In memory of our lost hosts

[Elizabeth]

Hello everyone, in case you haven't heard, one of the March Mystery Madness cohosts, Janelle of Too Fond of Books has recently passed away. She was an amazing part of the March Mystery Madness Readathon and will be greatly missed. I have started a new channel on the March Mystery Madness Discord where people can link their favorite Janelle videos or their favorite memories of her. I know that not everyone is on Discord so I thought I should start a thread here so that you could leave your memorial thoughts here as well. We will definitely plan on incorporating something into the 2024 readathon in her honor. Meanwhile if you are not a subscriber of Janelle's I encourage you to go and watch some of her videos for some fantastic mystery recommendations. Blessings to you all and happy reading.

[Gerri]

I was so sad to hear that news yesterday. I had tuned in thinking it was a new video and probably Janelle sharing some things about her trip also. I was so shocked to hear the sad news her husband gave on her channel. Bless him for taking the time to do that at such a difficult and sad time. Janelle seemed like a wonderful person. I enjoyed her smile and laugh as well as her book recommendations. My heart goes out to her family and friends. I know she certainly had an impact on many people with her channel.

[Donna]

For Janellathon/Too Fond of Janelle, here is Janelle's M&M Game for March Mystery Madness 2023 and her book picks to use as ideas for books to read.

In tribute of Janelle to remember the joy she had playing the game and the joy we had playing along with her.

WEEK 1: Blue cover; set in Asia
A Calamitous Chinese Killing/Inspector Singh Investigations #6 by Shamini Flint

WEEK 2: Amateur sleuth; set in pre-1900s
Bertie and the Tin Man by Peter Lovesey

WEEK 3: Male detective; set in the city
Satan in St. Mary's/Hugh Corbett #1 by Paul Doherty (London)

WEEK 4: Animal plays a role in story; set in a manor house
Death at the Dance/Lady Eleanor Smith #2 by Verity Bright

[Donna]

These are the books Janelle recommended for her 2022 MMM 2 x 2 Game

(1) Published/set BEFORE 1970; FIRST person (Mar 1)
The Moving Finder/Miss Marple #4 by Agatha Christie (1944)

(2) URBAN setting; FIRST person (Mar 2)
Now You See Me/Lacey Flint #1 by Sharon J. Bolton

(3) THRILLER; published/set AFTER 1970 (Mar 3)
Poacher's Road/Inspektor Kimmel (Austria) by John Brady

(4) WHODUNIT by AMATEUR sleuth (Mar 4)
Miss Seeton's Finest Hour/Prequel by Hamilton Crane

(5) URBAN setting; MALE detective/sleuth (Mar 5)
Joe Country/Slough House #6 by Mick Herron

(6) RURAL setting; FIRST person (Mar 6)
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

(7) THRILLER; AMATEUR detective (Mar 7)
A Peculiar Combination/Electra McDonnell #1 by Ashley Weaver

(8) RURAL setting; published/set AFTER 1970 (Mar 8)
Little Gentle Sleuthing/Melissa Craig #1 by Betty Rowlands

(9) THRILLER; THIRD person (Mar 9)
Missing American/Emma Djan Investigations #1 by Kwei Quartey

(10) RURAL setting; MALE detective (Mar 10)
Constable over the Stile/Constable Nick #20 by Nicholas Rhea

(11) PROFESSIONAL detective; THRILLER (Mar 11)
In Cold Blood/D.I. Isabel Blood #1 by Jane Bettany

(12) THIRD PERSON; published/set BEFORE 1970 (Mar 12)
Heads You Lose/Inspector Cockrill #1 by Christianna Brand

(13) THRILLER; URBAN setting (Mar 13)
Blue Monday/Frieda Klein #1 by Nicci French

(14) FEMALE; AMATEUR detective (Mar 14)
Date with Malice/Dales Detective #2 by Julia Chapman

(15) RURAL; WHODUNIT (Mar 15)
The Highland Fling Murders/Murder She Wrote #8 by Jessica Fletcher/Donald Bain

(16) AMATEUR sleuth; published/set BEFORE 1970 (Mar 16)
Blood Upon the Snow/Mark East #1 by Hilda Lawrence

(17) AMATEUR; THIRD person (Mar 17)
The Deadly Portent/Lady Fan #2 by Elizabeth Bailey

(18) FEMALE; FIRST person (Mar 18)
Murder at Longbourn/Elizabeth Parker #1 by Tracy Kiely

(19) AMATEUR; published/set AFTER 1970 (Mar 19)
All the Queen's Men/Her Majesty the Queen Investigations #2 by S. J. Bennett

(20) WHODUNIT; MALE detective (Mar 20)
A Meditation on Murder/Death in Paradise #1 by Robert Thorogood

(21) AMATEUR detective; FIRST person (Mar 21)
Getting Old is Murder/Gladdy Gold #1 by Rita Lakin

(22) WHODUNIT; published/set AFTER 1970 (Mar 22)
Murder on the Rocks/Gray Whale Inn Mystery #1 by Karen MacInerney

(23) FEMALE; AMATEUR detective (Mar 23)
A Quiet Life in the Country/Lady Hardcastle #1 by T. E. Kinsey

(24) RURAL setting; THRILLER (Mar 24)
The Lost Shrine/Hills and Barbrook #2 by Nicola Ford

(25) RURAL setting; THIRD person (Mar 25)
Haunted Ground/Nora Gavin #1 by Erin Hart

(26) PROFESSIONAL detective; THIRD persom (Mar 26)
Missing American/Emma Djan Investigation #1 by Kwei Quartey

(27) MALE detective; published/set BEFORE 1970 (Mar27)
It Walks by Night/Henri Bencolin #1 by John Dickson Carr (1930)

(28) MALE detective; FIRST person (Mar 28)
Mr. Monk and the Two Assistants/Mr. Monk #4 by Lee Goldberg

(29) PROFESSIONAL detective; FIRST person (Mar 29)
A Distant Grave/Maggie D'Arcy #2 by Sarah Stewart Taylor

(30) MALE detective; published/set BEFORE 1970 (Mar 30)
The Solitary House/Charles Maddox #1 by Lynn Shepherd

[Elizabeth]

Thanks so much for posting those Donna!

[Gerri]

Thank you! I’m putting several of these on my reading list. I remember hearing her talk about some of them.

[J. Robinson-Readersgottoread]

Thank you! I always loved her book talks. She helped me grow my TBR. I will always remember us both agreeing, how great Elizabeth George’s latest, Something to Hide, was during a reading sprint.

[Mark]

I'm so sorry to hear this.

[Donna]

During the last year or so, Janelle and I buddy read stories by Oscar Wilde and London Fog: A Biography by Christine L. Corton as well as some of the Corton's literary references that had London's fog as an integral part of the story.

Many on BookTube have attributed to Janelle an enthusiastic curiosity to know more about what she was reading and her unique insights. Here are some examples of her thoughts on what we read together.

OSCAR WILDE's Short stories.
I had mentioned that Wilde's stories seemed a bit like parables. Janelle's responses:

RE: THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE
Aaron and I had a great conversation after he read The Nightingale and the Rose. He agreed that there were definite Song of Solomon vibes - especially with the flowers and the pomegranates, etc. He called it a cynical take on wisdom love poetry.

It is different from traditional wisdom literature in that nature is anthropomorphic. That makes it more like a fable.

He was intrigued by the relationship between humans and nature. Nature is sacrificing itself for love even though the humans aren't picking up on it or appreciating it. The humans show themselves to be selfish and indifferent. In spite of human nature, nature is working toward love.

RE: THE SELFISH GIANT

It is very apropos for the Easter weekend. That little boy is 100% a Christ figure. Interesting.

I did some research about the difference between a fairy tale and a fable. "Fables are stories that are passed down, with a good lesson to be learned, and are about animals, plants, or forces of nature that are humanlike. Fairy tales are stories that are specifically for kids, involve magical characters, have good and evil characters, and generally start with “once upon a time.”"

This story is definitely a fable, although there are fairy tale elements to is (ex. the giant)

CORTON'S LONDON FOG

There were a number of books that Janelle was interested in reading mentioned in London Fog:
Bleak House (which she was to read this summer with another BookTuber)
Two that we did read together:
London Particular by Christianna Brand
The Lodger by Maries Belloc Lowndes

RE: LONDON PARTICULAR

Chapter 4 - I am really enjoying how Brand is slowly drawing out the mystery. Chapter 4 is really all about positioning people so that by the end she can write, "In the long, white firelit drawing-room the victim bowed and smiled and reeled off his devoirs (I looked it up - compliments) before the serious work of the evening should begin; within the radius of one fog-bound mile, were these seven people, one of whom was very shortly going to murder him."

I really enjoy a closed-circle mystery, and this is going to be one with only 7 possible suspects.

RE: THE LODGER

Janelle's tie-in to Corton's London Fog Book:
I re-read the part in London Fog connected to this book. It is interesting how much fog comes up in the story. I kept track. It's mentioned 2 in chapters 1 and 11. Once in chapters 2, 4, 5, 6, and 8. And then chapter 13 - 15 times! This is also the first time that fog infiltrates the house. Chapter 14 - 5 times; chapter 15 - 2 times. Chapter 16 and 18 - once. And then chapter 19, 11 times. Finally, once in chapter 24.

I also made note of this quote, "But, having done this, finding herself at last alone, shut off from everybody, she was still beset by a strange, uncanny dread. She felt as if she were locked in with an invisible presence, which mocked and jeered, reproached and threatened her, by turns."

Janelle was trying to place the time in which THE LODGER was set. It definitely had Victorian Jack the ripper vibes, but other things made her wonder that it might be set a bit later, so here is Janelle's conclusion:

I've done some research. The fingerprint bureau was set up at Scotland Yard in 1901. So, with that scene where the detective is showing Mr. and Miss Bunting the Fingerprint room, this story must take place around 1913.

CONCLUSION:
I so miss seeing new videos from Janelle on BookTube and find it hard to believe we will never talk like this again. So grateful to have her channel and these notes in Goodreads to revisit. Sending love to everyone in Janelle's community.

[Julie Ann]

Thank you for putting these and the MMM prompts up. Janelle is going to be greatly missed. As a personal tribute I'm going to do a yearly book challenge starting next January. Every month I'm going to read 1 to 2 books recommended by Janelle. I've gone back to her first video and started making a book list. Not sure what I'm going to call it yet? Maybe Janelle Picks. I know there will be enough books for many years and every time I read one I will think of her plus you know they'll be stellar recommendations.

[Donna]

I just started reading the prologue of 'Where Angels Fear' the first book in the Sebastian St. Cyr mystery series, one of Janelle's top favorite series. Regarding Janelle's venture into the biography of the London fog and subsequent literary references, here is the first line in 'Where Angels Fear':

"She blamed the fog. She wasn't normally this nervous. This afraid. It was such a foul, creeping thing, the yellow fog of London...the murky vapor...wrapping around her lantern in wraithlike drifts that had Rachel stumbling as she cut across the churchyard."

[Donna]

Elizabeth wrote: "Thanks so much for posting those Donna!"

My pleasure to do for Janelle and everyone.

[Donna]

Julie Ann wrote: "Thank you for putting these and the MMM prompts up. Janelle is going to be greatly missed. As a personal tribute I'm going to do a yearly book challenge starting next January. Every month I'm going..."

What a great way to remember Janelle, Julie Ann. Will you be posting your lists of books she mentions somewhere? Here, maybe?

[Susan]

I saw her husband's video by the 2nd day and couldn't believe it.
it was like losing a friend, although I never met her or spoke to her in person. I did comment on her video's every now and then
Her passing was on my mind for a week and still is every now and then. I was thinking they should do her readathon every year at this time to remember her. I loved her recent videos of retrieving a book out of the vault, where she picked two books for the month to read
I couldn't wait to see what she got to read.
I also saw again her earlier videos on March Mystery Madness, she wasn't a host yet, but it had to do with the number 5 and she added two prompts of her own to it. That was very impressive.
She will be truly missed

[Julie Ann]

Donna I started a new tag called Janelle Picks but I can totally put some lists here if you would like. I'm working my way though her videos and making lists as I go along.

[Donna]

Julie Ann wrote: "Donna I started a new tag called Janelle Picks but I can totally put some lists here if you would like. I'm working my way though her videos and making lists as I go along."

Hi, Julie Ann. I just accepted to be 'friends' on Goodreads with you. I found your Janelle Picks shelf. That is great! I will use it as reference in the future. Up to you if you want to add some here.

[Nancy]

I’m so sad to read that Janelle has gone. I loved her videos and was inspired by her enthusiasm for the mystery genre.

[Elizabeth]

For 2025 we are encouraging everyone to read a book in memory of Scott Bryant. The Bookish Bryants were wonderful hosts and participants of March Mystery Madness and sadly Scott passed away in 2024. Let us know if you are reading a book this year in memory of Scott.