again knelt down in front of the Marquise, gently took her hand as if it were made of gold and the warmth of his own might tarnish it. But she, standing up, cried: "Go away! go away! go away! I was prepared to meet a vicious man, but not---not a devil!"

Publication date: 1951
Genre: Contemporary drama
Read for: Random reading 1940 - 1969

The Foundling - Badly wounded in both body and spirit, upon his return from the battlefields of WWI Paul Taggart hesitates to go home to his family. Instead, he wanders the streets of New York through an icy winter's night. Though a Protestant, Paul is drawn to St Patrick's Cathedral---where to his astonishment, he finds, placed within the church's nativity scene, an abandoned baby. On the advice of a cab-driver, Paul takes the child to the New York Foundling Hospital, where he assured the baby will be well cared for. To his bitter disappointment, Paul learns that first, his unmarried state, but also his Protestantism prevent his adoption of the boy who, given the name of Peter Lane, is destined to be raised within the tenets and institutions of the Catholic faith... Cardinal Francis Spellman wrote The Foundling both as a tribute to, and as a fund-raiser for, the New York Foundling Hospital; the combination of his own position and a rather suspicious selection of his novel by the Book Of The Month club driving it onto the best-seller lists for 1951. On its own merits, this is an undistinguished work, full of superficial characterisations and pat solutions to complex problems---while today, there is the further unavoidable issue of its premise. I have no direct knowledge of the Foundling Hospital or the other specific institutions cited in this book, and they may well be, or were then, everything that Spellman claims; but it is unhappily difficult these days not to react with cynicism, at least, to this book's contention that a Catholic child is better off in a Catholic institution than in a loving Protestant home, even if those Protestants are happy to guarantee a proper Catholic upbringing. The active prevention of Peter's adoption by Paul Taggart and his eventual wife, Ellen, seems cruel to all parties involved---particularly since Paul and Ellen can't have children of their own. But of course we're supposed to accept that it's all for the best. The second half of the novel, where its focus switches from Paul to Peter (and "the best" supposedly demonstrated) is uninvolving. After the rejection of the Taggarts, Paul is neither adopted nor fostered, growing up instead in a Catholic orphanage. As an ambitious young man he devotes himself to music; he falls in love; and he faces the usual struggles and disappointments in life. When WWII breaks out he enlists, to face the horrors of the battlefield sustained by his faith...

    Then Sister Margaret attempted to explain. "It's like this, Paul. When a baby is left in a church, that is, a Catholic Church, it becomes officially and automatically a Catholic. You do see, don't you?"
    "No, no, I can't, Sister. Suppose he is a Catholic? Can't I still adopt him?" Paul asked.
    "I'm afraid not," Sister Margaret replied gravely. "Once a child's religion is established, he has the right to be brought up in that religion. Since little Peter is a Catholic, he has a right to be brought up by Catholic foster parents who will teach and guide him in the truths of our religion."
    Ellen looked helplessly at Paul.
    "But, Sister, we have to have him," Paul exclaimed. "Why," his eyes widened in sudden, startling recollection, "why, I promised I'd take care of him!"
    "You promised, Paul?"
    "Yes, Sister, the night I found him. I forgot about it until just now." Then Paul told Ellen and the nun of his promise made to the Sorrowful Mother on that cold December night as he stood before her statue in the Cathedral with his baby tucked under the empty sleeve of his uniform. "I promised Her I'd take care of him," he finished simply.
    "And so you did, Paul," said Sister Margaret softly. "You brought him to the right place..."

June? Seriously!?

Sigh...

June stats:

Works read: 15
TIOLI: 15, in 13 different challenges, with 0 shared reads

Mystery / thriller: 11
Contemporary drama: 2
Humour: 1
Classic: 1

Series works: 10
Re-reads: 1
Blog reads: 0
1932: 0
1931: 1
Virago / Persephone: 0
Potential decommission: 0

Owned: 1
Library: 2
Ebooks: 12

Male authors : female authors: 11 : 4

Oldest work: The Marquise Of O by Heinrich Von Kleist (1808)
Newest work: Airport by Arthur Hailey (1968)

**********

YTD stats:

Works read: 74
TIOLI: 74, in 64 different challenges, with 5 shared reads

Mystery / thriller: 41
Classic: 12
Young adult: 8
Contemporary drama: 4
Historical romance: 3
Historical drama: 2
Horror: 2
Non-fiction: 1
Humour: 1

Series works: 45
Re-reads: 9
Blog reads: 5
1932: 0
1931: 3
Virago / Persephone: 2
Potential decommission: 3

Owned: 10
Library: 18
Ebooks: 46

Male authors : female authors: anonymous authors: 46 : 27 : 1

Oldest work: The Reviv'd Fugitive: A Gallant Historical Novel by Peter Belon (1690)
Newest work: Miracle Creek by Angie Kim (2019)

June. Seriously.

No wonder this sloth is facepalming me...

Finished Death Wears A White Gardenia for TIOLI #15.

Now reading Richelieu: A Tale Of France by G. P. R. James...

...and having conniptions, because my edition has no publication date and I can't find one anywhere---eep!

Publication date: 1862
Genre: Classic
Read for: Group read

The Struggles Of Brown, Jones And Robinson - Mr Brown, who has capital, enters into a haberdashery partnership with his son-in-law, Mr Jones, who has a grasping nature and a talent for sharp practice, and with young Mr Robinson, to whom advertising is a glorious opportunity to express his word-craft and imagination; the truth, not so much. Mr Brown, an old-fashioned man, is horrified by his partners' insistence upon running their new enterprise upon credit; their belief that capital, in fact, only gets in the way---except as it may be expended upon bringing the business to the attention of the paying public via newspaper advertising, flyers and posters, publicity stunts, and even potential scandals. For Robinson, indeed, the success or failure of a business is best measured in how much it spends upon its advertising. For a time these reckless practices are a success; but the reality is, the firm of Brown, Jones & Robinson is a bubble, and bubbles must inevitably burst... This novel was an almost total failure at the time of its first appearance: the critics hated it, and eight years elapsed before its serialisation and the appearance of a first British edition; but in spite of its undoubted flaws, it is a work that had and still has relevance---no doubt to its author's great dismay. In The Struggles Of Brown, Jones And Robinson, Anthony Trollope attempts a satire in the style of Thackeray, intended to expose what he considered his society's increasingly dishonest business practices and, in particular, the pernicious new "art" of advertising. Its overtly satirical aspects are where the novel best succeeds, chiefly because there is nothing in its smoke-and-mirrors depiction of business and advertising that isn't still immediately recognisable today; and its word-play, as George Robinson wields an artistic pen to "puff" the firm, is both funny and clever. However, overall the novel is a failure because Trollope cannot help being Trollope: his humanism keeps getting in the way of his satire. He tries to make his characters real people, instead of vehicles for his social criticisms, and ends up undermining his own point by mixing his messages and making excuses. He also devotes too much of his narrative to a romantic triangle - of sorts - as Maryanne Brown hesitates between the unappealing but financially solid butcher, Bill Brisket, and the impassioned but cash-strapped George Robinson. Here, however, the novel has a value that Trollope probably didn't intend. Though her author didn't approve of her, stigmatising her as "hard" and "mercenary", a "harpy", in the sight of Maryanne, whose entire future depends on her being able to take a dowry into her marriage, having to stand by and watch while her father throws his money away on Jones' reckless buying and Robinson's idiotic advertising schemes, we have a nakedly painful reminder of the realities of financial dependence.

    "Will it ever be said of me when my history is told that I spent forty thousand pounds a-year in advertising a single article? Would that it might be told that I had spent ten times forty thousand." It was thus that Robinson had once spoken to his friend Poppins, while some remnant of that five hundred pounds was still in his hands.
    "But what good does it do? It don't make anything."
    "But it sells them, Poppins."
    "Everybody wears a shirt, and no one wears more than one at a time. I don't see that it does any good."
    "It is a magnificent trade in itself. Would that I had a monopoly of all the walls in London! The very arches of the bridges must be worth ten thousand a-year. The omnibuses are invaluable; the cabs are a mine of wealth; and the railway stations throughout England would give a revenue for an emperor. Poppins, my dear fellow, I fancy that you have hardly looked into the depths of it."
    "Perhaps not," said Poppins. "Some objects to them that they're all lies. It isn't that I mind. As far as I can see, everything is mostly lies. The very worst article our people can get for sale, they call 'middlings;' the real middlings are 'very superior,' and so on. They're all lies; but they don't cost anything, and all the world knows what they mean. Bad things must be bought and sold, and if we said our things was bad, nobody would buy them. But I can't understand throwing away so much money and getting nothing."
    Poppins possessed a glimmering of light, but it was only a glimmering. He could understand that a man should not call his own goods middling; but he could not understand that a man is only carrying out the same principle in an advanced degree, when he proclaims with a hundred thousand voices in a hundred thousand places, that the article which he desires to sell is the best of its kind that the world has yet produced. He merely asserts with his loudest voice that his middlings are not middlings. A little man can see that he must not cry stinking fish against himself; but it requires a great man to understand that in order to abstain effectually from so suicidal a proclamation, he must declare with all the voice of his lungs, that his fish are that moment hardly out of the ocean. "It's the poetry of euphemism," Robinson once said to Poppins;---but he might as well have talked Greek to him...

Publication date: 1931
Genre: Mystery / thriller
Read for: 1931 reading / TIOLI (title of 3 words or less)

Blood Money - After many years spent roughing it in dangerous corners of the world, Kenyon Rolfe returns home to England when his father unexpectedly inherits a title and property: an inheritance that is more a burden than a pleasure, as no money goes with it. One night, Lord Trent informs Ken that they are to have a visitor: Elaine Forbyn, a wealthy young American, will be staying at Stanways for a time, with Lord Trent providing the necessary social introductions; although her letter arranging the matter speaks of the necessity for discretion and hints at danger. Ken, however, is distracted by his father's frank declaration of his hopes for a marriage between the two of them. The conversation is interrupted when Linke, the new footman, is caught eavesdropping; he is immediately dismissed. He doesn't go easily, confronting Ken with an attempt at blackmail and being roughly ejected from the property: an incident that informs Ken that the footman - or "footman" - carries a gun... Ken drives to Euston Station to meet Elaine Forbyn, only to receive an anonymous letter warning him to keep out of her business. It is soon clear that the warning received was no empty one: the travellers are pursued along the dark roads to Stanways... This mystery / thriller by "John Goodwin" (Sidney Gowing) is an unusual and quite gripping work that offers a complicated scenario involving murder, blackmail and false identity. Blood Money makes unusual use of its leading man, who narrates. It is not quite correct to say that Ken Rolfe is an unreliable narrator: rather, as he narrates in real time, he misinterprets almost everything that happens, and through his own false perception of events sometimes succeeds in misleading the reader as well. This split-vision adds a note of wry humour to the novel; though there is plenty of suspense and violence along the way too. Ken's straightforwardness puts him at a disadvantage generally as the tangled affair unfolds, and particularly in his dealings with his father and Elaine, both of whom have a talent for secrecy and conspiracy. It also leads him to find the self-possessed, independent Elaine unappealing, in spite of her looks and money, and ends in him falling in love with the heiress's poor companion, Jenny Craddock. Danger arrives with Elaine Forbyn: the pursuit on the road ends in a fatal crash and a fire, while murder follows---with Linke found dead in the grounds of the estate. The two deaths bring down upon the Rolfes the attention of the local Inspector Begbie; while subsequent events will bring to the scene the shrewd Inspector Palke of Scotland Yard. The danger surrounding Stanways and its guests culminates in the shooting of Elaine---and in the subsequent confusion, whether she be dead or alive, she disappears. Inspector Begbie's investigation includes an examination of Elaine's papers, which reveals a will made only days before and witnessed by Lord Trent: a document that leaves a large sum to the husband that no-one knew she had, and the bulk of her enormous estate to Jenny Craddock...

    My father drew a deep breath as he heard the car shoot away down the drive. "Energetic Begbie. He has taken everything, the will, the letter, even my pistol, and I rather thought he was going to take me. Instead of which he pays me a fulsome compliment, and drives away to consult Scotland Yard. By the way, Ken, which do you consider me to be, a fool, a crook, or merely a very intelligent person?"
    "I was just wondering," said I, "what Begbie meant when he said you knew who Linke was."
    "Did he? So he did; I remember. But Begbie gives me credit for such a lot of knowledge. If the police know who Linke was, they'll declare it when they see fit; but I'm glad you asked Jenny to be your wife before you ever heard of this will."
    "I'd rather not discuss Jenny with you."
    "I'll tell you one thing, Ken, though you won't believe me. I would have been just as pleased at you and Jenny getting together, if this cursed business had never happened, and the will had not existed. I'll remind you of that later." His eyes twinkled at me oddly. "But there is one thing that impresses me about this case, and it's just what I expected."
    "What is it?"
    "Everybody---except yourself, of course---within and without the circle, crooks, police, women witnesses even, each and every one is playing for his or her own hand, stacking the cards, bluffing, not one of them playing a straight game. It's been so from the first. All, my boy---all!"
    "What do you imagine they are after?"
    My father smiled. "What are we all after?" he demanded. "Money..."

Publication date: 1930
Genre: Mystery / thriller
Series: Inspector Frost #2
Read for: Series reading / TIOLI (triggers an ear worm)

Inspector Frost In The City - Early one morning, a man is found lying dead in a narrow London court, a knife in his back. Five hundred pounds in cash are found on the body, which bears evidence suggesting the victim in Mackinley M. Macmillan, a reclusive American millionaire businessman: a discovery that sends shock waves around the international business world, until word is received that the real "Triple Mac" is alive and well in Illinois. The case falls to Inspector Frost, who recruits assistance in the form of his protégé (and godson), Constable William Smith. It is Smith who first suggests that the case may have political overtones: the only likely destination for the victim is a Scandavanian concern with a branch in Riga; the clerk is Russian; and when Smith deliberately puts the wind up the firm, he is led to a certain Mr Stepanovich. Frost, meanwhile, learns that the distinctive dagger is an old and valuable item stolen from a collector called Sanders, who reports that, not long previously, a man called Stepanovich tried to buy it from him on behalf of a wealthy American called Bolton---who Frost suspects is the man found near the scene of the murder, and who after giving false details has vanished... The second entry in Herbert Maynard Smith's series featuring Detective-Inspector Frost is a generally effective blending of the police procedural and the espionage thriller. So many books of this era threaten us with "the Bolsheviks", but it's always a shock when it turns out actually to be them; though the case is eventually determined to be one not just of immediate political activity but of long-plotted revenge. Inspector Frost In The City - the title is a pun, with high finance playing its part in the case - swarms with Americans and Russians, but in spite of these international complications the stolidly British Frost sensibly approaches the bewildering case as he would any other; his movements are painstakingly reported to the reader, with the narrative broken up into days and even hours of activity. The inspector is also the narrator, which adds some leavening to the generally grim proceedings: Frost is a man with a wry sense of humour, about himself, his job, and in particular the professional pretensions of young William Smith (who finally does get his promotion to sergeant at the end of this one). The case turns out to be a very complicated one indeed, encompassing American millionaires and Russian princesses, political agitators and Russian exiles, and the criminal underclass of London; Claridge's and boarding-houses; the buying and selling of political information, the receiving of stolen goods, impersonation, blackmail, and murder for revenge...

    "Here is my father, an old man, who has lived an honourable life for years, whose name is respected by connoisseurs, all over the world, arrested on a ridiculous charge of being a receiver of stolen goods."
    "They were found in his house."
    "That, I imagine, will not be disputed. It is quite possible he may have been deceived by plausible people into buying things that were stolen. My father is a foreigner and not accustomed to British trickery. And then you have arrested me, who am not even in my father's business, on the flimsiest of pretexts. Mr Mosheim will tell you I cannot be in any way liable."
    "I said that I could not see how you could be liable," said Mr Mosheim.
    "Perhaps," said I, "the matter may be clearer to Mr Mosheim hereafter, but I have come not about the charge of 'receiving' which proceeds from the police of the Hampstead division. I have come for information about Max Wiel who was murdered in Bolter's Court last Monday night."
    Did Alexander Stepanovich falter? At any rate he did not answer. He looked at me and then at his solicitor, and it was the latter who spoke.
    "Do I understand that you are going to prefer another and more serious charge against my client?"
    "I was wondering if your client had any statement to make. I know that he received a dagger from Mr Stepanovich, senior, for an American named Bolton, and that the dagger was found in the back of Max Wiel. I know also that £500 in bank-notes found on Max Wiel have been traced to Mr Alexander Stepanovich. The connexion between the two facts needs some explanation..."
    At half-past four Mr Mosheim entered my room with a paper which he said explained everything; and he hoped I should find it satisfactory. I didn't, but here it is for the reader to judge.
    I, Alexander Stepanovich, am a Russian subject. I am a Communist and an accredited agent of my Government, and I am in England on the affairs of the Soviet...

>128 lyzard: OK, I have to ask: What was wrong with June?

Nothing at all, in its place. Which is to say, in June. Not so much in November. :D

Finished The Tower Mystery for TIOLI #7; and (thanks to lengthy train journeys either way for that) also finished Richelieu: A Tale Of France for TIOLI #3.

Now reading Self-Control by Mary Brunton.

OH. MY. GOD.

I have plenty of reason already to bless the good folk at the Dean Street Press, who have revived any number of unjustly forgotten Golden Age mystery writers, and made them available via ebook at extremely reasonable prices; but they've just gone above and beyond.

Those of you kind enough (or foolish enough) to lend an ear to my bathetic ramblings will know I have been stuck on a number of my challenges for most of the past two years, due to the academic library I use being closed to the public.

This includes the Mystery League challenge, the next book in that, Gwen Bristow and Bruce Manning's The Gutenberg Murders being held locally only in the university's Rare Book section---

---until now, or at least until 6th December, when the book will be available locally on Kindle---whoo!!

Just in time for a Christmas present to myself. :D

Meanwhile (having stubbornly held off until I could secure an ILL hard-copy), my completion of G. P. R. James' Richelieu: A Tale Of France means that I have also managed to get my C. K. Shorter challenge ticking again.

That said---I am rather gobsmacked to discover that next up, I have a book I don't think I've ever heard of; anyone read this?---


#39: Tom Cringle's Log by Michael Scott (1833)




This would explain it: "one of the first masterworks of nautical fiction"; not an area I'm particularly strong in, so this is a welcome addition to my reading.

All in all, then, I have hopes for a challenge-heavy December...to the point of trying to psyche myself up to read Olive Schreiner's From Man To Man onsite at the State Library: this is where I'm stuck for the 'Banned In Boston' challenge---and you guessed it, only the academic library otherwise has a copy. It's a long book that I know will take at least three trips into the city to get read, so I really didn't want to do it that way; but with various other things working out for me, I should probably just knuckle down to it.

So---

Potential December reading:

Rachel Ray by Anthony Trollope {group read}
Wheels by Arthur Hailey {best-seller challenge}
Tom Cringle's Log by Michael Scott {C. K. Shorter challenge}
From Man To Man by Olive Schreiner {Banned in Boston challenge}
The Gutenberg Murders by Gwen Bristow and Bruce Manning {Mystery League challenge}
The Alington Inheritance by Patricia Wentworth {shared read?? - Julia, I miss you!}
To The Islands by Randolph Stow {random reading}
The Heroine by Eaton Stannard Barrett {A Century Of Reading}
The Dragon Murder Case by S. S. Van Dine {on loan}
Swan Song by John Galsworthy {on loan}

Publication date: 1886
Genre: Mystery / thriller
Read for: Completist reading

The Mill Mystery - In a small New England town, the local clergyman, the Reverend Mr David Barrows, is found drowned in an old dye vat in the depths of an abandoned mill---the circumstances suggesting suicide. Ada Reynolds, Barrows' young fiancée, cannot withstand her crushing loss, and soon dies. First, however, she wrings from Constance Sterling, her friend and roommate, a promise that she will strive to clear Barrows' name. Constance is still coming to terms with these twin tragedies when she is called away to nurse the autocratic Mrs Pollard, who has suffered a stroke---also upon hearing of Barrows' death. It is clear that her sons, Guy and Dwight, are afraid of what their mother might say should she recover consciousness; and in spite of their precautions, Constance is present when, with her dying breath, she urges them never to reveal what happened at the old mill... Anna Katharine Green's 1886 sensation novel is a rousing piece of melodrama that gives the reader two mysteries for the price of one. Opening with the shocking discovery of the clergyman's apparent suicide and the rather improbably instantaneous death of his fiancée from a broken heart, The Mill Mystery then goes into Gothic mode, as Constance Sterling is sent to the gloomy Pollard house to sit by a dying woman, even as she deals with both her instinctive recoil from the sinister Guy Pollard, and her equally instinctive attraction to his brother, Dwight. She finds the Pollards determined upon a verdict of suicide against the unfortunate Mr Barrows, something she rejects from her own knowledge of his circumstances and her loyalty to Ada. When Mrs Pollard's last words suggest a horrifying alternative, Constance sets herself to seek the truth, even if it means putting herself in danger... The first half of The Mill Mystery concludes with the dogged Constance tracking down Mr Barrows' written account of his interactions with the Pollard family. From there the narrative switches gears, becoming that written account. Here we have the novel's second mystery, with Barrows setting out to discover the truth behind the disappearance and miserable death of a young woman. Interwoven with this tragedy, however, is another: Barrows was a sensitive and emotional man, dissatisfied with himself in many respects, and haunted by an act of cowardice on his part for which another person suffered. In solving the mystery of Grace Merriam's life and death, David Barrows also takes upon himself the grim task of expiating his own sins---even at the cost of his life...

    "An inquest?" Her face was quite ghastly now. "And have you taken pains to publish abroad my connection with this girl?"
    "Not yet."
    "She is known, however, to be a grandchild of Mr Pollard?"
    "No," said I.
    "What is known?" she inquired.
    "That she was Mr Pollard's protege."
    "And you, you alone, hold the key to her real history?"
    "Yes," I assented, "I."
    She advanced upon me with all the venom of her evil nature sparkling in her eye. I met the glance unmoved. For a reason I will hereafter divulge, I no longer felt any fear of what either she or hers might do.
    "I alone know her history and what she owes to you," I repeated. She instantly fell back. Whether she understood me or not, she saw that her hold upon me was gone, that the cowardice she had been witness to was dead, and that she, not I, must plead for mercy.
    "Mr Barrows," said she; "what is this girl to you that you should sacrifice the living to her memory?"
    "Mrs Pollard," I returned with equal intensity, "shall I tell you? She is the victim of my pusillanimity. That is what she is to me, and that is what makes her memory more to me than the peace or good name of her seemingly respectable murderers."

Finished Self-Control for TIOLI #5...

...and with that I have COMPLETED A SWEEP:

#1: Recollections of A Detective Police-Officer by "Waters" (William Russell) (1856)
#2: The Cat's Paw by Natalie Sumner Lincoln (1922)
#3: Richelieu: A Tale Of France by G. P. R. James (1829)
#4: Ripley Under Ground by Patricia Highsmith (1970)
#5: Self-Control by Mary Brunton (1811)
#6: The Case Of Jennie Brice by Mary Roberts Rinehart (1913)
#7: The Tower Mystery by Paul McGuire (1932)
#8: Passers By by John Galsworthy (1927)
#9: The Casual Murderer by Hulbert Footner (1932)
#10: Love Story by Erick Segal (1970)
#11: Brother Lowdown by S. K. Epperson (1990)
#12: Blood Royal by Grant Allen (1892)
#13: The Bone Is Pointed by Arthur Upfield (1938)
#14: Elsie At Ion by Martha Finley (1893)
#15: Death Wears A White Gardenia by Zelda Popkin (1938)
#16: The Secret Of Skeleton Island by Robert Arthur (1966)

I win, everybody wins: have a platypus!

Hurrah!!
And nice work on the sweep >;-)

How are you getting on with the Galsworthy series? One more Fleur book and you get Dinny - who is a real treat.

>143 Helenliz:

Thank you! :)

Getting on practically, or getting on emotionally?? :D

Fleur needs a smack around the head and I profoundly resent that the series forces on the reader an identification with Soames; but just as fiction I'm getting on very well. Nice to hear there's a carrot, though!

I have Swan Song on loan and should be able to get to it in December.

>141 lyzard: Congratulations--well done!

>142 lyzard: Lovely platypus!

>141 lyzard: You did it, Liz, congratulations!
>142 lyzard: Thanks, I like the celebration platypus :-)

Publication date: 1931
Genre: Mystery / thriller
Series: Colonel Anthony Gethryn #7
Read for: Series reading / TIOLI ('samesies')

The Choice (reissue title: The Polferry Mystery; US title: The Polferry Riddle) - On a stormy night, the small boat piloted by Ralph Trenchard and Percy Banner is driven ashore near the isolated country house of Dr Richard Hale-Storford, near Polfrerry in Wessex. Banner is a relative of Hale-Storford; while Trenchard has known Eve, his wife of six months, since she was a child. Already staying in the house are Miriam Rossiter, Eve's sister; Susan Kerr, a friend; George Anstruther, a young cousin of Hale-Storford; and Mrs Dorothy Graye, the "lady-housekeeper". Hale-Storford, Trenchard and Banner spend the evening together, after the rest retire to bed. When they go upstairs, Trenchard spots a dark liquid oozing from beneath Eve Hale-Storford's bedroom door. Her husband forces his way in and finds his wife with her throat cut; there is no weapon at the scene. The situation of the house precludes outsiders; the three men are each other's alibi; while the rest have no alibi at all... The experimentation in mystery writing noted in the preceding works by Philip MacDonald is also present in The Choice, the seventh entry in his series featuring amateur detective, Colonel Anthony Gethryn. This is not exactly a locked-room mystery in the classical sense, though that classification will do; with the people who could conceivably have motive having unassailable alibis, and the people who could have done it having no motive. Like many locked-room mysteries, the solution ultimately feels like a bit of a cheat---in this case, psychologically as well as practically. However, that impacts the whole rather less than usual, because by the time we get to the solution of Eve Hale-Storford's death, The Choice has turned into a different sort of book altogether. The Wessex police are frankly baffled by the case, and pass it on to Scotland Yard; and Scotland Yard, in turn, represented by Assistant Commissioner Egbert Lucas and the newly promoted Superintendent Arnold Pike, beg the assistance of Anthony Gethryn. He, however, declines any serious involvement, as he is about to leave England for six months with his wife and their young son. In his absence, the case remains unsolved... The Gethryns are in Switzerland when Anthony reads in an English paper about the drowning death of George Anstruther in a boating accident. He is sufficiently disturbed to acquire and read a back-log of English papers, and so discovers that Miriam Rossiter, too, is dead---in a car accident. Urged by his wife, Gethryn returns to England, where his examination of the facts with Lucas and Pike make it clear that, firstly, someone is murdering the suspects in the Eve Hale-Storford case; and secondly, that this second murderer does not know who committed the first murder...

    Anthony went on: "Right. We've done away with Hale-Storford plus Banner plus Trenchard, and we've done away with Hale-Storford or Banner or Trenchard. We have left Dorothy Graye, and that---yes, I can see you grinning, Pike---is absurd. I'm going to have another guess. I'm going to chance my arm---a bit more risky this time---I bet you ten to one that Pike, when I ask him, will tell us truthfully that Dorothy Graye hasn't left the Watch House. That Dorothy Graye couldn't have been the author of the two successful accidents nor the three unsuccessful attempts on Miss Kerr... Look at him, Heath, and you'll see that I'm right without waiting for him to speak... So, Heath, we're without Dorothy Graye as well. Now what?"
    Heath put his head in his hands. He ran his fingers through his sleek fair hair until it stood up in tufts. He said from under those hands: "I'm with you, of course. Perfectly clear and logical and all that. But what's it come to? Nonsense. Nonsense or magic! And I don't believe in either of those, Gethryn. Don't know about you." His blue eyes blazed suddenly. He raised a hand and turned it into a fist and thumped the table until the glasses rang. "For God's sake, man, let's have some sense, not theorising---however clever it is!"
    "Easy, man, easy." Anthony's tone was as compelling as it was sympathetic. "Don't take it so hard. And don't let your troubles run away with your reasoning. Perhaps I've been annoying. I'm always being told that I am. But I think you've missed something. All I was doing was to show you, in effect, that in all probability---in so much probability that we must, at least at this stage, take it as certainty---the murderer of Eve Hale-Storford did not cause the accidents."

>145 NinieB:, >146 FAMeulstee:

Thank you both!

I'm glad you like my platypus. :)

Publication date: 1952
Genre: Mystery / thriller
Read for: TIOLI (connection to Olympics)

The Swimming Pool (UK title: The Pool) - When beautiful socialite Judith Chandler leaves her husband, it sends Ridgely Chandler out to The Birches, the dilapidated country house that author Lois Maynard shares with her brother, Phil. Chandler tells Lois that he has no idea why Judith is divorcing him; however, her recent behaviour has made him suspect that she is being blackmailed; while she is certainly frightened of something. Though she is dismayed by her sister's plan to live subsequently at The Birches, Lois agrees to accompany Judith to Reno, to look after her. The divorce goes through as planned but, just as the train is about to pull out, Judith sees something - or someone - that terrifies her into fainting. Once established at The Birches, Judith's behaviour becomes increasingly erratic---but as events soon prove, she has very good reason to be afraid... This 1952 thriller by Mary Roberts Rinehart is generally effective, though it is a bit overlong and turns too much upon some rather stupid behaviour from some of its characters. That said, the secret that drives the action is fairly shocking; while there is certainly no lack of incident once Judith becomes established at The Birches. At the same time, there is a note of meta-humour here: Lois Maynard is the author of mysteries featuring a female detective, much to the amusement and professional disgust of the man who becomes her mainstay as events spiral out of control. The narrative of The Swimming Pool blends the increasing dangers of the present with Lois's imperfect memories of the past. Lois is much younger than her three siblings; and she struggles both to remember clearly the dreadful events of her childhood - the Wall Street Crash, the family's ruin, their father's suicide - and to put the correct interpretation upon the subsequent behaviour of their selfish, grasping mother---and of Judith. The Birches becomes the scene of increasingly worrying incidents, including an armed intruder in the grounds; but it is during the visit of young Bill Harrison, Lois's nephew, that they reach their climax. Going for a late night swim, Bill finds a dead woman in the swimming pool. No-one knows who she is---but in the poor light, and with her long fair hair, she looks disturbingly like Judith. Lois is grateful for the friendly support of a man called O'Brien, a former policeman and veteran ordered to the country for his health, who rents the small lodge attached to the property; but it is soon clear that his interest in the case, and in Judith, is anything but casual---and that he, too, has secrets...

    "So you think she was murdered? You don't know who she is. You never saw her before, and even the police don't say it was murder. You'd better get a better story than that, Judith, before they begin to question you."
    She did not answer at once. She tried to light a cigarette with shaking hands, and when she finally succeeded she took a long puff before she spoke.
    "You saw her," she said. "Her hair is like mine, and she's almost my build. I think she was killed because she was mistaken for me."
    "Don't be ridiculous. Who on earth wants to kill you? If you think it's Ridgely you're crazy."
    "It's not Ridge. I can't talk about it. Let me alone, can't you? I'm not staying here, that's all."
    "Now listen, Judith," I said impatiently, "if you're in real trouble you need police protection. I'll get the chief up here and you can tell him all about it. Or tell me, if you'd rather. Maybe you're wrong. Maybe you're just scaring yourself. In any case let's find out."
    She gave me a quite dreadful look.
    "If you bring the police into this I'll kill myself," she said. "I mean it. I'll do just that."
    I eyed her. Erratic as she was she did mean it, and I knew it.
    "But there has to be a reason for all this," I argued. "What have you done? Have you killed someone? What else am I to think except that you've committed some sort of crime and now it's catching up with you?"

Publication date: 1944
Genre: Mystery / thriller
Series: Clubfoot #7
Read for: Series reading / TIOLI (holiday destination in title)

Courier To Marrakesh - American musician Andrea Hallam is part of a group entertaining the troops when she is injured in a forced plane landing. Left behind to recover, Andrea has a week in Marrakesh, during which she tries to make contact with Hank Lundgren, a friend from home now in the army; becomes acquainted with British Intelligence officer, Nicholas Leigh; and befriends the Countess Mazzoli, who has the next hotel room to her own, and is in dangerously poor health. When the Countess is ordered into hospital, Andrea offers to accompany her on an errand which she insists must happen first---and to complete it when the Countess collapses. Andrea is sent to a local cafe, to meet a man called Safi, who will give to her a small package for the Countess. For identification, Andrea is given a heavy gold locket; she is also given a message to deliver: that Safi must be careful, because "he" is in Marrakesh. This apparently simple errand leads Andrea into a maze of intrigue and danger---and brings her to the attention of the deadly Adolph Grundt... This final entry in Valentine Williams' series featuring the man known as "Clubfoot" blends exotica with espionage, as this thriller bounces between North Africa and Italy, and plunges its heroine (who narrates) into the struggle for possession of an artefact that has some unknown role to play in the ongoing power struggle in Germany. Written to the moment, post-D-Day, Courier To Marrakesh offers a fascinating portrait of the cross-currents affecting the late stages of the European conflict. The novel's main weakness, as tends to be the case with Williams' female-focused thrillers, is that too much of its plot depends upon Andrea doing stupidly impulsive things: a situation here exacerbated by her nationality, which leads to her refusing to do as she's told and behaving as if she wasn't in a war-zone---and then responding to the consequences of her actions by bleating, "But I'm an American!" (I may say that Williams off-sets this slightly caustic view of American naivety by making Hank Lundgren one of his novel's heroes.) Be all this as it may, Andrea's accidental entry into a dangerous conspiracy makes her the perfect agent for an Allied counterplot: a role she reluctantly accepts, even knowing that it may bring her into contact with the terrifying "Clubfoot". When we last saw Dr Grundt, he was (having been the Kaiser's man) persona non grata with the Nazis; but by this time he has worked himself into favour with Adolf Hitler and as such, there are no limits to his personal power---or to the danger he poses...

    I was fairly on the spot. Here was the decision which Leigh had hinted I would have to take---here was where I had to adjust myself, as he had put it. My throat was dry, my hands cold. I twisted my head around to look at Leigh, who sat in his old place against the wall. But he was staring down at the carpet.
    Maxted came to my aid. "Before you give me your answer," he broke in, "my friend the Brigadier wanted to say a word."
    With a perfectly unrevealing countenance Doler knocked out his pipe into the wastepaper basket. "It's just this," he said. "I'm all for your taking on this mission, but, as I told Jake Maxted, I think it's only fair that, before you accept, you should know the sort of people you may find yourself up against."
    "That's right," the Colonel agreed.
    "I'm not thinking of General X and his crowd," the Englishman proceeded. "I'm thinking of the clubfooted beggar, this Dr Grundt." He shook his head sombrely. "A bad actor. He's the most dangerous German living today, and I'm not forgetting Hitler or Goebbels or any of that lot. I call him that because in the last war, powerful though he was, he had the Kaiser, who was still guided by some human instincts, to restrain him. But in his present position he has only Hitler to consider, who has always fallen for adroit flattery, at which old Clubfoot is a past master, and who's probably half-crazed by this time, anyhow."
    He was silent for a moment, tracing patterns with the stem of his empty pipe on the desk. "I know what I'm talking about, because I was one of a number of our chaps who were up against him in the last war," he continued. "He had at least a dozen of our people murdered---three of them friends of mine. We thought him a mad dog then, but today, with the example of savages like Himmler before him, and Hitler's personal army of spies under his orders---well..."

Finished Rachel Ray for TIOLI #6.

Today isn't really working out so I will create the group read thread tomorrow morning and post around when it's up.

Now reading To The Islands by Randolph Stow.

The thread for the group read of Anthony Trollope's Rachel Ray is now up - here.

All welcome!

Finished To The Islands for TIOLI #3.

Now reading The Dragon Murder Case by S. S. Van Dine.

To The Islands was read for my random reading self-challenge; which means I got to spin the random number generator this morning.

The first book I landed on was Netta Muskett's Scarlet Heels, from 1940. However, this was only available locally via a hefty academic loan fee. I can buy and import a copy less expensively...but still not *not* expensively. Consequently I decided to put this one aside for the time being, and spin again.

(I'm not altogether sorry: Muskett supposedly wrote romances but so far I've found her work a bit nasty.)

My second hit was more fortunate: And Now Tomorrow by Rachel Field, a copy of which happens to be sitting on my shelves.

>150 lyzard: Your review of one of the Clubfoot series interested me, Liz - I had almost forgotten them and seem to remember reading the fist four in my youth.

>129 lyzard: SLOTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ahem. Better late than never, I hope.

>155 PaulCranswick:

Hi, Paul! As a series it's a bit all over the place - Williams kept pushing the re-set button so different British agents could have a "first" encounter - but the ones actually dealing with conditions in Europe around WWI and WWII are interesting.

BTW while I call the series completed, an uncollected short story has just surfaced so I'll have to get to that sometime. (Apparently between wars he was messing with Sinn Féin!)

>156 rosalita:

JUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUULIA!!!!

Absolutely better than never, my dear. :)

The last thing I need is another list, but my copy of To The Islands was from the local Text Publishing Company, as part of its "Text Classics" line---intended to highlight books that are "milestones in the Australian experience", and pushing back against the cringe impulse that tends to see local works as somehow "lesser".

I don't not read them for that reason...but I was rather appalled to realise how many of them I haven't read.

There is a 'publishers series' list already on LT of the Text Classic books - here - and now I'm feeling rather guiltily that I ought to try and plug some of my gaps.

Though that said---knowing myself, I'm much more likely to tackle the "50 Best Australian Novels" list which I turned up during an earlier bit of researching, and which was compiled by a local newspaper in 1933...

>159 lyzard: Are there any from the Text Classics list you'd especially recommend? I've only read Miles Franklin and Katherine Mansfield, and I've heard of H H Richardson, so I have many gaps to plug...

>160 kac522:

That's a very hard question to answer, because the list covers such a wide range of dates and styles and subject matters. Also, you and I read in more or less the same area, so your gaps tend to be my gaps. :)

I may say that I have been trying to get to Richardson's Richard Mahony trilogy for forever, it keeps not happening for one reason or another. (A project for the New Year?)

I'm much more familiar with the female writers on the list, so my picks are skewed that way. Barbara Baynton's Bush Studies might be a place to start, then anything by Ruth Park. Christina Stead isn't on the list, presumably because her reputation is now firm, but she is the key writer from the early decades of the 20th century. Her works along with those of (from the list) Elizabeth Harrower and Olga Masters give an overview of societal change (or insufficient change). Nene Gare's The Fringe Dwellers is a key work. Eleanor Spence was probably the first important local author of YA novels.

Among the men you could try Martin Boyd or David Ireland, who I don't think are as well known as they should be.

Thank you--making a note of all of these.

I do see that there are several books by Stead on the list: The Beauties and the Furies, A Little Hotel, A Little Tea, a Little Chat--and I think they're all published by Virago.

>162 kac522:, >163 kac522:

Welcome. :)

I think Stead is on the broader Text Publishing list, rather than in the 'Classics' division. And yes, there's a degree of Virago crossover which is brilliant!

>160 kac522: >161 lyzard: FWIW, I have loved all the Ruth Park books I have read, specifically Pink Flannel, The Harp in the South, and Playing Beatie Bow (which is YA time travel).

>165 NinieB:

She is a standard school text author here and a number of her works have been adapted for film or TV (including the latter two).

Finished The Dragon Murder Case for TIOLI #11.

Now reading Wheels by Arthur Hailey.

Finished Wheels for TIOLI #9.

Okay, Best-Seller Challenge: let's see what you've g---

Dear me. We really are in the 70s. :D

But as we said of Love Story, at least it's short...

Meanwhile---

Now reading Sunglasses After Dark by Nancy A. Collins.

>168 lyzard: I read that when I was 11 or 12. All I remember is it's a super-easy read. It's a vacation from the chunky bestsellers!

>170 NinieB:

Oh, I'm not complaining! Seriously not complaining. :D

I have read it before but I can't remember when or why.

>168 lyzard: Now I'm intrigued, what 70s pleasure does the list have in store for you?

>172 Helenliz:

Hint:

"It's a bird! It's a plane! It's---no, wait, it is a bird." :D

Well, I managed to get almost 40 posts behind while I was out of town, so I am not even attempting to catch up. I wish you a wonderful reading weekend, Liz!

>174 alcottacre:

I don't think there's anything too substantial in that 40, just saying. :D

Thanks!

Finished Sunglasses After Dark for TIOLI #12.

And, oh well, since I'm on a roll---

Now reading In The Blood by Nancy A. Collins.

Best-selling books in the United States for 1970:

1. Love Story by Erich Segal
2. The French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles
3. Islands in the Stream by Ernest Hemingway
4. The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart
5, Great Lion of God by Taylor Caldwell
6. QB VII by Leon Uris
7. The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight by Jimmy Breslin
8. The Secret Woman by Victoria Holt
9. Travels with My Aunt by Graham Greene
10. Rich Man, Poor Man by Irwin Shaw

No theme is evident in America's 1970 reading, though examples of all the established popular genres made the list.

For religion we have Taylor Caldwell's Great Lion of God, a novel that imagines the life of the Apostle Paul prior to his conversion on the road to Damascus.

Leon Uris's QB VII is a blending of courtroom drama and war novel, as a Polish Catholic doctor brings a libel suit against a American Jewish writer who accuses him of collaboration with the Nazis. Ernest Hemingway's posthumous Islands in the Stream offers three linked stories of an alcoholic artist being drawn into WWII even as he deals with personal tragedy.

Irwin Shaw's Rich Man, Poor Man is about the three children of a bitter, failed German immigrant who fight their separate battles in America from the post-WWII era into the 1960s.

Victoria Holt's The Secret Woman is a Gothic novel about a Victorian governess working for a family of many secrets. Mary Stewart's The Crystal Cave is the first in her quintet of Arthurian novels, this one imagining the life of Merlin.

John Fowles' The French Lieutenant's Woman is a work of historiographic metafiction, using an historical romance plot, the story of illicit lovers in Victorian England, as a framework for consideration of the literary process.

Graham Greene's Travels with My Aunt is a humorous work about a dull, self-contained bank manager who is brought out of his shell by his eccentric aunt. Jimmy Breslin's The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight is an overtly comic novel about a Mafia feud, which acts as a vehicle for an attack upon political and legal corruption and incompetence.

However, the year's best-selling book was Erich Segal's tear-jerking romance, Love Story.

Erich Wolf Segal was born in Brooklyn in 1937, the eldest of the three sobs of a rabbi. He began writing early, and his subsequent career would span the extremes.

He attended Harvard, graduating in 1958 as Latin salutatorian and class poet, and went on to achieve both a Masters and a PhD in comparative literature. Over the course of his academic career, Segal would hold professorships in Greek and Latin literature at Harvard, Yale and Princeton.

While teaching at Yale, Segal wrote and published his first book, Roman Laughter: The Comedy of Plautus, a study of the ancient Roman playwright, Titus Maccius Plautus, which indirectly gave rise to Stephen Sondheim's A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum.

This in turn introduced Segal to Broadway, and his new connections paved the way for his involvement in the screenplay of Yellow Submarine.

Years before, Segal had written a romance story but failed to sell it. As he gained more opportunities for screenwriting, his agent suggested that he turn his unpublished work into a screenplay. Paramount bought the script and, beginning production on the film, the studio persuaded Segal to novelise his screenplay, intending to market it as pre-release publicity for the film.

However, Love Story became a phenomenon in its own right, becoming America's best-selling book for 1970. The film, likewise, was a box-office smash.

The novel's success proved a mixed blessing for Segal, inducing what he later described as "egotism bordering on megalomania", and personal issues that led to a denial of tenure at Yale. Meanwhile, the fiction jury of the National Book Awards threatened to resign over the novel's nomination, and it was withdrawn from consideration as a consequence.

Nevertheless, Segal subsequently wrote a sequel, Oliver's Story; this too was filmed, but neither work achieved the success of their predecessors. He continued to write both academic works and popular fiction, achieving his greatest success with The Class, a semi-autobiographical work about Harvard in the 50s.

In his later years, Segal developed Parkinson's disease; he died of a heart attack in 2010 at the age of 72.

Publication date: 1970
Genre: Contemporary romance
Read for: Best-seller challenge

Love Story - Pre-law Harvard undergraduate, Oliver Barrett IV, encounters Jenny Cavilleri when she is working in the library at Radcliffe, where she is taking a graduate course in music. In spite of their initial antagonism, the two are attracted and begin a cautious, slightly rocky love affair. Much to his own surprise, Oliver finds himself falling hard for Jenny, and when she informs him that she has won a scholarship to study in Paris, he counters by proposing marriage... Oliver's relationship with his father has always been difficult, but matters reach a new crisis when Mr Barrett threatens to cut his son off if he persists with his scheme of marrying immediately---potentially ending his plans for law school. The young couple stick to their guns, however, and despite hardship and struggle Oliver achieves his goal. A bright and successful future before them, Oliver and Jenny begin planning for a family---only for tragedy to strike... Even by the standards of novelised screenplays, Love Story is an insubstantial work; in fact, much more so than most novelisations, which are generally an opportunity to flesh out any perceived gaps in a narrative. Having adapted a failed piece of fiction into a screenplay, Segal adapted it back into fiction without bothering to fill any of its numerous holes---leaving this reader, at least, wholly unimpressed with what is supposed to be a profound and moving love story. I have no prejudice against romance per se, but the relationship here is wholly unconvincing, even if you believe in opposites attracting; and frankly, this book is never more believable than during its opening moments, when Jenny and Oliver sum each other up as rich and stupid and snotty Radcliffe bitch. From there the narrative leaps through a series of life-changing events, not one of them explained or justified: the couple never seem to talk about anything they do; things just happen, while the pair of them go on exchanging the "cute" insults that make up 90% of their interaction. This is particularly infuriating when it comes to Jenny throwing away her own hopes and dreams so that Oliver can pursue his, something the novel takes entirely for granted. This absence of context also pervades Oliver's contentious relationship with his father, which seems to have no basis beyond the insecurities of a spoiled and petulant young man. Honestly? - I think if a woman had written this - and particularly if it had been written from Jenny's point of view - no-one would have paid any attention to it; except perhaps to mock the idea that a Boston blue-blood would throw it all away for a working-class Italian-American from Rhode Island. As it is, what we have here is a Cinderella story written from the prince's point of view---which apparently makes all the difference. That said, I'm sure we're supposed to be invoking Romeo and Juliet, particularly in light of the tragic ending which Erich Segal helpfully prepares us for in his opening sentence. Frankly, insubstantial as this novel is, that ending didn't come fast enough.

    For once in her life, Jenny couldn't look me square in the eye.
    "Ollie, don't be stupid," she said. "It's inevitable."
    "What's inevitable?"
    "We graduate and we go our separate ways. You'll go to law school---"
    "Wait a minute---what are you talking about?"
    Now she looked me in the eye. And her face was sad.
    "Ollie, you're a preppie millionaire, and I'm a social zero."
    I was still holding onto her shoulders.
    "What the hell does that have to do with separate ways? We're together now, we're happy."
    "Ollie, don't be stupid," she repeated. "Harvard is like Santa's Christmas bag. You can stuff any kind of crazy toy into it. But when the holiday's over, they shake you out..." She hesitated. "...and you gotta go back where you belong."
    "You mean you're going to bake cookies in Cranston, Rhode Island."
    I was saying desperate things.
    "Pastries," she said. "And don't make fun of my father."
    Then don't leave me, Jenny. Please."
    "What about my scholarship? What about Paris, which I've never seen in my whole goddamn life?"
    "What about our marriage?"

As I seem to keep saying throughout this challenge---I don't think I was the target audience. :D

I forgive the existence of Love Story, however, just because it paved the way for What's Up Doc?, which climaxes with the following exchange:

She: "Let me tell you something: love means never having to say you're sorry."
He: "That's the dumbest thing I ever heard."

Amen, bro'!

Publication date: 1829
Genre: Historical drama
Read for: C. K. Shorter challenge

Richelieu: A Tale Of France - George Payne Rainsford James would go on to a longer career that combined diplomatic service with the writing of over one hundred works of fiction, most of them historical tales. This, published in 1829, was his first; and while reasonably engaging, is flawed in a manner that owes as much to its selective use of material as to the author's inexperience. This is not, as we might expect, a biographical novel about Armand Jean du Plessis, Cardinal Duke de Richelieu, but a snapshot of France during the final months of his power. Setting his novel in 1642, James gives us a Richelieu at the height of his powers, but conscious of his failing health; a Louis XIII who has abrogated all responsibility, allowing the Cardinal to rule France while he gives his time to pursuits such as hunting; and an Anne of Austria with all the strength of character lacking in her husband, but hampered by her sex and her fears for her children. Anne is carrying on a forbidden yet wholly domestic and harmless correspondence with certain foreign parties, including her brother, Philip of Spain; fearful of her influence, Richelieu and his followers seek to expose the correspondence, intending to twist the matter into one of treason to France and thus crush her. Meanwhile, a dangerous conspiracy is afoot, with the king's brother, the Duke of Orleans, and the Marquis de Cinq Mars, Louis' Master of Horse and closest companion, finally concluding that the only way that France can throw off the yoke of Richelieu is via a secret treaty with foreign powers---including France's mortal enemy, Spain... The main problem with Richelieu: A Tale Of France is a distinct lack of Richelieu---with most of the novel is taken up with the plots and conspiracies of both the Cardinal's underlings and his enemies, rather with than the Cardinal himself. From a historical perspective, James gives us a rather dubious portrait of Louis XIII---choosing to present him as cowed and emasculated by Richelieu, rather than complicit in the Cardinal's iron-fisted rule and ruthless destruction of any opposition, as he certainly was. That said, the scenes in which the worm-ish Louis, goaded into action by Cinq Mars, finally turns on Richelieu and resumes some of his regal power, are among the novel's best. However, James's most successful writing is his portrait of the Count de Chavigni, one of Richelieu's counsellors and most passionate adherents: a wily conspirator and a deadly enemy, but with a code of personal honour that sometimes conflicts with his duty to the Cardinal. Ultimately, Richelieu: A Tale Of France is less about the Cardinal than it is about what it was like to have him as an enemy. Though most of the characters are real historical figures, James' hero is the fictional Claude, Count De Blènau: a young nobleman of unimpeachable honour, whose devotion to his queen brings down upon him the wrath of the Cardinal. Despite repeated accusation, interrogation, incarceration in the Bastille and the threat of torture, Richelieu's initial efforts to fix guilt of treason upon De Blènau and, through him, Anne of Austria fail for one reason or another; but when Cavigni succeeds in exposing the secret treaties of the Duke of Orleans and Cinq Mars to invite foreign troops into France, Richelieu sees an opportunity to crush all his enemies at once---including the innocent De Blènau...

    “Then you acknowledge that you have conveyed letters from the Queen to the Archduke and the King of Spain?” demanded Richelieu.
    “I have made no such acknowledgment,” answered De Blènau; “your Eminence puts a forced construction on my words.”
    “In vain you turn, Sir, like a rebellious serpent that strives in its windings to escape the hand that grasps it. At once I ask you, have you or have you not, ever, by any means, expedited any letter from the Queen, or other person, to either the Archduke of Austria, or the King of Spain? This, Sir, is a question that you cannot get over!”
    The eyes of the whole Council fixed upon the Count as the Cardinal spoke. De Blènau paused for a moment to recollect himself, and then addressed himself directly to the King. “As a good and faithful subject,” he said, “there is a great duty which I owe your Majesty, and I believe I have always performed it as I ought; but as a servant of your royal consort the Queen, I have other duties, distinct, though I hope in no degree opposed to those which bind me to my King. As a man of honour also and a gentleman, I am bound to betray no trust reposed in me, whether that trust seem to me material or not; and though I feel sure that I might at once answer the questions proposed to me by his Eminence of Richelieu without any detriment or discredit to her Majesty, yet so sacred do I hold the confidence of another, that I must decline to reply, whatever be the consequence. However, let me assure you, Sire, that no word or deed of her Majesty the Queen, which has ever come to my ears, has been derogatory to your Majesty’s dignity, or contrary to your interest.”
    “Then I am to conclude that you refuse to answer?” said Richelieu sternly: “think, Monsieur de Blènau, before you carry your obstinacy too far.”
    “My conduct does not arise in obstinacy,” replied De Blènau, “but from a sense of what is due to my own honour; and unless it can be shown me that it is her Majesty’s desire I should inform your Eminence of all I know respecting her affairs, from henceforth I hold my tongue, and answer no farther questions whatever.”
    “Be the consequence on your own head then, young man,” exclaimed the Cardinal. “We will now break up the council.---Monsieur de Blènau, take leave of the sun, for you never see another morrow!”

>181 lyzard: A book published in three volumes should never be a candidate for a Shorter challenge.

>182 rosalita:

:D

It could comfortably have gone into one, but by 1829 the circulating libraries were controlling British publishing so three volumes it was!

>179 lyzard: Yes to the shallowness and arbitrariness of everything. Its appeal baffles me. On the other hand, I found the ending came pleasingly soon (compared to its bestseller company, anyway)

>184 swynn:

I gather it took me about 15 minutes longer than you to finish it, so I was a little longer getting to the welcome ending. :D

But yes, absolutely a welcome change; as is our January book...

BTW, while you're here---it's not going to happen this month, but in January I am going to have a shot at restarting the Banned in Boston challenge. I can't remember where you got to with that; I got stuck on Olive Schreiner's From Man To Man, cut off from my only borrowing source. There's a read-in-library source, though, and though it will be a big task doing it that way, I'm going to have a shot at it in January.

>177 lyzard: I read both Great Lion of God and Love Story eons ago. I really hated Love Story, lol.

My mother was a huge Victoria Holt fan when I was growing up and I read a number of her novels. I cannot remember a thing about them :)

Have a terrific week, Liz!

>185 lyzard: Well I guess I've squandered my opportunity to catch up. I think I left off at that huge anthology. Do you have a link to the list?

>187 swynn:

Of course! Of course I do.

Um... :D

Actually---I think, rather than a formal list, I was announcing the next book included in that newspaper article as we went, and then we were going our separate ways to see if we could each find a copy, given the obscurity of some of the works.

Checking, after The American Caravan (the anthology) we had Move Over by Ethel Pettit and then Oil! by Upton Sinclair; did you get through both of those?

Olive Schreiner's From Man To Man was next up---and that likely coincided with the beginning of the first lockdown. Probably I said something like, "Only my academic library has a copy, so I won't be able to access it for a month or two..."

Does all that sound right to you?

Coincidentally enough---I have news on the library front...

>188 lyzard: I did read Move Over, so must have decided to skip The American Caravan. Which means I'm only behind by Oil! which reminds me that it's one I actually want to read. Also Olive Schreiner has been a "sometime soon" for awhile now, though it's Story of an African Farm that I had in mind to read. Still, From Man to Man would probably satisfy my curiosity.

So yes. I'm in. Gulp.

Good news has been a rare commodity lately, but this week decided to pile on with two separate pieces of it.

First of all I got this, from the private library downtown:





Which was not a major thing, but nevertheless a nice gesture and a pleasant surprise.

Then the bombshell dropped---





I was so excited, I could even forgive their use of "unprecedented times". :D

I may say, however, I have absolutely no idea of my account status. It was due for renewal in April 2020: that was prevented from happening, though at the same time the account per se was extended to the end of that year---even as physical access to the library was cut off, then only allowed (as appropriate) for staff and students.

But whether I have been extended or not, whether I have to pay or not, this is the first intimation of upcoming library access for 20 months.

Can I get a HALLELUJAH!!!!????

I tell you...if @#$%ing Omicron interferes with this, I'll...I'll...

>189 swynn:

Whoo-hoo! - MORE good news!! :)

Ah, yes, I do remember you doing Move Over; I think we decided jointly before that that The American Caravan was going to be too much trouble for the payoff.

Given my news above, I may actually be able to borrow a copy of From Man To Man after all, though reading it can certainly wait until you have read Oil! (which, I now remember, I had the library copy of when lockdown started).

The Story Of An African Farm is a Virago, so I keep assuming that sooner or later I'll get to it "naturally", though it hasn't happened yet.

Finished In The Blood for TIOLI #14.

Now reading The Affair At Flower Acres by Carolyn Wells.

>186 alcottacre:

Oops, sorry, Stasia! - I got diverted by the shock of receiving good news for a change. :D

I think I made my opinion of Love story pretty clear!

I have read a few Victoria Holt's along the way but never felt moved to seek her out. I wonder what it was about this particular novel that put it on the best-seller list?

Thank you! - so far definitely above average. :)

>190 lyzard: woohoo! That all sounds better news.

>194 Helenliz:

Some of it definitely is.

Problem is, we're at a nasty crossroads where the virus is concerned, and goodness knows where we'll be even in another month.

So I can't just let myself believe it. I've been hurt before, too many times! :D

Finished The Affair At Flower Acres for TIOLI #15.

Now reading The Alington Inheritance by Patricia Wentworth.

Finished The Alington Inheritance for TIOLI #8, and that is #150 for the year!

With all the teeth-clenching chunkster best-sellers, for a time there I didn't think I was going to make it; but as it turns out, I'm comfortably across the line.

This definitely deserves a celebration---please enjoy this quokka!

(Strictly, I was keeping them for when I catch up my reviews but, well, you know...)

Now reading He Dies And Makes No Sign by Molly Thynne.

>190 lyzard: HALLELUJAH!!!!????

>197 lyzard: Whohoo! Well done, you! And thanks for the quokka, what a darling!

>197 lyzard: But that means we'd probably not see a quokka and they're far to cute to never see the light of day. >;-)
Well done on 150, I'm impressed that people can read such numbers, and yours are hardly flimsy pamphlets. Nice going.

>197 lyzard: Congratulations on reaching 2 x 75, Liz!

Congratulations on 150, and hooray for quokkas!

>199 alcottacre:

Thanks for that, Stasia, though I'm more and more afraid that the virus is going to step in and ruin everything.

>200 PawsforThought:

Thanks, Paws! And you're very welcome. :)

>201 Helenliz:

Oh, harsh! Perfectly true, but harsh! :D

Thanks, Helen!

>202 FAMeulstee:

Thanks, Anita!

>203 swynn:

Thanks, Steve! I shall have to knuckle down and create more quokka opportunities.

>197 lyzard: QUOKKA!!!!!! He looks so happy that you crossed the 150-book line. As are we all, of course.

I am a book behind with Miss Silver — I need to read The Fingerprint next.

>205 rosalita:

So quokkas flush you out quicker than sloths these days, hey?? Noted. :D

I was just thinking about you in that respect, actually, because - GASP!!!! - I am now up to the last book in the series, and of course I wouldn't dream of going ahead without you.

So if you need to, take your time catching up and just let me know when you have, even if it isn't in line with our usual schedule.

>206 lyzard: I don't visit LT very often anymore, but I just happened to be wandering by when you posted. I'd like to think the quokka called to me ...

I can't bear to think of saying goodbye to Maudie! She's been a boon companion all these years.

Publication date: 1995
Genre: Non-fiction / true crime
Read for: Potential decommission

Mind Hunter: Inside The FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit - Co-written by John Douglas and his frequent collaborator, Mark Olshaker - though presented as a first-person narrative by Douglas - this is at its base an account of the establishment and evolution of the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit (as it was then known) in response to the frightening increase in stranger-on-stranger violence and serial murder recorded in the US during the 1980s. Around this central thread is a broader view of criminal psychology, the legal system, the functioning of the FBI, the role of the media, and the incredible pressures that can build up upon the people tasked with investigating these sickening crimes: the book, indeed, opens with Douglas's account of his own near-fatal collapse in 1983, at the age of only thirty-eight, on the back of a torturous round of work and travel that involved (among other things) consulting simultaneously on the Yorkshire Ripper case, the Atlanta child murders, Alaska's hunt-and-kill case, the Trailside murders in San Francisco and the bombing of synagogues in Connecticut. Douglas and Olshaker describe the fight to establish a dedicated unit for the study of criminal psychology and the application of this knowledge in the hunt for serial and other extreme offenders. The recognition of the need for such a unit grew out of a dedicated study conducted by Douglas and fellow agent, Robert Ressler, in which they conducted a series of intensive interviews with convicted killers including Ed Kemper, Richard Speck and David Berkowitz, which led to the realisation of certain fundamental patterns of criminal psychopathy and behaviour. Douglas and Olshaker then use a number of famous and not-so-famous cases as a framework to illustrate the functioning and evolution of the new Behavioral Science Unit (or "BS Unit", as the sceptics tended to call it). In this, they describe both successes and failures---and some where the jury is still out, or where Douglas's own conclusions differ from the "official" solution to a case. The subject matter is necessarily grim and upsetting, but gripping for anyone with an interest in this area.

    Traditionally, most murders and violent crimes were relatively easy for law enforcement officials to comprehend. They resulted from critically manifested of feelings we all experience: anger, greed, jealousy, profit, revenge. Once this emotional problem was taken care of, the crime or crime spree would end. Someone would be dead, but that was that and the police generally knew who and what they were looking for.
    But a new type of violent criminal has surfaced in recent years---the serial offender, who often doesn't stop until he is caught or killed, who learns by experience and who tends to get better and better at what he does, constantly perfecting his scenario from one crime to the next. I say "surfaced" because, to some degree, he was probably with us all along, going back long before 1880s London and Jack the Ripper, generally considered the first modern serial killer. And I say "he" because, for reasons we'll get into a little later, virtually all real serial killers are male...
    Serial killers and rapists also tend to be the most bewildering, most personally disturbing, and most difficult to catch of all violent criminals. This is, in part, because they tend to be motivated by far more complex factors than the basic ones I've just enumerated. This, in turn, makes their patterns more confusing and distances them from such other normal feelings as compassion, guilt, or remorse.
    Sometimes, the only way to catch them is to learn to think like they do...

>207 rosalita:

You're very much missed. I'll have to aim for more quokkas, if that's what it takes. :)

Agreed! I think we shouldn't try to make any plans beyond that point, we'll just consult when the moment arrives and see where we're both at then.

>197 lyzard: That is so cute and expressive.

>210 PaulCranswick:

And a rare example of being what it looks like, unlike most Australian animals.:D

Speaking of which---

For the past several weeks I've had a possum living on the outside windowsill of my kitchen, where it has built itself a drey amongst some overgrown ivy.

I was confused when I first saw it because of the colour of its coat, which seemed unusually dark. I concluded that it was a juvenile just kicked out by its parents, and without proper adult colouration. It has come and gone since its first appearance, all without me getting a really good look at it, until today---when it decided to sit up in the middle of the day and have a leisurely grooming session.

It turns out to be a ringtail possum, which is by far the rarer species in this area, where we predominantly get brushtail possums (possibly because they're bigger and force their smaller competitors away). In fact I've never seen one before, though I regularly put vegetable scraps and peelings out on my porch for whoever wants them.

The light and the glass and the angle weren't very cooperative, but---

>208 lyzard: I enjoy John Douglas' books. True Crime is one of the earliest genres that I remember being very interested in when I was younger. I do not read nearly as much of it now.

>213 alcottacre:

Likewise. I went through A Phase in the 90s, which is why all my books are dated from then. I now watch far too many crime documentaries instead. :)

>214 lyzard: Me too. I watch them all the time on YouTube, lol.

>212 lyzard: Despite the difficult circumstances, you took a nice photo, Liz. It looks very sweet.
Looking it up at the web, the Dutch name is "oostelijke koeskoes".

>216 FAMeulstee:

Aw, thank you! Hmm, 'koeskoes' sounds like the Dutch interpretation of cuscus, which is a related species found in Queensland and PNG.

>217 lyzard: In Dutch both families (Phalangeridae and Pseudocheiridae) are called Koeskoes. In English only species in the first family are called cuscus. Australia is too far away to come up with proper names ;-)

>218 FAMeulstee:

Ah! Understood. :)

Finished He Dies And Makes No Sign for TIOLI #4, and also FINISHED A SERIES!!

Only a small series, though; so here's a small marmoset---

Now reading The Confessions Of Arsene Lupin by Maurice Leblanc.

>220 lyzard: Aw, he's awfully cute, although that's a guilty look, like you interrupted him doing something he wasn't supposed to be doing.

>222 rosalita:

Well, he's only a baby: maybe he doesn't know what a camera is yet?

>220 lyzard: Awwww. I love it when Liz finishes something. >:-) Well done.

Hi Liz! I am working on lists for various 2022 reading challenges. The British Authors Challenge theme for July is the Georgian era. I'm thinking of reading The Absentee by Maria Edgeworth and wondered if you might like to join me? Or maybe you have a different author to suggest for this period?

>224 Helenliz:

Thanks, Helen!

>225 cbl_tn:

Hi, Carrie! Lovely to see you here. :)

Did they define 'Georgian'? Sorry to be difficult! - some people cut it off at the beginning of the Regency (1811), and others carry it through to the ascension of Victoria (1838), which qualifies different authors.

I have read Edgeworth's Castle Rackrent, Belinda and The Absentee fairly recently for different projects (the first two for group reads), but I would be glad of a chance to read one of her other works.

Or I can suggest some alternative authors if you prefer?

>227 lyzard: For the challenge, Georgian is defined as 1714-1837. Basically, the pre-Victorian Hanoverians. If you want to suggest some alternatives that would be great!

>228 cbl_tn:

I always feel a bit sorry for William IV, who gets completely overlooked by history!

The problem with picking any one Georgian author is that that era is when the British novel exploded! There are countless novelists you could choose---so perhaps it comes down to what kind of fiction you would prefer to read, and what/who you've read before.

So---male/female? Serious/comic/romantic/horrifying? I'm happy to make suggestions but it's such a broad topic that some guidelines would be helpful. In fact, necessary!

But before we go off the deep end---Edgeworth is a perfectly valid choice. Just saying. :D

>229 lyzard: I was thinking female, but I'm game to try anything.

Hi Liz! I've done a bit of exploring and found several authors and titles that are intriguiging for various reasons - The Vicar of Wrexhill by Frances Trollope (which qualifies just under the wire with its 1837 publication), Euphemia by Charlotte Lennox, The Wild Irish Girl by Lady Morgan, and The Romance of the Forest by Ann Radcliffe. I'm still open to other suggestions, though!

>230 cbl_tn:, >231 cbl_tn:

Any of those are great choices; it's a question, I guess, if there's a specific time or style you are interested in trying. Obviously you have over a hundred years of writing to choose from, so the field is enormous.

A few other suggestions: Fanny Burney's Evelina, which began the rise of female-focused domestic fiction (all of Burney's novels are important, but the rest are huge chunksters); Mary Wollstonecraft's overtly feminist Mary: A Fiction or Maria; or, The Wrongs Of Woman; Charlotte Smith's politically radical The Old Manor House (you were with us for the group read of Smith's Emmeline, I think?); Jane Porter's Thaddeus Of Warsaw, which offers a scathing picture of British society at the turn of the 19th century, or The Scottish Chiefs, the first modern historical novel; Mary Brunton's Self-Control, a very didactic novel but an influential female-centric work.

>220 lyzard: Congratulations on finishing a series! I am in the middle of a bunch right now and hope to finish at least one of them some time soon.

>233 alcottacre:

I have two more series on the list where the last book is next up, very exciting!

Trouble is, I keep starting others. :D

And speaking of which...

Finished The Confessions Of Arsene Lupin for TIOLI #11.

Now reading Dr Night by Aidan de Brune.

>234 lyzard: Trouble is, I keep starting others

I can definitely relate!

>234 lyzard:
>236 alcottacre:

+1

The last few years I've set a goal of continuing (never mind *finishing*) more series than I start. I'm going to miss that goal this year. Again.

>236 alcottacre:, >237 swynn:

I think I actually have met that particular goal this year but it's still like attacking a mountain with an ice-pick. :D

Finished Dr Night for TIOLI #7.

Now reading A Most Immoral Murder by Harriette Ashbrook.

>237 swynn: >238 lyzard: I am afraid I will never meet that particular goal!

Happy Wednesday, Liz!

Or in other words: Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!

>240 alcottacre:

Thanks, Stasia!

>241 SandDune:

Thanks so much, Rhian, you too! :)

Merry Christmas, Liz! I hope you have the very best holiday the circumstances allow and that the new year brings with it only good things.

Happy New Year to you, Liz!

Have a lovely holiday, Liz.

>243 PawsforThought:, >244 ronincats:, >245 rosalita:, >246 PaulCranswick:

Thank you so much, guys, I hope you all had a lovely day! :)

Finished A Most Immoral Murder for TIOLI #6.

Now reading Swan Song by John Galsworthy.

Finished Swan Song for TIOLI #18.

Now reading Tom Cringle's Log by Michael Scott.

>249 lyzard: Excellent. Dinny is next up and she's a refreshing change after Fleur. >:-)

>250 Helenliz:

Pretty much anyone would be. :D

I'm having trouble locating a copy of Maid In Waiting, though, so maybe we're in the minority??

>251 lyzard: True. She managed to be both a damp dishrag and a nasty piece of work all at once. I didn't like her; can you tell?

Oh, my library had copies of all 9 books, although it did have more of the first 3 than the rest.

>252 Helenliz:

Shallow and selfish; how am *I* doing?? :D

Neither of my sources for the last few have the next, which is yet another reason why I need access to my academic library...

Tom Cringle's Log will be my last book for the year (in fact, it may turn out to be the first of next, as it is longer than I realised), so naturally my thoughts are turning to wrapping up 2021 and moving on to 2022.

Alas, it looks like I will be ending this year exactly as I began it: in a state of total panicky disorganisation. :D

I'm not inclined to let myself off the hook with respect to my reviewing, not least because I find it important to have a proper record of my reading; so what I have decided to do is start the New Year with two threads: a continuation of this one, where I will eventually catch up my writing; and a new one for the new group. The plan - or maybe I should say 'hope' - is keep the latter up to date and the former ticking over at one a day.

No-one is obliged to visit the reviewing thread - that's purely a rod for my own back - though of course visits and comments are always motivating... :)

My 2022 thread is now up! - here.