Category: Mystery & Suspense

Categories
Agatha Christie-Related Books & Novels Mystery & Suspense

MISS MARPLE: MURDER AT THE VICARAGE

Written by Agatha Christie

SUMMARY:

First published in 1930, this 247-page paperback reprint of the first Miss Jane Marple novel was released by Signet via Penguin Putnam Inc. in 2000.   In the quaint, small-world atmosphere of St. Mary Mead, there hasn’t been a homicide for several years.  This idyllic reality chills when self-righteous village elder, Col. Lucius Protheroe, is found shot to death at point-black range in the vicarage’s study. 

The vicar, Leonard “Len” Clement, narrates the subsequent murder investigation. Frequently consulted by the police, Clement aids Inspector Slack and Col. Melchett search the gossiping village for clues.  Two confessions only makes who had the motive and opportunity to ruthlessly kill Protheroe even more nebulous.  What Clement, the police, and the suspects don’t anticipate is the force of nature that local busybody, Miss Jane Marple, really is.      

REVIEW:

Conveyed as a supporting character, Marple’s frequent off-screen-time isn’t so much a disappointment, as it’s a bore.  Specifically, Christie’s likable ‘everyman’ vicar-narrator, Len Clement, and his less-than-suspenseful recurring interactions with the ensemble cast incessantly drag on. 

It’s only when Marple at last reveals the ingenious solution that this mystery finally springs to life.  While the audience gets sporadic glimpses of her observations, the depth of Marple’s deductive reasoning isn’t nearly as persuasive when too much explanation is saved for the finale.  Not nearly as charming as she later becomes, the mildly condescending Marple comes off nearly omniscient, just like Len Clement too often claims she is. 

A related consequence of Christie’s starched plotting is that several St. Mary Mead inhabitants are caricatures (including Marple’s visiting blowhard nephew, Raymond West).  An exception, of course, is Len Clement, but his milquetoast presence as an amateur sleuth barely stirs this plot.  Neither does his young wife, Griselda, as her own contrived plot twist near the novel’s end is an instance of too little too late.  Other possible red herrings are constructed better, but Marple’s non-involvement in these plot threads won’t likely sway much interest with readers. 

Wasting some amusing zip to Christie’s parody of a rural British village, the novel muddles too much to generate sympathy or even mild curiosity re: the fates of this batch of suspects.  The mystery’s intricate solution and the final few pages, however, serve a welcome refreshment after the stagnant maze Len Clement, the two cops, and Miss Marple traverse searching for the elusive culprit. 

Considering its historical value for Marple fans, the single-read nature of Murder at the Vicarage makes it an ideal find at the library (for ages 15 and up).      

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

Besides the usual Christie-related ads, Penguin Putnam Inc. includes a full page of its Christie title inventory.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:           5 Stars

Categories
Agatha Christie-Related Anthologies Books & Novels Mystery & Suspense

MISS MARPLE: THE COMPLETE SHORT STORIES

Written by Agatha Christie

SUMMARY:

Released in 2011 by publisher William Morrow, this 368-page softcover compiles twenty Miss Marple mysteries from the following Agatha Christie titles: The Thirteen Problems (aka The Tuesday Club Murders) (1932); The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories (1939); Three Blind Mice and Other Stories (1950);  and Double Sin and Other Stories  (1961).

The complete contents are: # 1-13 (Thirteen Problems); # 14 (Regatta Mystery); # 15-18 (Three Blind Mice); and # 19-20 (Double Sin).

  1. Tuesday Night Club                 11. The Herb of Death
  2. Idol House of Astarte              12. The Affair at the Bungalow
  3. Ingots of Gold                         13. Death by Drowning                       
  4. The Bloodstained Pavement      14. Miss Marple Tells a Story
  5. Motive v. Opportunity             15. Strange Jest                     
  6. The Thumbmark of St. Peter   16. The Case of the Perfect Maid
  7. The Blue Geranium                17. The Case of the Caretaker
  8. The Companion                     18. Tape-Measure Murder
  9. The Four Suspects                 19. Greenshaw’s Folly
  10. A Christmas Tragedy            20. Sanctuary

Note: A previous version of this book was published in 1985.

REVIEW:

This first-class anthology printing frequently depicts St. Mary Mead’s elderly sleuth at her best.  Living up to its potential, most of these tales deliver vintage Agatha Christie, in terms of sheer entertainment. 

Despite a surplus of clever solutions, however, Miss Marple’s most unsatisfying weakness is readily apparent.  As St. Mary Mead’s master sleuth invariably solves these cold cases from afar (i.e. per second-hand/third-hand witness accounts often years later), her deductive reasoning, or lack thereof, is at times rather implausible. 

One is supposed to chalk up Marple’s most unlikely inferences to a woman’s instincts and/or a savvy grip on human nature.  Yet, Christie repeatedly risks depicting Marple as virtually omniscient by story’s end; perhaps then it’s no coincidence that the narrator of Marple’s first novel, Murder at the Vicarage, often describes her as exactly just that.  

The plus side is that possibly exasperated readers are compensated for some contrived finales with usually well-played storytelling, solid continuity, and a healthy dose of Christie-style charm.  Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories offers everything that long-time fans and Marple newcomers need for an enjoyable bedtime read.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

Christie’s foreword from The Thirteen Problems is included.  The first page is a short Christie biography.   

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:          8 Stars

Categories
Books & Novels Mystery & Suspense

LORD PETER WIMSEY & HARRIET VANE: THE ATTENBURY EMERALDS

Written by Jill Paton Walsh

SUMMARY:

Published by Minotaur Books in 2010, this 338-page murder mystery hardcover depicts Dorothy L. Sayers’ happily-married Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane — now middle-aged parents in post-war 1951 London.  With help from his long-time manservant, Mervyn Bunter, Wimsey recalls for Harriet (now Lady Wimsey) the tale of how he first recovered the missing Attenbury Emerald thirty years ago for wealthy family friends. 

The matter comes full circle when the current head of the financially-downsized Attenbury Family calls upon Wimsey once more.  Homicide and the possible existence of multiple emeralds leads the Wimseys and Bunter to finally decipher the Attenbury Emerald’s ominous Persian inscription.

REVIEW:

Though articulately written, the first one hundred thirty pages or so (especially a tedious series of flashbacks) proves a tough slog.  It’s so exceedingly dull that even the most patient fans may be tempted to surrender.  Still, author Jill Paton Walsh’s mystery finally hits its stride when the plodding storyline takes a welcome break by incorporating the Wimseys’ personal sub-plot.  At last, a middle-aged Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane come to life, as Paton Walsh explores a tragedy burdening the British detective couple with an unexpected inheritance.  Upon returning to her less-than-dazzling emerald caper, Paton Walsh plausibly resolves the matter (which includes a few gruesome Blitz flashbacks).  To her credit, a few minor threads are left open to conjecture, as even Wimsey isn’t a perfect sleuth.

The Attenbury Emeralds tries hard to pass as a well-intentioned revival, but, unfortunately, it’s a lukewarm imitation of Dorothy L. Sayers’ Golden Age sleuths.        

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

There’s a helpful four-page list of characters (in order of appearance) indicating who’s who.  The author also includes a single page of acknowledgements.  

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:             4 Stars

Categories
Books & Novels Mystery & Suspense

KNIGHT & MOON # 1: CURIOUS MINDS

Written by Janet Evanovich & Phoef Sutton

SUMMARY:

First published in hardcover in 2016, this 307-page Bantam Books paperback edition was released the following year.  Kicking off a new mystery series, 28-year old attorney/banker Riley Moon has been freshly hired at the Washington D.C. branch of a prestigious firm,  Blane-Grunwald.  Her first assignment is reluctantly babysitting one of her employer’s wealthiest clients: the eccentric and hunky Emerson Knight. 

Determined to personally inspect his gold stash in the bank’s New York City underground vaults, Knight senses a mass financial conspiracy is in play.  Riley’s subsequent efforts to dump her bizarre client fail, especially with a relentless assassin squad now in hot pursuit.  Forced to place her faith in an unpredictable Knight’s cross-country quest, Riley finds it’s up to them to save an unsuspecting world from imminent chaos.         

REVIEW:

Co-authors Evanovich & Sutton conjure up an intriguing comedy-thriller premise, but they foolishly telegraph the criminal mastermind’s identity far too soon.  Still, various nods to pop culture are nice touches, including Riley Moon’s childhood aspiration to be ‘Batgirl.’  Riley, as a co-lead, occasionally exhibits potential to be interesting, aside from why she finds a self-involved crackpot like Emerson Knight strangely appealing.   Playing the ‘straight man’ sidekick, Riley’s character is easily this book’s best asset.  A dubious second-place is the torture-happy henchman, Rollo, as failing to kill him becomes a recurring gag.  The remaining cast mostly represents an assortment of annoying caricatures. 

As for Curious Minds’ biggest disappointment, look no further than its Buddhist-like Bruce Wayne wanna-be: Emerson Knight.  It’s quickly spelled out why this billionaire amateur sleuth is far too ridiculous to be the genre’s newest sensation.  Much like a conceited comedian bombing out in front of a live audience, Knight’s contrived antics and meditative babble repeatedly backfire on readers.  Too often, his super-wealth and far-too-convenient connections grind what little momentum the storyline has to a halt, especially when an infusion of reality is needed. 

Considering Evanovich’s prior experience alone, she can write much better action-comedy romps than this tripe.  As a vague homage to Goldfinger, Curious Minds is okay at times only because of Riley Moon’s skepticism.  Its outlandish plot twists, however, are sabotaged through a series of unforced storytelling errors haphazardly inflicted on readers.  Ultimately, silly execution dominates Curious Minds.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

Previewing the sequel, there is a fourteen-page first chapter of Dangerous Minds.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:             3½ Stars

Categories
Books & Novels Mystery & Suspense

JAMES BOND: NOBODY LIVES FOREVER

Written by John Gardner

SUMMARY:

Originally published in 1986, this 301-page Pegasus Books paperback reprint was released in 2012.  At MI-6, M grimly cautions James Bond to watch his back during a month-long vacation.  Leisurely traveling across Western Europe, Bond intends to pick up his ailing housekeeper, May, from an Austrian recuperative clinic.  Yet, a series of corpses ominously plague Bond’s journey. 

His chilling dilemma is confirmed, as he learns that SPECTRE’s terminally ill leader, Tamil Rahani, has ordered a 10-million Swiss franc bounty for Bond’s severed head … literally, on a silver platter.  Known as ‘The Head Hunt,’ seemingly every underworld lowlife, international terrorist, and freelance assassin in the world is pursuing Agent 007.  Even worse is that SPECTRE abducts May and Miss Moneypenny as added incentive to force Bond’s surrender.

Sensing that he can’t trust anyone, Bond relies on his vast experience, along with the help of new female allies: British-Italian heiress Sukie Tempesta, and her sharp-shooting bodyguard, Nannie Norrich.  Facing multiple double-crosses as the body count continues rising, Bond must rescue his beloved friends and evade assassination long enough to settle some old scores.  Ultimately, a shadowy figure intends to dispatch the lethal competition and personally deliver Bond to SPECTRE’s private guillotine.  All bets are off in a fiery showdown on Shark Island off Key West.        

REVIEW:

Make no mistake: John Gardner’s expertise with penning suspenseful Bond novels is confirmed by the riveting Nobody Lives Forever.  Unlike the film franchise, this no-nonsense Agent 007 delivers thrills without the high-octane stunt visuals. 

Gardner, of course, requires readers to swallow contrived plot-driven elements.  For instance, there is a sequence late in the game where a cheerful Sukie (a mere rookie with guns) doesn’t flinch at participating in a bloody shootout at sea.  This twist doesn’t jive with her established persona, especially as her other seafaring skills are conveniently revealed.  The same applies to Bond’s inexplicable failure to dump the far-too-cooperative Sukie and Nannie as passengers, despite repeatedly acknowledging he knows better.  The late revelation of one culprit’s grotesque exploits isn’t necessarily plausible, either, but Gardner fairly drops a few hints.  At least, an intriguing twist re: SPECTRE’s nefarious efforts to save itself a few bucks during ‘The Head Hunt’ proves darkly ironic. 

Though slickly written, please beware that Gardner depicts sequences of grisly violence and/or homicide, including the ‘execution chamber’ finale.  If readers can handle these lurid scenes, then Nobody Lives Forever is a taut reading experience. 

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                           6½ Stars

Categories
Books & Novels Mystery & Suspense

J.P. BEAUMONT # 15: BIRDS OF PREY

Written by J.A. Jance

SUMMARY:

First published as a 2001 hardcover, this 388-page Avon Books paperback edition was released in 2002.  Narrated through his point-of-view, homicide detective Jonas Piedmont “J.P.” Beaumont is newly retired from the Seattle Police Department.  Haunted by his past, Beaumont hasn’t decided on his next career move yet.  Yet, he is cajoled into chaperoning his grandmother’s scenic honeymoon. 

Aboard The Starfire Breeze for a posh Alaskan cruise, Beaumont inadvertently becomes involved in an undercover FBI investigation of a homicidal cult.  Despite efforts to discreetly walk away, murder’s calling card forces Beaumont to rejoin a dangerous shipboard game where a cold-blooded killer could be anyone.

REVIEW:

Deftly blending all the elements of a first-class murder-mystery, J.A. Jance nails her Birds of Prey.  At the outset, Jance’s style vividly conveying details of a luxury cruise liner, the Alaskan locales, and Seattle points-of-reference is high-caliber for the genre.  With resorting to caricatures, her storytelling impressively brings to life the various characters, especially a world-weary Beaumont himself.  Without any drags, Beaumont’s cynical wit and astute deductions also keep readers fairly attuned to the plausibly shifting plot twists.  Occasional profanities, well-placed humor, and some adult-oriented sequences (i.e. a rural Alaskan strip joint) help keep the storyline down-to-earth without being trashy. 

Birds of Prey makes for a refreshing one-and-done (or maybe two-and-done) read.  Even if it isn’t a long-term keeper, this Alaskan murder cruise is a gem to find at the library or pass on to others.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

A fourteen-page preview of Jance’s next Sheriff Joanna Brady mystery: Paradise Lost is included.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                             8 Stars

Categories
Books & Novels Movies & Television (Books) Mystery & Suspense

MURDER, SHE WROTE: DYING TO RETIRE

Written by ‘Jessica Fletcher’ & Donald Bain

SUMMARY:

Published in 2004 by Signet (a Penguin Group imprint), this original 260-page paperback is written by Donald Bain in mystery novelist Jessica Fletcher’s first-person POV. 

Dr. Seth Hazlitt, Sheriff Mort Metzger, and Mort’s wife, Maureen, accompany Jessica to a retiree community: Foreverglades, Florida, to attend a former Cabot Cove resident’s funeral.  Chance curiosity leads Jessica & Seth to conclude an unnecessary diet pill triggered their friend Portia Shelby’s fatal heart attack.  Considering Portia’s demise conveniently benefits a local developer’s plans, Jessica wonders if someone intended to kill her friend.  Clues take the Cabot Cove sleuth even further south to Key West in search of a possible culprit. 

REVIEW:

Befitting its South Florida locales, author Donald Bain’s text enjoys a breezy style.  For instance, a generous sprinkling of visual details, especially sights and sounds from Key West, help keep readers awake during dull stretches.  In that sense, the book’s vivid Key West sequences come off like a travelogue. 

Another welcome touch is that Bain mostly refrains from the TV series’ propensity for guest characters incessantly fawning over Jessica’s celebrity.  Perhaps Dying to Retire’s other asset is a guest cast sporting some interesting quirks (i.e. a retiree convinced he’s tailing a mob hitman; Seth’s medical school buddy-turned-Key West hippie — it’s easy to visualize someone like actor Bernie Kopell in this role, etc.).  However, at least one suspect is an unimaginative genre caricature, so Bain might have tried a bit harder in terms of pitching a shred of ambiguity. 

The more significant issue is there’s too little mystery to solve, as the book could have been condensed by a good twenty to thirty pages.  For that matter, aside from Jessica’s brief encounter with an alligator, Dying to Retire skimps on even mild suspense.  Even the central crime’s cause of death seems too implausible the way Bain presents it. 

A recurring gag re: who has the ‘original, authentic’ key lime pie recipe is more tiresome than cute in contributing to Jessica’s adventure.  What’s more evident is that Jessica’s unremarkable suspect list doesn’t merit one genuine surprise during the climax.  In Bain’s favor, however, the novel delivers a tidy epilogue.    

As a leisurely beach or bedtime read, Dying to Retire is okay, but it’s not as entertaining as a vintage TV series episode.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

There’s an six-page preview of the next book in this series: 2004’s Murder, She Wrote: A Vote for Murder.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                          5 Stars

Categories
Books & Novels Movies & Television (Books) Mystery & Suspense

MURDER, SHE WROTE: MURDER ON THE QE2

Written by ‘Jessica Fletcher’ & Donald Bain

SUMMARY:

Published in 1997 by Signet (a Penguin Group imprint), Donald Bain penned this original 304-page paperback in mystery novelist Jessica Fletcher’s first-person POV. 

Invited as a celebrity guest lecturer, a nostalgic Jessica embarks on her second five-day voyage aboard the Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) from New York City to Southampton, England.  Besides her two lectures, Jessica agrees to pen an interactive murder-mystery play to be performed onboard by a professional acting troupe. 

Friction erupts amongst her fellow celebrity lecturers, with their venom directed towards notorious film actress Marla Tralaine amidst her mid-life career comeback.  Also aboard is nasty TV network mogul Sam Teller (it’s easy to visualize someone like actor Ray Walston) and his sultry, eye-candy spouse: TV actress Lila Sims. 

Jessica’s fellow lecturers are all employed by Teller, who naturally despise both their boss and Marla Tralaine to varying degrees.  When Tralaine shockingly turns up dead, the ship’s crew relies upon Jessica for public relations help discreetly containing inevitable gossip and media leaks.  While Jessica and her new friend, Mary Ward, probe the homicide’s peculiarities, a potential witness vanishes.

Until Scotland Yard can reach the still-at-sea vessel, Jessica contends with a slew of suspects — most of them are linked to the victim’s fresh-from-the-tabloids past.

REVIEW:

As compared to this insipid mystery, having Jessica Fletcher make a guest appearance on The Love Boat would have been preferable.  Citing Jessica’s tiresome repetition of correcting others that this regal voyage is a ‘crossing, not a cruise,’ this whodunnit treads close to a condescending read … that is, until its preposterous final leg. By that point, fed-up readers may be gladly throwing themselves overboard. 

Given the sumptuous details Donald Bain supplies his QE2, it’s a fair guess that he has been aboard the real vessel before.  This element works well enough, as far as generating a visual backdrop for one’s imagination.  Yet, apart from Mary Ward’s likable presence, this storyline is overrun by a bland assortment of caricatures conveniently posing as Jessica’s suspects. 

Worse yet, the story’s fishnet of plot holes (i.e. why exactly Marla Tralaine’s nude corpse is found hidden) cover the range between contrived to utterly ridiculous.  Murder on the QE2 finally capsizes on readers once Jessica & Mary devise their makeshift ‘play,’ so the lurid crime scene can be publicly reenacted in front of the ship’s crew and guests. 

This hackneyed ‘big reveal’ falters badly, since the culprit (or possibly culprits) would have had such minimal incentive to commit at least one crime.  Bain tries spicing up the unnecessary motive with hints of tawdry sex, but it’s the equivalent of a disappointing ‘sizzle ‘n’ fizzle.’  If anything, the book’s last third is an unforced error all too reminiscent of Murder, She Wrote’s worst episodes.  Bain’s well-played epilogue offers faint compensation for his dreadful plot, but it’s too little too late. 

Squandering its shipboard vibe, Jessica Fletcher’s eye-rolling murder-mystery cruise aboard the QE2 is more like hook, line, and stinker.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

There’s an eight-page preview of the next book in this series: 1998’s Murder, She Wrote: Murder in Moscow.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                     2½ Stars

Note: A far more satisfying cruise murder-mystery novel is J.A. Jance’s Birds of Prey.  It’s an Alaskan cruise worth sleuthing with her ex-Seattle cop, J.P. Beaumont.

Categories
Anthologies Books & Novels Mystery & Suspense Sherlock Holmes-Related

SHELROCK HOLMES: THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

Written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

SUMMARY:

Initially published in 1892 in Britain and the U.S., this 321-page softcover edition was released by Penguin Books in the U.S. in 2009.  This printing was meant to help stoke interest in Robert Downey Jr.’s big-screen film.  The short story compilation consists of:

  • A Scandal in Bohemia: Holmes is employed by a snooty European royal, now publicly engaged, to retrieve a potentially embarrassing  photograph from an elusive ex-girlfriend.  This story is Irene Adler’s sole appearance in Doyle’s Holmes canon.
  • A Case of Identity: Mary Townsend’s fiancé mysteriously vanishes just minutes before their wedding, so she asks Holmes to find out what happened to him.
  • The Red-Headed League: Aging, down-on-his-luck pawnbroker Jabez Wilson may be the pawn of an elaborate scam, as Holmes suspects.
  • The Boscombe Valley Mystery: Holmes believes that, contrary to strong circumstantial evidence, young James McCarthy didn’t murder his belligerent father amidst a heated quarrel.
  • The Five Orange Pips: Twice before, envelopes ominously containing five orange pips directed at client John Openshaw’s uncle and later his father may have signaled their imminent death warrants.  When a third envelope arrives, will Holmes be too late to save his client in time?
  • The Man With the Twisted Lip: A distraught wife/mother urges Holmes to find out what happened to her husband, who evidently vanished inside an opium den.
  • The Blue Carbuncle: During the Christmas season, a stolen blue gem is unexpectedly found within a holiday goose.  Holmes and Watson backtrack the sales history of the goose to the thief.
  • The Speckled Band: Helen Stoner is terrified that she will meet the same ghastly fate of her twin sister only two years before once she is forced to move into the same bedroom.
  • The Engineer’s Thumb: Holmes & Watson aid a victimized hydraulic engineer, whose thumb has been severed.  They backtrack the truth behind the engineer’s ordeal.
  • The Noble Bachelor: An American bride disappears shortly after her wedding to a British noble.  Holmes has an alternate explanation compared to the grim theory held by Scotland Yard.
  • The Beryl Coronet: An anguished banker seeks Holmes’ aid when an invaluable state treasure is damaged, as three of its priceless gems stolen.  The only suspect is the banker’s own wayward son, who refuses to cooperate.
  • The Cooper Beeches: Already wary of her peculiar new employers, governess Violet Hunter calls upon Holmes & Watson for help when she realizes that something truly sinister is afoot.

REVIEW:

To Penguin Books’ credit, this attractive softcover is perfect for casual fans, as its comfortable font size makes for a leisurely read.  Narrated by Watson, this dozen mysteries remain a terrific introduction to English literature’s first super-detective.  In particular, Doyle’s wording is remarkable in that it hardly seems dated to modern readers. 

Yet, there are a few grammatical issues to be aware of.  Aside from Doyle’s odd goof in The Man With the Twisted Lip where Watson’s own wife mistakenly refers to him as “James” instead of “John,” there will be some occasional pronoun trouble and confusing punctuation.  Specifically, Doyle isn’t always specific enough as to who the pronoun “he” refers to during conversations between Holmes, Watson, and a male client.  Also, lengthy client flashbacks can be confusing, as the pronoun “I,” isn’t always clear as to whether the client is still speaking, or if it refers to Watson as the story’s overall narrator.  Lastly, Doyle tends to use exclamation points rather than question marks when a speaker excitedly asks questions.

As for the stories themselves, for the most part, they are indeed timeless.  Yet, some contrived plot elements don’t age well.  Whether it is the absurd personal motive for The Man With the Twisted Lip to stay behind bars (and even risk execution), weddings gone awry, unusual scams, or the tyrannical daddy buffoons seen in The Copper Beeches and The Speckled Band, some of Doyle’s ‘villains’ are merely glorified caricatures, often with a macabre twist.  Invariably, as Holmes and Watson dominate the screen time,  Doyle neglects to bolster depth in Holmes’ adversaries, as well as his clients, in these short tales.   

Besides the amusing Blue Carbuncle and Red-Headed League, Doyle’s best efforts include the intriguing Scandal in Bohemia, as well as the terror-inducing double-header of The Speckled Band and The Five Orange Pips.  Another solid excursion is The Boscombe Valley Mystery, as even its contrived elements implicating the prime suspect don’t sabotage an otherwise compelling tale.  Similarly, parts of The Beryl Coronet’s solution (i.e. how the Coronet is actually broken) seem ridiculous, but the story itself is generally well-played.     

It’s really no wonder that future mystery authors, such as Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers, were inspired by bits and pieces of Doyle’s creativity.  Even his weaker stuff (i.e. A Case of Identity, The Noble Bachelor,  The Man With the Twisted Lip, and an unsatisfying finish for The Engineer’s Thumb) boast a few great ideas that future sleuths, i.e. Christie’s Hercule Poirot, would satisfyingly improve upon.  Swallowed with the necessary grains of salt, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes makes a first-class read anytime.   

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

Its table-of-contents is helpful.  There’s also a two-paragraph biography of Doyle.  Penguin Classics advertises brief synopses for The Hound of the Baskervilles; The Sign of Four; and A Study in Scarlet.  A final advertisement refers to Doyle’s A Life in Letters re: a collection of the author’s private correspondence.   

BRIAN’S 10-STAR RATING:                                     10 Stars

Categories
Books & Novels Movies & Television (Books) Mystery & Suspense Reference & Science Sherlock Holmes-Related

SHERLOCK HOLMES FAQ

Written by Dave Thompson

SUMMARY:

Published by Applause Theatre & Cinema Books in 2013, this 283-page paperback reference guide pitches itself as “all that’s left to know about the world’s greatest private detective.”  Beginning with author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s life, author Dave Thompson commences with discussing Holmes’ literary history, as well as how he inspired a host of rival fictional detectives.  A number of the Holmes short stories and novels are summarized and reflected upon.  Thompson includes sections on how a real London would have looked to Holmes, as well as some of the grim British true crime cases that sorely needed a real-life Holmes. 

Further, Thompson points out the changes in Conan Doyle’s life while he was churning out subsequent waves of new Holmes mysteries.  Even after Doyle permanently shelfed Holmes, Thompson looks at Doyle’s later life, as he dabbled in researching psychic phenomena and feuded with purported ‘ghost hunter’ Harry Price.  

Thompson also chronicles the various Holmes adaptations, including notable films and TV series.  In his analysis, the author provides brief biographies of Holmes actors Basil Rathbone, Peter Cushing, and Jeremy Brett.  The author’s assessment of the BBC’s Sherlock TV series is included.  Other literary adaptations of Holmes (or likely inspired by the character) are given a close look by Thompson.  The author concludes with mentioning a ‘possible’ encounter between Doyle’s alleged ghost and his ex-nemesis, Harry Price, at a séance in 1930. 

REVIEW:

Though Thompson delves into the Holmes phenomenon, this book is more like a FAQ re: Conan Doyle’s resentful existence in Holmes’ shadow.  To his credit, Thompson’s narrative is pretty solid.  If one is looking for some rare tidbits re: Holmes, this book is a decent choice.  Yet, if the readers really want more of a glimpse into Conan Doyle’s world and how his own private life was impacted by Holmes’ unfathomable public success, Sherlock Holmes FAQ proves an intriguing read.  Although this book isn’t necessarily a keeper for the bookshelf, it’s at least worth perusing, if only for curiosity’s sake.   

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

A four-page appendix catalogs Doyle’s bibliography.  This book’s own bibliography is also included, as is a five-page index.  A neat assortment of photos accompany the text, including some reprints of artist Sidney Paget’s The Strand illustrations and a rare glimpse of early 20th Century stage actor William Gillette in his stint as Holmes.        

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                                 6 Stars