Not P

[John Bailey]

Agatha Christie's works can be wonderful in a puzzle box/escape
room/Goldberg machine way. Every genre element is very knowingly
handled, to the point at which even your most self-satisfied ah-ha
moments of deduction have usually been anticipated in some way. I very
much enjoyed reading a whole stack when I was a teenager, and while
it's easy to dismiss genre fiction, it's harder to completely
disregard a writer who was virtually her own genre.

On Fri, Oct 22, 2021 at 9:43 AM David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> The formula is usually:
>
> 1. One very big house. (or remote small town;  or long passenger train; or
> big ship…)
>
> 2. Fill it up with a multitude of eccentric characters with deep
> antagonisms (or loyalties) and both overt and hidden motives to harm or
> murder or fuck each other.
>
> 3.  Bring in the quirky detective (or outsider) who uncovers the cracks and
> we all watch the combustions happen.
>
> On Thu, Oct 21, 2021 at 5:13 PM Erik T. Burns <eburns at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > I respectfully suggest you read Christie's The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
> >
> > and then
> >
> > Who Killed Roger Ackroyd by Pierre Bayard
> >
> > try not to spoil the Christie book in advance by, say, reading a summary
> > or a wikipedia entry; it's worth it.
> >
> > On Thu, Oct 21, 2021 at 9:47 PM David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >> I’ve never actually READ anything by Agatha Christie, just seen more TV
> >> and
> >> film adaptations than one could ever want.  And they are ALL so formulaic!
> >> They are parodies of themselves.  No thrill left there.
> >>
> >> David Morris
> >>
> >> On Thu, Oct 21, 2021 at 1:48 PM Christopher Kerr <
> >> christopherker at gmail.com>
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >> > *Classic Crime Novels That Still Thrill Today *Here’s how we reviewed
> >> > now-famous mysteries by the likes of Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh,
> >> Dorothy
> >> > Sayers, Dashiell Hammett and more. *NYT 10/21/ 21*
> >> >
> >> > *‘The Mysterious Affair at Styles,’ by Agatha Christie*
> >> >
> >> > Though this may be the first published book of Miss Agatha Christie, she
> >> > betrays the cunning of an old hand. She first presents the mysterious
> >> > affair of Styles and then proceeds to make it more and more mysterious
> >> by
> >> > leading us gently to all sorts of wrong theories about the criminal.
> >> Mrs.
> >> > Inglethorpe, rich, elderly lady, is found early one morning writhing in
> >> > pain from the effects, as it is determined later, of poison. She dies
> >> with
> >> > the name of her husband on her lips. This husband (her second) had been
> >> her
> >> > secretary, and was 20 years younger than she. There was “the most awful
> >> > row” between Mr. and Mrs. Inglethorpe on the day preceding the crime,
> >> the
> >> > same day Mr. Inglethorpe was declared by the village chemist to have
> >> bought
> >> > a bottle of strychnine on the pretext of having to kill a dog. Mr.
> >> > Inglethorpe would certainly have been arrested there and then had it not
> >> > been for a certain delightful little old man, a refugee from Belgium and
> >> > formerly a famous detective, who took a hand in the case. He prevented
> >> the
> >> > arrest by producing an unimpeachable alibi for Mr. Inglethorpe. But if
> >> you
> >> > think that ends the story you are mistaken. You must wait for the
> >> > last-but-one chapter for the last link in the chain of evidence that
> >> > enabled M. Poirot to unravel the whole complicated plot and lay the
> >> guilt
> >> > where it really belonged. And you may safely make a wager with yourself
> >> > that until you have heard M. Poirot’s final word on the mysterious
> >> affair
> >> > at Styles, you will be kept guessing at the solution and will certainly
> >> > never lay down this most entertaining book. *[Review first published
> >> Dec.
> >> > 26, 1920]*
> >> >
> >> > *‘Whose Body?’ by Dorothy Sayers*
> >> >
> >> > A new member of the extensive and entertaining fellowship of detective
> >> > story writers, Miss Dorothy L. Sayers presents as her initial offering a
> >> > very ingenious tale. Its leading character is a certain genial and
> >> > eccentric Lord Peter Wimsey, younger brother of the Duke of Denver, who
> >> has
> >> > taken up amateur detecting as a pastime. Closely associated with him is
> >> a
> >> > professional from Scotland Yard, Mr. Parker, who does the routine work.
> >> > Bunter, Lord Peter’s very capable man, is useful in other ways than his
> >> > avowed duties of valet and butler.  The mystery which engages these
> >> three
> >> > very different persons is a double one. In other words, there are two
> >> > strange events, and in the beginning there is no apparent connection.
> >> The
> >> > first is the discovery by a timorous and eminently respectable
> >> architect of
> >> > the nude body of a murdered man, neatly disposed in his bathtub,
> >> decorated
> >> > with a pair of gold-rimmed pince-nez. The second is the disappearance of
> >> > the wealthy financier Sir Reuben Levy, who, his cook testified, had come
> >> > home at midnight and gone to his room. Before morning he had vanished.
> >> But
> >> > not one stitch of clothing had vanished with him; not even his
> >> spectacles,
> >> > which his nearsightedness made absolutely indispensable. What connection
> >> > was there between the two events? And whose body was it in the bathtub,
> >> > since it was very certainly not that of Sir Reuben Levy? If Miss Sayers
> >> > can maintain the standard she has set for herself in this tale, there
> >> seems
> >> > to be no reason the discerning, but by no means infallible, Lord Peter
> >> > should not become one of the best-known and best-liked of the amateur
> >> > detectives of fiction.* [Review first published May 27, 1923]*
> >> >
> >> > *‘The Maltese Falcon,’ by Dashiell Hammett (Feb. 23, 1930)*
> >> >
> >> > If the locution “hard-boiled” had not already been coined it would be
> >> > necessary to coin it now to describe the characters of Dashiell
> >> Hammett’s
> >> > latest detective story. All the persons of the book are of that
> >> > description, and the hardest boiled one of the lot is Sam Spade, the
> >> > private detective, who gives the impression that he is on the side of
> >> the
> >> > law only when it suits. If Spade had a weakness it would be women, but
> >> > appreciative as he is of their charms, never, even in his most intimate
> >> > relationships, does he forget to look out for the interests of Samuel
> >> > Spade. And it is well that he does, for the criminals with whom he
> >> comes in
> >> > contact are almost as hard-boiled as he. Mr. Hammett, we understand, was
> >> > once a Pinkerton’s operative, and he probably knows there is very little
> >> > romance about the detective business. There is none of it in his book,
> >> but
> >> > there is plenty of excitement. *[Review first published Feb. 23, 1930]*
> >> >
> >> > *‘The Dutch Shoe Mystery,’ by Ellery Queen*
> >> >
> >> > Miss Abigail Doorn, founder and patron of the Dutch Memorial Hospital,
> >> had
> >> > been seriously injured when she fell down a flight of stairs. Dr.
> >> Janney, a
> >> > weird little surgical wizard, directed that an immediate operation be
> >> > performed. Ellery Queen, one of our most intelligent and logical
> >> > detectives, happened to be visiting the hospital and had been invited to
> >> > witness the operation. When Miss Doorn, with much clinical detail, is
> >> > wheeled into the amphitheater, it is discovered that she has been
> >> > strangled. The strands of the story are further tangled when Dr. Janney
> >> is
> >> > also killed. Queen, aided by his father, sets out to ascertain who it
> >> was
> >> > that impersonated Dr. Janney when Miss Doorn was slain. It was someone
> >> who
> >> > knew every mannerism of the little surgeon, walked boldly into an
> >> > antechamber off the operating theater and, while a nurse made the last
> >> > preparations, fixed a fine wire about the old woman’s neck. The book is
> >> > thoroughly engrossing. — *Bruce Nae [Review first published Oct. 4,
> >> 1931]*
> >> >
> >> > *‘The Crossroad Murders,’ by Georges Simenon*
> >> >
> >> > A black monocle which conceals a glass eye is the distinguishing feature
> >> > of a man who is first suspected of murder at the crossroad of the Three
> >> > Widows, but the severest grilling of which Inspector Maigret and his
> >> > colleagues of the Judiciary Police are capable fails to break the man
> >> down.
> >> > Further investigation at the scene of the crime puts Maigret in
> >> possession
> >> > of various bits of information which, when fitted together, provide the
> >> > solution of a puzzle whose component parts appear at first glance to be
> >> > utterly incongruous. Compared with the general run of detective novels,
> >> > this one is relatively short, but the reader need not feel cheated.
> >> Georges
> >> > Simenon has the happy faculty of being able to pack large gobs of
> >> mystery
> >> > and excitement into a small number of pages. Brevity is not, after all,
> >> an
> >> > unpardonable sin. — *Isaac Anderson [Review first published Feb. 5,
> >> 1933]*
> >> >
> >> > *‘Hag’s Nook,’ by John Dickson Carr*
> >> >
> >> > A curse hangs over the Starberths, dating from the time when two
> >> > generations of the family were governors of Chatterham Prison. Tradition
> >> > has it that one male each generation dies of a broken neck. The prison,
> >> now
> >> > in ruins, stands near the family home, and the eldest son in each
> >> > generation must, on the night of his 25th birthday, go alone to the
> >> prison,
> >> > enter the governor’s room, open the ancient safe and learn the family
> >> > secret. Should he fail to do this, he forfeits his title to the estate.
> >> As
> >> > our story opens, young Martin Starberth is about to undergo this ordeal.
> >> > Martin dies in the manner ordained, but Dr. Fell, a friend of the
> >> family,
> >> > is skeptical about family curses and takes charge of the investigation.
> >> > Aside from being a remarkably good detective, the learned doctor is a
> >> > lexicographer and expert on drinking songs and drinking customs, past
> >> and
> >> > present. Skoal, and likewise prosit, Dr. Fell. And here’s looking at Mr.
> >> > Carr, who has written a clever yarn. — *Isaac Anderson [Review first
> >> > published April 16, 1933]*
> >> >
> >> > *‘The Saltmarsh Murders,’ by Gladys Mitchell*
> >> >
> >> > Not often has an odder set of characters been gathered together than
> >> those
> >> > who appear in the pages of this book, and the woman psychoanalyst who
> >> plays
> >> > the detective role is the oddest of the lot. Her methods are utterly
> >> > unorthodox and extremely confusing, but she succeeds where others fail
> >> in
> >> > ferreting out the baffling crimes. The story is told by Noel Wells, a
> >> young
> >> > curate who assists Mrs. Bradley, the psychoanalyst, in her
> >> investigations
> >> > without any but the faintest understanding of what she is up to. His
> >> > suspicions, as well as those of the reader, are directed toward one
> >> after
> >> > another of the various characters, but he is kept completely in the
> >> dark as
> >> > to Mrs. Bradley’s own theories. This book, we understand, is Gladys
> >> > Mitchell’s first introduction to American readers. It reveals her as
> >> adept
> >> > in the delineation of eccentric characters and the possessor of a keen
> >> > sense of humor as well as the ability to concoct a puzzling mystery
> >> yarn. — *Isaac
> >> > Anderson [Review first published April 30, 1933]*
> >> >
> >> > *‘The Death of a Ghost,’ by Margery Allingham*
> >> >
> >> > The identity of the murderer in this story does not long remain a
> >> secret.
> >> > The police know, and so does Albert Campion, the brilliant amateur who
> >> has
> >> > appeared in other stories by Margery Allingham. The difficulty is to
> >> prove
> >> > anything, for the murders have been so ingeniously planned and executed
> >> > that there is not a shred of evidence that would have the slightest
> >> weight
> >> > in court. The only thing to do is play a waiting game in the hope that
> >> the
> >> > murderer may attempt another killing and be caught in the act. The next
> >> > attempt is so nearly successful that the inspector says to the intended
> >> > victim, “If you ever get nearer to Death than you were last night
> >> you’ll be
> >> > able to steal his scythe.” The setting for this mystery is so nearly
> >> > perfect that one is tempted to say that it is more important than the
> >> > mystery itself. It is the one setting in which such a story could be
> >> placed
> >> > — the artistic world of London and, more specifically, the studio of
> >> John
> >> > Lafcadio, who died 20 years before the story opens after making a will
> >> that
> >> > is the direct cause of the tragedies to come. The personality of
> >> Lafcadio
> >> > dominates the narrative through his widow, his granddaughter, and other
> >> > members of his household. All these characters are interesting for their
> >> > own sakes as well as for the light they cast on the man they all revered
> >> > and loved. Particularly is this true of Belle Lafcadio, the widow, one
> >> of
> >> > the most delightful old ladies we have ever encountered in or out of
> >> books.
> >> > Margery Allingham has written some unusually good detective stories
> >> before
> >> > now, but in this one she has quite surpassed herself. — *Isaac Anderson
> >> > [Review first published April 15, 1934]*
> >> >
> >> > *‘The Kidnap Murder Case,’ by S.S. Van Dine*
> >> >
> >> > Save for a brief dissertation on semiprecious stones, Philo Vance
> >> displays
> >> > little of his encyclopedic learning in this book, but to make up for
> >> this
> >> > he has added a new accomplishment which may endear him to those readers
> >> who
> >> > have regarded him as too highbrow to be a real he-man. Vance now reveals
> >> > himself as a gunfighter who can pump hot lead with the best of them. For
> >> > the rest, he is the same old Philo Vance, distinguished for his keen
> >> > observation of details that escape the notice of Sergeant Heath and his
> >> > minions, and for his adroit questioning of witnesses and suspects. The
> >> > shooting takes place near the end of the story, when Philo Vance is in
> >> > search of evidence to support the theory that he has already evolved
> >> > concerning the kidnapping and murder of Kaspar Kenting. Three extremely
> >> > undesirable citizens bite the dust before the scene is over, but there
> >> > remains one more to be disposed of in the last chapter. “The Kidnap
> >> > Murder Case” is real, simon-pure Van Dine, and that should be good
> >> enough
> >> > for anybody. *— Isaac Anderson [Review first published Oct. 18, 1936]*
> >> >
> >> > *‘They Found Him Dead,’ by Georgette Heyer*
> >> >
> >> > There are not so many shudders in Georgette Heyer’s murder mysteries as
> >> > there are in those of some other writers, but there is a lot more fun.
> >> In
> >> > this book she has created a most amusing group of characters, from the
> >> old
> >> > grandmother who is able to hear perfectly well if only people wouldn’t
> >> > mutter at her, down to the 15-year-old boy who loves American gangster
> >> > films and who fairly wallows in crime, even though he does turn rather
> >> > white around the gills when he sees a corpse. He wants to help the
> >> > detectives, and he gets in their way so much that they finally give him
> >> the
> >> > job of shadowing the butler. The boy doesn’t know that butlers are never
> >> > guilty. It’s against the rules laid down by experts in detective
> >> fiction.
> >> > Many of the characters in this story are related, and the reader may
> >> find
> >> > some difficulty in telling them apart. Foreseeing this difficulty, Miss
> >> > Heyer has written a jacket blurb which no one should miss reading. In it
> >> > she gives brief character sketches of each of the more important
> >> figures in
> >> > the book and reveals just enough of the plot to whet the appetite. This
> >> > blurb is like a cocktail before a feast; it makes you want more
> >> cocktails,
> >> > but you don’t really need them, for there is nothing dry about the
> >> repast
> >> > of which you are about to partake. — *Isaac Anderson [Review first
> >> > published Aug. 8, 1937]*
> >> >
> >> > *‘The Secret Vanguard,’ by Michael Innes*
> >> >
> >> > Why should anyone want to murder a harmless minor poet who writes of
> >> > buttercups and daisies and the delights of rural life? John Appleby of
> >> > Scotland Yard wonders about that and communicates his puzzlement to Mr.
> >> > Hetherton, an archaeologist whose thoughts seldom stray from his chosen
> >> > field. On this occasion they do stray, and Mr. Hetherton turns out to
> >> be of
> >> > considerable help to Appleby in solving the puzzle. The second important
> >> > development in this case is the kidnapping of a young woman on her way
> >> to
> >> > Scotland, not long after she has heard a man misquote Swinburne. Can
> >> that
> >> > be why it has become necessary to spirit her away? Sheila’s escape from
> >> her
> >> > captors and her part in the final episode make a story that bears
> >> > comparison with John Buchan’s novels of adventure and international
> >> > intrigue, not because of any similarity of plot, but because Innes, like
> >> > Buchan, has mastered the art of swift, exciting and well-organized
> >> > narrative. *— Isaac Anderson [Review first published Jan. 12, 1941]*
> >> >
> >> > *‘Death and the Dancing Footman,’ by Ngaio Marsh*
> >> >
> >> > The new footman lingered in the empty hall, when a blast of melody
> >> > preceded the news broadcast, and did a few steps to “Boomps-a-Daisy.”
> >> So he
> >> > became a maker and breaker of alibis when murder brought a climax to
> >> > Jonathan Royal’s house party: a house party whose hostilities made its
> >> > chief charm for the host’s wry sense of fun. Since this is Ngaio Marsh’s
> >> > latest mystery, no one needs to be told with what skill its diverse
> >> > personalities are set to confront each other, or how cleverly events and
> >> > people interact. Royal’s mischief-making centered around his neighbor
> >> > Sandra Compline and her two sons: a once beautiful woman with a tragic
> >> > disfigurement, the quiet but oddly subtle heir whom she neglected and
> >> the
> >> > dashing young cad whom she adored; also the girl they had loved and the
> >> > woman with whom the younger was flirting. It was cruel to bring them all
> >> > together. Before the game was played out one was dead by murder and
> >> another
> >> > by suicide at Royal’s stormbound country place. Although the puzzle is
> >> > intricate, the appeal of “Death and the Dancing Footman” is almost as
> >> much
> >> > that of a novel as of a murder mystery. The movement of the plot is
> >> > deliberate at the beginning and rather arbitrarily slowed down at the
> >> end.
> >> > But the interest of character is brilliant and unflagging, and both
> >> > incident and conversation are alive with wit. *— Kay Irvin [Review first
> >> > published Sept. 14, 1941]*
> >> >
> >> > *‘The Devil Loves Me,’ by Margaret Millar*
> >> >
> >> > Some of the characters in this book belong in a psychopathic ward, some
> >> in
> >> > an alcoholic ward, and some would be at home in either. Since the
> >> > unofficial detective on the case is Dr. Paul Frye, psychiatrist, this is
> >> > all to the good. The story opens with Frye waiting at church, about to
> >> be
> >> > married. The wedding is postponed because of the sudden illness of one
> >> of
> >> > the bridesmaids, who turns out to have been poisoned. The bridesmaid
> >> > recovers, but her brother turns up dead early the next morning. It is
> >> not
> >> > poison this time, just a plain head-bashing. Two more murders follow in
> >> > quick succession, and Dr. Frye and Inspector Sands of the police
> >> department
> >> > have a busy time trying to figure out who did the killing and why. The
> >> > eccentricities of the various persons make their task exceedingly
> >> > difficult, and they also add to the entertainment. — *Isaac Anderson
> >> > [Review first published Aug. 16, 1942]*
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > *Chris Kerr*
> >> > PARSON WEEMS/ CannonBertelli Inc.
> >> > 11 Penhallow St., #2
> >> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/11+Penhallow+St.,+%232?entry=gmail&source=g>
> >> > <https://www.google.com/maps/search/11+Penhallow+St
> >> .,+%232+Boston,+MA+02124-2307?entry=gmail&source=g>
> >> > Boston, MA 02124-2307
> >> > <https://www.google.com/maps/search/11+Penhallow+St
> >> .,+%232+Boston,+MA+02124-2307?entry=gmail&source=g>
> >> > 914-329-4961
> >> > christopherker at gmail.com
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > On Thu, Oct 21, 2021 at 1:31 PM David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com>
> >> wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> Please don’t assume we all agree have NYT subscriptions.  It ain’t that
> >> >> hard to do a bit of cut & paste.  Or maybe you need to learn it?
> >> >>
> >> >> DM
> >> >>
> >> >> On Thu, Oct 21, 2021 at 12:14 PM Mark Kohut <mark.kohut at gmail.com>
> >> wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >>>
> >> >>>
> >> https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/21/books/classic-crime-novels-that-still-thrill-today.html
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>> --
> >> >>> Pynchon-L: https://waste.org/mailman/listinfo/pynchon-l
> >> >>>
> >> >>
> >
> >
> >> --
> >> Pynchon-L: https://waste.org/mailman/listinfo/pynchon-l
> >>
> >
> --
> Pynchon-L: https://waste.org/mailman/listinfo/pynchon-l