Our Mystery Book Club kicked off our year to remember Edgar Allan Poe at its annual picnic on June 26, 2015. Among Poe’s many contributions to literature during his short life (1809-1949) were stories that may have kicked off the private detective genre and the dark tale or noir genre. At the picnic, Mike O’Connor shared a bottle of Amontillado with the members, and then offered a toast to Poe that included references … Continue reading
Just read a brief review in the front of a book I received as a gift yesterday. The book is The Darkening Field by William Ryan. The review excerpt is from the Times Literary Supplement (UK): Ryan writes with narrative drive and urgency, real sense of place, and a central character who is conflicted, moral, and above all, likeable. Any one of these things is a rarity; the combination is … Continue reading
One of my fellow mystery book lovers stunned me during our last Mystery Book Club discussion – the club I attend in Manchester, Massachusetts. He asked/exclaimed, “Why do you have to compare books?” In my mind, I’m thinking, “That’s more than half the fun of our meetings, the source of much fun, laughter, and thoughtfulness. What’s Joe’s problem?” I didn’t say that exactly, but my thoughts then and immediately afterward … Continue reading
LET'S PLAY CLUE: Was it MBC Leader Dick Goutal, in the garden, using the poisonous plant, Black Henbane?
