The Six Degrees of Separation meme is hosted by Kate at booksaremyfavoriteandbest. The idea behind the meme is to start with a book and use common points between two books to end up with links to six other books, forming a chain. Every month she provides the title of a book as the starting point.
This month the book is Redhead by the Side of the Road by Anne Tyler. This book was published in 2020 and I know nothing about it, so I am starting with the word "redhead" in the title for my first link.
Thus my first link in the chain is The Case of the Restless Redhead by Erle Stanley Gardner. In this book, Perry Mason helps out a young lawyer, Frank Neely, who is defending a redheaded waitress, Evelyn Bagby. She was arrested for theft while stranded in Corona, California, waiting for her car to be repaired.
That book leads me to Beyond a Reasonable Doubt, another book about a lawyer. This book is an inverted mystery set in a small town in Kentucky. It was one of three mysteries written by C. W. Grafton, father of Sue Grafton.
And the next book in my chain is one of Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone mysteries... G is for Gumshoe. Kinsey lives in Santa Teresa, and the author chose that name for the city to honor Ross Macdonald, who used that city in some of his books also. In both cases, Santa Teresa is a fictionalized version of Santa Barbara, California.
The first book in Macdonald's Lew Archer series, The Moving Target, is set in Santa Teresa.
I have only read the first four of the Lew Archer books so far, but I have become so enamored of Ross Macdonald's books that I recently read his biography, written by Tom Nolan. It was also especially interesting to me because Macdonald, whose real name was Ken Millar, lived in Santa Barbara with his wife Margaret Millar for several decades.
Margaret Millar is also an author of mystery novels, although her books were mostly psychological suspense. The final book in my chain, The Iron Gates, is set in Toronto, Canada.
So my chain takes me to California, with a detour to Kentucky, then back to California, and ends up in Canada.
Next month's Six Degrees will start with Phosphorescence by Julia Baird.
37 comments:
Wonderful chain... if a bit dark! I thought you might go with the Corona connection after that second book, but I see you didn't!
Oh, this was such a lovely post! I've loved reading Sue Grafton, and Beyond Reasonable Doubt and Perry Mason series were so much fun too. Years ago, I came across Margaret Millar's Beast in View, which Hitchock had made into a short film -- seems that Millar does wonderful psychological suspense? And now, thanks to you, I found that Millar's spouse too wrote mysteries. Thanks for a great #6Degrees post.
~#6Degrees Post @Lexlingua
When I was a bookseller I used to wonder how Sue Grafton would end her alphabet title series which she's probably done by now. I'd not realised she's the daughter of a crime writer.
Cool chain! It reminds me I need to try the books on Perry mason!! My quirky chain is here: https://wordsandpeace.com/2021/02/06/six-degrees-of-separation-from-a-redhead-to-an-alien-head/
I love how unique all the chains are!
Here's a link to mine: https://happiestwhenreading.com/2021/02/06/6degrees-from-redhead-by-the-side-of-the-road-to-the-seven-husbands-of-evelyn-hugo/
Davida, I worked in Corona for 5 years back in the 1970s so that is my connection to Corona. (Actually it was Norco, but that is so close it doesn't matter.) My husband and I met when we me there, so fond memories of the place in that respect.
Thank you, Lex. It is rare that someone else has read so many of the same authors that I have read. There are so many Perry Mason books to read and they are a lot of fun. I have just scratched the surface. Although I read a lot of them when I was a teenager (a long time ago). I have several more Margaret Millar books to read also. She and her husband were very different and wrote different types of mystery novels.
Very clever, Tracy! I especially like the connection between the Graftons, and the one betweein the Millars. And you managed to fit in Santa Barbara, too - especially clever! I haven't read Ross Macdonald in a while, and I should...
Nice. Apparently there is no requirement to read, or have read, the books, just link them up? I’ve seen your other posts on this meme but thought you read them all...
My friends in Norco, who have horses, would have something to say about your “so close it doesn’t matter “ remark!
I must read more Lew Archer!
Rick, there is no requirement to have read all the books, and especially not the first one, which is chosen by the host. This time I had read all the books.
When I worked in Norco, some of my coworkers lived there and had horses. I wonder how much larger both Corona and Norco are now?
I need to read more Lew Archer also.
Margot, I agree, this one worked out perfectly for me. We should all read more by Ross Macdonald.
Life in Books, Sue Grafton died in 2017 and her last book in the series was Y is for Yesterday. She did not write a book for Z. I have only read through G is for Gumshoe, and I should read more of them.
Another interesting chain. Great choice of books.
Great chain of books! I didn't realize that Sue Grafton's father was also a mystery writer.
What a fabulous romp through vintage American crime! I didn't know Margaret Millar was married to Ross MacDonald, nor that Sue Grafton's father had written crime novels too! You make me want to read all of these, especially Ross MacDonald whom I haven't visited since my teens...
Emma, I agree, it would be good to try some Perry Mason books. They are pretty easily available now.
Carla, I like how many directions the chains can take. I am heading over to see your chain.
Thanks, Beverly, and thanks for stopping by.
Iliana, C.W. Grafton did not write many mystery novels, but the one I have read was very good, and another one has beenn reprinted recently.
FictonFan, Margaret Millar and Ross MacDonald had a very interesting marriage, with very different personalities. But they were both very active in birding and also concerned about environmental issues in the Santa Barbara area. The biography was a very good read.
Mention of Perry Mason takes me back to the Raymond Burr series. Can't believe how avidly I watched that as a teenager because these days one thing I really dislike in crime stories is a court-room drama! Too funny.
Cath, Raymond Burr was the perfect Perry Mason. We watched a few seasons of that in the last few years and it was fun. Mainly for the characters though. Della and Paul Drake and Lt. Tragg and the DA.
So many great facts I didn't know about Sue Grafton (whose books I love). Thanks for an educational post and some books added to my TBR.
Mary, I am glad to have passed on information about Sue Grafton. Right now I have the books for H, I, J and K, so enough to keep me going for a while.
Iron Gates is one of my favorite Millar's.
http://therapsheet.blogspot.com/2010/07/book-you-have-to-read-iron-gates-by.html
Patti, I have only read four of Margaret Millar's novels, but of those four, Iron Gates is my favorite. I have about 20 more of her books to read, and have copies of a good number of them.
Your review at the Rap Sheet is excellent. As you point out in the review, there is a policeman investigating the crime but the focus is on Lucille Morrow. And it reminds me that there were many other characters in that story that were interesting.
I've read a few of the Kinsey Malone series. How interesting about Santa Teresa and Sue Grafton paying tribute to Ross Macdonald. You truly learn something new every day! Thanks for that!
6 Degrees of Separation - missed it by a red hair's breadth
Elza, I like the connection between Sue Grafton and Ross Macdonald also. I do need to read more of Grafton's books, since they do feature Santa Barbara (as Santa Teresa) more consistently.
A neat chain and (as usual) some wonderful vintage covers! I have not come across Margaret Millar and will have to hunt her down (which sounds menacing!).
Glad you participated in 6 Degrees! I really enjoy reading all the variations.
I really loved Redhead by the Side of the Road!
Constance, I highly recommend that you give Margaret a try. Her books are different.
I think it has been over a year since I did a Six Degrees post. I am glad I did this one too, it was fun.
Nan, I think I read a book by Anne Tyler years ago, and I think I enjoyed it but I just did not read any more of them. Now, having heard so much about Redhead by the Side of the Road recently, I think I should try this one. And such a good title.
What an unusual chain, and one in which I would like to read every single book.
I read a lot of mid-20thcentury women's fiction, and sometimes I really need to take a break - just about any of these would be perfect. I did read some Sue Grafton books years ago, and enjoyed them - I had no idea she had died, that's a shame.
Perry Mason! My parents watched him, and I do vaguely remember him - Raymond Burr really *was* Mason, wasn't he? He's stuck in my mind with other such programmes around at the time - The Man From UNCLE, the Avengers - even Emergency Ward Ten (though I think that would be a peculiarly British memory..) I wonder, Cath, if Perry Mason is streaming anywhere on our TVs?
Thank you for such an informative chain.
Thanks, Rosemary. This chain came together easily, probably because I am so fond of all the authors mentioned.
Perry Mason is fun to read and watch on TV. In the books he is much more serious, but on the other hand he is never above twisting the law or working around it. Definitely of its time, but in a fun way.
A few authors there I should read more from - Grafton, Millar and Macdonald - thanks for the reminder.
Yes, Col, Grafton, Millar and Macdonald are all good authors and I need to read more of them too.
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