A Cuppa and a Corpse

It was Halloween when I recorded this episode, but also 3 sleeps away from an historic election. I have to admit, I have needed my comfort food in terms of a good mystery novel. While I have been reading a bunch as well as dipping into TV, be it an old fashioned mystery show, or more frequently a documentary about the state of the world and politics, I have leaned heavily upon Patricia Wentworth’s mystery series featuring Miss Silver. Something about this series, which started in 1928 and finished in 1961 (!) has been utterly soothing, in a predictable but curiously challenging way (the way I like all my mysteries!) Enjoy and always feel free to leave a comment!

"Banville’s back, and no longer called Benjamin Black." That was my alternative title to this podcast episode, but possibly rather obscure for some. I chat about the new John Banville novel Snow, which is an off-shoot of his Quirke novels, written under the pseudonym Benjamin Black. This one starts off with a rather "Clue" like premise, and continues in its twisty, gothic way. And I also gab a little about a gorgeous new novel, The Thursday Murder Club, by Richard Osmond, which I simply adored.

Today’s audio quality is a bit wonky as my beloved Samson microphone broke. Oh, and then I chat with Olivia again over Skype which is never terribly good. But -- I hope to be reunited with a new mic next week. 

The funny thing is we are chatting about NOT a British mystery and it isn’t fictional. It is a TV documentary series called Love Fraud.

Well, here I am again, in a sort of lockdown due to the smoke from blazing fires surrounding Portland. As one will, I read a lot. I chat about a series I have started by Diane Freeman, The Ladies Guide to Etiquette and Murder (and Gossip and Murder!). I also dive into the latest book by Ruth Ware called One by One. I also went slightly cabin-feverish and took notes of how many adjectives used to describe the background music on the tv show Mc Donald and Dobbs (on Britbox). I have included a bemused audio taken while watching. It might drive you crazy, but we are all going a little crazy these days!

Once again Olivia and I got on Skype to gab and giggle about the fantastic TV show from 2006, Life on Mars, starring John Simm and Philip Glenister. Available here in the US on Britbox, this show has been one of our favorites for the last 12 years and it hasn’t aged badly at all. It was great to revisit and chat on about the show. This podcast does NOT contain spoilers, but Olivia and I intend on returning to the topic and do some in-depth dives into separate episodes that will contain spoilers. Enjoy!

There is nothing linking the three books that I'll be gabbing about today except for the fact I have just read them recently! One is even AMERICAN on a podcast about ENGLISH mysteries! 

Books discussed are The Guest List by Lucy Foley, Hushabye by Celina Grace and The Horizontal Man by Helen Eustis. I also mention this essay by Charles Finch: https://crimereads.com/the-exhilarating-dangerous-world-of-helen-eustis/

This week I have a chat with my divine friend Nancy about the addictive novel, The Party by Elizabeth Day. Admittedly we do discuss a bit of other stuff, from the dearth of quiche in Portland, Oregon, and the idiots going to church during the Covid 19 crisis.

I hope you enjoy the chat. There is a Part One, which is an intro to the novel and a bit of banter, but in Part Two we will spoil a lot of the novel. You have been warned!

Spend, not a night, but perhaps 20 minutes at the opera...or at least listening to me rabbit on about Opera Mysteries. I also chat about the Queen of Crime, P. D. James and her Commander Dalgliesh novel The Private Patient. I use a swear word, but it is part of a quote!