Classic Mysteries

"Death and the Maiden"

When people who love classic mysteries talk about the Crime Queens of Britain's Golden Age of Detection, they are usually talking about Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers and Margery Allingham. But British readers often added another name to the list, one not as well known in the United States: Gladys Mitchell. Her books, featuring psychiatrist Mrs. Beatrice Bradley, were very English indeed, with a great deal of British eccentricity and distinctly surrealist touches.

One of her finest books, now available in the United States, was "Death and the Maiden," which first appeared in 1947, and the story is quintessential Mitchell. An older woman and her niece are less than thrilled when a second cousin and his wife show up uninvited on their doorstep and announce their intention to move in with them. All four immediately pack up and go on vacation to Winchester, where there have been reports of a naiad, a water nymph. After several strange twists, there are a couple of murders, and Mrs. Bradley is called into the case.

"Death and the Maiden" is reviewed on this week's Classic Mysteries podcast, and you can listen to the complete review here. Mitchell creates fascinating - if peculiar - characters, the cathedral town of Winchester is presented in its beauty, and Mrs. Bradley herself is a truly unique detective.

Kindle Price Comes Down

For those who may have been thinking about getting an e-book reader, Amazon has lowered the price of its Kindle reader to $189. That's a considerable drop. As more and more books are available for the Kindle, it becomes more and more attractive.

Don't get me wrong. Yes, I get a couple of bucks if you buy a Kindle. And, for most current mysteries, I'd rather see you patronizing your local (or favorite) mystery book seller. But the Kindle is a good way to carry a lot of books around at once - particularly if you travel a lot; it beats lugging a couple of hundred books with you. And some really great and classic mysteries have finally made it into public domain - and are available as e-books.

So bottom line: if you want to buy a Kindle, I hope you'll consider using my link to check it out. Thanks.