tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post340012266111175031..comments2024-03-27T22:32:02.739+01:00Comments on Beneath the Stains of Time: A Haunting At MaplewhiteTomCathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-41915740088302767782018-07-28T06:08:04.074+02:002018-07-28T06:08:04.074+02:00I liked this one rather a lot. It's droll and ...I liked this one rather a lot. It's droll and cozy. All three are fun.Ken Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08207803092348071005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-88712051007749058622018-01-02T15:26:44.838+01:002018-01-02T15:26:44.838+01:00Ah, there you go: given the on-the-nose titles of ...Ah, there you go: given the on-the-nose titles of his earlier works, I'd assumed Elephants in the Distance wasn't a mystery at all (he's written some non-fiction, I seem to remember, so I was probably assuming he'd switched genres).<br /><br />Additioanlly, my memory now kicks in and I'm conflating two books with my estimaton of The Houdini Specter: that book itself, and an earlier Holmes novel, The Ectoplasmic Man. So there's no Doyle-Houdini team up. More's the pity...JJ @ The Invisible Eventhttps://theinvisibleevent.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-14598223652880342562018-01-01T22:49:42.058+01:002018-01-01T22:49:42.058+01:00You should not have too much trouble securing a co...You should not have too much trouble securing a copy, Noir. The book is still print as both a paperback and ebook. <br /><br />Supernatural romps is not really my genre, but thanks for the heads up. :)TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-3852527959940030162018-01-01T22:45:08.093+01:002018-01-01T22:45:08.093+01:00The Houdini Specter has been haunting the upper re...<i>The Houdini Specter</i> has been haunting the upper regions of my TBR-pile for ages. But, yes, the book is about a murder during a seance and only the ghost could have done the dirty deed. And, no, you can't really compare <i>Escapede</i> with Stashower's take on Houdini as a detective. Satterwaite was completely tongue-in-cheek, while Stashower took Houdini a little bit more serious as a character. I'm also pretty sure Stashower will do more with the seance than was done here. <br /><br />I agree that <i>The Floating Lady Murder</i> did not deliver on its premise, but, as you said, the writing and portrayal of the characters is great. However, my favorite Stashower will always remain <i>Elephants in the Distant</i>. Stashower stuffed the plot with magic lore and a cast of rickety, faded magicians from the heydays of the circus. One of the most amusing detective novels from the last thirty years. TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-36834990067746974682017-12-31T22:55:41.696+01:002017-12-31T22:55:41.696+01:00My understanding is that Daniel Stashower's Th...My understanding is that Daniel Stashower's The Houdini Spectre pits Houdini and Doyle against some sort of (presumably...) ghostly manifestation -- might be wrong, not going to check, I'll allow the internets to bear witness to my failure if I'm wrong.<br /><br />I've <i>really</i> enjoyed Stashower's writing and characterisation in the two Houdini novels of hie I've read -- er, The Dime Museum Murders and, uh, The Floating Lady Murders, I think -- but his resolutions tend to be a bit disappointing. Noidea how this one fares, or how it would compare to Escapade, but I mention it purely because the comparison is somewhat hard to avoid. Assuming my memory is correct.JJ @ The Invisible Eventhttps://theinvisibleevent.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-80484666120306442182017-12-31T19:43:35.258+01:002017-12-31T19:43:35.258+01:00I'm sorry Escapade disappointed, but it sounds...I'm sorry <i>Escapade</i> disappointed, but it sounds like it might be right up my street so I'll have to see if I can lay hands on a copy.<br /><br />Another Doyle/Houdini collaboration, by the way, is <i>What Rough Beast</i> (2001) by Harry Squires. From what I remember, it's less a detection, more a supernatural romp with psychic-detective elements, but I do recall enjoying it a great deal.noirencyclopediahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02843963811822980754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-52366252155694272822017-12-31T12:38:50.046+01:002017-12-31T12:38:50.046+01:00Yeah, I'm afraid this one should not have top ...Yeah, I'm afraid this one should not have top priority on your wish list. There's definitely a ton of better stuff out there, but might be of interest if you ever happen to stumble across an inexpensive copy. Or a dirt cheap ebook edition. <br /><br />Thanks for pointing out that mistake. It'll be fixed. TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-26844714188787915882017-12-31T11:22:17.926+01:002017-12-31T11:22:17.926+01:00I'm a little disappointed to hear this is a bi...I'm a little disappointed to hear this is a bit meh, because (somehow) it's been on my TBB for a while now, one of those books I never quite get round to tracking down. Ah, well, I may still bear it in mind for curiosity value, but thanks for helping to lessen my enthusiasm and direct my attentions elsewhere.<br /><br />Also, a minor point: you call him <i>William</i> rather than Walter at the start of the fifth paragraph...JJ @ The Invisible Eventhttps://theinvisibleevent.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com