September MysteryKIT: Silver Age Mysteries

Welcome to the September MysteryKIT! This month, we read Silver Age mysteries.

While the term “Golden Age mysteries” is widely used for crime novels written from the 1920 to the 1950s, the term “Silver Age mysteries” is not as common. It is applied to mysteries written in the 1960s and 1970s. The Silver Age writers can be considered the heirs of the Golden Age writers, although some authors, who had long careers, wrote during both periods, such as Agatha Christie.

So for this KIT, read a mystery written during the 1960s or 1970s. Below there are some ideas (note that I haven’t read any of these apart from the Christie).

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John le Carré
The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler
The Pale Horse by Agatha Christie
Cover Her Face by P.D. James
The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth
The Man Who Killed Himself by Julian Symons
Cast, In Order Of Appearance by Simon Brett
Whip Hand by Dick Francis

Please share your plans and recommendations, and if you like, add your books to the wiki. And most of all, enjoy your reading!

Planning to read a Japanese mystery from 1961, Inspector Imanishi Investigates by Seicho Matsumoto.

I'm thinking of The Open House by Michael Innes (1972).

My plan is to read The Belting Inheritance by Julian Symons (1965). It is one of the British Library Crime Classics.

From the early 1970s, I am going to read His Burial Too by Catherine Aird.

Not sure what I'll read, but I have a recommendation. This was originally published in 1978. Yes, it's a Christmas theme, but it's also the first in a series:
Rest You Merry by Charlotte Macleod

I read Faculty of Murder by June Wright.

I plan to read Curiosity Didn't Kill the Cat by MK Wren (1973)

I have Nemesis on my shelf, so I will read that.

I still have some thrillers and espionage novels from that time on the shelves, maybe I’ll re-read one of those. Should make an interesting experiment...

The next Miss Marple for me is Sleeping Murder, which was published in 1976.

COMPLETED 3 Silver Age detective stories from the early 1970s:

The Open House
Appleby's Answer
Appleby's Other Story

all by Michael Innes

I read An Unsuitable Job for a Woman by P. D. James, originally published in 1972.

October's thread is up: https://www.librarything.com/topic/373836#

I was looking forward to this and read:

Death at St. Asprey’s School by Leo Bruce from 1967.
Although there have been suspicious happenings and eventually a murder committed there is no sign that the police detective assigned to the case is present or investigating, which seems incredible even in fiction. All is left to Carolus Deene, the academic initially asked to look into matters. This is 17th in the Carolus Deene mystery series so presumably he’s an experienced sleuth although I wasn’t impressed by his actions or by the telling.

Said to be 222 pages, but it seemed much longer. I continued with the book because I really hoped there would be a surprising Christie-style twist at the end but was disappointed there too. One star.

I turned to one of my favourite authors from this time, Peter O’Donnell, and enjoyed three of his strips in Modesty Blaise : The Black Pearl.

I read Face to Face by Ellery Queen, published in 1967. The cover of my (old) copy is... interesting. No idea why they decided to show a dead bird. Maybe because there were singers involved? And birds sing? Or maybe it's just one of those random covers you get sometimes. I dunno...

I have finished Waxwork by Peter Lovesey which surprised me pleasantly. It’s a historical mystery, full of interesting stuff about late Victorian police and criminal justice, well written, and quite short, compared to modern doorstoppers. There was also a TV series based on the books, apparently.

I completed my read of Safely to the Grave by Margaret Yorke, this one kept me glued to the page!

I have also re-read The Silver Mistress by Peter O’Donnell, first published in 1973. Modesty never disappoints.

Nemesis by Agatha Christie ★★★½

In utter disbelief, Miss Marple read the letter addressed to her from the recently deceased Mr. Rafiel—an acquaintance she had met briefly on her travels. He had left instructions for her to investigate a crime after his death. The only problem was he had failed to tell her who was involved or where and when the crime had been committed. It was most intriguing. Soon, she is faced with a new crime—the ultimate crime—murder. It seems someone is adamant that past evils remained buried. . . .

One of the last of the Miss Marple books, this one started slowly as Miss Marple (and the reader) tried to discover what the crime was and why she was on this journey. Once the crime was revealed, the story picked up quickly and ended in a proper Christie style.