Regular readers know that I often pick up a mystery
story for light entertainment and they will not be surprised to see that I have
been reading a couple over the past month.
Murder at the Manor is a collection of classic short
stories edited by Martin Edwards and published by Poisoned Pen Press. While I often enjoy their publications (see A Specter of Justice), I was anticipating
some delicious Gosford Park atmosphere along with the suspense, but this set of British crime classics did not provide quite enough for me.
Perhaps it was the length of each story or the more stilted language
from another era? And for something much lighter than even I normally choose, I also
read The Big Brush-Off by Michael Murphy and found it to be an
entertaining, quick read. The main
character, Jake Donovan, is a detective turned writer (in the Dashiell Hammett style) whose
alter ego, Blackie Doyle, also features in the story. Jake and his movie star
wife, Laura Wilson, head to Pennsylvania and become embroiled in an unsolved
murder. As part of a series set in the 1930s and available as eBooks, The
Big Brush-Off is a fun romp with a simultaneously tough and tender, likeable
detective duo. If you are looking for a mystery to read, check out the recent "top 10" Library Reads recommendations, several of which have been previously reviewed on this blog: As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust, The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches, Murder of Magpies, and How the Light Gets In or other titles by Louise Penny. Enjoy Sleuthing!
