Books & Mags
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
My Lifelong Love Of Mother Goose
Sometimes subjects and ideas for articles are slim, and I struggle to come up with something meaningful, challenging, and pithy. Well, this is not a pithy one. It’s more of a dreamy reminiscence. About one book that trumps all others in my life. Mother Goose rhymes, nursery rhymes, captured me as a little tyke, and … 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
Haunt of the Nightingale. Best 100 Mysteries Of All Time
Haunt of the Nightingale—John R. Riggs–1988–Dembner Books–used Ok, before you start thinking, ‘oh no, another obscure title from a small press no one’s ever heard of,” let me give you some quotes: “When it is all over, the situations and characters linger in the mind, which means that The Last Laugh is the work of … Read more
The January Corpse. Best 100 Mysteries of All Time
The January Corpse—Neil Albert – 1991-used When I started doing the 100 mysteries, I thought I had an airtight lineup–the books I remembered as being my favorites were arranged, rearranged, thought about, changed , eliminated, returned, and finalized. Yeah, right. Then out of the blue, I remember a book I thought was fantastic, and I … Read more
The Will and Last Testament of Constance Cobble. Best 100 Mysteries of All Time
The Last Will and Testament of Constance Cobble—Stanton Forbes–1980–used A mystery within a mystery makes this a standout among many Stanton Forbes’ excellent novels. I first came across Ms. Forbes the summer after my first year at college. I was at loose ends, didn’t have a job, couldn’t figure out what to do, so I … Read more