Classic Mysteries

Short reviews of classic mystery novels and stories that are worth reading and re-reading.

"The Case of the Leaning Man," by Christopher Bush 11/23/2020

"The Case of the Leaning Man," by Christopher Bush Ludovic Travers and Superintendent George Wharton of Scotland Yard take on a family feud that may have led to a couple of murders. /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/16913054

"It Might Lead Anywhere," by E.R. Punshon 11/16/2020

"It Might Lead Anywhere," by E.R. Punshon It was clearly going to be an interesting case – the murder of an inoffensive little man with no apparent enemies, not much in the way of physical clues. And that kind of case can be very frustrating indeed. /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/16820384

"Crossed Skis, by Carol Carnac 11/08/2020

"Crossed Skis, by Carol Carnac What connection could there be between a gruesome fire in a London house and a ski holiday in Lech Am Arlberg in the Austrian Alps? The answer may conceal a ruthless murderer. A mystery by E.C.R. Lorac writing as "Carol Carnac." /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/16728575

"The Christmas Egg," by Mary Kelly 11/02/2020

"The Christmas Egg," by Mary Kelly Princess Olga Karukhin escaped from Russia after the revolution. Was she murdered for her supposed collection of art objects that appears to have vanished? /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/16650605

"Death and the Dutch Uncle," by Patricia Moyes 10/26/2020

"Death and the Dutch Uncle," by Patricia Moyes Superintendent Henry Tibbett finds the murder of a small-time crook conceals a much more deadly plot. /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/16541714

"The Glimpses of the Moon," by Edmund Crispin 10/19/2020

"The Glimpses of the Moon," by Edmund Crispin Edmund Crispin's final full-length mystery featuring Gervase Fen. A mystery with artfully rearranged bodies & missing heads & eccentric characters & assorted mayhem - and funny as well. /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/16457465

"The French Powder Mystery," by Ellery Queen 10/14/2020

"The French Powder Mystery," by Ellery Queen Passersby watching the daily advertising show in French's Department Store window got a lot more than they expected when a body fell out of the bed. This was the second novel by "Ellery Queen." /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/16392641

"Tread Softly," by Brian Flynn 10/07/2020

"Tread Softly," by Brian Flynn Claude Merivale admits he strangled his wife - but he says he did so while in a sleep so deep that everything he did, he did in a dream. Will the jury buy it? Or can Anthony Bathurst find evidence of a cunning killer at work? /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/16300412

"Lord Edgware Dies," by Agatha Christie 10/02/2020

"Lord Edgware Dies," by Agatha Christie Lord Edgeware's wife threatened to kill him. Now His Lordship has been murdered - but his wife has an unbreakable alibi! Another classic case for Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot! /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/16241636

"The Adventures of Dagobert Trostler," by Balduin Groller 09/23/2020

"The Adventures of Dagobert Trostler," by Balduin Groller Called the Viennese Sherlock Holmes, Dagobert Trostler was described by Ellery Queen as "the first important Teutonic sleuth." These early stories find Dagobert using logic and reason to solve crimes. /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/16133522

"Poets and Murder," by Robert Van Gulik 09/14/2020

"Poets and Murder," by Robert Van Gulik Van Gulik's last book about Judge Dee, set in ancient China. Judge Dee must solve a couple of murders involving very powerful individuals - and some black-haired foxes. /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/16001105

"Cécile is Dead," by Georges Simenon 09/07/2020

"Cécile is Dead," by Georges Simenon Cécile had come to the Parisian police headquarters to tell her terrible secret to Inspector Maigret. But Maigret, in the course of a busy day, lost track of Cécile – until she disappeared. And when Maigret, now worried about her, want to her apartment to see what he could find – well, by then it was too late, for Cécile was dead. Now Maigret must uncover her secret for himself. /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/15908714

"The Book of the Crime," by Elizabeth Daly 08/31/2020

"The Book of the Crime," by Elizabeth Daly What was the deadly secret of the book that forced Rena Austen to flee her home and husband and seek help from biblio expert Henry Gamadge? /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/15813653

"Sunday the Rabbi Stayed Home," by Harry Kemelman 08/24/2020

"Sunday the Rabbi Stayed Home," by Harry Kemelman Amid the turmoil of the late 1960s, Rabbi David Small deals with synagogue politics and social issues within his Conservative congregation, not to mention solving a couple of murders. /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/15725219

"Death Comes to Cambers," by E.R. Punshon 08/16/2020

"Death Comes to Cambers," by E.R. Punshon Bobby Owen was spending the weekend at Cambers, planning to advise Lady Cambers on keeping her valuable jewelry safe. But when he woke up the next morning, Lady Cambers had been murdered - and the jewels had vanished. /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/15631169

"The Three Taps," by Ronald A. Knox 08/09/2020

"The Three Taps," by Ronald A. Knox A classic Golden Age mystery: was Mottram's death murder or suicide? A fortune in insurance money hangs in the balance. /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/15543794

"Case Pending," by Dell Shannon. 08/02/2020

"Case Pending," by Dell Shannon. It was only a hunch that pointed to a killer - but would the hunch pay off for the detective trying to solve the murders? /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/15450251

"The Black Mountain," by Rex Stout 07/27/2020

"The Black Mountain," by Rex Stout Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin travel to Europe to avenge the death of Wolfe's oldest and closest friend by finding the killer and bringing him back to the states for justice. /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/15360776

"The Box Office Murders," by Freeman Wills Crofts 07/19/2020

"The Box Office Murders," by Freeman Wills Crofts Inspector French hears a young woman's plea for help too late to save her - but when she is murdered, French must find out why a gang seems to be targeting low-level theatre clerks. /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/15262415

"The Collected Short Fiction of Ngaio Marsh," edited & introduced by Douglas G. Greene 07/13/2020

"The Collected Short Fiction of Ngaio Marsh," edited & introduced by Douglas G. Greene Ngaio Marsh is best known for her novels about Detective Inspector Roderick Alleyn. This collection of her writing features short fiction - some with Alleyn, some with other characters. /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/15180713

"The Triple Bite," by Brian Flynn 07/06/2020

"The Triple Bite," by Brian Flynn On the Classic Mysteries podcast this week, a mysterious cryptogram, sudden death - and a shocking method for murder. /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/15094748

"Death and Letters," by Elizabeth Daly 06/28/2020

"Death and Letters," by Elizabeth Daly Henry Gamadge puts together a daring rescue for a woman held a virtual prisoner by her family. What was the secret worth killing for? /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/14999738

"Sinister Stones," by Arthur Upfield 06/21/2020

"Sinister Stones," by Arthur Upfield On the Classic Mysteries podcast this week, a murder in the Australian outback - and DI Napoleon Bonaparte - Bony - is on the case. Arthur Upfield's "Sinister Stones" reviewed /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/14910149

"The Body Politic," by Catherine Aird 06/15/2020

"The Body Politic," by Catherine Aird an international crisis resolved by an opportune heart attack. Maybe TOO opportune...Another of Catherine Aird's witty 'Calleshire Chronicles" mysteries with Inspector Sloan and company. /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/14825816

"Murder Within Murder," by Frances and Richard Lockridge 06/07/2020

"Murder Within Murder," by Frances and Richard Lockridge Miss Amanda Gipson was a fine researcher to investigate old murders. But what if an old killing made a new one necessary? Pam and Jerry North investigate a possible murder within a murder. /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/14728625

"Judge Dee at Work," by Robert Van Gulik 05/31/2020

"Judge Dee at Work," by Robert Van Gulik Eight short mysteries set in 7th Century China, all solved by Judge Dee. /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/14641406

"The Night of the Wolf," by Paul Halter 05/25/2020

"The Night of the Wolf," by Paul Halter "But that's impossible!" Or maybe not. Not when the story you're reading comes from Paul Halter, a modern French author with a gift for impossible crime stories. Ten short stories by Halter, translated by John Pugmire. Savor the (im)possibilities. /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/14556584

"The Sybil in Her Grave," by Sarah Caudwell 05/18/2020

"The Sybil in Her Grave," by Sarah Caudwell When a small group of neighbors is getting successful stock tips from a self-styled "psychic," sudden death may not be quite as accidental as you think /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/14466071

"The Case of the Counterfeit Colonel," by Christopher Bush 05/10/2020

"The Case of the Counterfeit Colonel," by Christopher Bush Henry Clandon wanted to hire Ludovic Travers to find the war hero who saved his life. But Clandon forgot to mention a few obstacles to the search - including murder. /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/14361617

"The Case of the Flowery Corpse," by Christopher Bush 05/03/2020

"The Case of the Flowery Corpse," by Christopher Bush Ludovic Travers was nearly run off the road by a car driven by a man dying of atropine poisoning. But Ludo - and the police - found that the deeper they dug into a case of murder, the more bizarre the clues became. /episode/index/show/classicmysteries/id/14263604

Classic Mysteries

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