This week I am looking at a section of (mostly) unread books from the built-in bookshelf. I will focus on a few of them that are first in series for authors that I have never read. If you click on the image of the shelf, you will be able to read more of the titles.
Case for Three Detectives (1936) by Leo Bruce is the first book in the Sergeant Beef series. On my shelf since 2012.
Of the four books I am featuring, this is the one I know the most about. The book is a parody of the Golden Age mystery, and the three detectives in the title are versions of Hercule Poirot, Peter Wimsey, and Father Brown. I have probably avoided reading this because in the past I haven't enjoyed mystery mixed with comedy, but my tastes are changing and I should give it a try.
Check out the review at crossexamingcrime.
Death Angels is the first of a series of police procedurals by Åke Edwardson, featuring Chief Inspector Erik Winter. On my shelf since 2013.
Published in 1997, the setting is Sweden. I bought this book when I was acquiring a lot of Scandinavian mysteries, and I don't know why I let it sit so long.
See the review at Internation Noir Fiction.
A Carrion Death (2008) by Michael Stanley introduces Assistant Superintendent David Bengu of the Botswana Police Department. On my shelf since 2009.
He is known as Kubu due to his size, comparing him to a hippopotamus. Michael Stanley is a pseudonym used by South Africans Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip. I haven't read many mysteries set in Africa.
This has been reviewed at MURDER by TYPE.
Wife of the Gods (2009) by Kwei Quartey is the first book in a series set in Ghana. On my shelf since 2011.
As with A Carrion Death, I think I would enjoy reading this book to get more familiar with different parts of Africa. This series currently has five books and the author has started a new series starring a female private detective, Emma Djan. The first book in that series is The Missing American.
From the Publisher's Weekly review:
The murder of a young med student brings Det. Insp. Darko Dawson from his police department in Ghana’s capital, Accra, to the small town of Ketanu, where some dark secrets of his own lie buried.
24 comments:
Some lovely books there, Tracy. Of the three mentioned, I have read the Leo Bruce one and quite enjoyed it. The Third Pig Detective Agency is an interesting title. Will love to know what you make of the book.
I agree, Neeru, some very good books that I should read. Especially the Leo Bruce book.
I first heard of The Third Pig Detective Agency at Rob Kitchin's blog, The View from the Blue House. At Amazon it is compared to Jasper Fforde's writing, which I have enjoyed.
A Carrion Death and Wife of the Gods appeal to me, both being set in African countries. It's a good way to learn about those countries I feel. I've read a lot of Alexander McCall Smith's 'Mma Ramotswe' books but after about book 14 or something I felt like I had had enough. Would like something a little different.
I've read that Bruce, and several others in both of his series, and liked them all. With the others, I am unfamiliar. I also see you have the Ross Thomas Out On The Rim, which I have been meaning to read, and a Maigret novel by Sinenon. Good stuff, indeed.
Thank you for the mention. I really enjoyed Case for Three Detectives, so I am naturally biased in recommending it! I am very impressed with your collection of Rue Morgue Press reprints - I have some of them, but not all.
Oh, I like the Michael Stanley series very much, Tracy. And the Kwei Quartay series is excellent, too. I hope you'll get to them soon.
Nice looking pile of books, and not a one of them that I've read, which makes it even more fun as I'm discovering new books.
I do like mystery with comedy, though saying that I'm not sure I've read much of that if any, mostly just seen it on various BBC mystery/detective shows that I enjoy.
Cath, I read the first Mma Ramotswe book but never got further in the series. I think it was too tame for me at the time, I would probably enjoy them more now.
I have read a couple of other African authors (Deon Meyers and Wessel Ebersohn), both writing about South Africa. Those were both quite gritty.
Rick, glad to hear that you liked the Leo Bruce series, now I have plenty of motivation to read it and look for more of them.
Speaking of the Ross Thomas book, Out On The Rim, have you read the Artie Wu book that comes before it, Chinaman's Chance? Does it make any difference which I read first?
I have several Simenon books on different bookshelves and I haven't read any of them. Some are Maigret, some are standalone books. They are so short I don't know why I put them off.
Kate, I read some of your reviews of other books in that Leo Bruce series and I am encouraged to try others in the series too. After I read this one, of course.
Some of the Rue Morgue Press books I have on the bookshelf have been read, but I keep them there because of the introductions to the books that are so informative. But I still have to read most of those, and I would like to have more of them.
Margot, I hope I get to the books set in Africa soon also. They have been on the shelf far too long.
Carl, I remember liking Donald Westlake's humorous mysteries when I was younger, but somehow the comic vintage mysteries did not appeal. But lately I have found quite a few I have enjoyed. Tastes change from time to time I guess. And I definitely like humor in TV detective series, it balances out the more serious parts of the shows.
For some reason Leo Bruce books just never turn up in secondhand bookshops, I like to get the old copies of crime fiction. I only have one of his. I look - in hope. I'm wondering if any of those shops will re-open after things get back to normal, or if they will close forever.
Hi Tracy,
I thoroughly enjoyed clicking on the photo to see how crystal-clear the entire bookshelf is and how clear each title is, almost as if I were visiting you and we were inspecting the books together.
What hit me first was the image of Human Croquet by Kate Atkinson, an early novel of hers, which I, too, have on one of my bookshelves. Have not read it yet! It's so much fun for me to view all the books I'd love to read on my shelves and get tips from others from their shelves. I'm very interested in the Scandinavian novel. Do you know what year this one was published?
I decided to read McCaffrey's DRAGONSDAWN after the mention of her books in your previous post. But I got two more SF anthologies from eBay today. SIGH. So many books...
That is interesting about the Leo Bruce books, Katrina. I like old copies of crime fiction too, but now I am finding that the small print is bothering me.
I too wonder how businesses, especially small bookstores, will survive. I wonder about the annual booksale that I go to which is huge and draws large crowds. I think it will be a long time before people will be comfortable with that.
Judith, I have not read any of Kate Atkinson's early non-mystery books, but I am expecting that I will enjoy her writing based on how much I like her mysteries.
For Death Angel by Edwardson, I think it was first published in 1997 but not sure. I also think two later books in the series were published before that, which makes things confusing. But this is the only one I have by that author.
Rick, good to hear that you got two more science fiction anthologies, I am sure you will enjoy them. I have been looking around to see if I have any science fiction anthologies but all I have found so far is Legends, Volume 3, from 1998, with four novellas by Robert Jordan, Ursula K. Le Guin, Tad Williams, and Terry Pratchett.
I really liked Wife of the Gods and went on to read a couple of other books in that series. It's definitely not a cozy look at Africa, but it's very interesting.
That is good to hear, Kay. I hope I get to that series soon.
Pretty sure I have the same edition Simenon and Welsh books as yourself. I might also have the Bob Burke, and a different edition of the Ross Thomas. A few more there that I will look up. I'm powerless to resist checking out new to me books!
Me too, Col. That is why I always enjoyed your posts about cataloging your collection of books.
Thanks, I'll be picking that back up in a month or so. I am so behind on reviews because I've been reading so much, and I haven't even been on a lockdown from work! No cinema though.
I will never catch up on reviews, Col. I have been reading a lot, but my problem is mostly that I have a hard time concentrating enough to do a review. Every night we rewatch 2-3 TV episodes or a film.
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