Elementary, my dear taxman...

Snicked from here.

Recent reading: "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd"

 

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie 

 

I'm still behind on #ReadChristie2026 and haven't been reading much the past couple of weeks, but I finally finished The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (June). 

 

Poirot has retired to the village of King's Abbott to grow vegetables and live in anonymity,  but the murder of a wealthy local brings him back to the detecting business. His next door neighbor, Dr. Sheppard, a personal friend of Ackroyd's, helps out due to his knowledge of the players and fills the Hastings role, as Poirot admits to missing his long-time friend, now living in Argentina. But Dr. Sheppard is no Hastings, and not only is Poirot's revelation of who killed Roger Ackroyd a shocker, but so is how he treats the guilty party. As usual, it's a treat to learn how Poirot unravels the mystery.

 

I first read this years ago, and knowing the identity of the guilty party made for a different experience than the first read. Once you find out, you'll want to go back and re-read it to see how Christie sprinkled hints and issues that lead the legendary Hercule Poirot to the killer. The book is rightly famed for its twist ending.

 

I do remember that when this story was produced for Poirot, for some reason the producers felt the need to turn the quiet, confessional ending into a chase that could not have been further from how Christie resolved the story, and it was quite a disappointment. So it was nice to go back and read this again. Just one of the best mysteries ever.

 

From the book:

 

Poirot, too, was smiling, and at the same time shaking an eloquent finger at me. "Have I not told you at leasst thirty-six times that it is useless to conceal things from Hercule Poirot?" he demanded. "That in such a case he finds out?"

  

Recent reading: "The God of the Woods"

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

 

This book has received absolutely rave reviews and I recently picked it up at Barnes & Noble, although I found the length (558 pages) concerning. So how good is The God of the Woods?

 

I read it in one day. All 558 pages of it. I decided to take it with me yesterday morning to my hair appointment and was hooked from chapter 1. Later that day I read some more and then after dinner I went back to it, finally finishing at 11:30pm. The cover features a quote from Maureen Corrigan of "Fresh Air"": "Extraordinary. I barely came up for air." It had the same effect on me. I couldn't put it down. I had to know how things would play out, and play out they did.

 

It's 1975 and troubled thirteen year old Barbara Van Laar vanishes from the Adirondacks summer camp owned by her wealthy family. To make matters worse she isn't even the first child in her family to disappear - the same thing happened to her brother, Peter Van Laar IV (nicknamed Bear) fourteen years earlier, and no trace of him was ever found. And this is just scratching the surface - there are webs of secrets, betrayals, and social machinations that will eventually be revealed, as well as the collision of the rich and powerful versus the often struggling working class.

 

The story is told from multiple points of view. Among them: Louise, a Camp Emerson counselor who becomes a suspect in Barbara's disappearance, Tracy, a lonely camper befriended by Barbara, Alice Van Laar, the emotionally damaged mother of the missing children, Jacob Sluiter, a recently escaped killer with a history in the region, Carl Stoddard, a gardener on the Van Laar estate who becomes a suspect in Bear's disappearance, and most prominently, Judyta (Judy) Luptack, a recently promoted young investigator who will become key in determining what happened to both Barbara and Bear. 

 

There is also a vast cast of additional characters - the Van Laar's and others of their elite social circle, attractive young men that many of the girls - including Louise, Tracy, and Barbara - are attracted to and invariably disappointed by, Vic Hewitt, the former estate groundskeeper and camp director and his daughter T..J., who has taken up her father's roles and grew up alongside the Van Laar children, and Denny Hayes, the investigator mentoring Judy.

 

The story also moves back and forth between timelines: Barbara and Tracy's blooming friendship in June and July of 1975, followed by Barbara's vanishing that August, all the way back to Alice's 1950's marriage to Peter Van Laar III, scion of a rich banking family, Bear's 1961 disappearance, and finally, Judy's day by day August 1975 investigation into Barbara's case.

 

The God of the Woods is in production as a drama series for Netflix and having finished the book I was interested in the casting. Maya Hawke is playing Judy. Kerry Condon (Oscar nominated for The Banshees of Inisherin and better known to me as Mike Ehrmentraut's widowed daughter-in-law Stacey in Better Call Saul) is Alice, and Tracy Letts is Peter Van Laar II, the grandfather Bear tells Carl he doesn't like (followed by Bear disappearing under his watch). The rest of the cast I'm not really familiar with, but it's looking like I'm going to have to start subscribing to Netflix again, at least for a while. Moore herself is involved in the writing and production and I'm really interested in seeing how this translates to the screen.

 

The God of the Woods is one of the best things I've read in years. It will reel you in and not let you go. Just an amazingly plotted thriller and I can't recommend it enough. 

 

Recent reading: "The Labors of Hercules" (Intro and Stories 1, 2 and 3)

The Labors of Hercules

by Agatha Christie 

 

I'm way behind on #ReadChristie2026. I'm currently still working on May's assignment, The Labors of Hercules, a series of short stories where Hercule Poirot accepts cases based on the Greek legend. Here are the introduction and first three cases: 

 

Introduction:

 

Dr. Burton expresses surprise that Hercule Poirot has not spent time studying classic literature and the discussion prompts Poirot to dive into Greek mythology. He isn't impressed, but it does give him the idea to devote the rest of his career to cases that correspond symbolically to the actual Labours of Hercules. 

 

1. "The Nemean Lion"

 

Hercules: Tasked with and succeeded in slaying a lion in spite of it having fur that was impervious to arrows.

 

Poirot: Sir Joseph Hoggin asks Poirot to look into the case of his wife's stolen Pekingese (Pekinese in the story) dog. The dog has been returned safely after a two hundred pound ransom had been paid, but Hoggin is angry at the fact that his wife paid it without consulting him and he wants his money back. Poirot discovers that this dog isn't the only stolen and ransomed Pekinese.

 

This is one of the cleverest short stories I've ever read. There's actually two cases at the end and the way Christie sprinkled clues and red herrings throughout was so not obvious, but when Poirot solves the case everything falls into place perfectly. It's a master class on how to do that. There's a reason she's referred to as the queen of mystery. There was an extra twist at the end that was just brilliant. This story was a great start to the series.

 

Symbolic relationship: One of the characters refers to the breed's origin myth, "...according to the legend, Pekinese were lions once. And they still have the hearts of lions!" Apparently during Christie's time period the Peke was a favorite of rich women, which makes them potential targets for ransom.

 

2. "The Lernean Hydra" (Lernaean in the myth)

 

Hercules: Tasked with slaying the multi-headed Hydra, a task complicated by the fact that every time he cuts off a head, two new heads grow back. 

 

Poirot: A year earlier and after some years as an invalid, Dr. Charles Oldfield's wife passed away, since then he has been beset by local gossip that he poisoned his wife. He feels helpless to refute the rumors due to the sheer volume and being outnumbered. He also doesn't think the police can't help him and so approaches Poirot as a last resort.

 

Poirot believes a jealous woman is involved and Dr. Oldfield finally admits that his relationship with his demanding invalid wife had been strained, and also to being romantically involved with his much younger pharmaceutical dispenser, Jean Moncrieffe. And while the guilty party was telegraphed a little more than usual for Christie, it was still, as always, fascinating to see how Poirot finally identified the murderer, and how he exploited the very town gossips that plagued Dr. Oldfield to solve the case. 

 

Symbolic relationship: As Poirot describes it, "Rumour is indeed the nine-headed Hydra of Lernea which cannot be exterminated because as fast as one head is chopped off, two grow in its place." Poirot solved the dilemma by explaining, "...my task, like that of my namesake Hercules, was to reach the first - the original head." In other words, "Who had started the rumour?" 

 

3. "The Arcadian Deer" (Ceryneian Hind in the myth)

 

Hercules: Tasked with capturing the Ceryneian Hind, a stag-like creature sporting golden horns that is so swift of foot it can outrun arrows shot at it. Hercules captures it alive by throwing a net over it as it sleeps. After he presents it to King Eurystheus (who gave him with the task in the hopes it would cause him to run afould of the goddess Artemis), Hercules thwarts the king by returning the beast to Artemis rather than letting him keep it for himself, angering the king and pacifying the goddess.

 

Poirot: Hercules Poirot's car breaks down in a small country village, where the handsome young mechanic who is repairing the car requests the great detective's help in finding the lady's maid of a Russian ballerina who was visiting a local estate, but who mysteriously disappeared seemingly without a trace.

 

The young mechanic, Ted Williamson, is described as, "...one of the handsomest specimens of humanity he (Poirot) had ever seen, a simple young man with the outward semblance of a Greek god." And this sweet, simple young man is desperately in love with the young lady's maid, in spite of only meeting her a couple of times. He doesn't even know her last name, just her first: Nita. Poirot takes pity on Ted and goes above and beyond the call of duty to track down the missing girl. When he does, we learn that Nita was no lady's maid, but someone putting on a performance.

 

Symbolic relationship: The obvious tie of Ted being described as a Greek god. Poirot having once seen the ballerina dance the role of a hunted hind. Nita's golden hair being described as flipping up on each side of her face "like wings" (the Hind's golden horns). At the end there is also the hope that "Nita" might return to Ted as the Ceryneian Hind was returned to Artemis, with Poirot suggesting, "And why should you not be the wife of a garage hand in a country village? And have children as beautiful as gods, and with feet, perhaps, that will dance as you once danced."

 

I have to say that although (at least so far) these stories have been pretty short, quick reads, Christie packs an amazing amount of information and red herrings in them. This is really the first time I've read her short stories and in addition to her amazing novels, she was also a gifted short story author. The woman really could do it all. Looking forward to the next batch of Poirot's labors.

 

Recent reading: "Mastering the Art of French Murder"

Mastering the Art of French Murder: An American in Paris Mystery

by Colleen Cambridge

 

This is the first in Cambridge's Tabitha Knight series, set in post-World War II Paris and featuring a young American woman who has been invited to the City of Lights by her French grandfather. Living on the same street are Julia Child, a student at Le Cordon Bleu, Julia's sister Dorothy, and husband Paul, who works at the American embassy in France. Although Tabitha is pretty inept in the kitchen, she's getting help in this area from Julia as the two women have become close friends.

 

I had a little trouble getting immersed in this story, which begins with Tabitha and Julia perusing a French Market. I don't know if I thought it was a bit presumptuous to use someone like Julia as a major character. Cambridge did a good job of writing Julia, at least as far as I know about her from Julie & Julia and her autobiography. Still, I don't know how Julia (or any other chef) would really feel if her chef's knife was used in a murder.

 

I took the book with me to a lengthy hair appointment yesterday (color/conditioning/cut/blowout) and that's when I really got sucked into the mystery and I finished it today. Tabitha herself, along with Julia, Dorothy, and a group of Dorothy's local American theater friends who had partied at Chez Child with the victim are all suspects, so like any good amateur sleuth Tabitha lets her curiosity get the better of her as she embarks on her own investigation to clear her and her friends names.

 

One thing that I did find really interesting is that as Tabitha's investigation continued, what seemed like a simple murder evolved into a much deeper espionage plot involving Paul Child's place of employment. It was really unexpected and really expanded the depth of the mystery. And of course, the title is a nod to Julia Child's famous cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

 

Mastering the Art of French Murder is the first in a series of historical mysteries with Tabitha and Julia. Cambridge knows her post-WWII Paris and this story worked well not only as a mystery, but also as a fascinating history of the beautiful city emerging from the throes of occupation. 

 

Agatha Christie lied to us

 

Recent reading: "A Caribbean Mystery"

A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie 

 

For me, this Miss Marple story was far superior to January's experience, and I think it's because she's away from St. Mary Mead and among people who don't know anything about her expertise in solving crime. Jane Marple is on vacation in the Caribbean when a mysterious death piques her interest. But to the hotel owners and other guests, she's just a pleasant old lady who likes to knit, not a potent amateur sleuth, and how Miss Marple exploits this in her investigation is part of the fun.

 

A Caribbean Mystery features the usual Agatha Christie colorful cast of characters/suspects/victims. The hotel owners are a young couple who have sunk their life savings into the venture and are desperate for it to succeed, and the last thing they need is a murder or two. Among the guests are a blustery, old-school British colonel who likes to regale others with wild tales from his glory days and who becomes the first victim, a pair of upper-class couples who travel together, but whose outer propriety hides two damaged relationships, and a very elderly (and very rich) man traveling with his masseuse and secretary. And how Miss Marple finally figured out the mystery was highly entertaining and very unexpected.

 

I'm still trying to catch up on #ReadChristie2026 (this was April's read). The theme for 2026 is "Biggest, Best, Beloved" and A Caribbean Mystery was chosen as "Beloved in Your Collection". For May we have The Labours of Hercules, a collection of Hercule Poirot short stories based on the mythological Labours of Hercules. If I can finish them by the end of the month I'll be caught up. June should be easy because it's The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, one of my all-time favorites that never gets old. If I can get caught up maybe I can work on the other book club I committed to this year and which has totally fallen by the wayside. 

 

Recent reading: "Murder on the Orient Express"

 

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

 

Still running behind in #ReadChristie2026. 

 

With his train at a snowbound standstill, Hercule Poirot seeks the murderer of an American passenger among the colorful cast of characters aboard the Orient Express. What he uncovers is an elaborate plan of revenge on a man who had gotten away with murder. 

 

Ultimately, after exposing how the passengers played jury and executioner, Poirot, along with his friend Monsieur Bouc (a director of the train company) and Dr. Constantine, who examined the deceased, plays judge in determining the fate of the killers. It's an unusual decision for a detective so devoted to justice, but he also understood there was another case of long-delayed justice finally being served. 

 

The theme for Read Christie this year is Biggest, Best, Beloved, and Murder on the Orient Express was picked for "Biggest Impact on You As A Young Reader", although I wasn't reading Christie as a young reader - I was buried in horse books. 

 

Next up: The April selection of Miss Marple and A Caribbean Mystery (Beloved in Your Collection) and May's The Labours of Hercules (Best Short Story Collection). If I can finish both this month I will be caught up.

 

Recent reading: Alfred Hitchcock and Ellery Queen Mystery Magazines

Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine and Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine continue to run late under the new publisher, but that's okay because I'm behind on reading. Word is they have a new printer and will catch up over the next few issues.

 

Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine

January/February 2026

 

Some favorites from this historical themed issue: 

• "Glass Beach" by Michael Bracken: A fun, twisty tale about what happens when a teen and his stepfather discover the spoils of a years old payroll theft and decide to keep it, learning about money laundering and local corruption in the process. 

• "Paradise Stolen" by Mark Thielman: Philip Hawksley, the vestry clerk at St. Giles-without-Cripplegate Church, is charged with recovering purloined body parts taken from famous poet John Milton, whose casket was uncovered in the church during repairs. Some local pubsters under the influence went from wanting a peek to making off with pieces of Milton's shroud, some swatches of hair, a few teeth and most alarmingly, a rib. In spite of the gruesome topic, Hawksley is a fun, entertaining character and watching him pull off his investigation was a treat. Would love to see more of Hawksley in the future. 

• "Illegal in All States" by John H. Dirckx: Sergeant Dollinger has to get creative to solve the mysterious death of a cameraman who died on the set of a crime-recreation show. 

• "Left Hand, Third Finger" by Jim Fusilli: A great, but brutal story. After her rich fiance breaks their engagement, Emily Michaelangelo has no intention of returning the extremely valuable engagement ring. When a mysterious stranger takes it with horrific force her retired cop grandfather is on the case, with an assist from Emily, who has inherited his toughness.  

• "When the First Body Drops" by Steve Liskow: A highly entertaining story of a woman who gets carried away with a plan for revenge when she discovers proof of her husband's infidelity by setting him up for his bimbo's would-be murder. However, things go awry and they both become suspects in her disappearance. 

 

Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

January/February 2026 

 

Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine dedicates the January/February issue each year to Sherlock Holmes, so there were several Holmes pastiches in this issue. 

• "The Final Problem" by Terence Faherty: According to the intro, this is "The final story in Terence Faherty's current series of Holmes parodies that have appeared in EQMM." This story suggests that Holmes didn't die in a confrontation with Professor Moriarty, but that the story was a cover for him simply walking away from detecting, having found love and embarking on a new life. Great voice for Watson and full of fun twists and suspense. Bonus points: Even though I haven't read the others stories in the series, this story works just fine as a standalone. 

• "Where's Pete?" by Nick Guthrie: The lead singer of punk band The Guttersnipes mysteriously vanishes just before a gig that could result in a record deal. If you want to flashback to the early days of 1970's punk, this story is for you. 

• "The Adventure of the Belgravian Banshee" by Michael Mallory: Another great Holmes story, in which a carriage driver asks for the great detective's help protecting his ailing employer, Lord Atherton, from what he describes as the curse of a banshee. With Holmes otherwise occupied, he sends Watson in his place to check on the victim's condition. This is presented by Watson as a case that Holmes had asked him not to write about because even though he solves the mystery, he was not able to prevent the death of Lord Atherton and didn't want this failure publicized, so Watson had waited until two years after Holmes's death at the hands of Professor Moriarty. 

• "Coins in the Box" by Kate Hohl: Another Holmes pastiche, going back to when Holmes and Watson first take rooms at 221 Baker Street, run by a landlady with a dark secret to protect and deductive skills of her own. 

 

Recent reading: "Mrs. McGinty's Dead"

Mrs. McGinty's Dead: A Hercule Poirot Mystery

by Agatha Christie

 

I'm behind on reading, as usual. This was actually the February book for #ReadChristie2026 and due to being uprooted by a temporary move, I just finally got to this one. And it was a good one.

 

After a wonderful dinner at a French restaurant, Hercule Poirot's gastronomic reveries go by the wayside when he returns home and finds Superintendent Spence of the Kilchester Police waiting for him. They once worked a case together and Spence has a favor to ask. It concerns the murder of a widowed charwoman whose supposed killer has just been convicted and will be hung. The problem is that even Spence, an experienced investigator, doesn't think they have the right man, although the evidence - collected by Spence himself - resulted in a quick conviction. Intrigued, Poirot agrees to take the case.

 

He heads to Broadhinny to round up the usual suspects, and as is usual in Christie's works, there is a large and colorful cast of characters/suspects. The convicted man himself is the most colorless, the type of person my Dad euphemistically referred to as "not one of life's winners." James Bentley was Mrs. McGinty's lodger, had lost his job and was two months behind in paying for his room. In addition to being murdered Mrs. McGinty's room had been ransacked and money taken and stashed in the yard. Bentley had no alibi other than he had been out walking on his own, nothing pointed to anyone else, and the jury was presented with what appeared to be an open and shut case. Bentley is also not very helpful, having resigned himself to his fate, but fortunately for him Poirot is determined to find Mrs. McGinty's real killer.

 

It turns out Mrs. McGinty wasn't killed for money, but for having discovered a dark secret about one of Broadhinny's residents. How Poirot, who himself feels frustrated during most of the investigation, determines the actual guilty party was a lot of fun. I got through it in just a couple of sittings. Definitely better than January's experience.

 

One of the many things I really loved about this story was Poirot's musings on his love of good food and how he and Superintendent Spence celebrated solving the mystery with dinner back at the French restaurant from the beginning of the story.

 

The theme for Read Christie this year is Biggest, Best, Beloved, and Mrs. McGinty's Dead was picked for Beloved Character(s). Next month: Murder on the Orient Express. It's supposed to represent "Biggest Impact on You As A Young Reader" but believe it or not, I've never read it. I didn't really read mysteries as a young reader, I was buried in horse books. But it's a Poirot and I can't imagine not loving it, although I do already know the twist in its ending. But it's Poirot, and I do love him, so I'm looking forward to it.

 

Recent reading: EQMM and AHMM

The new publisher is still behind (I don't have the Jan/Feb issues yet) but I'm also behind on reading, so I guess that makes us even.

 

 Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine (September/October 2025)

 

Favorites from this issue:

• "The Corpse Collector" by David Morrell: A dental assistant moonlights as a pickup driver for a funeral director for extra money and uses her day job skills to determine that the seemingly accidental death of an old man was actually murder.
• "Where the Good Dogs Go" by Kai Lovelace: A dog's sickness pits his owners against each other - Rose, who wants to sink money they don't have into his treatment, and Brad, the husband she feels increasingly distant from and who she suspects of having the dog euthanized. Rose gets a rude surprise when she decides to take revenge on Brad. Great twist ending.
• "The Book of Dead Cats" by Sue Parman: A mysterious death of a professor at a prep school, eccentric characters, family drama, and cats.  

 

Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine (November/December 2025)

 

Favorites from this issue:

• "Doctor Morbilius" by Gary Phillips: Set in the 1960's, this story sees a Los Angeles PI and his estranged father caught up in a scam perpetrated by a charismatic conman.
• "Fursona Non Grata" by Richard Helms: A fun story about a supposedly psychic eccentric who assists a detective in solving a murder of a furry (a guy in a dog costume). 
• "Halloween Party" by David Dean: A young woman wants to get to know her new neighbors and neighborhood, only to get more information than she bargained for in this tale of infidelity, scandal, and murder. 

Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine (November/December 2025)

 

Favorites from this issue:

• "Circumstantial Evidence" by Eric B. Ruark: A bicyclist discovers a murder victim in a small town and is pressed to stick around because he's a potential suspect. When local troublemakers are arrested for the crime, the cyclist is free to leave...only to reveal that he's a contract killer and the murder was, in fact, his doing. Terrific use of an unreliable narrator. I did not see that ending coming AT ALL.
• "Take Me for a Ride" by Michael Mallory: Set in post-WWII Los Angeles, this is the story of a private eye who takes on the case of a valuable stolen car for an old war buddy, only to have it turn into an increasingly complicated murder case.
• "The Other Side of the Window" by Adrian McKinty: One of my favorite stories of the year. It's Hitchcock's Rear Window from the POV of Lars Thorwald, the killer played by Raymond Burr in the film. We learn how he reached the point of killing his wife (accidentally) after meeting another woman, who wants them to run off to California, and who enthusiastically helps Thorwald dispose of the wife's body and establish his alibi. An interesting aspect is how much the characters of Jefferies (James Stewart) and Lisa Fremont (Grace Kelly) were minimalized. The character of Helen, Thorwald's paramour, doesn't appear in the film and is a device created to explain how and why Thorwald's wife ended up dead. Just a really great alternative take on a classic.
• "A New Life" by LaToya Jovena: A man seeks sole ownership of his late mother's twenty acre property with plans to turn it into a multi-million dollar development scheme, but his estranged daughter has other ideas. Great double-cross at the end.  

Recent reading: Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine

AHMM and Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine have been running late, and so have I in reading them.

Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine 

(September/October 2025)

 

Favorites from this issue: 

• "High in That Ivory Tower" by Joseph S. Walker: A jaded English professor tries to blackmail a filthy rich student, with unexpected results when the young man's father shows up to confront him. Bonus points for the shoutout to "The Cask of Amontillado" during the shock ending.
• "The Promise" by Ken Brosky: A PI looking for a missing crime witness has to drag his teenage daughter along for the job and is pleasantly surprised when she shows unexpected aptitude and enthusiasm.
• "Julius Katz Draws a Straight Flush" by Dave Zeltserman: Imaginative story about a PI and his AI assistant, who not only assists but authors tales of their legendary exploits, and how they brilliantly solve the seemingly innocuous case of a dead waiter. 4/30/26: This just won the Edgar Award for Best Short Story of 2025.
• "Tell Me a Story, Grampa" by Loren D. Estleman: The story Grampa tells young Randy is about an old, unsolved bank robbery that has become legend in their small town, with a very unexpected twist at the end that reveals the robber that everyone thought got away.
• "Murder in F-Sharp" by Stephen Ross: A teenage music student discovers the identity of the murderer of a teacher at his school, then uses this knowledge to ruthlessly manipulate two adults in his life - his father and his piano teacher. Another great, unexpected twist at the end.
• "The Selwyn Arms" by Marcelle Dube: A formerly homeless young woman investigates the murder of a kind neighbor after realizing local police are going to write it off as an accidental overdose or suicide. Probably my favorite of all the stories and I would love to see more of unlikely heroine Ethel Brownlee, especially with the unexpected news she receives at the end of the story. Plus, I'm a sucker for vintage buildings like the Selwyn.

 Next up, EQMM.

Recent reading: Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine

 

Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine (July/August 2025)

 

My favorite stories in this issue:

• "The Violent Season" by  Jessica Van Dessel: Set in the 1950's when cause was needed for divorce, a man allows himself to be set up for "adultery" photos, but is drawn into a murder. His wife is the unlikely hero in this story.
• "Slow Burn" by Mark Thielman: A man poisons his wife, but she still gets her post-mortem revenge.
•  "Penalty for Early Withdrawal" by Michael Bracken: A broke, unemployed aspiring actress gets caught up in a bank robbery and attempts to use her acting skills to help herself to the loot. 
• "Heartsick" by Marcelle Dube: A young woman has poisoned her husband, but the case isn't that cut and dried.
• "Horseshoe Pies and Hand Grenade Hushpuppies" by Roger Johns: A former grifter attempts to atone for past sins by helping a former mark who has been victimized again, this time by a small-town gigolo.
• "Double Take" by T.M. Bradshaw: A New York detective works the murder of a man who is part of a group of golden-age Hollywood look-alikes, including a Lauren Bacall who steals, then breaks his heart. This story was published as the winner of the Black Orchid Novella Award. 

 

Recent reading: Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine (July/August 2025)

 

My favorite stories in this issue:

• "Advantage: Lily" by Sara Paretsky: According to the introduction and author's notes this story introduces a new series character whose first novel is in-progress. Lily Arima is a seventy-something retired CIA agent, and here she uses her professional skills to straighten out an insurance company that is rejecting massive medical bills incurred by a neighbor who suffered a stroke. Based on this reading, Lily's further adventures are something to look forward to.
• "How It Happened" by Billie Kay Fern: A beautifully told tale of justice served on abusive and cheating spouses, as told by a sweet but knowing young farmgirl. Really fantastic job on the girl's voice. 4/30/26: This story just won the Robert L. Fish Memorial Award for best first mystery short story by an American author at the Edgars last night.
• "Me and Extra and Those Piercing Green Eyes" by Peter Turnbull: Its cumbersome title notwithstanding (Extra is a dog and the green eyes belong to a detective) this is a terrific story told by a serial killer as to how he's gotten away with it for so long, and how he's finally tripped up by a crooked cop and the cop's equally vicious wife.
•  "The Tower at Coffin Rock" by Dennis McFadden: A sheriff investigates the suspicious death of a young woman who had accused his estranged brother of rape. A nice twist at the end indicating that the victim may not have been the victimized.
• "Cold" by Robin Castle: Another fun twist ending for the story of a young woman who discovers the body of a murder victim while jogging on the beach. 
• "Cur Non" by Shelly Eisenhautchen: A ruthless, ambitious literary agent hires a young woman who seems to be the perfect assistant, not realizing the new hire has a tie to a writer the agent once publicly humiliated.

 

Recent reading: Alfred Hitchcock's and Ellery Queen Mystery Magazines

Trying to catch up on my short story reading. Not doing very well - I'm still a couple issues behind. Add in the fact that I'm working my way through the new short story anthology inspired by Stephen King's The Stand and I'll probably fall even further behind on the magazines. Me and my first world problems.

   

 Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine (March/April 2025)

Favorites from this issue: 

• "Bent, Bent & Duckworth" by Alexis Stefanovich-Thomson: A well-plotted story with a put-upon PI protagonist whose mother and step-father attempt to take over his business.
  
• "I Ain't Got No Home" by Steve Liskow: A missing homeless man prompts an investigation that leads to the exposure of human trafficking and political corruption.
• "Admissions" by Ken Linn: High-level academic shenanigans. 
• "Quick Turnaround" by Gabriela Stiteler: A professional downsizer gets involved in a local mystery that doesn't concern him.
  
• "Boogie Shoes" by Jeff Marks: A locked-room mystery set in a mall shoe store circa late 1970's - bonus points for the Waldenbooks shoutout.
  

 

 Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine (May/June 2025)

 

Favorites from this issue (one of the best overall I've seen in recent memory):

• "The Portrait of Adrian Whyte" by David Dead: My favorite short story so far this year,  an imaginative tale that suggests the inspiration for Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray might have involved a real-life murder.
  
•  "The Witch's Ball" by Elizabeth Elwood: A lively story of a celebrity murder during Halloween festivities at a witch museum in Salem.
• "Tarzan Must Die!" by Loren D. Estleman: A UCLA film archivist gets mixed up in the murder of an actor whose career has seen better days.
• "Nighthawks" by James Hazelton: A terrific flash fiction story inspired by Edward Hopper's famous painting, in which the author gives his take on the patrons at the counter. Spoiler alert - no one is innocent. You'll see this painting a whole different way after reading this story.
  

• "Blues in the Night" by Persia Walker: In 1940's New Orleans, a young nightclub singer takes on corruption in the police force and local politics to clear her name in the murder of her boyfriend. This read like something that could be expanded into a novel. The fact that I should have been in NOLA for Bouchercon this week just added to the reading experience.
  
• "Shamus and Buster" by Paul Ryan O'Connor: A P.I. is murdered and the investigation is told from the point of view of his aged cat.
  
• "A Short Madness" by Josh Pachter: The story of how a psychologist solves a "locked-cell" murder mystery set in an 1850's era mental institution, as told years later by his assistant.
  

 

Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine (May/June 2025)

 

Favorites from this issue:

• "The Twenty-Fourth Canterbury" by Richard Helms: A successful author wants to end his hit series but is being pressured for just one more installment of his legendary sleuth.
• "Shane on the Scene" by James A. Hearn: A fun story about a young mystery fan who gets to help his detective uncle solve a case and thwart his mother's marriage to a crook at the same time.
  
• "Buds" by Kevin Egan: A play on words title and a fun story about a trial between a star and her former manager, and how a trio of court guards are drawn into the case.
• "Nobody Cares" by Michael A. Black: A dead homeless guy who is more than he seems leads a pair of detectives into local politics and corruption.
• "The Tell-Tale Hearts" by S. Frederic Liss: Detective Poe relates to the mysterious case of how he channeled Sherlock Holmes to solve the case of involuntary heart donors/murder victims.

 

Want to take a writing class taught by Agatha Christie? Of course you do, and so do I.

BBC Maestro, which I would describe as a British version of MasterClass, has brought the Queen of Mystery back to life to share her writing secrets: Writing with Agatha Christie.

From the course description:

 

The course has been curated by leading Christie scholars Dr Mark Aldridge, Michelle Kazmer, Gray Robert Brown, and Jamie Bernthal-Hooker, who have painstakingly reconstructed Agatha’s philosophy on writing, using her own words.

 

For the first time, audiences will hear Agatha Christie impart her insights on story structure, cast creation, plot twists, red herrings, and the art of suspense, drawn directly from her own writings and archival interviews.

According to this Deadline article, the BBC used a combination of AI and actress Vivien Keene to bring Christie to life. The course consists of 11 lessons and 12 exercises, and runs 2-1/2 hours. You can purchase the course as a stand-alone for $89, or subscribe to BBC Maestro for $120 for all-access for a year, which also provides courses from live people including Lee Child, Ken Follett, Harlan Coben, Bill Lawrence, Brian Cox, Sir Tim Rice, Mark Ronson, and that's just in the creative arts. They also offer courses in Food & Drink, Business, Wellness, and Art & Design.

I have two college classes (complete with live professors) going on right now, but I'm thinking once the semester is completed this will be my next course.

I also think it will be interesting to see how people react to the idea of someone like Christie being recreated by AI. AI itself is an extremely touchy issue with a lot of people, especially writers. Given the people behind it and the apparent care put into it, I'm willing to at least give this a shot. I guess I'll find out how I feel about it this summer.

Story fodder?

Hmmm...

 What could possibly go wrong? I can think of a lot of things, actually.

Susan Smith denied parole

Hard to believe, but it's been thirty years since Susan Smith was convicted for the murder of her two young sons in 1994. This week she was eligible for parole for the first time and was denied. Good.

 

I've seen footage of Susan at her hearing and I have to say it gave me flashbacks to her performances at the time of the crime. The non-existent tears (you'd think she'd have figured out how to work up actual tears by now), the self-pity, the apparent lack of true remorse for her actions. She just wants out of prison. She claims to be Christian now and while I have my doubts, that's between her and God. But it was tough to listen to her state that God forgave her for her actions and she hoped the parole board would feel the same way. I mean, it's like nothing's changed. Thirty years in prison and she's the same person who offed her kids in the hope that the rich guy in town would marry her and solve her money problems.

 

"Tearful."

One of the things that really sticks in my mind during that period is finding out not only that she had been arrested for murder, but had admitted to it. I worked at an office in West Los Angeles and that day was a co-worker's birthday, so a bunch of us took her to lunch, and that lunch ran long. We finally got back to the office and shortly thereafter the news broke, and what I remember most is how angry everyone was. We had a lot of young (20's-30's) women in the office and a number of them had very young children, and none of us could fathom how someone could do that to her own children. People were pissed, and it wasn't just us - that was the prevailing response to the horrible news of what Smith had done to her sons.

I don't know what she thought would happen after she let that car, with her children strapped into the back seat, roll into John D. Long Lake. My guess is that she thought everyone would feel sorry for her, especially (hopefully) the guy she'd been dating who'd broken off with her because he didn't want the baggage of someone else's children (my guess - there were other issues and that was a convenient excuse). Some time would pass and eventually the car would be found, and everyone would assume that the "carjacker" dumped it in the lake. More time would pass and the crime would just go unsolved. In the meantime she'd marry rich guy and live it up. The worst part of that scenario is if someone had been arrested and tried for the non-existent crime. Given Smith's sociopathy, I could see her playing along and having an innocent man convicted figuring it would get her off the hook. I could see her doing that. What a terrifying thought.

David Smith, the boys' father, showed up to argue against her release. His wife and daughter also spoke, as did the prosecutor at the time of the crime and the current prosecutor. One of the hardest things about listening to them was when David pointed out that thirty years only amounted to fifteen years per child. 

 

Unless she does a complete 180 at some point, I don't think she's ever getting paroled. I think she was delusional to think she'd be released the first time she was eligible, given the heinousness and notoriety of her crimes. Smith will now be able to apply for parole every two years, but hopefully she'll continue to rot in prison for the rest of her life.

Little angels.

Cover reveal!

We have an official cover reveal for Angel City Beat, the upcoming Sisters in Crime Los Angeles anthology that includes my story "Unbeatable", which involves an undefeated racehorse, a dead jockey, and a pet psychic.

 

 

 

We still don't have an exact release date, but it looks like officially it will be sometime in December.

Happy Anniversary to the deadliest author in history

Murder, She Wrote was a hit television series that ran for 12 seasons and because of its longevity, this became kind of a running joke, that if you were anywhere and mystery writer/amateur sleuth Jessica Fletcher showed up, you needed to get the hell out of there because someone was going to die. This became known as "Cabot Cove Syndrome", named after the quaint Maine seaside community where Jessica resided. As described on Wikipedia:

Murder occurred with such regularity in her vicinity that the term "Cabot Cove syndrome" was coined to describe the constant appearance of dead bodies in remote locations. Indeed, if Cabot Cove existed in real life, it would top the FBI's national crime statistics in numerous categories, with some analysis suggesting that the homicide rate in Cabot Cove exceeds even that of the real-life murder capital of the world.^[13]

Image via that80sand90spage on IG.