Authors' "Other (Better?) Works"
I recently reread a book of historical mystery short stories inspired by Ellis Peters & her Brother Cadfael series. One of the writers, I believe it was H.R.F. Keating, mentioned how disappointed Edith Pargeter (aka Ellis Peters) was that her other characters were not as well known. I really liked the Cadfael series until I read them back to back and realized how formulaic they are.
Recently I needed something to read so I picked up an Ellis Peters non Cadfael tale - Death to the Landlords (the title suited my mood at the time) set in India featuring Dominic Felse (the son of Inspector Felse, her "other" series character). I could see a trace of the Cadfael formula (ie - there must be a romance), but it was otherwise very good. So good that I read an Inspector Felse as well. Now I must get more.
Sadly same happened with H.R.F Keating's Inspector Ghote, 3 or 4 years ago I got derailed (pun intended!) reading the very transparently plotted Inspector Ghote Goes by Train and recently gave up attempting to restart it. However, Keating has another sort of police procedural series (no recurring characters) based on basic personality traits of the investigators that is a very good read. I've been through The Good Detective, The Bad Detective , and The Soft Detective since last week. Now I must get more.
Recently I needed something to read so I picked up an Ellis Peters non Cadfael tale - Death to the Landlords (the title suited my mood at the time) set in India featuring Dominic Felse (the son of Inspector Felse, her "other" series character). I could see a trace of the Cadfael formula (ie - there must be a romance), but it was otherwise very good. So good that I read an Inspector Felse as well. Now I must get more.
Sadly same happened with H.R.F Keating's Inspector Ghote, 3 or 4 years ago I got derailed (pun intended!) reading the very transparently plotted Inspector Ghote Goes by Train and recently gave up attempting to restart it. However, Keating has another sort of police procedural series (no recurring characters) based on basic personality traits of the investigators that is a very good read. I've been through The Good Detective, The Bad Detective , and The Soft Detective since last week. Now I must get more.
posted by Sue at
6:04 PM
3 Comments:
I just got hooked on The Face of a Stranger by Anne Perry. I picked it up because it's got a Victorian setting, and I'm starting to gear up to full research mode into things Victorian and Illusionist. Also the book was free when buying a certain number of other books at the used book store.
Say . . . who was the guy who wrote that short story in Ellery Queen's about the detectives investigating the medium? Do you remember, Sue?
By
Unknown, At
7:31 AM PDT
Of course I had to go look it up. //grin// It was one of my favorite authors - Bill Pronzini. The story is called "Medium Rare" and was in the September/October 1998 double issue of EQMM.
The story can also be found in "Quincannon's Game" (2005, I think), a collection of stories featuring the title character. I may have to get that one for the library, I am working on getting all of Pronzini's "Nameless Detective" books what's one more book?
By
Sue, At
8:47 PM PDT
Thanks! If the stories are about the same character, I'm going to have to get that book . . .
By
Unknown, At
5:07 PM PDT
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