Mysteries

[Jets]

Recent reads:

Raymond Chandler- Lady In The Lake

Rex Stout- The League Of Frightened Men

Ed McBain- Cop Hater

Colin Dexter- Last Bus To Woodstock

[Standing Wolf]

Recent reads:

Raymond Chandler- Lady In The Lake

Rex Stout- The League Of Frightened Men

Ed McBain- Cop Hater

Colin Dexter- Last Bus To Woodstock

I discovered Chandler almost forty years ago, and read everything of his that I could find shortly thereafter. I should re-read the Marlowe novels sometime in the near future. With the exception of Ross McDonald, no one has come close to doing the hardboiled detective as well as Raymond Chandler.

I tried to read a Nero Wolfe book the other day - the first one, 'Fer-de-lance' - and I couldn't do it. Some popular writing from the thirties holds up, and some of it just doesn't. I knew after twenty pages that I was not going to enjoy it.

Been meaning to get into McBain's stuff for years, but have never gotten around to it.

[Jets]

I discovered Chandler almost forty years ago, and read everything of his that I could find shortly thereafter. I should re-read the Marlowe novels sometime in the near future. With the exception of Ross McDonald, no one has come close to doing the hardboiled detective as well as Raymond Chandler.

I tried to read a Nero Wolfe book the other day - the first one, 'Fer-de-lance' - and I couldn't do it. Some popular writing from the thirties holds up, and some of it just doesn't. I knew after twenty pages that I was not going to enjoy it.

Been meaning to get into McBain's stuff for years, but have never gotten around to it.

It's funny you mention Fer-de-lance. That wasn't one of my favorites either. You may feel differently with League of Frightened Men.

[Standing Wolf]

It's funny you mention Fer-de-lance. That wasn't one of my favorites either. You may feel differently with League of Frightened Men.

I'm pretty sure I have a copy of that stuck back somewhere. I know that I've picked up a number of them over the years, with the intention of checking out the character...especially after reading William S. Baring-Gould's 'Sherlock Holmes of Baker Street' and finding out that Nero Wolfe is supposed to be Holmes' son by Irene Adler. (His physical and dispositional similarities to Mycroft being the big clue.)

[Jets]

I'm pretty sure I have a copy of that stuck back somewhere. I know that I've picked up a number of them over the years, with the intention of checking out the character...especially after reading William S. Baring-Gould's 'Sherlock Holmes of Baker Street' and finding out that Nero Wolfe is supposed to be Holmes' son by Irene Adler. (His physical and dispositional similarities to Mycroft being the big clue.)

By the way, I read all the Lee Archer books from the Galton Case to the Blue Hammer. Great stuff.

[Standing Wolf]

By the way, I read all the Lee Archer books from the Galton Case to the Blue Hammer. Great stuff.

You mean Lew Archer, of course. 'The Underground Man' is my favorite of his.

Speaking of favorites, check out Jeffrey Deaver's 'Garden of Beasts' some time. (Not to be confused with 'In the Garden of Beasts' by Erik Larson.) Unforgettable, and with a twist near the end that you will not see coming. JD told me that it's the book he's most proud of, and he's written about forty.

[Common]

Sometimes old is better, Ive read all the Rex Stout Nero Wolfs series and Mickey Spillanes Mike Hammer and other old Mystery series books.

Some of the new however are better because of the more recent setting. Nero Wolf series starts in the 1920s it doesnt make the books any less entertaining

[Standing Wolf]

Sometimes old is better, Ive read all the Rex Stout Nero Wolfs series and Mickey Spillanes Mike Hammer and other old Mystery series books.

Some of the new however are better because of the more recent setting. Nero Wolf series starts in the 1920s it doesnt make the books any less entertaining

I should go back and re-read Spillane. Check out the Hammer books by Max Allan Collins. Collins collaborated with Mickey on some things before the latter passed away, and some of the Hammer books are actually things that Collins completed from fragments that Spillane left, and others are completely his, but perfectly Spillane-esque. Before he died, Mickey told his wife to "Give it all to Max...he'll know what to do with it". I recently read one of the posthumous collaborations, 'Lady, Go Die!', and it was amazing - Mickey would have loved it!

[Common]

I should go back and re-read Spillane. Check out the Hammer books by Max Allan Collins. Collins collaborated with Mickey on some things before the latter passed away, and some of the Hammer books are actually things that Collins completed from fragments that Spillane left, and others are completely his, but perfectly Spillane-esque. Before he died, Mickey told his wife to "Give it all to Max...he'll know what to do with it". I recently read one of the posthumous collaborations, 'Lady, Go Die!', and it was amazing - Mickey would have loved it!

You may really enjoy Rex Stouts Nero Wolf, to give a quick synopsis, Nero Wolf is an obese eccentric genius, who charges HUGE fees and rarely leaves the house. He has full time live in Leg man who is the real star and a chef and horticulturist to tend to his 10,000 orchids.

He solves intricate mysteries sitting in his oversized chair based on information given to him by his man friday

Try the first novel its a quick read, for me they got addictive and I read All of them.

[Standing Wolf]

You may really enjoy Rex Stouts Nero Wolf, to give a quick synopsis, Nero Wolf is an obese eccentric genius, who charges HUGE fees and rarely leaves the house. He has full time live in Leg man who is the real star and a chef and horticulturist to tend to his 10,000 orchids.

He solves intricate mysteries sitting in his oversized chair based on information given to him by his man friday

Try the first novel its a quick read, for me they got addictive and I read All of them.

It may have been in another thread - but I mentioned that I actually did try to read the first Nero Wolfe, 'Fer-de-lance', and couldn't really get into it. I may try another some time - maybe one of the later books.

One author who was active even earlier than Rex Stout, but whose work really holds up in terms of style and pacing is Sax Rohmer (actually Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward, and yes I had to look that up), who created and wrote about the original "yellow peril", the insidious Dr. Fu Manchu. The first book in the series was published in 1913. Absolutely first-rate adventure-suspense writing. Racist as all Hell, so it's necessary to sort of filter that out, but great story-telling.