October 2026 Wrap-Up

Books Read:

Wife or Death by Ellery Queen, ghost-written by Richard Deming (1963)  4/5 stars

I did not realize until I started this book that Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington Lee (co-authors/creators of the Ellery Queen books) had ghost-writers for some of the books written in the 1960s and '70s.  Previously, I had tried House of Brass and found it to be slimy, unlike the previous books of the series, and simply unreadable for me (my dnf review); I now know that it was ghost-written by Avram Davidson and will avoid any others by him.  

This one, however, by Richard Deming was quite good.  The story focuses on a man whose wife is known to be a serial adulterer.  When she is found murdered, he is the first and most likely suspect, so begins his own investigation to prove his innocence.  It was well-plotted, interesting, and engaging.  I figured out most of it, but still enjoyed it enough that I wouldn't hesitate to read another by Deming.

The Invention of Murder: How the Victorians Revelled in Death and Detection and Created Modern Crime by Judith Flanders (2011)  3/5 stars  (my review here)

Birds of Prey by Mary Elizabeth Braddon (1867) 3/5 stars

This is not Braddon's best, with very little thrills, suspense, or even melodrama.  It ends abruptly, setting the stage for its sequel Charlotte's Inheritance; I'm not sure I enjoyed it enough to continue to the next book. 

Evidence of Things Seen by Elizabeth Daly (1943)  4/5 stars

Henry Gamadge mysteries, book 6 

Gamadge's wife becomes a suspect in a murder case, and he must set things right.  This was a very enjoyable quick read with a satisfying conclusion.  I like Daly better with each one I read.

Audiobooks Completed:

The Crystal Stopper by Maurice Leblanc  (1912)  4/5 stars

Arsène Lupin, book 5 

This is a mystery/adventure about the likable gentleman thief and master of disguise, Arsène Lupin.  In it, Lupin nearly meets his match when he tries to save one of his gang from the guillotine.  This is a fun, enjoyable read that gradually becomes quite serious and tense as the execution nears and Lupin fails attempt after attempt.  I can't rate it five stars, but I did get that much pleasure from it.

A Short Bright Flash: Augustin Fresnel and the Birth of the Modern Lighthouse by Theresa Levitt (2013)  4/5 stars

This is a biography of the short life of Agustin Fresnel, inventor of the Fresnel lens which changed modern lighthouse technology.  After his biography, the author continues with the history of modern lighthouses in France, Great Britain, and the U.S., up through World War II.  While it is sometimes rather technical, the book is interesting and informative, and generally easy to follow.

The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet by Katherine Cowley (2021) 4/5 stars

The Secret Life of Mary Bennet, book one

This was a delightful tale of Austen's Mary Bennet, taking place after the death of her father.  Cowley stuck very closely to the original character -- not giving her glasses, unlike the movies and some other pastiches, and keeping her overly scholarly, prim, and sometimes annoying.  Mary made an excellent amateur detective, with her detailed mind, nosey nature, and plain exterior.  The changes to her personality were slow, slight, and believable.  I thoroughly enjoyed this and couldn't read it fast enough; I certainly plan on reading the other two the author wrote.  (Note: for those that want to know how it compared to The Other Bennet Sister,  I'll just point out that I did not care enough for the un-Austen-like Mary in that one to finish it (my dnf review), yet I loved Cowley's version of Mary.)

The Invention of Murder by Judith Flanders

 

The Invention of Murder: How the Victorians Revelled in Death and Detection and Created Modern Crime 
Judith Flanders
2011 
3/5 stars

The author gives the account of many highly-publicized Victorian murders and her reasons for why these crimes caught the public's attention when other equally disturbing ones did not. She shows the newspaper articles, plays, and novels each crime inspired.  The book is highly (at times painfully) detailed, and was obviously well-researched.  

Unfortunately, the book is also formulaic, with Flanders treating each crime the same way (description, trial, public reaction), and then jumping right into the next one -- for more than 400 pages.  It is easy to read and understand, with lots of interesting facts, but overall it's presented in a dull manner that makes it hard to persevere.   

I do want to point out that given  the nature of the crimes, there are some gruesome descriptions and Flanders does not stint on the particulars.  This may be a problem for some readers; I was certainly uncomfortable many times.  True crime is not my interest -- Victorian history is.

The most problematic issue for me, though, was her treatment of the novels mentioned in her book.  

It seems obvious that the author should expect her audience to be those interested in Victorian history and literature. Those readers would most likely be familiar with the novels that are mentioned and may be a regular reader of this genre.  Despite this, Flanders spoils the plots of all the melodramas and sensational fiction she discusses.  

I have already read many of the books mentioned, but she still managed to ruin the sequel to the melodrama I'm currently reading (Charlotte's Inheritance by M.E. Braddon).   Two others that are on my to-be-read list were also spoiled before I could skim over the paragraph.  I'm not sure why the author felt the need to give all the plot details but it was a huge problem for me.

(On a side note, the author also appears to feel that Dickens was the only Victorian author of sensational fiction/melodrama that could be considered "literature", which bothered me as well, given it's so highly untrue.  )

I'm rating the book three stars for the obvious amount of work and research that went into it, but can't strongly recommend it as I didn't feel it left me enlightened about the era or that it proved the subtitle ("How the Victorians Revelled in Death and Detection and Created Modern Crime") as promised.

September 2026 Wrap-Up

James Burke

Books Read:

Twin Tracks: The Unexpected Origins of the Modern World by James Burke (2003)  4/5 stars

In this, science historian Burke takes one idea or event (for example, the 1770 Falklans War) and shows how, by two different tracks starting from the same origin, it led to an important invention in the modern world (in this case, television).  Delivered with Burke's usual wit, irreverence and levity, it's fun to read, even though, at times the connections seemed tenuous and the humor forced.  (Disclaimer: I have a crush on Mr. Burke.)

Songs of Stone by Celeste Baxendell (2022) 4/5 stars

Bewitching Fairy Tales book #5

This is a well-written and compelling spice-free fantasy that follows one of the characters from the previous book as he encounters and falls in love with a young female criminal.  The story is often serious, as it deals with themes of repentance, justice, and how far one would go to save a loved one.  It's not an exact retelling, but contains references to the stories of The Pied Piper and the Sandman, wrapped up in Baxendell's original convincing world. At over 600 pages, it is detailed and full of character development, but does require a committed reader.

Gilded in Ice by Sarah Pennington (2021)  4/5 stars

Bastian Dennel PI, book 2 

This mystery involving two missing people is set in a fantasy world similar to a US city during the Jazz Age, and lightly follows the stories of "Snow White and Rose Red", "East of the Sun, West of the Moon", and Cupid and Psyche. The concept is unique, fun, and engaging, but even in this second book of the series, the world, magic system, and characters aren't fully developed. Despite that, I enjoyed it and will most likely read another by the author.

Blood on the Tracks: Railway Mysteries edited by Martin Edwards (2018)  4/5 stars

This is a short story collection from the British Library Crime Classics.  The variety of authors from still popular to now obscure is excellent, worth five stars as always, but the quality of the work varies, bringing it down to 4 stars.  Some of them are particularly memorable, though, and introduced me to authors I will definitely be looking up in the future.

Audio Books:

The House of Dudley: A New History of Tudor England by Joanne Paul (2022)  4/5 stars

This is a nonfiction account of the rise and fall of the Dudley family, from the reign of King Edward VIII through to Queen Elizabeth I.  I listened to the audio version, so I don't know what kind of references Paul used, but I would like to know her sources for some of the vivid descriptions of feelings and actions she included.  Other than that, it's generally well written and held my attention; it would be a good fit for anyone interested in that era.

Miss Pym Disposes by Josephine Tey (1946)  4/5 stars

This is not a typical mystery, suspense, or even crime novel.  It takes place at a girls' college, and Tey spends a good deal of time allowing the reader the know and like the characters.  When an accident happens, Miss Pym -- a visiting psychiatrist -- becomes emotionally involved and faces a tough decision.  This is a well-written and surprisingly compelling story, but the reader must not expect the usual Golden Age whodunnit.