They Buried a Man. Best 100 Mysteries of All Time

They Buried a Man   Mildred Davis 1953 –used Mildred Davis is the author I ‘discovered’ recently. Somehow I passed her by all these years. So, I read her Edgar Award winning first novel, and was not as impressed as I had thought I’d be–maybe too much expectation on my part, but there was a romantic attachment … Read more

Stone Quarry. Best 100 Mysteries of All Time

  Stone Quarry— S. J. Rozan  1999-St. Martin’s Press-IP “It can be a treacherous road, State Route 30, especially rain slick in the twilight of late winter, but I know it well. I sped along its badly banked curves faster than legal and faster than necessary. I was heading for Antonelli’s; I had plenty of time. I drove … Read more

Biblios–Part 3

Biblios = Books about Books Part 1: Books about Books–Better Known as Biblios Part 2  Biblios Focusing on Booksellers/Collectors Part 3  Biblios Focusing on Writers Part 4  Bibilos Focusing on Writers Part 5  Bibilos Focusing on Publishing Writers love killing off other writers, especially those who are more successful than they are, I would guess. I … Read more

No Tricks! Halloween Crime and Mystery Books

For a person who had a Halloween themed wedding reception complete with a huge haunted house wedding cake, intricately carved Jack O’Lanterns as centerpieces, handmade masks, wax lips, candy corn, candied apples and cobwebs dangling, you’d think I would have read every mystery that has wisps of the dark day, right? Well until I decided … 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 Almost Moon–Best 100 Mysteries of All Time

The Almost Moon–Alice Sebold–2007-Little Brown-IP One may have assumed that if I were to choose something from this author to be on my best list, it would be her major seller, The Lovely Bones. Made into a film, and heralded by one and all, it would seem to be a natural fit. And the book … Read more

Mr. Smith’s Hat. Best 100 Mysteries of All Time

   Mr. Smith’s Hat––Helen Reilly-1940-Doubleday Crime Club–used I kept struggling with which title of Helen Reilly’s I wanted on the list, then if I wondered if she should be on the list at all, then if she should be lower on the list or higher on the list, until I just said, enough already, and … Read more