Monday Book Pick: Some Buried Caesar
Some Buried Caesar by Rex Stout
We’re setting the Way Back Machine to 1938 for this Nero Wolfe novel. If you like murder mysteries, any of Stout’s Nero Wolfe novels is worth the read. What makes this interesting is that none of the story takes place in the familiar brownstone which Wolfe so rarely leaves. He and Archie have ventured into the wilds of upstate New York so Wolfe can display some of his Orchids at a county fair. Wolfe and Goodwin become involved the local scandal of a champion Guernsey bull named Hickory Caesar Grindon being sold to a owner of a chain of restaurants. The scandal is that the new owner plans of cooking Caesar and feeding him at a large barbecue as an advertising event. Hot tempers, long standing family feuds, and shady characters lead to multiple murders. One of the nice twists is the local cop who tosses Archie in jail. Archie passes the time by forming a prisoners union, complete with presenting a list of demands to his jailers. This novel also introduces the reoccurring character of Lily Rowan.
Monday Book Pick: Murder by the Book
Murder by the Book by Rex Stout
Stout at the top of his game in this Nero Wolfe mystery. A pair seemingly unrelated murders are presented to Wolfe, who makes the connection and sets on the trail of the killer. He and Archie Goodwin are presented with two more murders while tracking the murder who almost got away with it.
Monday Book Pick: The Third Girl
The Third Girl by Agatha Christie
It’s been a while since I’ve read murder mysteries. I’ve started back in with some of classics. This is one of her later ones, written in the 1960s. Complete with Beatniks, Mods, and shaggy haired artists on drugs. This one features Hercule Poirot, the fussy Belgian detective, along with a cast of larger than life, yet stereotypical characters, including the dotty old British military officer writing his memoirs. A fun read. Agatha Christie mysteries are classics for a reason folks.
Monday Book Pick: Heat Wave
Heat Wave by Richard Castle
OK, OK…it’s a spin off media from the Castle TV show. I read it after watching the first season. For murder mystery pulp, and I have read more than a few, it’s not that bad. Reasonably decent as a stand alone, but the tie ins to the TV show are what make the book more than average. One of my favorites was naming the Judge the writer character plays poker with “Simpson” and noting his resemblance to Homer Simpson. The TV tie in is that the judge character in the show is played by Dan Castellaneta, who is the voice of Homer Simpson! Whomever the author is, I hope he got a decent fee for this. He or she probably had some fun writing it, and now that the next few mortgage payments are made, can focus on work their name can go on…
Friday B-Movie: The January Man
From 1989 comes this nicely done murder mystery, were tracking down the serial killer is only half the mystery. The cast is top notch. It includes Kevin Kline, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Susan Sarandon, Harvey Keitel and Danny Aiello. They really breath some life into a so-so script and make this movie worth watching.
Monday Book Pick: She Murdered me with Science
Filed under: Monday Book Pick, Pulp, Science Fiction
She Murdered Me with Science by David Boop
A delightful mix of hard boiled dective story and good old fashioned pulp science story, with a dash of Jazz thrown in for flavor.
Ya, ya. I know it’s Tuesday. I’ve been busy.