It should have been an epic. A mind blowing cosmic revelation. A classic never read. Or at least a good mystery. Not even close. And yet, I began it, continued, and low and behold, finished the entire 320 pages. I should have been ecstatic. Thrilled. At a minimum, relieved. After all, it had been a couple of months since I was able to get through more than one chapter; a full book was a distant memory. However, the only thought I had as I plopped the covers together and slapped the old 1937 reprint down on the bed, was, what the hell did I read that for? The Desert Lake Mystery by Kay Cleaver Strahan was convoluted, mystifying in all the wrong ways, confusing, and dull.
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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, civilized murder–you know, the arsenic in the tea etc., However, there were many exceptions, and this book is one. Odd, very odd in the telling of the story, the story itself, and a slam bang ending, which I know I guessed beforehand, but also understand had I been a reader in 1928 and these literary tricks were new, I wouldn’t have figured it out. Of course as I write this,
The Best 100 Mysteries of All Time–10 Titles-Number 2 Stone Quarry– S. J. Rozan 1999-St. Martin’s Press-IP To read a synopsis go here: http://bookshopblog.com/2011/11/05/no-79-stone-quarry-best-100-mysteries-of-all-time/ Billy Dead–Lisa Reardon–Viking Publishers-1998–IP To read a synopsis of the book go here: http://bookshopblog.com/2011/08/12/no-90-billy-dead-best-100-mysteries-of-all-time/ Murder Between the Covers–Elaine Viets–2003—-IP To read a synopsis of this book go here: http://bookshopblog.com/2011/08/05/no-91-murder-between-the-covers-best-100-mysteries-of-all-time/ Hide in the Dark–Frances Noyes Hart–1929–OOP–but inexpensive copies are abundantly available To read a synopsis of this book, go here: http://bookshopblog.com/2011/07/29/no-92-hide-in-the-dark-an-all-hallows-eve-mystery-best-100-mysteries-of-all-time/ Liars and Tyrants and People Who Turn Blue—Barbara Paul–1980-Doubleday-OOP To read a synopsis of this book, go here: http://bookshopblog.com/2011/07/22/no-93-liars-and-tyrants-and-people-who-turn-blue-best-100-mysteries-of-all-time/ Roll Over and Play Dead–Joan Hess–1991–St.