Poll for January 2016 group read - Winner!

[Judy]

It's time to come up with some nominations for our second group read, to start in January.

Please post your suggestions - this time I don't think we need to stick to just the British Library Crime Classics, though they would still be very welcome.

Happy nominating! :)

[Susan]

Abbey Court Murder: An Inspector Furnival Mystery: Volume 1

“A crime of a peculiarly mysterious nature was perpetrated some time last night in a block of flats called Abbey Court.”

Lady Judith Carew acted furtively on the night of the Denboroughs’ party. Her secret assignation at 9:30pm was a meeting to which she took a loaded revolver. The Abbey Court apartment building would play host to violent death that very night, under cover of darkness. The killer’s identity remained a mystery, though Lady Carew had a most compelling motive – and her revolver was left in the dead man’s flat…

Enter the tenacious Inspector Furnival in the first of his golden age mysteries, first published in 1923. Though there are many clues, there are just as many red herrings and the case takes numerous Christie-esque twists before the murderer can be revealed. This new edition, the first printed in over 80 years, features an introduction from crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.

“Annie Haynes does, in The Abbey Court Murder, what all writers of mystery stories aspire to do, and so few carry off successfully… It is a first-rate story… the plot thickens with every page, leading us on to the final climax in a state of unfluctuating interest.” Bookman

Annie Haynes was born in 1865, the daughter of an ironmonger. By the first decade of the twentieth century she lived in London and moved in literary and early feminist circles. Her first crime novel, The Bungalow Mystery, appeared in 1923, and another nine mysteries were published before her untimely death in 1929. Who Killed Charmian Karslake? appeared posthumously, and a further partially-finished work, The Crystal Beads Murder, was completed with the assistance of an unknown fellow writer, and published in 1930.

This is a newly re-discovered series, so I am hoping that most of us will not have read it yet. This is the first book in the series.

Nigeyb, I do love "The Beast Must Die," though and it is an unusual book and has lots of discussion points.

[Susan]

Absolutely agree ;)

[Arpita (BagfullofBooks)]

I am going to nominate John Buchan's - The Thirty Nine Steps.

I like the other two nominations as well.

However have quite recently read the Beast Must Die with another group. Terrific book!

[Susan]

I've never read that, Arpita. Great nomination. I will just put up a link, in case anyone doesn't know what it is about (I know it's a classic, but still!):

The Thirty-Nine Steps

7

May 1914. Britain is on the eve of war with Germany. Richard Hannay is living a quiet life in London, but after a chance encounter with a mysterious stranger he stumbles into a hair-raising adventure - a desperate hunt across the country and against the clock, pursued by the police and a cunning, ruthless enemy. Hannay's life and the security of Britain are in grave peril, and everything rests on the solution to a baffling enigma: what are the thirty-nine steps?

[Leslie]

Arpita wrote: "I am going to nominate John Buchan's - The Thirty Nine Steps.

I like the other two nominations as well.

However have quite recently read the Beast Must Die with another group. Terrific book!"

Great book & your nomination reminds me that I want to read the rest of the Hannay series next year (I have read the first 3, 3 more to go) so a reread of the first one in January is perfect timing for me *grin*

I also read The Beast Must Die with that same group but wouldn't mind rereading that one either. I am unfamiliar with Susan's nominee but the blurb sounds good.


I am going to nominate Margery Allingham's The Fashion in Shrouds (first published in 1938, #10 in the Albert Campion series). I have been told this one of the better Campion books but I discover to my horror that I don't remember it at all! Here is the blurb from Goodreads:

Detective Albert Campion has a talented dress designer sister with celebrated clients. Georgia Wells is a glamorous actress who exemplifies the 1930s femme fatale. Vain, stupid, and selfish, she attracts men like moths to a flame. When these men die, Albert suspects Georgia is more deliberately fatale than alluring.

[Judy]

Three great nominations already! I've read The Thirty Nine Steps before, but am completely torn between the other two.

Glad to see you choosing a book reprinted by Dean Street Press, Susan, since they are reprinting some great detective stories by little-known authors.

[Judy]

Oh wow, and now it's four great nominations. I'm an Allingham fan and would be very happy to revisit this one. Must admit I don't immediately remember it from the description either.

[Jan C]

Hag's Nook by John Dickson Carr. This is the first book in the Dr. Gideon Fell series.

From the back cover: "The Starberths die of broken necks. That was the legend in the village where Chaterham Prison, abandoned for a hundred years, had kept its secrets of death and terror. Scotland Yard learned of the legend when Martin Starbeth was murdered. But it took Gideon Fell to solve the many riddles and discover the truth about one of the most cunning murder plots ever devised."

[Susan]

Ooh, I've always meant to read "Hag's Nook," Jan C.

[Leslie]

So when will the poll be starting?

[Judy]

The poll will open on Saturday - so just a few days for any more nominations!

[Susan]

I am impressed by so many great suggestions. So many good books to choose from :)

[Hilary (A Wytch's Book Review)]

if no one else has suggested it.

[Arpita (BagfullofBooks)]

Great suggestions. I am torn between the options now.

[Judy]

Hilary, I just recently read The Cornish Coast Murder by John Bude and enjoyed it - another great nomination. :)

[Hilary (A Wytch's Book Review)]

Judy wrote: "Hilary, I just recently read The Cornish Coast Murder by John Bude and enjoyed it - another great nomination. :)"

Every so often I treat myself to another John Bude on Kindle :D

[Nigeyb]

There's so many great nominations I've decided to withdraw mine and save it for another month, just to make your decision a bit easier. I've deleted the post above.

[Judy]

Look forward to seeing you hopefully nominate it again in future, Nigeyb - it does sound like a great read. :)

[Susan]

That's a shame, Nigeyb. It is a fantastic book, but I suspect one or two of us had read it fairly recently. There are lots of other Nigel Strangeways mysteries which might appeal to you though and you could always nominate it another time. I always enjoy reading Nicholas Blake.

[Nigeyb]

Thanks Susan, thanks Judy - to be honest I am feeling as though I have far too many books to read at the moment and, if it had won, it would have been another book to read, and another discussion I'd feel obliged to actively participate in. This way, I can feel a bit more relaxed about it all. It does indeed look like a good book with plenty of discussion points.

[Susan]

I know that feeling, Nigeyb! Don't worry, we all have 'book overload' sometimes.

[Judy]

The poll is now up! It will be running for 2 weeks, until November 28.

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/1...

[Judy]

Must apologise, I thought I'd ticked a box to make this a 'featured poll' on the group's home page, but evidently I did something wrong and it isn't. So people will have to follow the link above to find it, or go via the 'polls' link in the top right corner.

[Susan]

I always use the link Judy, so never even noticed anything was wrong! Goodness knows how I'll get on when I attempt to do the challenge...

[Judy]

I'm sure you'll be fine - I'm so bad with technology!

[Susan]

So am I :)

[Leslie]

Judy wrote: "Must apologise, I thought I'd ticked a box to make this a 'featured poll' on the group's home page, but evidently I did something wrong and it isn't. So people will have to follow the link above to..."

I too always use the link but you can edit the poll to check that box if you want Judy. Even while the poll is in progress...

[Judy]

Leslie wrote: "I too always use the link but you can edit the poll to check that box if you want Judy. Even while the poll is in progress..."

Many thanks for that - I've just been back and eventually found the link to do so. So the poll is now featured on the home page at the bottom of the discussion threads. :)

[Judy]

Our poll is now neck-and-neck - 3 votes each for The Cornish Coast Mystery and The Abbey Court Murder!

[Roisin]

It was! : )

[Hilary (A Wytch's Book Review)]

Judy wrote: "Our poll is now neck-and-neck - 3 votes each for The Cornish Coast Mystery and The Abbey Court Murder!"


ooooh!

[Roisin]

Hehehe!

[Lesley]

I've got both on my kindle waiting!!

[Susan]

So do I - they all look interesting choices though :)

[Susan]

Have a feeling that Judy has already mentioned this somewhere, but The Cornish Coast Mystery is free to read if you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited, in the UK at least.

[Jan C]

It is the same in the US for kindle unlimited, otherwise $6.99.

[Susan]

That's good, Jan. I have read it and it's a fun mystery with a good Christmas theme, so should be a perfect December read. Mind you, it feels like Christmas now in London - brrrrr! Freezing this morning.

[Judy]

Thanks, Susan and Jan - I had mentioned that The Santa Klaus Murder was available on Kindle Unlimited, but hadn't realised that also applied to this one! I've also read The Cornish Coast Murder recently and enjoyed it.

[Judy]

We have a winner!

Our poll closed today, and The Cornish Coast Murder by John Bude is the winner, so it will be our group read in January.

[Susan]

I just started, "The Cornish Coast Murder," and am pleasantly surprised by how much I like it. Have never read John Bude before, but will investigate further books by him.

[Hilary (A Wytch's Book Review)]

Excellent! I look forward to re-reading it :D

[Susan]

It is always good to discover a new author - even if you discover them so long after they were actually writing. There is something magical about it, isn't there?

[Arpita (BagfullofBooks)]

Great choice everyone. Also very pleased as its already in my library but unread.

[Susan]

I always feel sad for unread books in libraries, Arpita. That book needs you!

[Leslie]

I put in a hold for this but there are several others ahead of me so I don't know if I will get it in time to join you...

[Judy]

Fingers crossed you get it in time, Leslie, but, if not, the thread will still be open for your comments when you do get to it!

[Barbara]

Yet again-love this group-I can't wait to get my copy and start reading!!

[Mark Pghfan]

Got the book from the library and am starting it in time for our discussion!

[Susan]

That's great, it should be a fun discussion.