March 2024 group read - Winner!

[Judy]

Nominations please for our March 2024 group read!

Please only nominate books written and published in the Golden Age period, or a little earlier or later - if in doubt whether a title is eligible, please ask. As usual, just one nomination per group member, and only one book by any individual writer can be nominated per month. Also, please don't nominate ECR Lorac this time around, as she won the polls for both December and February group reads, so let's give other authors a chance :)

If you aren't sure whether we have read something, the group bookshelves may help, or just ask. If it was at least 3 years ago that we read it, it is fine to renominate.

[Ellen]

I nominate The Litmore Snatch by Henry Wade.

[Jill]

I will nominate The Blind Side by Patricia Wentworth


“Anybody could have told you what Ross was like.”

“They did tell me,” said Mavis tearfully. “That’s why I did it.”

Ross Craddock was just the type to be murdered. The new landlord of Craddock house, he begins by giving eviction notice to his aunt Lucy. He threatens the doorman with dismissal. He makes a violent and unwelcome pass to his cousin Mavis. He is vindictive and spiteful and ends up dead. The suspects include Lee who may have walked in her sleep and killed him out of unconscious fear. Or Peter who may have found Ross’ advances to Mavis unbearable. Or aunt Lucy who unexpectedly came back. Or possibly Bobby who was still in love with Mavis and furious that she was seen with Ross. The answer will be yet another Wentworth twist.

The Blind Side was originally published in 1939. This new edition features an introduction by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.

“When I pick up a book by Patricia Wentworth I think, now to enjoy myself—and I always do.” Mary Dell, Daily Mirror

[Carolien]

I nominate The Viaduct Murder by Ronald Knox.

[Susan in NC]

I’ll nominate The Invisible Host by Gwen Bristow:

Guests at a New Orleans party face a mysterious and deadly host in the widely suspected inspiration for Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None.

When eight guests arrive for a party at a luxurious New Orleans penthouse, their unknown host is nowhere to be found. Then, speaking to them through radio broadcast, he informs them of the evening’s chilling every hour, one of them will die. As the host’s prophecy comes horribly true, the dwindling band of survivors grows desperate to escape their fate. To discover their tormentor’s identity, they must each reveal their darkest secrets and find the common thread—but confessions may not be enough when they realize that one of them may be the killer.

First published in 1930, this classic mystery was adapted into the Hollywood film, The Ninth Guest. It bears a striking resemblance to Agatha Christie’s bestseller And Then There Were None—which appeared nearly a decade later.

Currently $2.99 on Kindle US

[Judy]

Many thanks to everyone for all the nominations so far. I've just checked and they are all available reasonably priced on Kindle in the UK.

Nominations so far:

Ellen: The Litmore Snatch by Henry Wade

Jill: The Blind Side by Patricia Wentworth

Carolien: The Viaduct Murder by Ronald Knox

Susan in NC: The Invisible Host by Gwen Bristow

Any more nominations? It's already going to be a tough choice out of these!

[Jill]

Judy wrote: "Many thanks to everyone for all the nominations so far. I've just checked and they are all available reasonably priced on Kindle in the UK.

Nominations so far:

Ellen: [book:The Litmore Snatch|319..."

Thanks for checking

[Jan C]

The Viaduct Murder had its points but I wasn't that crazy about it.

But I did enjoy The Invisible Host.

[Jan C]

I'll nominate Death in the Tunnel by Miles Burton, a/k/a Cecil John Charles Street. From 1936.

Man travels alone in a locked train compartment. The train slows going through a tunnel and when it emerges he has been shot dead.

In the US it is $2.99 on Kindle.

[Susan in NC]

Jan C wrote: "The Viaduct Murder had its points but I wasn't that crazy about it.

But I did enjoy The Invisible Host."

Thanks, Jan, good to know- I was intrigued a couple years ago when someone nominated it here, but I couldn’t get it at the time. It didn’t win, but when it was offered cheap on Kindle, I snapped it up! I figured I’d nominate it at some point…

[Judy]

Thanks Jan! And the list of nominations now is...

Ellen: The Litmore Snatch by Henry Wade

Jill: The Blind Side by Patricia Wentworth

Carolien: The Viaduct Murder by Ronald Knox

Susan in NC: The Invisible Host by Gwen Bristow

Jan: Death in the Tunnel by Miles Burton aka a/k/a Cecil John Charles Street.

[Judy]

Our poll is now open - please vote for the book you most want to read and discuss:
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

[Susan]

I have, unsuccessfully, nominated The Invisible Host a number of times. Could Susan in NC finally make it a winning title?!

[Susan in NC]

Susan wrote: "I have, unsuccessfully, nominated The Invisible Host a number of times. Could Susan in NC finally make it a winning title?!"

I knew it had been nominated a few times! Thanks for bringing it to my notice - I thought last time people couldn’t get it, but it was offered to me on Kindle at a pretty low price, so I thought it might be same for other members.

[Judy]

Looking good for The Invisible Host at the moment - it's way out in the lead.

[Icewineanne]

Unfortunately our library was hacked. We can’t put holds on any physical books until it’s fixed. And Invisible Host isn’t available as an ebook either. Oh well, enjoy the book!

[Susan]

A lot can change between now and the time we read it, Icewineanne. I have been nominating this for ages, so I have to admit that I am pleased it is finally doing well. There are also lots of other group and buddy monthly reads. I don't read all of them, especially the buddies.

[Judy]

Sorry to hear your library was hacked, Anne. Such a pain - this happened at my previous work. Hope that it's soon sorted out so you can get hold of the book in time for the discussion but if not the threads will stay open so you can join in later if you want.

[Sandy]

Icewineanne wrote: "Unfortunately our library was hacked. We can’t put holds on any physical books until it’s fixed. And Invisible Host isn’t available as an ebook either. Oh well, enjoy the book!"

I suppose not a real tragedy given how many other things can go wrong, but I would be very upset. Hopefully it will be fixed by March.

[Susan in NC]

Seriously, what kind of sh**head hacks a library? What does that get you, a bunch of disappointed readers! 🙄 terribly sorry, Icewine Anne!

[Icewineanne]

Apparently it’s happened in many countries, including the UK.
The hackers obtained private data of card holders + employees banking info & social insurance numbers.
We were hacked back in November. All computer services have been down since then. Even working day & night, they still haven’t been able to restore any card holder accounts or search capabilities.
I’m hoping that it will be fixed by March too, Sandy!

[Susan in NC]

Icewineanne wrote: "Apparently it’s happened in many countries, including the UK.
The hackers obtained private data of card holders + employees banking info & social insurance numbers.
We were hacked back in Novembe..."

Im so sorry, that’s awful!

[Icewineanne]

Susan, I just can’t believe how long it’s taking to resolve this. Wondering if they have to re-input every book & piece of information all over again.

[Judy]

As I mentioned, the company where I used to work was recently hacked (not a library) and it caused a lot of chaos with computer systems going down and not working properly, but sounds like we got off lightly by comparison! I do hope your library's systems are restored soon, Anne.

There is a Kindle edition of The Invisible Host from Dean Street Press but I'm not sure which countries it is available in.

[Susan]

The British Library got hacked back in November https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainm... and even they were down for a month.

[Susan in NC]

Susan wrote: "The British Library got hacked back in November https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainm... and even they were down for a month."

Whoa!

[Icewineanne]

Thanks Judy. I prefer to read physical books. Unfortunately the floaters in my eyes really bother me when reading ebooks. But i’ll check prices on amazon & Wordery 🤞🏻

[Judy]

Hope you have some good luck with finding a copy, Anne

[Judy]

As predicted, the winner is... The Invisible Host by Gwen Bristow, which ran away from the rest this time around.

Full results:
The Invisible Host 12 votes, 50.0%
Death in the Tunnel (Desmond Merrion, #13) 4 votes, 16.7%
The Blind Side (Ernest Lamb #1) 3 votes, 12.5%
The Viaduct Murder 3 votes, 12.5%
The Litmore Snatch (Murder Room Book 675) 2 votes, 8.3%

Thanks to all who nominated and voted.