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    • Academy Chicago Publishers
      An imprint of the Chicago Review Press. Features a number of interesting authors, most long out of print, plus some other odds and ends, including some horror stories by Conan Doyle.
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    • Dean Street Press
      This small British publisher has a great many classic crime books in its much broader catalog. They are bringing back many Golden Age classics by authors who deserve another chance at a new audience.
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      This publisher specializes in classic mysteries, broadly defined, including newer mysteries that adhere to classic standards. They have just overhauled their website to make it much more informative and user-friendly.
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    • MysteriousPress.com
      The brainchild of editor/anthologist/author/bookstore-owner Otto Penzler, the Mysterious Press has recently returned to life and now works with Open Road Media as an electronic book publisher. It is already republishing the work of a lot of classic authors, with more books on the way.
    • Oconee Spirit Press
      A small, independent publisher committed to publishing "lively fiction, and provocative non-fiction." Most of their list covers early works by established authors writing traditional mysteries, such as Carolyn Hart and Margaret Maron.
    • Oleander Press
      This small eclectic British publisher has begun publishing a series of classic British mystery novels, primarily from the Golden Age. The series is grouped into a section of their catalogue named "London Bound," as the books are set in London.
    • Ostara Publishing
      "Ostara Publishing re-issues titles that have unjustifiably become unavailable either through the ravages of time or the forces of publishing economics. We specialise in Crime and Thriller fiction titles and our range goes from the1920s through to the 21st century. We publish thematically and currently have six series available. All our titles are published in a 'trade paperback' format and printed to order."
    • Poisoned Pen Press
      Based in Scottsdale, Arizona, the Poisoned Pen Press publishes a fairly wide variety of mysteries. Some are reprints; many are new, by newer authors. Their website has a great deal of information about their books and authors.

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    « "Dead Man's Quarry" | Main | "Death of a Bovver Boy" »

    July 10, 2016

    Comments

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    Yvette Banek

    Les, the Twitter sign-in isn't working, so I used the Facebook one. It's still me. :)

    This is one of my favorite Agatha Christie books - the misdirection (the first time you read it) is superb - but Christie was always so good at that. Sleight of hand. She would have made a good magician. (Actually, she kind of was.)

    The only thing about the book that rankles a bit is the ending which seems a bit over-the-top. (I can say no more without giving things away.)

    I was born in '42, so no 'oldie' jokes from me, m'dear. :)

    Les Blatt

    I must admit I rather enjoyed the ending, which really grows out of the misdirection. Any good magician relies on skillful misdirection, so I agree with you completely - Christie was one of the best at sending readers off in the wrong direction!

    J F Norris

    This is one of the few Christie novels that I remember *everything* about. And I read back in high school! On occasion I pull one of her books off the shelves because I've actually forgotten most of the plot and the murderer. Not this one. I'll never be able to read it again. I saw the title and immediately remembered the murderer's full name, how the bloody crime was done, the telltale clue that almost goes unnoticed until the final pages, all of it! It must be because as you say it "is one of Christie's most carefully constructed books, superb in its misdirection of the reader's attention and expectations."

    Les Blatt

    Agreed, John - I'm the same way about rereading many of the Christies without remembering too many spoilers. I don't think I had read Toward Zero before, though, because none of it stuck in my head, and the misdirection is so well handled. 'Nuff said.

    The comments to this entry are closed.

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