Last year I had a great time working on 2018’s Vintage Mysteries Challenge organized by My Reader’s Block so it was an easy choice to go ahead and sign up once again for this year’s challenge. The idea is simple and works a little like a sort of book bingo. There are categories of book that relate to an element such as the setting or a major character and when you read a book that matches that category you can check it off.
Each book can only count towards one category and there are separate entry sheets for golden and silver age crime fiction (the former being classed as pre-1960 for the purposes of the game). You can take part even if you do not have a blog and there are prize draws for those completing the game so it is definitely worth taking part.
I am undertaking to complete Golden Age reads at the Chief Constable level meaning I aim to find one book for each category. Below is a table with each of the categories I am aiming to complete. The original scorecard can be found on the link above. As I meet each one I will put a hyperlink to the corresponding review underneath.
Challenge Status: 18/60
Golden Age Reads
| Who | What | When |
|---|---|---|
| An Academic | Person’s name in the title | During a recognized holiday |
| Actor/Actress | Number in the title | Set in the Victorian Era |
| Professional is main sleuth | Color in the title | Time/Date/etc in title |
| In the Medical Field | An animal in the title | Timing of the crime is crucial |
| A Journalist/Writer Inspector French and the Cheyne Mystery (1926) | Means of murder in the title A Knife for Harry Dodd (1953) by George Bellairs | During a weather event |
| An Artist/Photographer | Written by more than one person
Crime on the Coast & No Flowers by Request (1954/1953) by Members of the Detection Club | Set during WWI or WWII (wartime setting is obvious) |
| Vicar/Religious Figure | Comic/humorous novel | Set pre-1800 |
| Watson narrator | Inverted mystery | During trip/vacation/etc. |
| Librarian/Bookstore Owner/Publisher | Includes letter/s or diary extracts (or similar items) | During a performance of any sort The American Gun Mystery (1933) by Ellery Queen |
| Lawyer/Barrister/Judge (etc) | Title with a literary allusion in it | During a special event: birthday, village fete, etc. |
| Where | How | Why |
| At a country house | Death by drowning | It won an award of some sort |
| Set in a capital city | Crime involved fire/arson The Starvel Hollow Mystery (1927) by Freeman Wills Crofts | It made a “best of” list |
| On an island | Death on “wheels” – any vehicle used to murder | Author’s first/last name begins with the same letter as yours |
| At a school | Death by strangulation | Author from your country |
| Set in a small village Murder is Easy (1939) by Agatha Christie | Death by knife/dagger/etc. | Out of your comfort zone |
| In a hospital/nursing home | Death by shooting Home Sweet Homicide by Craig Rice | Author NOT from your country The King of Fools (1952) by Frédéric Dard |
| Any country but US or UK | Death by blunt instrument | A character has a job similar to yours |
| Any outdoor location Murder in the Mill-Race (1952) by E.C.R. Lorac | Unusual murder method | Read by fellow challenger
A Man Lay Dead (1934) by Ngaio March – My Reader’s Block review |
| At a theatre/circus/other place of performance | At least two deaths with different means | Because “Simon” says (see explanation at My Reader’s Block) |
| In a locked room | Death by poison | Book made into tv/film/play |
