Bev's Bookish Fall Break

 

It's that time again...for Bev's own Fall Break Bookish Extravaganza. And it's all made possible by the Hoosier Hills Food Bank Community Book Fair. Each year I take two days off work so I can go to the opening day of the book fair for the best chance at getting the most vintage mysteries. And then spend the next day blissfully logging and scanning my finds. This year, per usual, I stood in line Thursday morning with $10 in hand so I could have a first glance at the bookish goodies. Then I went back on Saturday (ostensibly to see if there were any comic books my husband might possibly want...) and came home with another round. 

This year was supposed to be a big deal (kindof like last year was supposed to be a big deal--"bigger & better than ever"). Bob Hammel--long-time sports writer for the Herald Times--donated 2,000 IU and sports-related items towards the sale. I didn't notice anyone flocking towards that area.... The only area that seemed to be "bigger than ever" this year was the DVD section. Way more tables than I ever remember.  Also more record albums. The better books mystery section and regular mystery sections were about the same size as last year--but the regular mystery sections were loaded down with newer stuff (it appeared that several Janet Evanovich and David Baldacci fans had unloaded every book they owned....). 

I picked up six from the better books sections and then moved on to the regular mysteries. I was beginning to think I wouldn't find anything vintage that I didn't already own (one of the difficulties with having been a collector for so long...). So...not wanting to leave without at least putting a few things in my bag, I grabbed up some more modern authors. Then I got to the last table of hardback/large paperback mysteries....bonanza! All of the books marked with an asterisk were on that last table. And the trip to the Book Fair would have been worth it for Fatal Descent--a book I never thought I'd see in the wild. And with a dust jacket, no less!

My two-day haul: 44 books [lowest # ever since I started keeping track--six found on Saturday]; 3 books on CD; 9 mystery magazines; one Charles Dickens mini-puzzle; and 2 Hoosier Hills sweatshirts. I thought about going back on Sunday (half-price day), but I just couldn't imagine that I'd missed much. I hope some vintage mystery lovers donate a ton of books for next year...

Vintage Mysteries

Below Suspicion by John Dickson Carr (Bantam #1119) [better books]  

Lord Edgware Dies by Agatha Christie (Fontana Books #31) [Saturday find]

Murder in the Maze by J. J. Connington (hard back w/dustjacket) [better books]

Some Women Won't Wait/The Mysterious Suspect/A Big Hand for the Corpse by A. A. Fair/John Rhode/George Bagby (Detective Book Club 3-in-1 volume) [inexplicably in clearance section]

The Tall House Mystery by A. E. Fielding [better books]

Cork & the Serpent by MacDonald Hastings [Saturday find]

Masterpieces of Mystery: The Fifties selected by Ellery Queen [better books]

Fatal Descent by John Rhode & Carter Dickson (hard back w/dustjacket)*

Bulldog Drummond by Sapper (book on CD) [Saturday find]

The Chinese Chop by Juanita Sheridan (modern reprint)*

The Kahuna Killer by Juanita Sheridan (modern reprint)*

The Waikiki Widow by Juanita Sherica (modern reprint)*

Dead Man Inside by Vincent Starrett (modern reprint)*

Measure for Murder by Clifford Witting (modern reprint)*

Murder in Blue by Clifford Witting (modern reprint)*

Silver Age Mysteries (1960-1989)

The Scottish Decision by Alan Hunter [Saturday find]

Rough Cider by Peter Lovesey [Saturday find]

Death in the Past by Richard A. Moore [Saturday find]

Thursday's Folly/The Visitor/The Trouble with Tycoons by Judson Philips/Anthony Gilbert/H. Baldwin Taylor (Detective Book Club 3-in-1 volume) [inexplicably in clearance section]

Masterpieces of Mystery: Detective Directory I selected by Ellery Queen [better books]

Masterpieces of Mystery: Detective Directory II selected by Ellery Queen [better books]

Requiem for a Schoolgirl by Ivan T. Ross*

More Modern Mysteries

The Rainaldi Quartet (Sleeper) by Paul Adam 

One Book in the Grave by Kate Carlisle (book on CD)

Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine May/June 2019 by Janet Hutchings, ed

Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Sept/Oct 2019 by Janet Hutchings, ed

Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Nov/Dec 2019 by Janet Hutchings, ed

Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Jan/Feb 2020 by Janet Hutchings, ed

Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine July/Aug 2019 by Linda Landrigan, ed

Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine Sept/Oct 2019 by Linda Landrigan, ed

Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine Nov/Dec 2019 by Linda Landrigan, ed

Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine Jan/Feb 2020 by Linda Landrigan, ed

Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine May/June 2020 by Linda Landrigan, ed

The Birdcage Murders by Karen Baugh Menuhin (historical--Golden Age era)

The Mystery of Montague Morgan by Menuhin (historical--Golden Age era)

A Wreath of Red Roses by Menuhin (historical--Golden Age era)

Cemetery Dance by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

Fever Dream by Preston & Child

Verses for the Dead by Preston & Child

Murder at Ardith Hall by Irina Shapiro (historical--Victorian)

Murder at the Abbey by Shapiro (historical--Victorian)

Murder at the Mill by Shapiro (historical--Victorian)

Murder in the Caravan by Shapiro (historical--Victorian)

Murder in the Crypt by Shapiro (historical--Victorian)

Murder in the Grave by Shapiro (historical--Victorian)

Murder at Union Station by Margaret Truman (book on CD)

Everything Else

Ellison Wonderland by Harlan Ellison

Beauvallet by Georgette Heyer

False Colours by Georgette Heyer

The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer

An Infamous Army by Georgette Heyer

The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer

The Quiet Gentleman by Georgette Heyer

The Reluctant Widow by Georgette Heyer

The Toll Gate by Georgette Heyer

The Obsession of Victoria Gracen by Grace Livingston Hill

And...

Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol mini-puzzle

two Hoosier Hills Book Fair hoodies (one for me & one for Brad--Kyle doesn't like hoodies)