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A review by cartoonmicah
Bodies from the Library: Lost Tales of Mystery and Suspense from the Golden Age of Detection: Lost Tales of Mystery and Suspense by Agatha Christie and other Masters of the Golden Age by Agatha Christie
3.0
Let's say 3.5 stars.
This collection has a handful of real gems from the golden age of detective fiction sprinkled in among many oddities and run-of-the-mill magazine fodder. With a nice biographical piece about the author following each story, the history elements were just as enjoyable (and occasionally more so) as the stories themselves.
The premise here was simply to bring together lost or forgotten minor works from masters of detective fiction. Some of these pieces have never been collected for obvious reason, while others were simply mislaid or tragically under-appreciated. Because the parameters are based on the publication history of the pieces, there is everything here from true locked door and whodunit mysteries to mind of the killer thrillers and even some Hitchcockesque adventure story telling. Many are very good or at the least unique enough to keep an avid mystery junky in his element. A few others felt like the scrap of an idea that was sent off to some magazine for spending money's sake.
If you're just a classic detective fiction fanatic who can't get enough of it, you've come to the right place. If you prefer plots and characters that inspire and compel, you'll probably have to skip two out of three of the stories here. For the most part, these are the lowest quality stories from some of the best mystery writers of the definitive generation.
This collection has a handful of real gems from the golden age of detective fiction sprinkled in among many oddities and run-of-the-mill magazine fodder. With a nice biographical piece about the author following each story, the history elements were just as enjoyable (and occasionally more so) as the stories themselves.
The premise here was simply to bring together lost or forgotten minor works from masters of detective fiction. Some of these pieces have never been collected for obvious reason, while others were simply mislaid or tragically under-appreciated. Because the parameters are based on the publication history of the pieces, there is everything here from true locked door and whodunit mysteries to mind of the killer thrillers and even some Hitchcockesque adventure story telling. Many are very good or at the least unique enough to keep an avid mystery junky in his element. A few others felt like the scrap of an idea that was sent off to some magazine for spending money's sake.
If you're just a classic detective fiction fanatic who can't get enough of it, you've come to the right place. If you prefer plots and characters that inspire and compel, you'll probably have to skip two out of three of the stories here. For the most part, these are the lowest quality stories from some of the best mystery writers of the definitive generation.