tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post3903423034384938280..comments2024-03-27T22:32:02.739+01:00Comments on Beneath the Stains of Time: The Updated Mammoth List of My Favorite Tales of Locked Room Murders & Impossible CrimesTomCathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-68723858933895214082022-04-23T14:35:30.780+02:002022-04-23T14:35:30.780+02:00By the way, if you were wondering which twenty, or...By the way, if you were wondering which twenty, or so, short stories I would pick to be anthologized, these would be my picks (trying to avoid the obvious, overly anthologized ones):<br /><br />"The Invisible Bullet" (1914) by Max Rittenberg<br />"Flashlights" (1918) by Laurence Clarke<br />"The Stalker in the Attic" (1925) by Edogawa Rampo<br />"Big Time" (1927) by Frederick I. Anderson<br />"Solved by Inspection" (1931) by Ronald Knox<br />"I Was the Kid with the Drum" (1937) by Theodore Roscoe<br />"The Day Nobody Died" (1941) by D.L. Champion<br />"The Dead Sleep Lightly" (1943) by John Dickson Carr<br />"The Vanishing Trick" (1948) by Max Afford<br />"Murder on a Bet" (1950) by H.C. Kincaid<br />"The Closed Door" (1953) by Kendell Foster Crossen<br />"The Clown in the Tunnel" (1958) by Tetsuya Ayukawa<br />"The Unguarded Path" (1963) by Arthur Porges<br />"Odds Bodkins and the Locked Room Caper" (1969) by Richard Curtis<br />"By an Unknown Hand" (1972) by John Sladek<br />"The Case of the Modern Medusa" (1973) by Edward D. Hoch<br />"A Smart Dummy in the Tent" (1990) by Takemaru Abiko<br />"The Lure of the Green Door" (1991) Rintaro Norizuki<br />"The Scarecrow's Revenge" (2005) by Paul Halter<br />"The House That Brought Bad Luck" (2018) by Anne van DoornTomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-53798850090002268392022-04-17T07:34:06.734+02:002022-04-17T07:34:06.734+02:00Kacey - Deciding which Carr to recommend to family...Kacey - Deciding which Carr to recommend to family or friends as an introduction is an interesting problem. Of the recent ones available, I would say Till Death Do Us Part or She Died a Lady, but if a copy of the reprint of The Judas Window is available, I might recommend that too given its set-up is irresistible.<br /><br />Imagine if British Library Crime Classics next re-prints other Brand titles or Carr classics like He Who Whispers or The Problem of the Green Capsule.Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11945797301621244070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-84663376945774984472022-04-17T03:08:35.092+02:002022-04-17T03:08:35.092+02:00Well this is welcome news! I don't usually rus...Well this is welcome news! I don't usually rush out to buy new releases of books I've already read, but that's what I'll be doing here! (Though if it's coming out in August, it won't be out in the U.S. for at least another four months or so. Hopefully it doesn't end up like <i>The Woman in the Wardrobe</i> and go out of print before making it over here...) And that cover is wonderful! Even for the BLCC, it's a stand out.<br /><br />Like Scott suggested, this (along with one of the Carr reprints, don't know which) will probably be the book I use to introduce friends and family to the genre. It really is one of the most perfect examples of mystery fiction that I can think of.Kacey Crainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13492997736737601983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-73902678101014205632022-04-16T11:10:13.391+02:002022-04-16T11:10:13.391+02:00That's fantastic news. DoJ is required reading...That's fantastic news. DoJ is required reading for any GAD enthusiast. Is it perfect ... no, but no golden age book (or any other) is perfect. But this one works well and shows the mastery of Christianna Brand.<br /><br />Everyone should buy two and give one to a friend to read :)<br /><br />Well done to the British Library Crime Classics.Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11945797301621244070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-43462398663159969462022-04-16T11:03:22.849+02:002022-04-16T11:03:22.849+02:00Update: the British Library Crime Classics is goin...Update: the British Library Crime Classics is going to publish a long overdue reprint of Christianna Brand's <i>Death of Jezebel</i> in August and the cover looks amazing! TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-53220802031652640032022-04-16T10:58:36.787+02:002022-04-16T10:58:36.787+02:00I'm doing well and hopefully you're doing ...I'm doing well and hopefully you're doing the same. I've not read or watched <i>Another</i>, but I've noticed its existence and jotted it down on my list of potential interesting items to investigate further in the future. But the backlogs are massive. So no idea when I'll get to it. TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-26018898079937440212022-04-15T23:21:19.616+02:002022-04-15T23:21:19.616+02:00-double post-double postAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-63340196997269856072022-04-15T23:13:04.842+02:002022-04-15T23:13:04.842+02:00Also Tomcat,
In light of the Kamikakushi Village ...Also Tomcat,<br /><br />In light of the Kamikakushi Village murder mention in the comments which caught my eye, have you ever read Another? Don't recall it having an impossible crime but it's a wonderful supernatural whodunnit(or rather, whoisit) with that eerie tone ever so familiar in Japanese mysteries. Owh and of course its setting has to be a Japanese rural mountain village. It was written by Yukito Ayatsuji(Decagon House Murders, which you read I believe),<br />and there was an anime adaption. I liked the anime so much and did not care about knowing the solution I went to read the book rather soon after. With which one you decide to go with I will leave up to you.<br /><br />OrigamiAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-67453623450904421552022-04-15T20:47:36.923+02:002022-04-15T20:47:36.923+02:00YES! This post is what I needed.
Hope you're ...YES! This post is what I needed.<br /><br />Hope you're doing well.<br /><br />OrigamiAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-81593127377748806572022-04-14T13:02:04.905+02:002022-04-14T13:02:04.905+02:00I think I should start a blog of anime/manga and l...I think I should start a blog of anime/manga and light novels mystery ,but then again I am not really a frequent reader and have busy shchedule like Issac,I kinda know why he couldn't able to post frequently,being a student and young you have tons of distractions.but surely with time we will be next the invisible event or beneath the stains of time.Mysterybloggerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05495648805008200117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-64178848700016102612022-04-11T13:31:12.682+02:002022-04-11T13:31:12.682+02:00I co-reviewed "The Kamikakushi Village Murder...I co-reviewed "The Kamikakushi Village Murder Case" story-arc from <i>Detective Academy Q</i> with Jim on his blog and you can find a review on this blog of the excellent locked room story from the second volume of <i>Fire Investigator Nanase</i>. I mentioned <i>Spiral: The Bonds of Reasoning</i> a couple of times, but, generally speaking, you're right only a few series ever get mentioned. However, these series are so massive and large in scope it's almost like eating a whale. You can only do it one bite at a time. Just look at the wide variety of my <i>Kindaichi</i> reviews. Everything from manga and anime adaptations from different eras to light novels. TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-31347625172328063722022-04-11T13:19:41.177+02:002022-04-11T13:19:41.177+02:00Yes, I remember it was around volume 6 or 7 that t...Yes, I remember it was around volume 6 or 7 that there was a noticeable uptick in quality. That's another stumbling block to get people to read <i>Detective Conan</i>, because the series starts out slowly and some of the least impressive stories come from the first handful of volumes. The locked room case from volume 1 comes to mind.<br /><br />You also made me want to reread the series, but I'll likely wait until the English releases have reached volume 90 or 100. I don't want to abandon <i>Q.E.D.</i> for another year. TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-81379917672861646232022-04-11T07:57:26.916+02:002022-04-11T07:57:26.916+02:00Haha, well, at least I can count on a few of you.....Haha, well, at least I can count on a few of you... Speaking of six, I just finished re-reading Volume 6. It's pretty all-around great for this era of Conan, and I think it's when the series started to transition into something greater than it has been. The Junior Detective League case is pretty whatever, but the ART COLLECTOR MURDER CASE and THE TENKAICHI FESTIVAL MURDER CASE blow the other cases in this period out of the water. ART COLLECTOR (V6 C2-5) turns on a few really clever visual clues and a pretty damn solid Agatha Christie-style dodge, and TENKAICHI (V6 C9-10, V7 C1) isn't at all a half-bad inverted mystery that'd suit Columbo or Ace Attorney. The only other early Conan that comes close at all is ART MUSEUM OWNER (V4 C1-3), which has a really clever and elegant trick for the dying message...<br /><br />Isaac Stumpnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-22814608272303081072022-04-11T07:55:52.626+02:002022-04-11T07:55:52.626+02:00This comment has been removed by the author.HeartfeltDesuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14992885956277891200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-49840452043774474322022-04-10T23:46:48.814+02:002022-04-10T23:46:48.814+02:00Going by your score of the classics and moderns, y...Going by your score of the classics and moderns, you have a very respectable locked room library! And I'll fix that mistake tomorrow. Glad to see I managed to keep them at a bare minimum.<br /><br />Whittling down the list to just ten, or so, titles is going to take some soul searching. I structured this list in such a way as to avoid having to pick which kids stay on the lifeboat and which ones get pushed out. TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-29792025918530454092022-04-10T23:43:01.040+02:002022-04-10T23:43:01.040+02:00Hopefully, you'll find a home for the story. I...Hopefully, you'll find a home for the story. I look forward to reading the improved version eventually. Just have a translation of "The House That Brought Bad Luck" ready, if John Pugmire ever decides to do a second LRI anthology. TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-495148375235961042022-04-10T23:40:18.821+02:002022-04-10T23:40:18.821+02:00Are you secretly a Yozabura Kanari fan who wants t...Are you secretly a Yozabura Kanari fan who wants to see me bash something Conanian? Because from what I know of the episode, there's a pretty good chance I'm going to hate it. But a return to the anime is long overdue. And still have some recommendations from Ho-Ling to go through. So who knows... TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-48414978930828326672022-04-10T18:51:59.688+02:002022-04-10T18:51:59.688+02:00The sad thing is,most of manga/anime impossible cr...The sad thing is,most of manga/anime impossible crimes aren't even translated ,just a few have been and even those are rare to get mentioned,series like case closed and kindaichi are popular,that's why they are even little known ,I don't think anybody ever mentioned detective gakuen q,the seven locked room mystery or the umineko when they cry and there are few movies I don't remember the names right now but u think I have ten series and anime which have locked room mysteries in them but never get mentioned on any site even though they are translated,let alone the ocean of untranslated works.Mysterybloggerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05495648805008200117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-70910144151875870392022-04-10T18:22:20.939+02:002022-04-10T18:22:20.939+02:00I have started making my way through the lists.
...I have started making my way through the lists. <br /><br />You have listed 61 GOLDEN AGE LOCKED ROOM & IMPOSSIBLE CRIME FICTION novels of which I have seven still to find for my collection (P.S. The Danger Within aka Murder in Captivity is by Michael not Anthony Gilbert). <br /><br />I have 14 of 29 of THE MODERNS (AFTER THE FIFTIES) to collect. The rest of the wonderful list will get attention when I have more time.<br /><br />Since you're down the locked room rabbit hole, please consider sharing your 3, 5 or 10 absolute favourites from this total list of novels and short stories. I would value seeing what you consider the best of the best. Thank you.Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11945797301621244070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-46536812227850099322022-04-10T14:24:34.737+02:002022-04-10T14:24:34.737+02:00Well, I had your comments in mind when I made the ...Well, I had your comments in mind when I made the English adaptation, but it's still a vexing question whether you like the new version or not!<br /><br />Yeah, I thought "The Man Who Tried To Fly" was cut out for EQMM. My copy-editor thinks it's the best of the three stories she read. So, I think the story will find a home eventually.Anne van Doornhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100071252375294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-77728551174506113752022-04-10T10:29:09.321+02:002022-04-10T10:29:09.321+02:00Well, now I'm even more interested than I was ...Well, now I'm even more interested than I was before. I always find it interesting when authors go back and revise their own stories, and that interest is surprisingly not dampened in the least by the fact that I can't compare it to the original. I await its arrival with bated breath!<br /><br />(And good luck finding a venue for "The Man Who Wanted to Fly." It's one of your stories I especially want to read, TomCat's review having piqued my interest. I'll certainly be there to read it when it does make its way through the language barrier. (Indeed, what I really hope is that some forward-thinking and industrious publisher realizes that it's high time for Robbie Corbijn to make a book-length appearance in the Anglophone world.))Kacey Crainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13492997736737601983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-18675802698471982082022-04-10T10:12:50.997+02:002022-04-10T10:12:50.997+02:00Well, of course not. You're no vulgarian ;)
I...Well, of course not. You're no vulgarian ;)<br /><br />I must say though, that's not quite what I meant by alternative classics. (J.B.) Carr and Fearn's novels may be unconventional or pulpy, but they do work in some way as detective fiction. Whereas, (not to put too fine a point on it) <i>Glamping Kaijiken</i> is one of the stupidest attempts at detective fiction I've ever seen. Even for something written as comedy, it's just ludicrous. I've been looking forward to your take on it (which is sure to be hilarious), and I'm sure the other four or five of us who read DC are too :)Kacey Crainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13492997736737601983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-32844822037553810362022-04-09T23:29:34.840+02:002022-04-09T23:29:34.840+02:00I'm sure there are at least six of us now. So ...I'm sure there are at least six of us now. So we're practically the Junior Detective League. TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-63748931058827664022022-04-09T23:22:29.713+02:002022-04-09T23:22:29.713+02:00All more than deserving of being included and a so...All more than deserving of being included and a source of pride to have a small, but respectable, representation of Dutch locked room mysteries. That there even is such a thing as a Dutch locked room mystery still confuses me sometimes.TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-4340727346117774142022-04-09T23:08:35.360+02:002022-04-09T23:08:35.360+02:00Glad I could help. You can rest your conscience kn...Glad I could help. You can rest your conscience knowing that plunging down the locked room rabbit hole is more of a hobby than a punishment for me. :) TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.com