As I noted here the other day, I will be taking part in the Vintage Mystery Reading Challenge which Bev Hankins is organizing on her My Reader's Block blog, I am taking the challenge at the highest level - to read at least 16 "vintage" mysteries in 2011. The only ground rules are that they must have first appeared before 1960 and that they must be mysteries.
Given the nature of what we do on this site, of course, I expect to read, and review, many more than 16. But, for the purposes of the challenge, here is a list of the 16 which I plan to read:
- Agatha Christie, Partners in Crime (1929)
- Ngaio Marsh, Artists in Crime (1938)
- Phoebe Atwood Taylor, Punch with Care (1946)
- Rex Stout, The League of Frightened Men (1935)
- Gladys Mitchell, Merlin's Furlong (1953)
- Stuart Palmer, The Puzzle of the Silver Persian (1934)
- John Dickson Carr, The Case of the Constant Suicides (1941)
- Georgette Heyer, Death in the Stocks (1935)
- Mary Roberts Rinehart, The Circular Staircase (1908)
- Dorothy Bowers, Fear and Miss Bettony (1941)
- Edmund Crispin, Frequent Hearses (1950)
- Glyn Carr, Murder on the Matterhorn (1951)
- Clyde B. Clason, Dragon's Cave (1940)
- Elizabeth Daly, Arrow Pointing Nowhere (1944)
- Margery Allingham, More Work for the Undertaker (1948)
- H. C. Bailey, Call Mr. Fortune (1920)
At this point, that's a preliminary list, and there may be changes as the project moves ahead. Obviously, there will be other books reviewed here as well. But these sixteen seem to me to cover a fair number of authors, some of whom - I hope - will be new to many readers. It should be fun.
By the way, if you want to participate in the challenge - at any level - please do so by signing up over at My Reader's Block. If you have a blog, you can use the linking mechanism there; if you don't, you're still welcome to participate by leaving a comment on the signup page.
I signed up too, Les. Same level as you. 16+. I still haven't quite gotten the hang of 'challenges' yet, not sure if I like them or not, but this one sounds like a no-brainer to me. Ha! I'm not as organized as you though. I'm not sure what I'll be reading except Ellery Queen, Mr. and Mrs. North mysteries, Perry Mason, Agatha Christie, John Dickson Carr and Michael Innes. Can't wait to get started!
Posted by: Yvette | December 10, 2010 at 09:05 PM
Great list! Looking forward to reviews. Watch my blog at the beginning of the year for a Challenge Log Post. I plan to make that a place to link up any reviews that participants do. I'm getting anxious for the new year to start so I can get busy on all the new challenges I've signed up for.
Posted by: Bev | December 10, 2010 at 10:13 PM
Yvette, you can't go wrong with a list of authors like yours. I wish ANY of the Lockridges' Mr. and Mrs. North mysteries were still in print - I have one in my collection, but I try to review books that are more readily available. Same is true of Ellery Queen (though I have a lot of his - ever read the novella "The Lamp of God"?). At least a few of Carr's are making their way back into print. Enjoy your reading!
Posted by: Les Blatt | December 11, 2010 at 06:17 AM
Meant to add Rex Stout of course. And I want to read a couple of titles you've mentioned this year as well, Les. There was a Hildegarde Withers (is that the name?) I wanted to track down. Well, as to the being 'back in print' thing, I confess I didn't give that much thought. I'm going to read what I can find at my library or in my own collection. I figure if my little library in New Jersey has it, then most other, larger libraries should as well. And if you want to buy there are plenty of secondary sources. Amazon has 'used' books too, I think.
Posted by: Yvette | December 12, 2010 at 04:21 PM
Bev: I'll see you at your blog bright and early in 2011! :)
Posted by: Yvette | December 12, 2010 at 04:22 PM
Yvette, yes, Hildegarde Withers is Stuart Palmer's "meddlesome old battleaxe" of a schoolteacher/detective. And, yes, Amazon has a network of used dealers - and, of course, there are any number of indie mystery bookstores who will be more than happy to track down missing volumes. At any rate, it should be a good year for reading.
Posted by: Les Blatt | December 12, 2010 at 09:23 PM