What whodunits did you see/hear/read?

[kjrwe]

A number of famous mystery authors from that era created detectives which are lesser known, and it's too bad that these lesser-known detectives can't be made more public.

For example, there are plenty of adaptations of Agatha Christie's Poirot and Marple stories, but what about Parker Pyne and Harley Quin? Have any of those short stories been filmed?

And frankly, I think that John Dickson Carr's best detective is Bencolin, who only appears in a few of his early novels. I love the gothic feel of those novels!

The Ellery Queen authors created another detective, but I can't think of his name right now. To my knowledge, he's in four books.

I'll take Doug Selby over Perry Mason....too bad that the author emphasized Mason so much more....

[greenbudgie]

I haven't been watching much crime lately. But I've made up by reading some good stuff from The British Library of Crime Classics. They have reprinted a lot of whodunits from what the they call the Golden Age of the Murder Mystery. 1920s and 1930s. It's good to have a reliable source of good whodunit writing and I get to try them for free from my local library.

[kjrwe]

Well, you're certainly lucky to have such easy/quick access to the British Library of Crime Classics.

About 7 to 9 years ago, I tracked down as many mysteries as possible from the late 20s, 30s, and early 40s. My local university has many of them and I also requested a bunch through interlibrary loans (ie, I'd have books shipped to me from other cities/towns). It was a real pleasure to read the original source material for some of the films, and to read so many of the books which had never been filmed. It's amazing how they keep filming and refilming the same stories, while so many have been neglected over the years.

I've been watching mysteries, but many I've seen several times in the past and I've already reviewed them on this thread, so I won't bother to mention those again unless I have something extra to add to my comments.

[greenbudgie]

That is a wonderful source of books and films you have K. I'll trace back through this thread for your past reviews. And I'll come back to some when I get to see them. I don't know if you know of these authors but I'll give you the books of the British Library Crime Classics that I've read so far. In order of my enjoyment of them:-

Murder In Piccadilly - John Kingston
Quick Curtain - Alan Melville
Death On The Cherwell - Mavis Doriel Hay
Continental Crimes - Short stories. Various authors, my favourite being by J. Jefferson Farjeon

[kjrwe]

I've read some stuff by Jefferson Farjeon, including a novel where some guy who lives alone decides to go on a holiday. In some public place away from home, he overhears some complete stranger talking to an operator on the phone, asking to be connected to this guy's house! What's even more surprising is that the person on the phone actually talks to someone when connected. Obviously the main character decides to investigate what's going on. Was his home broken into? (Sorry, I forget the title of this novel.)

One of his stories was adapted for the big screen as the 1933 film "The Ghost Camera". I'm quite sure I reviewed it on this thread. It's the one where a fellow realizes that he's come home from holidays with a camera not his own. He decides to develop the negatives. One of the pics shows a man murdering someone! The main character decides to solve this mystery. He starts out by finding the young woman in one of the pics, and with her help & the help of other pictures, they decide to solve the mystery (her brother is tangled up in the mess somehow). It's a fun movie, worth a look.

[greenbudgie]

I look for that Farjeon story. I had a quick look what's available but didn't come across any plot that matches your description.

I've got 'The Ghost Camera' on my Talking Pictures Crime List bust I haven't actually seen it yet. That channel shows another Farjeon story Called 'The Last Journey.' It's very tense. It's about a train driver who is about to retire and suspects his fellow driver of having an affair with his wife. He goes mental as he tells the other driver to keep piling the coal on the engine. So the train keeps going at a more and more dangerous speed. That's a 1936 film.

[kjrwe]

I'd like to see that one. Thanks for the heads up! Cheers....

[greenbudgie]

A new TV version of Agatha Christie's 'ABC Murders' is being shown over 3 nights starting on Boxing Day night. A more aged Poirot is to be played By John Malkovich. I don't usually like revisioned Christie adaptations but I'll give this one a try. Using a comparison, I shall rewatch David Suchet's 'ABC Murders.' I've never seen Tony Randall's 'ABC Murders' from 1966 as yet.

[greenbudgie]

I am quite enjoying the Australian TV series Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, based on the books by Kerry Greenwood. It takes place in Melbourne, Australia in the late 20s, with wealthy flapper & amateur sleuth Phryne Fisher (Essie Davis) getting herself involved in various murder mysteries (duh)... It looks gorgeous, it's entertaining and fun, and even tho it's fairly lighthearted it still manages to touch upon subjects like drug abuse, racism and religious issues (never in a very grave/in-your-face manner tho). I can recommend it It's on Netflix here, but there are also DVD's etc...

There is a new Miss Fisher movie being made. It will be called 'Miss Fisher & the Crypt of Tears.' Essie Davis will play Miss Fisher as in the TV series. I wanted to make a link to the new film's IMDb page but my links always seem to go wrong. I hope you check this one out.

[greenbudgie]

I should have added that there is also a 4 episode TV series connected to the Miss Fisher series. It's called 'MS Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries.' Only it's her niece who takes who takes over the sleuthing. Peregrine Fisher. No Essie Davis in this one so my interest is not quite so strong.