There is nothing more satisfying than reading a book while sipping a hot cup of tea.
Being a member of the clergy and a writer of mysteries might seem two very different callings but Victor Lorenzo Whitechurch (1868-1933) was both: attached to the Church of England as well as a prolific writer and member of the Detection Club. He is best known today for his stories featuring the Railway Detective Thorpe … Continue reading Forgotten Book: Murder at the Pageant by Victor L. Whitechurch
A fortnight ago, I had no idea about Robert Barnard. Then Patti @ Pattinase dedicated one Friday to his books and I got to know that he was a British writer of mysteries who had passed away but recently. Sergio's review of his book A Fatal Attachment was so compelling that I wanted to read … Continue reading Short Notes: A Little Local Murder by Robert Barnard
Blame it on Yvette! There I was thinking that I was through with Georgette Heyer and her Regency romances but she wrote one interesting post after another so that finally I caved in, picked up one, and read it at one go (though the review is much delayed) . To my surprise, The Reluctant Widow … Continue reading Napoleon’s agents in Regency England: Georgette Heyer’s The Reluctant Widow
Josephine Bell is the pseudonym of Doris Bell Collier Ball, a prolific writer of mysteries during the Golden Age of Detection. Having lost her father in childhood, the young Doris nonetheless followed his footsteps and went on to study medicine. Later on, she married fellow-doctor, Norman Dyer Ball, and the two set up a joint practice. … Continue reading Forgotten Book: Death in Retirement by Josephine Bell
At times, a book can lead you to another book. When I read Sarah Waters' The Little Stranger, I came to know that the book was influenced by Waters' reading of Josephine Tey's The Franchise Affair. Since I wanted some questions answered as regards The Little Stranger, I downloaded Tey's book.About to close his office, the lawyer Robert … Continue reading F is for Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey
Abbershaw was suddenly seized with a violent objection to the whole scheme. The story of the dagger ritual had impressed him strangely. He had seen the eyes of Gideon fixed upon the speaker with curious intensity, and had noticed the little huddled old man with the plate over his face harking to the barbarous story … Continue reading Games in the Dark: The Crime at Black Dudley
This month, I am participating in the Charles Dickens bicentennial celebrations hosted by Amanda at Fig and Thistle. The book that I am reading right now is one that has long been on my wishlist: The Mystery of Edwin Drood. So far, the mystery has been fairly gripping. There are two young people, Edwin and … Continue reading Charles Dickens Month: Edwin, Rosa, and Jasper
Mr. Campion began to understand Marcus' remark of the previous evening: "If I lived in that house I might easily feel like murder myself." That atmosphere of restraint which is so racking in adolescence was here applied to age, and Campion experienced a fear of stumbling upon some weak spot where beneath the rigid bone … Continue reading House of Horrors: Police at the Funeral
He walked slowly across the room until he was standing face to face with Brat by the window. He had abnormally clear grey eyes with adarker rim to the iris, but they had no expression in them. Nor had his pale features any expression. He was so tightly strung, Brat thought,that if you plucked him … Continue reading A Pit in Dothan: Josephine Tey’s Brat Farrar
a hot cup of pleasure 