My new bookish meme for 2026: the Golden Age of Detection (GAD*) Mystery Word of the Day. Whenever I find a word that I'm unfamiliar with--or shall we say not absolutely confident I know the exact meaning of, I'm going to actually take time to look it up and share it with mystery-lovers everywhere. 😊
Today's GAD Mystery Word of the Day: Manzanita (n) A genus of evergreen shrubs and small trees native to western North America
Unable in the darkness to penetrate the thickets of manzanita and other undergrowth, utterly bewildered and overcome with fatigue, he had lain down near the root of a large madrono and fallen into a dreamless sleep.
From "The Death of Halpin Frayser" by Ambrose Bierce in Murder Mayhem Short Stories
Bonus word: Madrono (n) an evergreen shrub or small tree known for its red, strawberry-like fruit, though it's not related to the common strawberry

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