Dropped Dead

 Dropped Dead (1984) by Jonathan Ross (John Rossiter)

Detective Superintendent George Rogers is called away from his golf game to view the body of a soman sprawled awkwardly beneath a huge tree on remote hillside. The body seems to have fallen from the tree, but when Rogers climbs up the tree in search of clues he finds evidence that the body fell from an even greater height. Perhaps from a plane? There are two flying clubs in the neighborhood and Rogers' investigation leads him to the Plattsburgh Aero Club. The description of the woman seems to fit Kirstin Mahir. Kirstin supposedly flew to France with one of the members--apparently she didn't make it that far. Did the pilot push her out of the plane? Is the answer that simple?

Of course not. The further Rogers digs, the more he learns about Kirsten's extracurricular activities. Her interests were in the pilots and not in their planes. There are ex-lovers who may have wanted Kirsten dead,; there's her husband who may have had enough of her philandering; and there are spouses and loved ones who may have resent her involvement with their men. It all comes down to who had sufficient motive and could pilot a plane at night.

The mystery is a good one and I enjoyed following Rogers through his interviews with suspects as well as his interactions with his right-hand man, the elegant Inspector Lingard. There are a few really good character studies-Kirsten's husband, Lisa Fromme--the lone female pilot in the club, and Wing-Commander Corbersley who runs the club, as well as a few others. But several of the club members receive short shrift in the character development department. It would have made for a much more satisfying read overall and would have made the suspect pool seem a little bit bigger. 

Overall, a solid police procedural (as one would expect from a former policeman like Rossiter) and an interesting plot. ★★★ and 1/2

First line: Were there to exist entities called Guardian Angels, then the one detailed for attendance on the dead woman had been unforgivably neglectful.

Last line: Late as it was, he couldn't believe that the door would remain closed against the urgent knocking of a goat-legged and horned George Rogers, private citizen, plausibly intent only on his need for a midnight cup of Lapsang Souchong tea and a discussion on the flight characteristics of a Tiger Moth biplane.
********************

Deaths = 3 (one asphyxiated; two plane crash)

Mystery for Halloween

 Mystery for Halloween (1991) by Cynthia Mason, ed

Well...the blurb says that these "modern masters of the chilling word whip up a witch's brew of mystery fiction" (emphasis mine) which would lead me to believe that this is full of mysteries. It's not--nearly half of them have no mystery to be solved even though there may be some element of the mysterious. But for the most part the stories that are true mysteries are very good. I count among those: "Kiss the Vampire Goodbye," "Fun & Games at the House of Whacks," "The Theft of the Halloween Pumpkin," and "Tony Libra and the Killer's Calendar." The last is probably the most classic of mysteries--although I don't think the average mystery reader would be able to correctly interpret the vital clue. And the vampire story does the best job of mixing mystery with the supernatural element. I enjoyed most of the other, more supernatural stories--but could have done without "The Sitter" and the "The Night Watchman." They didn't do it for me in either the ghostly or mystery category. ★★★

"The Haunted Portrait" by Lawrence Treat: A mild mannered museum creator is worried about a famous portrait that's supposed to reveal the name of the killer of the portrait's subject. But a painting can't do that...can it? (two stabbed)

"Clancy's Bride" by Terry Bacon: Clancy snags himself a beautiful bride--who most unexpectedly takes to farm life, particularly the slaughtering of animals. When animals start disappearing from the neighboring farms, the local poacher is blamed. But is he responsible? (two beheaded)

"Kiss the Vampire Goodbye" by Alan Ryan: Mike Kendall, LA private eye, and Danny Lavendar, his huge, albino Eskimo partner, investigate the mysterious death of a wealthy bank owner at the behest of his beautiful daughter. Mary Cantrell believes her father was killed by a vampire--and there were puncture wounds on his neck to prove it. But does Kendall believe it? (one stabbed; one burned by sun's rays)

"The Dog" by Pauline C. Smith: Aunt Bessie's husband swears that she'll never be rid of him--not even if he dies. He believes in reincarnation--even if she doesn't. And, just like Arnold, he'll be back... (one natural)

"House by the Road" by Janet O'Daniel: Jane thinks she's found the perfect little house where she can do her writing in peace. Until strange things start happening and the woman she hired to do odd jobs and gardening tells her that there's a spell on the house and that evil spirits want the place for their own...

"The Ghost of Monday" by Andrew Klavan: A man thinks he's committed the perfect crime when he does away with his blackmailing mistress. But then the ghost shows up in his bathroom... (one hit with axe)

"Sitter" by Theodore H. Hoffman: A neurotic teenager who has watched one too many slasher films scares herself silly while babysitting a couple of kids. Is she as neurotic as we think?

"Ghost in the House" by George Sumner Albee: Deborah is upset and Henry can't believe her reason. She's sure that their house is haunted--a man, apparently a realtor, appeared in the living room with a young couple and walked right through her. When they reappear and Henry tries to confront the man, the same happens. But since when do ghosts try to sell houses? (two car accident)

"Behold, Kra K'l!" by Richard F. McGonegal: George convinces his fellow student to help him raise a demon to prove the existence of God. The two young men get more than they bargained for when George's ultra-conservative Czech landlady breaks into their session. 

"Fun & Games at the Whacks Museum" by Elliott Capone: The kids of Bellerive love Berrigan's wax museum; the townspeople hate it. And when the mayor and city council pass an ordinance against taking money without giving a tangible product, it looks like Berrigan will be out of business. And then the mayor is run down by an out of control car...  (one hit by car)

"The Theft of the Halloween Pumpkin" by Edward D. Hoch: Nick Velvet is hired by a reclusive rich publisher's ex-mistress to steal the Halloween pumpkin off the man's front porch. To add a little spice...the last man to invade the publisher's privacy was shot and killed. But Nick always finds a way to deliver the goods. (two shot)

"The Night Watchman" by David Braly: Young Thomas Perkins is obsessed with the night watchman who walks the streets after dark. No one seems to know where he came from or when he was hired or by whom. He's just always been there. Perkins finally decides to find out where he goes after his rounds are done. But does he really want to know?

"Tony Libra & the Killer's Calendar" by Richard Ciciarelli: Tony Libra is hosting a Halloween costume party when his colleague, English Professor Jameson, arrives and asks for a private word. Jameson suspects that a faculty member has been running a drug ring but he doesn't have evidence--yet. He plans on getting it, but tells Tony that if anything should happen to him then Tony should "check up on the calendar." When Jameson is found murdered, Libra must figure out what that statement meant.(one stabbed)

"In the Morgue" by Dashiell Hammett: Walter Dowe's wife is missing and he learns that she went to the theater while he was busy writing away in his room. Oh...and the theater burned down that very night. He takes a friend along as he visits hospitals and, finally, the morgue in search of  her. A very different twist ending. (one fire)

"The Black Cat" by Lee Somerville: Our narrator's Cousin Rush comes into town just in time for the Heritage Festival. Cousin Rush is the black sheep of the family and is only interested in the funds that have been raised during the festivities. He might have gotten away with a robbery if he hadn't kicked that black cat... (two shot)

"This Is Death" by Donald E. Westlake: When a man who has attempted suicide in the past finally succeeds, his ghost wishes that he hadn't. (one hanged)

1st Line (first story): Sometimes I watch a guide bring his group into Gallery 18, in the East Wing of the museum.

...the more I listened, the more I realized that Mary Cantrell's spunkiness was definitely riding in the back seat today. She was scared, badly scared. And when a spunky girl gets scared, I get interested. ("Kiss the Vampire Goodbye")

I was looking at the second vampire I've ever seen. That's a lot of vampires when you didn't even believe in them thirty-six hours before. ("Kiss the Vampire Goodbye")

It's hard not to believe in ghosts when you are one. ("This Is Death")

Last line (last story): This is death.

13 Moon Reading Challenge 2026

The 13 Moons Reading Challenge by ReadnBuried is comprised of thirteen categories with multiple prompts for each category. Thirteen books (one from each category) will complete the challenge at its most basic level--Penumbral Lunar Eclipse--which is what I will be going for. I may do more, but will consider my challenge commitment complete with 13. If you're feeling ambitious you can try for all 104! Click on the link for full details about all the levels.

Wolf Moon
Book featuring an Asylum:
"Vanilla" in the title:
Book with less than 90 pages:
Read while eating a sandwich:
Read a book in your favorite place:
By an author who is funny:
Do NOT read this book while sitting on floor: The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Great War by Simon Guerrier (2/7/26)
Book about a Teacher:

Snow Moon
A mirror on the cover: Dead Man's Mirror by Agatha Christie [broken, but it's there on my edition] (4/11/26)
Word "Chocolate" on the cover: The Avenging Chance by Anthony Berkeley [on box of chocolates on table] (2/28/26)
Start book in Winter: Death on the Slopes by Norma Schier (1/9/26)
Book with a Playlist:
Book with three Ss in title: An Heiress's Guide to Deception & Desire by Manda Collins (3/25/26)
Read book while seated next to someone: Shadows Before by Dorothy Bowers (1/18/26)
Read while eating a treat:
Read a book when you have nothing else to read:

Worm Moon
Book about a Mental Disorder: Shadow of Madness by Hugh Pentecost (3/23/26)
"Strawberry" in title:
Book about Cheese:
Book with movie adaptation: Don Among the Dead Men by C. E. Vulliamy (1/7/26) [adapted into a movie in 1964 called  A Jolly Bad Fellow (aka They All Died Laughing)]
Book features snakes:
Read a book on a blanket:
Start book after 5 pm: The Fourth Postman by Craig Rice (2.25/26)
Snail on the cover: 

Pink Moon
Book about Mental Health
"Mango" in the title:
A friend recommendation:
Choose a book blindfolded:
Title is same as name of a song: Old Bones by Herman Petersen [song by George Burns] (1/30/26)
Whale on the cover:
Book you think will make you blush:
Book about breast cancer:

Flower Moon
Book features a castle:
"Cookies" in the title:
Mask on the cover:
Book features your favorite flower:
More than 5 colors on cover: The Division Bell Mystery by Ellen Wilkinson (1/12/26)
Book features the northern lights:
Set in the South:
Number 6 in title:

Strawberry Moon
Book has Gothic setting:
"Cheesecake" in the title:
Book with a series adaptation:
Eyebrows on cover: Troubled Daughters, Twisted Wives by Sarah Weinman, ed (2/18/26)
"Ember" in the title:
Read book on a desk: An Affair to Remember by Christopher Andersen (3/5/26)
Book features sushi:
Polka dots on cover:

Buck Moon
Book with a Ghost character: High Marks for Murder by Rebecca Kent (1/22/26)
"Caramel" in title:
A Book Club read:
Read book using phone's flashlight:
Start a book right after lunch: The Anatomist's Apprentice by Tessa Harris
Book features a blue collar job:
Book you wish would be turned into a movie: When the Wolves Are Silent by C. S. Harris [actually, I'd like to see the whole series filmed] (4/26/26)
Book about self-defense:

Sturgeon Moon
Book in which a character dies: Masterpieces of Mystery: Amateurs & Professionals by Ellery Queen, ed (1/31/26)
"Butter" in the title:
Book from somebody's anti-TBR: Last Ditch by Ngaio Marsh (from Noah at Noah's Archives)
Book features royalty:
Fangs on the cover:
An AI recommendation:
Set in one of the countries in the UK: Frederica by Georgette Heyer (2/21/26)
Read a Fable:

Harvest Moon
A horror book: Murder Mayhem Short Stories by Christopher Semtner [foreword; includes horror/mysteries] (5/2/26)
"Rainbow" in the title"
Framed painting on cover: Who Killed Alfred Snowe? by J. S. Fletcher
Book with only 7 chapters:
Book about a fandom:
Roll a die and read book corresponding to the number:
Read first book you see on the shelf:
Book with character with tattoos:

Hunter's Moon
Start book after midnight:
"Road" in the title":
Glitter on the cover:
About a band that is no longer active:
Listen to a free audiobook: A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie (1/25/26)
Book with different endings: [choose your own adventure]
Written by Indie Author and then taken by publisher:
Star-Crossed Lovers trope:

Beaver Moon
Set in Victorian era: A Lady's Guide to Mischief & Mayhem by Manda Collins (3/7/26)
"Cake" in title:
Book features a circus:
Book similar to your favorite book:
Book with British & American characters: Dangerous Crossing by Rachel Rhys (2/4/26)
Book about ancient technology:
Rocking chair on cover:
Religious symbol on cover:

Cold Moon
A psychological thriller:
"Marshmallow" in title:
Book features a game: A Death for a Double by E. X. Giroux [both backgammon & chess] (2/7/26)
Ferris wheel on cover: The Murder Wheel by Tom Mead (4/1/26)
Book with a fantasy creature:
Book features an egg:
Book with an empty chapter:
Milkshake on cover:

Blue Moon
Knife on the cover: Who Done It? by Jon Scieszka [compiler/editor]
"Raspberry" in title:
Book in your Reading Challenge TBR: Aristotle Detective by Margaret Doody (2/3/26)
Book features inheritance: The Plumley Inheritance by Christopher Bush (2/13/26)
Set in a School of any kind:
Carousel on the cover:
Book you think will surprise you:
Book with a subject new to you:

Journey Through Time Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2026

 

Going hand-in-hand with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge at The Intrepid Reader & Baker, we have the Journey Through Time Historical Fiction Reading Challenge at Alma's Book Journey on Instagram. I'm going to try to do all twelve, but for my personal challenge tracker my commitment will be for six.

Biblical/Ancient Era: Aristotle, Detective by Margaret Doody (2/3/26)

Romance: Frederica by Georgette Heyer (2/22/26)

A Child's Tale:

At Sea: Dangerous Crossing by Rachel Rhys (2/4/26)

Latin America:

WWI or WW2: The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Great War by Simon Guerrier (2/7/26)

American Revolution:

Historical Fantasy

Libraries/Books/Teachers: High Marks for Murder by Rebecca Kent (1/22/26)

Set in the 1800s: A Lady's Guide to Mischief & Mayhem by Manda Collins (3/7/26)

Mystery/Suspense: Consequences of Sin by Clare Langley-Hawthorne (3/21/26)

Set in your Fav Decade:

Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2026

 

Marg at The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader & Baker will be hosting the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge again this year. I've still got a couple of historical series to work on and plan to join in for another round.. If historical fiction is your thing (or you'd like to see if it is), take a peek at the details at the link above.

I'm going to sign up for the Victorian Reader level (5 books). I may wind up venturing further, but if I reach my initial goal then I will claim the challenge complete.

1. High Marks for Murder by Rebecca Kent (1/22/26)

2. Aristotle Detective by Margaret Doody (2/3/26)

3. Dangerous Crossing by Rachel Rhys (2/4/26)

4. The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Great War by Simon Guerrier (2/7/26)

5. Frederica by Georgette Heyer (2/22/26)

Victorian Reader

6. A Lady's Guide to Mischief & Mayhem by Manda Collins (3/7/26)

7. Portrait of a Nightingale by Manda Collins (3/17/26)

8. Consequences of Sin by Clare Langley-Hawthorne (3/21/26)

9. An Heiress's Guide to Deception & Desire by Manda Collins (3/25/26)

10. The Murder Wheel by Tom Mead (4/1/26)

Renaissance Reader

11. A Case of Mice & Murder by Sally Smith (4/18/26)

12. Murder on Eaton Square by Lee Strauss (4/20/26)

13. Murder by Plum Pudding by Lee Strauss (4/22/26)

14. When the Wolves Are Silent by C. S. Harris (4/26/26)

15. The Anatomist's Apprentice by Tessa Harris (5/5/26)

Medieval Reader

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge 2026

 

The Cloak & Dagger Challenge is back at Carol's Notebook. Those who have participated before will recognize the rules and format--check out the link for full details and to sign up. Since my primary reading genre is mysteries, I will be joining in again at the Sherlock Holmes level of 56+ books in the mystery and crime fields.

1. Don Among the Dead Men by C. E. Vulliamy (1/7/26)

2. Death on the Slopes by Norma Schier (1/9/26)

3. The Division Bell Mystery by Ellen Wilkinson (1/12/26)

4. Shadows Before by Dorothy Bowers (1/18/26)

5. Old Bones by Herman Petersen (1/20/26)

6. High Marks for Murder by Rebecca Kent (1/22/26)

7. A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie (1/25/26)

8. Masterpieces of Mystery: Amateurs & Professionals by Ellery Queen (1/31/26)

9. Aristotle Detective by Margaret Doody (2/3/26)

10. Dangerous Crossing by Rachel Rhys (2/4/26)

11. The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Great War by Simon Guerrier (2/7/26)

12. A Death for a Double by E. X. Giroux (2/7/26)

13. The Plumley Inheritance by Christopher Bush (2/13/26)

14. Twisted Daughters, Troubled Wives by Sarah Weinman, ed (2/18/26)

15. Escape While I Can by Melba Marlett (2/19/26)

16. The Fourth Postman by Craig Rice (2/25/26)

17. The Avenging Chance by Anthony Berkeley (2/28/26)

18. The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith (3/2/26)

19. A Lady's Guide to Mischief & Mayhem by Manda Collins (3/7/26)

20. That Affair Next Door by Anna Katharine Green (3/11/26)

21. The Gaunt Stranger by Edgar Wallace (3/16/26)

22. Portrait of a Nightingale by Manda Collins (3/17/26)

23. Murder Enters the Picture by Willetta Ann Barber & R. F. Schabelitz (3/20/26)

24. Consequences of Sin by Clare Langley-Hawthorne (3/21/26)

25. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (3/22/26)

26. Shadow of Madness by Hugh Pentecost (3/23/26)

27. An Heiress's Guide to Deception & Desire by Manda Collins (3/25/26)

28. The Murder Wheel by Tom Mead (4/1/26)

29. Destination Unknown by Agatha Christie (4/3/26)

30. Tied Up in Tinsel by Ngaio Marsh (4/4/26)

31. Murder on the Thirty-First Floor by Per Wahlöö (4/6/26)

32. Harriet Farewell by Margaret Erskine (4/8/26)

33. Hercule Poirot & the Greenshore Folly by Agatha Christie (4/9/26)

34. Dead Man's Mirror by Agatha Christie (4/11/26)

35. Treasure of Hemlock Mountain by Virginia Frances Voight (4/11/26)

36. The Methods of Sergeant Cluff by Gil North (4/13/26)

37. The Body in the Dumb River by George Bellairs (4/16/26)

37. The Case of Mice & Murder by Sally SMith (4/18/26)

38. Murder on Eaton Square by Lee Strauss (4/20/26)

39. Murder by Plum Pudding by Lee Strauss (4/22/26)

40. Who Done It? by Jon Scieszka [compiler & editor] (4/25/26)

41. When the Wolves Are Silent by C. S. Harris (4/26/26)

42. Murder Mayhem Short Stories by Christopher Semtner [foreword] (5/2/26)

43. Murder in Bright Red by Frances Crane (5/4/26)

44. The Anatomist's Apprentice by Tessa Harris (5/5/26)

45.

46.

47.

48.

49.

50.

51.

52.

53.

54.

55.

56.

57.

52 Book Club 2026 Challenge

 

I'm back for another round of Liz's reading challenge at The 52 Book Club. Hers is a low-key challenge, so there is no pressure to fulfill all 52 categories I'm setting a personal goal of 26. I may read more that fit the categories, but at 26 I can claim my challenge goal fulfilled. Several times in the past I've managed to pull off all 52--so who knows, maybe I'll get there again. I'll list some tentative selections below and update as needed.

1. Set in an ancient civilization: Aristotle, Detective by Margaret Doody (2/3/26)

2. Kangaroo word on the cover: Shadows Before by Dorothy Bowers (1/18/26) Before/Ere

3. Written without quotation marks: Sinai Tapestry by Edward Whittemore OR Ghost by Paul Aster [library]

4. Has a dust jacket: Frederica by Georgette Heyer (2/22/26)

5. Featuring a conspiracy:

6. Title starts with letter O: Old Bones by Herman Petersen (1/20/26)

7. Title starts with letter P: Pencil Points to Murder by Willetta Ann Barber & R. F. Schabelitz

8. A three-syllable word in the title: The Division Bell Mystery by Ellen Wilkinson (1/12/26)

9. Featuring a natural disaster:

10. Spans a decade or more: An Affair to Remember by Christopher Andersen (3/5/26)

11. Requires suspension of disbelief: High Marks for Murder by Rebecca Kent [has a real ghost] (1/22/26)

12. A genre-defining read: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (3/22/26)

13. Bookface:

14. Includes a character list: A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie (1/25/26)

15. A subtitle with commas:

16. Deus Ex Machina:

17. Author's bio mentions their dog: The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood

18.Provokes strong emotion:

19. A nosy neighbor character: That Affair Next Door by Anna Katharine Green [1897] (3/11/26)

20. Day of the week in title: Thursday's Folly by Judson Philips OR Death over Sunday by James Francis Bonnell

21. Written in the 1800s: 

22. Spotted in a TV series or movie: The Saint in New York by Leslie Charteris [in Inglorious Basterds, 2009]

23.Grumpy/Sunshine trope:

24. Uneven number of chapters: The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Great War by Simon Guerrier (2/7/26)

25. Includes a red herring: The Avenging Chance by Anthony Berkeley (2/28/26)

26. Title in serif font: Death on the Slopes by Norma Schier [tiny but there] (1/9/26)

27. Two or more authors, one pseudonym: Murder by Prescription by Jonathan Stagge (Hugh Wheeler & Richard Webb)

28. From a series at least eight books long: The Plumley Inheritance by Christopher Bush (2/13/26)

29. Set in the Arctic or Antarctic: Death in a Cold Climate by Robert Barnard

30. Author related to another author: A Dying Fall by Hildegarde Dolson

31. Author related to author in prompt 30: Squire of Death by Richard Lockridge (married)

32. Publisher starting with letter B: A Death for a Double by E. X. Giroux [10 books in Robert Forsythe series] (2/7/26) [Ballantine]

33. Standalone fantasy novel: The Ship of Ishtar by A. A. Merritt

34. Inspired by top-grossing movie the year you were born: Murder on the Line by John Creasey (train robbery; Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid)

35. Character with secret identity: The Fourth Postman by Craig Rice [one of the characters is secretly another character's mother & a former movie star] (2/25/26)

36. Award-winning book from last year:

37. Started on the 26th of the month: Masterpieces of Mystery: Amateurs & Professionals selected by Ellery Queen [started 1/26/26] (1/31/26)

38. Domestic fiction:

39. A book that cost you nothing: Troubled Daughters, Twisted Wives: Stories from the Trailblazers of Domestic Suspense by Sara Weinman, ed  [gift from one of my grad students] (2/18/26)

40. Author's first and last name start with same letter: Dangerous Crossing by Rachel Rhys (2/4/26)

41. A guide to...: A Lady's Guide to Mischief & Mayhem by Manda Collins (3/7/26)

42. Includes a handwritten interior font: Murder Enters the Picture by Willetta Ann Barber & R. F. Schabelitz [illustrations in the book have hand-written notes] (3/20/26)

43. Goodreads recommendation for you: A Case of Mice & Murder by Sally Smith (4/18/26)

44. Literary Device--Personification: 

45. Biographical Fiction: Murder on the Yellow Brick Road by Stuart Kaminsky

46. Non-fiction about character in prompt 45: Judy Garland, Clark Gable, Louis B. Mayer, etc.

47. A diacritical mark on cover: A Murder of Quality by John le Carré

48. Related to the word "Nemesis": Moriarty by Anthony Horowitz

49. From the 800s of the Dewey Decimal System:

50. Set in a castle: Murder of a Lady by Anthony Wynne

51. Includes a map: The Murder Wheel by Tom Mead [2 maps of scenes in book] (4/1/26)

52. Published in 2026: When the Wolves Are Silent by C. S. Harris (4/26/26)

Old Students Never Die

 Old Students Never Die (1962) by Ivan T. Ross (Robert Rossner)

Ben Gordon is a high school teacher who has just come to the end of one of "those" years. A year where there didn't seem to be a single student who wanted to learn or who showed a spark of interest in what Gordon had to teach. Nearly every year there would be some and there would be certain students who were just plain favorites. Not teacher's pets--but students who seemed to make a connection. Jackie Meadows was one of those students. He was brilliant in schoolwork, but he and Gordon connected. But, as with most students, Gordon had lost touch with him.

But this year fellow teacher Jay Gibbs asks Gordon if he remembered Meadows and did he know that he had turned out to be a very successful comedian on the night club circuit. Yes, he did...and, no, he didn't. Gordon had planned to set out early for a summer vacation road trip--to anywhere but where the school was, but Gibbs tells him that tonight is Meadows' last night at the local club and Gordon should catch the show. So, he does, enjoys the show, and meets up with Meadows after. He's surprised to find himself accepting his former student's invitation to spend the first part of summer vacation at the comedian's country place. Especially when he hears that it will be full of television types because Jackie is in the middle of negotiations for his own TV show.

What starts as a pleasant holiday in the country turns deadly when a local girl returns home and winds up murdered on the property of Jackie and his wife. The sheriff isn't too happy about the involvement of so many outsiders and takes it personally that a local girl was murdered after attending a party full of these people. He casts a suspicious eye on Jackie and Ben and all of Jackie's friends. Ben Gordon isn't above a little sleuthing of his own and it looks like he's found the killer for the Sheriff...or has he?

Of my most recent academic mystery reads, this one has been the best--though still not the strongest I've ever read. I like Ben Gordon and I enjoyed seeing this world through his eyes. His amateur sleuthing is good, though he does make some wrong turns. What I didn't enjoy was the fact that he only got to the correct solution after a disastrous incorrect one. I'm not sure that I like that particular twist that Ross gave to the plot. It just seems a bit bleak to me and I do like to see justice served at the end of a mystery. The other drawback is that Jackie, the "successful" comedian, just isn't funny. His jokes are either a bit cruel or just don't have a punch line worth waiting for. I would think it difficult to successfully portray a comedian on the page and Ross just doesn't quite bring it off. I did enjoy this enough that I look forward to reading the other Ross novel sitting on the TBR piles (Requiem for a Schoolgirl), I hope that the ending is a little more satisfying. ★★★ and 1/2

First line: They come into our lives as children--thirteen or fourteen years old, clumsy, boisterous, half-formed.

Last lines: The highway was empty. I pressed the accelerator all the way down.
*************************

Deaths = 5 (two natural; two hit on head; one shot)

[Finished on 11/29/25]

December Reading by the Numbers Reviews

 

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December Virtual Mount TBR Reviews

 

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December Mount TBR Reviews

 

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December Vintage Scavenger Hunt Reviews

 

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2026 Mystery Marathon: My Sign-Up

 

Two years ago Rick over at the Mystillery decided that we needed to stretch our mystery-reading muscles and start training for a Mystery Marathon. [Full disclosure: I've been in training for this since my mom introduced me to Nancy Drew.] For each marathon we need to read at least 26 mystery books. I finished five marathons in 2024, but last year our trainer Rick has told us not to overdo. So one marathon and we can head to the refreshments tent and relax.

Marathon 2026

1. Don Among the Dead Men by C. E. Vulliamy (1/7/26)

2. Death on the Slopes by Norma Schier (1/9/26)

3. The Division Bell Mystery by Ellen Wilkinson (1/12/26)

4. Shadows Before by Dorothy Bowers (1/18/26)

5. Old Bones by Herman Petersen (1/20/26)

6. High Marks for Murder by Rebecca Kent (1/22/26)

7. A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie (1/24/26)

8. Masterpieces of Mystery: Amateurs & Professionals by Ellery Queen, ed (1/31/26)

9. Aristotle Detective by Margaret Doody (2/3/26)

10. Dangerous Crossing by Rachel Rhys (2/4/26)

11. The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Great War by Simon Guerrier (2/7/26)

12. A Death for a Double by E. X. Giroux (2/7/26)

13. The Plumley Inheritance by Christopher Bush (2/13/26)

14. Troubled Daughters, Twisted Wives by Sarah Weinman, ed (2/18/26)

15. Escape While I Can by Melba Marlett (2/19/26)

16. The Fourth Postman by Craig Rice (2/25/26)

17. The Avenging Chance by Anthony Berkeley (2/28/26)

18. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith (3/2/26)

19. A Ladies Guide to Mischief & Mayhem by Manda Collins (3/7/26)

20. That Affair Next Door by Anna Katharine Green (3/11/26)

21. The Gaunt Stranger by Edgar Wallace (3/16/26)

22. Portrait of a Nightingale by Manda Collins (3/17/26)

23. Murder Enters the Picture by Willetta Ann Barber & R. F. Schabelitz (3/20/26)

24. Consequences of Sin by Ursula Langley-Hawthorne (3/21/26)

25. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (3/22/26)

26. Shadow of Madness by Hugh Pentecost (3/23/26)

Finish Line!

2026 Six Shooter Challenge: My Sign-Up

 

I'm heading out to the shooting range again with Rick and his Six Shooter Mystery Reading Challenge in 2026. The goal is pretty straight-forward--read six books on the same target (by the same author) to complete your round. Any targets started in 2025 but not yet complete will carry over to the new year, so Rick's page won't be fully ready to go for a while. But you can check out the current details at the link above.

As with his other challenges, Rick doesn't ask for a commitment. But I will set a personal goal in order to claim the challenge complete for 2026. I've been setting it at four targets--and I will be aiming for the same in the new year.  Likely targets will include Agatha Christie, the Lockridges, and Carolyn Keene. Other authors TBD.

Agatha Christie

1. A Pocket Full of Rye (1/25/26)

2. "The Affair of the Bungalow" (1/31/26)

3. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (3/24/26)

4. Destination Unknown (4/3/26)

5. Hercule Poirot & the Greenshore Folly (4/9/26)

6. Dead Man's Mirror (4/11/26)

Manda Collins

1. A Lady's Guide to Mischief & Mayhem (3/7/26)

2. Portrait of a Nightingale (3/17/26)

3. An Heiress's Guide to Deception & Desire (3/25/26)

4.

5.

6.

Target 3

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Target 4

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

2026 Medical Examiner Challenge

 

Once again Rick at the Rick Mills Project will be offering up the Medical Examiner Mystery Reading Challenge as well as the Six Shooter Challenge and the Mystery Marathon. I, having no self-control when it comes to challenges--especially mystery-related challenges, will--of course--sign up for all three. For full details, check out the link above after the new year starts. Basically, just read mysteries and log the number of named corpses on his handy form.

Rick doesn't require a sign-up post, but in order to claim this one as complete on my own personal challenge tally sheet, I must submit at least 20 death certificate reports. With the number of mysteries I read per year, this doesn't prove too difficult--so, there should be plenty of toe tags signed by "Quincy" Hankins at the Mystillery Morgue.

1. Don Among the Dead Men by C. E. Vulliamy [7 deaths] (1/7/26)

2. Death on the Slopes by Norma Schier [4 deaths] (1/9/26)

3. The Division Bell Mystery by Ellen Wilkinson [2 deaths] (1/12/26)

4. Shadows Before by Dorothy Bowers [11 deaths] (1/18/26)

5. Old Bones by Herman Petersen [5 deaths] (1/20/26)

6. High Marks for Murder by Rebecca Kent [one death] (1/22/26)

7. A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie [5 deaths] (1/25/26)

*****************The following are from Masterpieces of Mystery: Amateurs & Professionals by Ellery Queen, ed (1/31/26)

8. "Chambrun & the Electronic Ear" by Hugh Pentecost [one death]

9. "The Poisoned Dow '08" by Dorothy L. Sayers [one death]

10. "The Stripper" by H. H. Holmes (one death)

11. "Wally the Watchful Eye" by Paul W. Fairman [one death]

12. "They Can Only Hang You Once" by Dashiell Hammett [2 deaths]

13. "Wild Goose Chase" by Ross Macdonald [3 deaths]

14. "File #1: The Mayfield Case" by Joe Goes [one death]

15. "About the Perfect Crime of Mr. Digberry" by Anthony Abbot [one death]

16. "The Devil Is a Gentleman" by Charles B. Child [one death]

17. "A Winter's Tale" by Frances & Richard Lockridge [one death]

18. "The Motive" by Ellery Queen [3 deaths]

19. "Cause for Suspicion" by George Harmon Coxe [one death]

20. "The Botany Pattern" by Victor Canning [3 deaths]

Commitment met

21. "H as in Homicide" by Lawrence Treat [one death]

22. "Nightshade" by Ed McBain [6 deaths]

*********************

23. Aristotle Detective by Margaret Doody [one death] (2/3/26)

24. Dangerous Crossing by Rachel Rhys [4 deaths] (2/4/26)

25. The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Great War by Simon Guerrier [8 deaths] (2/7/26)

26. Death for a Double by E. X. Giroux [5 deaths] (2/7/26)

27. The Plumley Inheritance by Christopher Bush [5 deaths] (2/13/26)

********************The following are from Troubled Daughters, Twisted Wives by Sarah Weinman, ed (2/18/26)

28. "The Heroine" by Patricia Highsmith [one death]

29. "A Nice Place to Stay" by Nedra Tyre [5 deaths]

30. "Lavender Lady" by Barbara Callahan [one death]

31. "Sugar & Spice" by Vera Caspary [2 deaths]

32. "The Purple Shroud" by Joyce Harrington [one death]

33. "The Stranger in the Car" by Elisabeth Sanxay Holding [2 deaths]

34. "The Splintered Monday" by Charlotte Armstrong [one death]

35. "Lost Generation" by Dorothy Salisbury Davis [one death]

36. "Mortmain" by Miriam Allen Deford [one death]

**********************

37. Escape While I Can by Melba Marlett [13 deaths] (2/19/26)

38.The Fourth Policeman by Craig Rice [8 deaths] (2/25/26)

39. The Avenging Chance by Anthony Berkeley [8 deaths] (2/28/26)

40. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith [5 deaths] (3/2/26)

41. A Lady's Guide to Mischief & Mayhem by Manda Collins [10 deaths] (3/7/26)

42. That Affair Next Door by Anna Katharine Green [one death] (3/11/26)

43. The Gaunt Stranger by Edgar Wallace [7 deaths] (3/16/26)

44. Portrait of a Nightingale by Manda Collins [3 deaths] (3/17/26)

45. Murder Enters the Picture by Willetta Ann Barber & R. F. Schabelitz [5 deaths] (3/20/26)

46. Consequences of Sin by Clare Langley-Hawthorne [7 deaths] (3/21/26) 

47. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie [3 deaths] (3/22/26)

48. Shadow of Madness by Hugh Pentecost [5 deaths] (3/23/26)

49. An Heiress's Guide to Deception & Desire by Manda Collins [5 deaths] (3/25/26)

50. The Murder Wheel by Tom Mead [12 deaths] (4/1/26)

51. Tied Up in Tinsel by Ngaio Marsh [2 deaths] (4/4/26)

52. Destination Unknown by Agatha Christie [3 deaths] (4/3/26)

53. Harriet Farewell by Margaret Erskine [7 deaths] (4/8/26)

54. Hercule Poirot & the Greenshore Folly by Agatha Christie [5 deaths] (4/9/26)

55. Dead Man's Mirror by Agatha Christie [7 deaths] (4/11/26)

56. Treasure of Hemlock Mountain by Virginia Frances Voight [one death] (4/11/26)

57. The Methods of Sergeant Cluff by Gil North [2 deaths] (4/13/26)

58. The Body in the Dumb River by George Bellairs [4 deaths] (4/16/26)

59. A Case of Mice & Murder by Sally Smith [3 deaths] (4/18/26)

60. Murder on Eaton Square by Lee Strauss [3 deaths] (4/20/26)

61. Murder by Plum Pudding by Lee Strauss [one death] (4/22/26)

62. Who Done It? by Jon Scieszka (compiler & editor) [4 deaths] (4/25/26)

63. When the Wolves Are Silent by C. S. Harris [19 deaths]) (4/26/26)

***************The following stories are from Murder Mayhem Short Stories by Christopher Semtner [foreword] (5/2/26)

64. "The Wendigo Goes Home" by Sara Dobie Bauer [one death]

65. "The Death of Halpin Frayser" by Ambrose Bierce [2 deaths]

66. "The Moonlit Road" by Ambrose Bierce [one death]

67. "The Rector of Veilbye" by Steen Steensen Blicher [3 deaths]

68. "Dr. Hyde, Detective & the White Pillars Murder" by G. K. Chesterton [one death]

69. "Who Killed Zebedee?" by Wilkie Collins [one death]

70. "The Problem of Dead Wood Hall" by Dick Donovan [2 deaths]

71. "The Brazilian Cat" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle [one death]

72. "Nineteen Sixty-Four Ford Falcon" by Tim Foley [2 deaths]

73. "Mama Said" by Steven Thor Gunnin [2 deaths]

74. "Six Aspects of Cath Baduma" by Kate Heartfield [one death]

75. "The Thing Invisible" by William Hope Hodgson [one death]

76. "Freedom Is Not Free" by David M. Hoenig [5 deaths]

77. "Mademoiselle de Scuderi" by E. T. A. Hoffman [6 deaths]

78. "Pigeons from Hell" by Robert E. Howard [6 deaths]

79. "Two Out of Three Rule" by Patrick J. Hurley [one death]

80. "The Well" by W. W. Jacobs [2 deaths]

81. "In the Penal Colony" by Franz Kafka [one death]

82. "Getting Shot in the Face Still Stings" by Michelle Ann King [2 deaths]

83. "The Return of Imray" by Rudyard Kipling [2 deaths]

84. "Less Than Katherine" by Claude Lalumiere [8 deaths]

85. "The Hound" by H. P. Lovecraft [one death]

86. "From Beyond" by H. P. Lovecraft [2 deaths]

87. "Drive Safe" by K. A. Mielke [2 deaths]

88. "In the Dark" by Edith Nesbitt [3 deaths]

89. "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe [one death]

90. "The Azure Ring" by Arthur B. Reeves [three deaths]

91. "Redux" by Alexandra Camille Renwick [one death]

92. "The First Seven Deaths of Mildred Orly" by Fred Senese [6 deaths]

93. "Markheim" by Robert Louis Stevenson [one death]

94. "The Dualists by Bram Stoker [4 deaths]

95. "Mister Ted" by Donald Jacob Uitvlugt [3 deaths]

96. "Cheese" by Ethel Lina White [one death]

97. "Corpses Removed, No Questions Asked" by Dean H. Wild [4 deaths]

98. "Lord Savile's Crime: A Study of Duty" by Oscar Wilde [2 deaths]

99. "Fragments of Me" by Nemma Wollenfang [one death]

*************************

100. Murder in Bright Red by Frances Crane [3 deaths] (5/4/26)

101. The Anatomist's Apprentice by Tessa Harris [8 deaths] (5/5/26)

102.