2021 marks the ten-year anniversary of the Vintage Mystery Reading Challenge and I decided to go back to the early days and revive the Vintage Scattergories edition. I am, of course, signing up for my own mystery challenge and, being a glutton for mysteries, I'm going to try for all the categories in the Golden Age and as many as I can in the Silver. For full details and to join me for some mystery madness, click on the link .
Categories:
1. Colorful Crime: A book with a color or reference to color in the title
Gold: Behind the Green Door by Mildred A. Wirt [1940] (2/26/21)
Silver: Blue Octavo by John Blackburn [1963] (3/12/21)
2. Murder by the Numbers:
Gold: Death of a Millionaire by G.D.H. & Margaret Cole [1925] (1/4/21)
3. Amateur Night: A book with a detective who is not a P.I.; Police Officer; or other official investigator (Nurse Keate, Father Brown, Miss Marple, etc.)
Gold: The Boomerang Clue by Agatha Christie [1934] (2/21/21)
Silver: Resurrection Row by Anne Perry (Charlotte & Aunt Vespasia serve as amateur detectives to help Inspector Pitt) [1981] (8/4/21)
4. Leave It to the Professionals: A book featuring cops, private eyes, secret service, professional spies, etc.
Gold: Gently in the Sun by Alan Hunter [1959] (4/5/21)
Silver: The Coconut Killings by Patricia Moyes [1977] (3/22/21)
5. Jolly Old England: A mystery set in the United Kingdom
Gold: Bodies from the Library: Lost Tales of Mystery & Suspense by Agatha Christie & Other Masters of the Golden Age by Tony Medawar (ed) [2018, but all stories pre-1960] (3/10/21)
Silver: Crimson Snow by Martin Edwards (ed) [2016, but all stories pre-1990] (1/13/21)
6. Yankee Doodle Dandy: A mystery set in the United States
Gold: Dead, Man, Dead by David Alexander [1959] (3/7/21)
Silver: The Cannibal Who Overate by Hugh Pentecost [1962] (2/14/21)
7. World Traveler: A mystery set in any country except the U.S. or U.K.
Gold: Murder in the Calais Coach (aka Murder on the Orient Express) by Agatha Christie (1934) [events take place from Syria to Yugoslavia (present-day Croatia)] (1/30/21)
Silver: The Private Face of Murder by John & Emer Bonett (1966) [Spain] (8/29/21)
8. Dangerous Beasts: A book with an animal in the title
Gold: Hunt the Tortoise by E. X. Ferrars [1950] (6/6/21)
Silver: The Sound of Insects by Mildred Davis [1966] (8/5/21)
9. A Calendar of Crime: A mystery with a date/holiday/year/month/etc. in the title
Gold: Drink to Yesterday by Manning Coles [1940] (7/30/21)
Silver: Trolley to Yesterday by John Bellairs [1989] (5/13/21)
10. Wicked Women: A book with a woman in the title--either by name or by reference
Gold: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier [1938] (2/24/21)
Silver: The Body of a Girl by Michael Gilbert [1972] (8/25/21)
11. Malicious Men: A book with a man in the title--either by name or by reference
Gold: The Listerdale Mystery by Agatha Christie (1934) [Lord Listerdale] (2/7/21)
Silver: Death & the Dutch Uncle by Patricia Moyes [1968] (1/18/21)
12. Murderous Methods: A book with a means of death in the title (The Noose, 5 Bullets, Deadly Nightshade, etc.)
Gold: Murdock's Acid Test by George Harmon Coxe [1936] (4/19/21)
Silver: Add a Pinch of Cyanide by Emma Page [1973]
13. Staging the Crime: A mystery set in the entertainment world (theatre, musical event, pageant, Hollywood, etc)
Gold: Think of Death by Frances & Richard Lockridge [1947] (5/23/21)
Silver: Sleight of Crime by Cedric E. Clute & Nicholas Lewin [eds] (magicians) [1977] (8/4/21)
14. Scene of the Crime: A book with the location of the crime in the title (The Body in the Library, Murder at the Vicarage, etc)
Gold: The Sands of Windee by Arthur W. Upfield [1931] (5/3/21)
Silver: Callander Square by Anne Perry [1980] (7/25/21)
15. Cops & Robbers: A book that features a theft rather than murder
Gold: Raffles (The Amateur Cracksman) by E. W. Hornung [1899] (1/28/21)
Silver: Lord Mullion's Secret by Michael Innes [1981] (7/30/21)
16. Locked Rooms: A locked-room mystery
Gold: The Clue of the New Pin by Edgar Wallace [1923] (5/15/21)
Silver: The Locked Room by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö [1972] (9/23/21)
17. Impossible Crimes: Any other impossible crime (locks not necessary)
Gold: Dragon's Cave by Clyde B. Clason [1940] (6/21/21)
Silver: The Witch of the Low Tide by John Dickson Carr [1961] (9/18/21)
18. Country House Criminals: A standard (or not-so-standard) Golden Age-style country house murder
Gold: Mr. Smith's Hat by Helen Reilly [1936] (4/7/21)
Silver: The House of Care by W. J. Burley [1981] (9/6/21)
19. Murder on the High Seas: A mystery involving water
Gold: The Floating Admiral by The Detection Club [1931] (1/17/21)
Silver: The Lake Frome Monster by Arthur W. Upfield [1966] (9/11/21)
20. Planes, Trains, & Automobiles: A book with a mode of transportation in the title
//Gold: Murder Underground* by Mavis Doriel Hay [1934] (7/5/21) *British subway
Silver: The Graveyard Rolls by Maurice Procter [1963] (7/31/21) *Rolls Royce
21. Murder is Academic: A mystery involving a scholar, teacher, librarian, etc. OR set at a school, university, library, etc.
Gold: Murder Goes to College by Kurt Steel [1936] (4/8/21)
Silver: Hallowed Murder by Ellen Hart [1989] (1/26/21)
22. Things That Go Bump in the Night: A book with something spooky, creepy, gothic in the title (The Skeleton in the Clock; Haunted Lady; The Bat; etc)
Gold: The Haunted Attic by Margaret Sutton [1932] (5/10/21)
Silver: The Secret of Skeleton Island by Robert Arthur [1966] (8/3/21)
23. Repeat Offenders: A mystery featuring your favorite series detective or by your favorite author or reread an old favorite
Gold: Death in the Clouds by Agatha Christie [1935] (3/31/21)
Silver: Paragon Walk by Anne Perry (1981) [reread] (8/1/21)
24. The Butler Did It...Or Not: A mystery where the butler is the victim, the sleuth...(gasp) the criminal...or is just downright memorable for whatever reason.
Gold: Murder in 3 Acts by Agatha Christie [1934] (3/25/21)
Silver: Appleby's Other Story by Michael Innes [1974] (8/31/21)
25. A Mystery by Any Other Name: Any book that has been published under more than one title
Gold: Mr. Parker Pyne, Detective (aka Parker Pyne Investigates) [1934] (3/8/21)
Silver: Many Deadly Returns (aka Who Saw Her Die?) [1970] (9/25/21)
26. Dynamic Duos: A mystery featuring a detective team (Holmes & Watson; Pam & Jerry North; Nero Wolfe & Archie Goodwin, or a little-known team that you introduce to us)
Gold: Accent on Murder by Frances & Richard Lockridge (Captain Heirmich & Sergeant Forniss [1958] (5/6/21)
Silver: Murder by the Book by Frances & Richard Lockridge (Pam & Jerry North) [1963] (5/5/21)
27. Size Matters: A book with a size or measurement in the title (Death Has a Small Voice; The Big Four; The Weight of the Evidence; etc.)
Gold: The Perfect Crime (aka The Big Bow Mystery) by Israel Zangwill [1892] (7/21/21)
Silver: Hang the Little Man by John Creasey [1963] (8/22/21)
28. Psychic Phenomena: A mystery featuring a seance, medium, hypnotism, or other psychic or "supernatural" characters/events
Gold: The Ultraviolet Widow by Frances Crane (1956) [ghost appears] (5/31/21)
Silver: Dolls Are Deadly by Brett Halliday (1960) [voodoo; seances] (9/16/21)
29. Book to Movie: A book that has appeared on screen (feature film or TV)
Gold: The Kennel Murder Case by S. S. Van Dine [1933] (7/20/21)
Silver: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John Le Carré [1974] (2/20/21)
30. The Old Bailey: A courtroom drama mystery OR a mystery featuring a judge, lawyer, barrister, district attorney
Gold: The Bride of Newgate by John Dickson Carr [1950] {Mr. Mulberry--the lawyer who figures out the mystery plot} (7/3/21)
Silver: Smooth Justice by Michael Underwood [1979] (4/25/21)
31. Serial Killers: Books that were originally published in serial format (from the pulp era) OR a book that includes three or more deaths--all committed by the same person.
Gold: Uncle Silas by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu [serialized in Dublin University Magazine, 1864] (2/22/21)
Silver: The Cater Street Hangman by Anne Perry [1979; five murders all by same person] (7/23/21)
32. Killed in Translation: A work that originally appeared in another language and has been made available in English--original publication date determines Gold or Silver Age--OR if your native language is not English, then a work that originally appeared in English which you read in your native language.
Gold: Great French Detective Stories by T. J. Hale (ed) [all stories pre-1960] (7/25/21)
Silver: DeKok & Variations on Murder by A. C. Baantjer [1984] (9/21/21)
33. Blondes in Danger: A variation on "Colorful Crime." A book that features a blonde in the title (The Blonde Died First; The Case of the Black-Eyed Blonde) or another shade of hair color (The Case of the Substitute Brunette)
Gold: Stone Cold Blonde by Adam Knight [1951] (7/17/21)
Silver: The Venetian Blonde by A. S. Fleischman (5/3/21)
34. International Detectives: A variation on "World Traveler"--but instead of the crime being set in another country, the detective is not from the U.S. or U.K.
Gold: The African Poison Murders by Elspeth Huxley (Canadian detective, now in East Africa) [1939] (4/21/21)
Silver: The Bitter Path of Death by Pierre Audemars (French detective) [1982] (6/18/21)
35. Somebody Else's Crime: Read a book that someone else has already read for the challenge.
Gold: The Basle Express by Manning Coles (1956) [read by Rick Mills] (7/28/21)
Silver: Henrietta Who? by Catherine Aird (1968) [read by Aidan] (8/2/21)
36. Genuine Fakes: Read a book by an author who wrote under a pseudonym (Josephine Tey [Elizabeth Mackintosh]; Nicholas Blake [Cecil Day Lewis]; etc.)
Gold: Death of a Busybody by George Bellairs (Harold Blundell) [1942] (4/10/21)
Silver: An Ad for Murder by John Penn (Palma Harcourt & Jack H.Trotman) [1982] (4/18/21)
37. Hobbies Can Be Murder: A mystery that involves a hobby in some way: stamp, coin, book collecting, etc; knitting; birdwatching; hunting; etc.
Gold: Murder in the Bookshop by Carolyn Wells (rare book collecting) [1936] (4/17/21)
Silver: The Judge Is Reversed by Frances & Richard Lockridge (tennis & bridge) [1960] (6/10/20)
38. Snatch & Grab: Read the first book you pick up off your shelf or TBR stack/s
Gold: Look Behind You, Lady by A.S. Fleischman [1952] (5/1/21)
Silver: Preach No More by Richard Lockridge [1970] )5/9/21)
39. I've Got You Covered: Pick a book to read based on the cover:
Gold: The Portcullis Room by Valentine Williams (1934) [chosen because I needed a book with a plaid cover for another challenge] (7/27/21)
Silver: The River & the Rose by Sandra Abbott (1967) [nice gothic cover] (9/4/21)
40. Get Out of Jail Free: One per customer. You tell me what special category the book fits and it counts
Gold: The Adventure of the Peerless Peer by Philip Jose Farmer (1974) [really bad Sherlock Holmes pastiches] (2/28/21)
Silver: Mr. President, Private Eye by Martin H. Greenberg & Francis M. Nevins, Jr. [eds] (1988) [features real historical figures] (1/22/21)
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