Diane Plumley Clicking on Turner Classic Movies the other day, an unfamiliar film starring Bette Davis crossed the screen. It had been on for at least 20 minutes, and I hate entering a film after it’s begun, but it caught my attention because Davis was a small town librarian who apparently was in trouble for defending the … Read more
I don’t have a kindle, nook, ipad, or any other device in which to download books, unless you count my brand new used 4 iphone. Which I don’t. Reading a book on that would be like deciphering the written word from a dollhouse library. And yet, I was almost willing to try. Almost. Who is … Read more
The Dead Ringer—Fredric Brown–1948–IP I thought since my last post was about collecting side show/carny books, that I’d give the synopsis of one of the 100 best mysteries, as carnys are its theme. Fredric Brown was a prolific writer. He wrote not only crime fiction, but science fiction as well, and plenty of both. His … Read more
It may seem an odd subject to want to amass titles, but for some, the quirkiness and oddities that circus sideshows and carnivals provide are fascinating subjects. I began to indulge in collecting any mystery that had a smidgen of sideshow or carny theme, and have progressed to purchasing non crime fiction too. Sideshows are … Read more
The Affair At Royalties-George Baxt–1971-OOP I must be honest. I’ve no memory whatsoever of this book–what I mean is, I’ve no remembrance of the plot, characters or setting. The reason–I read it as a teen, and was struck enough by the story to carry around George Baxt’s name in my wallet, in case something else … Read more
After Life—Rhian Ellis–2000-available “First I had to get the body into the boat. This was more than ten years ago, and I’ve forgotten some of what came before and after, but that night and the following day I remember in extravagant detail.” I was hooked immediately from those first lines. I read and read, and … Read more
The Doorbell Rang—Rex Stout–1966 There are a gazillion Rex Stout/Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin novels that are superb. I chose The Doorbell Rang because of its audacious subject and the ending, which I will not be revealing. I’m not alone in loving this particular title. It’s on the list provided by MWA–Mystery Writers of America … Read more
Snow Angels—Stewart O’Nan–1994-IP It’s tough to choose a Stewart O’Nan book that is better than another O’Nan book. I decided on Snow Angels because it’s the first I read and sold many copies of, and because it’s far more than a crime novel, it’s the exploration of how life falls apart, how happy families are … Read more
