Great Black Kanba–Best 100 Mysteries of All Time

Great Black Kanba—Constance and Gwynth Little–1944–IP The sisters were consistently hilarious. “Carolyn Hart (Grand Dame of cosy mystery writing) calls this tale of mistaken identity, barking lizards, multiple beaus and murder on a trans-Australia railroad trip one of her five favorite mysteries ” Great Black Kanba turns out to be my favorite of the bunch, … Read more

Art Deco Dust Jackets

While perusing the New York Antiquarian Book Show, I came across a seller, Yesterday’s Gallery & Babylon Revisited, whose inventory almost exclusively deals in the period between the wars. The dust jackets of that span reflected the artistic craze now known as Art Deco. I’ve collected many books with the Deco motif, and would have grabbed one … Read more

Best 100 Mysteries of All Time—10 Titles

I’ve revamped, redone, reorganized and generally changed the way I’m going about listing and writing up the Best 100 Mysteries of All Time. Although these titles are still in the list–they no longer are numbered. I have put the entire list up, in alphabetical order, thereby keeping what book comes in at what number, undisclosed, … Read more

The Best Book Covers

  I’ve already stated that the best book covers DO persuade  me and make a difference in whether or not I’ll purchase a title. What I didn’t relate is that dust jacket and book covers are a passion of  mine. I love illustration on practically anything; from packaging perfumes, to ads, to menus, and naturally books. … Read more

The Black Paw. Best 100 Mysteries of All Time

The Black Paw—Constance and Gwyneth Little-1941  Doubleday Crime Club-IP The sisters Little make this list not once, but twice. Why, because their books are that funny, that convoluted, and that smart–that makes them mandatory. LOL. If you’ve read my article on the screwball comedy novels the two sisters produced between the late 1930s to the … Read more

Last Seen Wearing. Best Mysteries of All Time

Last Seen Wearing  Hillary Waugh–1952–Doubleday Crime Club-used This book is on practically every best mystery list I’ve seen. So, naturally, I didn’t really want it on mine, lol. But, sometimes good is good is good, and can’t be denied. Last Seen Wearing is a police procedural that out does all other police procedurals. Taking place in … Read more

The Desert Moon Mystery. Kay Cleaver Strahan

The Desert Moon Mystery—Kay Cleaver Strahan–1928—used (several inexpensive copies available) You may have noticed, after three picks, that I tend to enjoy the Golden Age Of Mysteries. The time period of the 20’s 30’s, and for me into the 40’s. Back in the day, as they say, mysteries tended to involve puzzles, upper class victims, … Read more

Murder In Retrospect: Review of Murder With Your Malted

  Murder in Retrospect–Reviews of classic crime fiction Murder With Your Malted–Jerome Barry, Doubleday, 1941 Now for something entirely different, and. . .well, frothy! A Doubleday Crime Club of yore delivers the goods, including; limeades; grilled sandwiches; and a bicarb to wash it all down. What a goofy locale for murder–a drugstore in Times Square, … Read more