My childhood was filled with solid mystery literature. My mom was an avid Agatha Christie reader, and I read nearly everything she wrote when I was a teen. I was also a big Sherlock Holmes fan, even though my mom didn't care for his stories.
As an adult, I've always been partial to the hardboiled detectives of the early 20th century. Part of that is because I have a MEGA soft spot for old-time radio -- The Shadow, Sam Spade, Richard Diamond, and the like. Also, I discovered Raymond Chandler and more recently did a deep dive into Nero Wolfe. A different flavor from Sayers and Christie and Cadfael, but still in the same vein.
The Lit Life episode brings out some interesting differences between our individualistic hard-boiled detectives and the British formalities. It struck me as a good insight into how our culture differs from across the pond. It would be fun to look into it more.
As a young reader, loved Nancy Drew. And i read Sherlock Holmes as a youg adult. Then you and your sisters who introduced me to Lord Peter Wimsey. I was hooked. . Thank you. I am going to add Brother Cadfael to my audiobook reading list.
Please let Evie know how much I enjoyed her comic. She is quite as creative and talented as her mother.
I loved the Cadfael mysteries, too. I’m in need of a new reading series. Thanks for the reminder. And Derek Jacobi was a wonderful Cadfael in the British TV series, back in the 90s.
Mysteries are our go-to TV choices for sure. My summer has been disordered as well; reading at all has been a struggle. (This has been a surprise but I'm just taking my time.)
I’m always surprised when I can’t focus on reading, too, Renee. I’m learning to pay attention and realize what else is going on that’s affecting it. That and writing. My creative impetus completely tanked this summer.
Mysteries are so fascinating and comforting! I've been loving Josephine Tey after discovering her a few years ago. "Brat Farrar" and "Miss Pym Disposes" are two of my favorites so far. I tried reading other, lesser-known Golden Age authors like Ngaio Marsh and Margery Allingham, but I haven't found one of their books I could really fall in love with yet. Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, and Arthur Conan Doyle are famous for a reason. :)
I am still pretty new to detective fiction. I read The Hound of the Baskervilles in Junior High and enjoyed it, but I didn’t really become a fan until BBC’s Sherlock series. I enjoyed reading the story behind each episode. Around the same time I read Chesterton’s Father Brown stories because I was reading all the Chesterton I could find. Most of my picks were chosen for a reason outside the genre, like Josephine Tey’s Daughter of Time. It has only been the last couple years that I picked up Christie or Sayers. I have enjoyed them, but I will admit I take awhile to get into some of them. I also have learned that I prefer the Golden Age. Modern detective fiction is too gritty and obsessed with disorder for me.
Did you read Dorothy and Jack? I learned reading that that apparently C. S. Lewis wasn’t a mystery fan. So you’re in good company if they aren’t favorites! I agree about the Golden Age, though. I much prefer those. Also, my kids and I were recently pondering why The Hound of the Baskervilles is so popular of the Holmes mysteries. We’ve never found that one particularly interesting!
I do love them. The title of the first does sound a little spooky, but actually, that’s never the tone. They’re more contemplative—lots of beauty. You’ll love the descriptions.
I only recently heard about the Brother Cadfael mysteries, but hearing you rave about them makes me want to read them. After I become a Lord Peter Wimsey completist, of course!
This is something I've thought about as well. Left to myself, I read probably 80% mysteries and crime fiction. Sayers, Christie, Peters, Horowitz, McDonald, Chandler, Leonard, Burke, love it all. Order out of chaos is a sound argument. The life-and-death, flesh-and-blood weight that a murder mystery provides is something else that draws me. Authors who bring a wry sense of humor to the task in no way take away the gravity. In fact, a smiling seriousness seems a good way to move through life.
I like that point about the humor not detracting from the seriousness of the crime. That’s one of the things I particularly love about Sayers. Her humor is gold.
I've been listening to Dorothy Sayers' novels on Audible. Unfortunately, Gaudy Night is an abridged dramatization, so I will not use my credit for that one. I will have to get that book from my library. Your sister, Carrie, was the one from whom I learned about Lord Peter Whimsey and Harriet Vane.
My childhood was filled with solid mystery literature. My mom was an avid Agatha Christie reader, and I read nearly everything she wrote when I was a teen. I was also a big Sherlock Holmes fan, even though my mom didn't care for his stories.
As an adult, I've always been partial to the hardboiled detectives of the early 20th century. Part of that is because I have a MEGA soft spot for old-time radio -- The Shadow, Sam Spade, Richard Diamond, and the like. Also, I discovered Raymond Chandler and more recently did a deep dive into Nero Wolfe. A different flavor from Sayers and Christie and Cadfael, but still in the same vein.
The Lit Life episode brings out some interesting differences between our individualistic hard-boiled detectives and the British formalities. It struck me as a good insight into how our culture differs from across the pond. It would be fun to look into it more.
I think Nine Tailors is my favorite Sayers! :-D
I really need to reread that one! I haven’t in years.
As a young reader, loved Nancy Drew. And i read Sherlock Holmes as a youg adult. Then you and your sisters who introduced me to Lord Peter Wimsey. I was hooked. . Thank you. I am going to add Brother Cadfael to my audiobook reading list.
Please let Evie know how much I enjoyed her comic. She is quite as creative and talented as her mother.
Awww, Jodi—always happy to hook you onto something new ☺️. And I’ll pass the word on to Ev!
I loved the Cadfael mysteries, too. I’m in need of a new reading series. Thanks for the reminder. And Derek Jacobi was a wonderful Cadfael in the British TV series, back in the 90s.
I loved that miniseries! I think that’s actually how I was introduced to Cadfael.
Mysteries are our go-to TV choices for sure. My summer has been disordered as well; reading at all has been a struggle. (This has been a surprise but I'm just taking my time.)
I’m always surprised when I can’t focus on reading, too, Renee. I’m learning to pay attention and realize what else is going on that’s affecting it. That and writing. My creative impetus completely tanked this summer.
Mysteries are so fascinating and comforting! I've been loving Josephine Tey after discovering her a few years ago. "Brat Farrar" and "Miss Pym Disposes" are two of my favorites so far. I tried reading other, lesser-known Golden Age authors like Ngaio Marsh and Margery Allingham, but I haven't found one of their books I could really fall in love with yet. Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, and Arthur Conan Doyle are famous for a reason. :)
I *really* need to read Josephine Tey!
I am still pretty new to detective fiction. I read The Hound of the Baskervilles in Junior High and enjoyed it, but I didn’t really become a fan until BBC’s Sherlock series. I enjoyed reading the story behind each episode. Around the same time I read Chesterton’s Father Brown stories because I was reading all the Chesterton I could find. Most of my picks were chosen for a reason outside the genre, like Josephine Tey’s Daughter of Time. It has only been the last couple years that I picked up Christie or Sayers. I have enjoyed them, but I will admit I take awhile to get into some of them. I also have learned that I prefer the Golden Age. Modern detective fiction is too gritty and obsessed with disorder for me.
Did you read Dorothy and Jack? I learned reading that that apparently C. S. Lewis wasn’t a mystery fan. So you’re in good company if they aren’t favorites! I agree about the Golden Age, though. I much prefer those. Also, my kids and I were recently pondering why The Hound of the Baskervilles is so popular of the Holmes mysteries. We’ve never found that one particularly interesting!
I think it gets assigned a lot, so people are more familiar with it.
Just added the first Brother Cadfeal to my Audible list at your recommendation. It sounds like a good slightly spooky listen for fall!
I do love them. The title of the first does sound a little spooky, but actually, that’s never the tone. They’re more contemplative—lots of beauty. You’ll love the descriptions.
I only recently heard about the Brother Cadfael mysteries, but hearing you rave about them makes me want to read them. After I become a Lord Peter Wimsey completist, of course!
Of course!
Methinks you must write Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of the Missing Page!
Now there’s an idea!
This is something I've thought about as well. Left to myself, I read probably 80% mysteries and crime fiction. Sayers, Christie, Peters, Horowitz, McDonald, Chandler, Leonard, Burke, love it all. Order out of chaos is a sound argument. The life-and-death, flesh-and-blood weight that a murder mystery provides is something else that draws me. Authors who bring a wry sense of humor to the task in no way take away the gravity. In fact, a smiling seriousness seems a good way to move through life.
I like that point about the humor not detracting from the seriousness of the crime. That’s one of the things I particularly love about Sayers. Her humor is gold.
I've been listening to Dorothy Sayers' novels on Audible. Unfortunately, Gaudy Night is an abridged dramatization, so I will not use my credit for that one. I will have to get that book from my library. Your sister, Carrie, was the one from whom I learned about Lord Peter Whimsey and Harriet Vane.
Carrie is a fan, for sure! And an abridged Gaudy Night? Horrors! Yes, get the print one!