Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Vintage Mystery Challenge 2014

This is the third year that I am joining in the Vintage Mystery Challenge. For 2014, Bev at My Reader's Block has decided to have a Vintage Bingo challenge. The bingo challenge will include a lot of categories similar to the 2013 challenge, but the goal will be scoring a Bingo. That will mean completing categories that result in 6 across, 6 vertical, 6 diagonal or a special 4 corners Bingo.



For me the most exciting news is that there will be two levels. The range of Vintage books will be broken into "Golden" and "Silver" Age books, with a separate Bingo card for each level. The Silver Age books cover the thirty years following the Golden Age books, and that is a period with lots of mystery authors that I like.

Per Bev's rules:
Challengers may play either the Silver Age or Golden Age Card—or both.  For the purposes of this challenge, the Golden Age Vintage Mysteries must have been first published before 1960. Golden Age short story collections (whether published pre-1960 or not) are permissible provided all of the stories included in the collection were originally written pre-1960.  Please remember that some of our Golden Age Vintage authors wrote well after 1959--so keep an eye on the original publication date and apply them to the appropriate card.  Silver Age Vintage Mysteries may be first published any time from 1960 to 1989 (inclusive).  Again, Silver Age short story collections published later than 1989 are permissible as long as they feature stories first published during the declared Silver Age years and include no stories first published later than 1989.
Here is an example of the bingo card. The cards for Gold and Silver have the same categories.


There are other rules and guidelines. Check them out and sign up HERE.

I plan to join both challenges, Golden Age and Silver Age. I don't have a plan. I have been participating in a perpetual Agatha Christie reading challenge and aiming at reading one Christie mystery a month, so probably I will have more books by Christie than by other authors. 

Several authors I want to read more of are: Rex Stout, Elizabeth Daly, Erle Stanley Gardner, Ed McBain, Anthony Gilbert, Stuart Palmer, Raymond Chandler, Ross MacDonald. I could go on and on. Some of these authors wrote books beginning in the Golden Age and moving into the Silver Age.

As for Silver Age authors...
Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö wrote in the 60's and the 70's. William Deandrea wrote in the late 70's and the 80's. Howard Fast's mysteries written as E. V. Cunningham were written in the 70's and the 80's. Also, Janwillem van Wetering, Nicolas Freeling, and William Marshall wrote many of their books in that period. And how could I forget two of my favorite authors, Emma Lathen, whose first book was published in 1961, and Patricia Moyes, whose first book came out in 1959.




21 comments:

Peggy Ann said...

I have a Janwillem van Wetering book I want to read but it didn't fit a category to make a bingo:( I read one set in Maine a year or so ago and really enjoyed it.

Bev Hankins said...

Glad to have you back for more. I had several people tell me how they would like to be able to read 60s and 70s mysteries in particular, so I thought I would try opening things up a bit.

TracyK said...

Peggy, I got several van Wetering mysteries at the book sale recently and bought the first in the series so I can start there. Definitely going to read some in 2014.

TracyK said...

Bev, I am glad you did. Gives me even more incentive to read some of those authors.

Sergio (Tipping My Fedora) said...

Bev's done it again! I don't know how she does it - but I cannot resist .... Thanks TracyK

Prashant C. Trikannad said...

Tracy, you've lined up some fine authors for this very innovative challenge. I particularly look forward to reading your reviews of McBain and Macdonald novels. Good luck to you!

Cath said...

Good luck! I think this is going to be a lot of fun. Will investigate a few of your authors. :-)

Anonymous said...

Tracy - I have a lot of respect for you folks who take on challenges like that. This one sounds terrific and I look forward to reading your reviews.

col2910 said...

Ha....might be interested in taking this one. I have visited the site organising the challenge and have printed off the tables and rules. Something to think about in the next month or two. It probably won't be the number of books that I would have to read that will be the issue, more fitting my library into a line or two. Good luck though!

col2910 said...

Hey Tracy you could always go bronze and post-89 for some kind of Non-Vintage completion!

Bill Selnes said...

Good luck with the Challenge. I find it hard enough for me to do the Canadian Book Challenge and one of Kerrie's memes in a year.

w said...

Hey Tracy, 60s and 70's mysteries are of a big interest for me. Good luck! I anxiously look forward to your reviews.

Clothes In Books said...

That's an intriguing challenge, and one I'd never heard of till now - good for you for taking it on! I haven't come across Willliam Dandrea, and will have to go and look him up now.

TracyK said...

Sergio, I cannot resist either. And I am glad you are doing both Gold and Silver Age challenges.

TracyK said...

Prashant, I look forward to reading them. And most of the vintage novels are shorter too. I like that.

TracyK said...

Cath, I agree, it will be lots of fun taking part in this challenge. This challenge was one of the reasons I started blogging.

TracyK said...

Thanks, Margot, I just wish I could read more Vintage mysteries each year.

TracyK said...

Col, you should definitely join in. I am eager to hear your thoughts on some vintage mysteries.

I do love 1990's books too. I actually prefer books in the 20th century, back before everything was so heavily influenced by cellphones and the internet etc.

TracyK said...

You are so right, Bill. It is hard to do all of those... and read other books I run into and want to read. I am cutting back on challenges this year. Really.

TracyK said...

Keishon, I don't know how I will fit in all the books and authors I want to read, but it will be interesting to try.

TracyK said...

Moira, I have so many vintage mysteries that have been in my TBR pile for years. It is hard to keep up with everything.

William DeAndrea was Jane Haddam's (or Orania Papazoglou's) husband and he also wrote reviews and a column for The Armchair Detective magazine. Which is where I first ran across him. I have not yet read one of his books though.