Saturday, January 14, 2023

Classic Mystery List for 2023


In 2021 and 2022 I made a list of 10 classic mysteries that I wanted to be sure to read and really liked having that to focus on.  So I decided to do the same thing in 2023 and here is the list I'm looking forward to reading.


1.  The Stately Home Murder by Catherine Aird - I have read the first two books in Aird's series Inspector Sloan series and have enjoyed them both.  This involves a modern day body found in a medieval dungeon.

2.  Black Coffee by Agatha Christie and Charles Osborne - While I finished reading all of Agatha Christie's books in 2022 there are still 3 plays that were turned into novels that I have yet to read and this is the first one of those.

3.  Rolling Stone by Patricia Wentworth - I finished all of Wentworth's Miss Silver books in 2022 and now want to focus on reading her more stand alone mysteries.

4.  Mrs. Pollifax and the Whirling Dervish by Dorothy Gilman - I have been slowly reading the Mrs. Pollifax books in order and this is the next one on the list.

5.  Enter a Murderer by Ngaio Marsh - I read the first of Marsh's Inspector Alleyn mysteries last year and am looking forward to reading more.


6.  The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorothy L. Sayers - I love the title of this one and am trying to read more Sayers.

7.  The Great Mistake by Mary Roberts Rinehart - I've been reading some Mary Roberts Rinehart books in the last few years and really enjoying them.  They're a bit of a cross between a cozy classic mystery and a noir classic mystery.

8.  Rose Cottage by Mary Stewart - So this one isn't really a mystery by Mary Stewart landed on my classic mystery list a few books ago and I want to read more of her books.

9.  A Shilling for Candles by Josephine Tey - I'm giving Tey one more chance.  I really like Daughter of Time, was lukewarm about Brat Farrar and truly hated The Man in the Queue.  

10. The Sunken Sailor by Patricia Moyes - I read the first book in the Inspector Henry Tibbetts series last year and really enjoyed it so decided to continue with the series.

Do you have any classic mysteries on your TBR?

11 comments:

  1. I couldn't get into Tey for the same reasons you mentioned so I will be glad to see what you think of this title on your list. I like Mary Stewart but wasn't aware of this title, will add to Goodreads. That Catherine Aird book very much appeals!

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  2. My mother read nothing but what she called gothic mysteries, and so I grew up reading all of Mary Stewart and the like.

    It's interesting to me that you are trying to read some classic mysteries every year. I wonder if you have read Maigret.

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  3. What a fun idea! One of my bookish goals this year is to read more Agatha Christie and more British Library Crime Classic mysteries. I just haven't decided which ones yet. :D

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  4. I've read most all Agatha Christie, Dorothy L Sayers, and Dorothy Gilman. What about Ruth Rendell? I'm very fond of her books, although some are very dark.

    Anne - Books of My Heart

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  5. I haven't read any classic mysteries in a long time. It's been so long since I even read Agatha Christie, I'm not sure I'd even remember them. They would probably seem new to me.

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  6. I have not read any classic mysteries. But, these look good and I hope you enjoy them all.

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  7. It has been awhile since I read a classic mystery. I think you will enjoy many, if not all, of these.

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  8. I love the cover for The Stately Home Murder. It almost reminds me of classic Fantasy cover art. 📘

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  9. I don't usually read classics but I could maybe do a classic mystery. I hope that you enjoy all of these.

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  10. I don't usually read classics but I could maybe do a classic mystery. I hope that you enjoy all of these.

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  11. I have read and loved so many of these! The Stately Home Murder is one of my favorite Aird mysteries (OK, I have about 6 favorites, but still.) I love Sayers, Marsh, Gilman, and Tey, and I enjoyed the Moyes series, too. Regarding Tey -- A Shilling for Candles is pretty good, but my favorites after The Daughter of Time are The Singing Sands and The Franchise Affair.

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