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A Treasury of Great Mysteries, Volume 1
A collection of novels, novelettes, and short stories Murder in the Calais Coach (Murder on the Orient Express)- Agatha Christie "The Case of the Crimson Kiss"-Erle Stanley Gardner "The Treasure Hunt"-Edgar Wallace "Maigret's Christmas"-Georges Simenon "Puzzle for Poppy"-Patrick Quentin "The Secret"-Mary Roberts Rinehart "The Incautious Burglar"-John Dickson Carr "The Lamp of God"-Ellery Queen "The Case of the White Elephant"-Margery Allingham "Rear Window" ("It Had to Be Murder")-William Irish Journey into Fear-Eric Ambler.
576 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1957
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About the author
Howard Haycraft
44 books10 followersA publisher, editor, critic and anthologist who wrote one of the first serious books of criticism of the mystery/detective genre, Murder for Pleasure: The Life and times of the Detective Story , still in print and considered a classic. He also edited a number of interesting and important anthologies.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
October 15, 2018
This will probably sound dumb, or maudlin, to some people. This is the first of two volumes, and originally, both volumes were to be among the books I inherited from my mother upon her passing (which was several years ago). Let's just say my brother and his family saw to it that none of the items ever made it into my possession.
Years later, post divorce and feeling depressed around Xmas time I went about purchasing, used, the books I was supposed to have received as a holiday gift to myself. I've read all of the books except for these two volumes.
Now, I can't decide if it is my having gotten older, or if mystery writing has changed that much over the years. This was not an easy read. The writing in most of the stories is dense, and you have to work through the stories. The pacing is significantly slower than most of today's works. At the worst I feel like a better reader after having completed this book (even though I'm taking a break before finishing volume two, which I have started).
This is a collection of shorts, novellas and novels. One of the shorts that I really enjoyed was Maigret's Christmas. It had a nice Christmas feel to it, was well paced, and I think you get a feeling for Maigret character. With the Perry Mason story, I could not get Raymond Burr's, and the rest of the cast, images out of my head. Ellery Queen's character comes off pretty much as a zero. Rear Window was interesting, because even I know its a famous movie, but the characters are uninteresting-it really is a plot driven tale.
Like any anthology some hits, some misses, some meh. I was surprised that I liked the Hilda Adams story, and with a little updating I could see reviving the character for today's world. I find the concept of near retirement nurse, who ends up assisting the police, and that she doesn't suffer fools well not only a workable concept but a character that I enjoyed.
Years later, post divorce and feeling depressed around Xmas time I went about purchasing, used, the books I was supposed to have received as a holiday gift to myself. I've read all of the books except for these two volumes.
Now, I can't decide if it is my having gotten older, or if mystery writing has changed that much over the years. This was not an easy read. The writing in most of the stories is dense, and you have to work through the stories. The pacing is significantly slower than most of today's works. At the worst I feel like a better reader after having completed this book (even though I'm taking a break before finishing volume two, which I have started).
This is a collection of shorts, novellas and novels. One of the shorts that I really enjoyed was Maigret's Christmas. It had a nice Christmas feel to it, was well paced, and I think you get a feeling for Maigret character. With the Perry Mason story, I could not get Raymond Burr's, and the rest of the cast, images out of my head. Ellery Queen's character comes off pretty much as a zero. Rear Window was interesting, because even I know its a famous movie, but the characters are uninteresting-it really is a plot driven tale.
Like any anthology some hits, some misses, some meh. I was surprised that I liked the Hilda Adams story, and with a little updating I could see reviving the character for today's world. I find the concept of near retirement nurse, who ends up assisting the police, and that she doesn't suffer fools well not only a workable concept but a character that I enjoyed.
March 30, 2019
One of the best collections of classic mysteries by best authors of the golden age mysteries including Agatha Christie, Mary Robert Rinehart, Ellery Queen, John Dickson Carr, Eric Ambler etc.
August 4, 2017
Hercule Poirot 10 Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie ****
Perry Mason 84 the Case of the Crimson Kiss by Erle Stanley Gardner ***
Mr JG Reeder] the Treasure Hunt by Edgar Wallace ****
Maigret] Maigret's Christmas by Georges Simenon ****
Peter Duluth] Puzzle for Poppy by Patrick Quentin ***
the Secret by Mary Roberts Rinehart ****
Dr Gideon Fell] the Incautious Burglar by John Dickson Carr ****
Ellery Queen Detective 10 the Lamp of God by Ellery Queen ****
the Case of the White Elephant by Margery Allingham ****
Rear Window by William Irish (Cornell Woolrich) ****
Journey Into Fear by Eric Ambler ****
My Rating System:
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.
Perry Mason 84 the Case of the Crimson Kiss by Erle Stanley Gardner ***
Mr JG Reeder] the Treasure Hunt by Edgar Wallace ****
Maigret] Maigret's Christmas by Georges Simenon ****
Peter Duluth] Puzzle for Poppy by Patrick Quentin ***
the Secret by Mary Roberts Rinehart ****
Dr Gideon Fell] the Incautious Burglar by John Dickson Carr ****
Ellery Queen Detective 10 the Lamp of God by Ellery Queen ****
the Case of the White Elephant by Margery Allingham ****
Rear Window by William Irish (Cornell Woolrich) ****
Journey Into Fear by Eric Ambler ****
My Rating System:
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.
April 20, 2023
This is the sixth anthology I've read in 2023, where my goal is to read a short story every day. Since it's part of my mission to read a short story every day, I did not read the novels that bookend this anthology: "Murder in the Calais Coach" by Agatha Christie and "Journey into Fear" by Eric Ambler. I do intend to read them at some point though, and when I do, I'll edit this review.
My star rating is taken from an average rating across all nine short stories that I read.
The Case of the Crimson Kiss by Erle Stanley Gardner 2.5*
This story was fine, I guess, but it wasn't anything spectacular, and the whole premise hinges on the idea that a woman, once she found her niece dying from an apparent OD on sleeping pills, decided to call a lawyer that had been recommended to her by a woman she met once on holiday instead of calling a doctor.
The Treasure Hunt by Edgar Wallace 3*
I reviewed this story a couple days after I read it, and could no longer remember anything about it, even after I'd gone back and refreshed myself on how it ended. It was probably fine, but entirely forgettable.
Maigret's Christmas by George Simenon 4*
I realized before I started this story that I actually own one of the Maigret novels. Maigret and the Informer is currently sitting unread on my bookshelf. I decided to look up the series on Goodreads and realized, to my dismay, that it has 70 books in it.
"Hopefully I'll hate this story," I told myself. "And then I won't have to add 70 new books to my TBR, especially since Maigret and the Informer is the second-to-last book of the series.
But no. It turns out I loved this story. It wasn't about the case or the mystery, but rather the character of Maigret, and the relationship he has with his wife. I thought it was very sweet, and I was absolutely charmed by the attention that was paid to Maigret's personal life in this story outside of the central mystery.
Puzzle for Poppy by Patrick Quentin 5*
This is my favourite story in the collection. Does the dog die?
The Secret by Mary Roberts Rinehart 3*
This was another story where the detective characters have lives and motivations outside of their case, and I really loved Fuller and Hilda at the end of the story. I have, in fact, added the rest of the Miss Pinkerton novels to my TBR, because I am very intrigued to learn more about these characters. Unfortunately, I wasn't satisfied with the motivations behind the murders, and that affected my rating quite a bit.
The Incautious Burglar by John Dickson Carr 3*
This wasn't a standout story, but it wasn't bad either. I'd guessed the murderer nearly right away, but not how the murder was done.
The Lamp of God by Ellery Queen 2*
Am I being unfair because the main character shares the author's pen name? Or maybe I'm being unfair because it was longer than I wanted it to be and all I wanted to do was read Fool's Assassin? Maybe! It's certainly possible! But the who was too obvious, and the how was totally unguessable; it was one of those reveals with no build up and no foreshadowing. Overall, the story fell totally flat, and fell flat for far too long.
The Case of the White Elephant by Margery Allingham 2*
Maybe it's because I didn't have time to read this one all at once, but I had an exceptionally difficult time actually following this story, or whole the characters were and what their relationships were to one another. I mean, I could easily say so and so is whosits aunt, and this girl is his girlfriend, and all that. But I couldn't figure out what any of them had to do with the detective on the case, or with.... like... anything at all. Why are these people involved in this? I don't have a damned clue.
Rear Window by William Irish 4*
Not going to lie, this was the story in this collection that I was most looking forward to reading. This is one of those stories that everyone knows for one reason or another. Is it because of the Simpsons episode? The movies that have been made from it? Just the general knowledge around it?
I wish I could have gone into the story blind without knowing what was coming. But regardless I still enjoyed this story. Out of all of them, it was the one that most masterfully used dramatic tension, and the prose was gripping. I can see why it's such a classic.
My star rating is taken from an average rating across all nine short stories that I read.
The Case of the Crimson Kiss by Erle Stanley Gardner 2.5*
This story was fine, I guess, but it wasn't anything spectacular, and the whole premise hinges on the idea that a woman, once she found her niece dying from an apparent OD on sleeping pills, decided to call a lawyer that had been recommended to her by a woman she met once on holiday instead of calling a doctor.
The Treasure Hunt by Edgar Wallace 3*
I reviewed this story a couple days after I read it, and could no longer remember anything about it, even after I'd gone back and refreshed myself on how it ended. It was probably fine, but entirely forgettable.
Maigret's Christmas by George Simenon 4*
I realized before I started this story that I actually own one of the Maigret novels. Maigret and the Informer is currently sitting unread on my bookshelf. I decided to look up the series on Goodreads and realized, to my dismay, that it has 70 books in it.
"Hopefully I'll hate this story," I told myself. "And then I won't have to add 70 new books to my TBR, especially since Maigret and the Informer is the second-to-last book of the series.
But no. It turns out I loved this story. It wasn't about the case or the mystery, but rather the character of Maigret, and the relationship he has with his wife. I thought it was very sweet, and I was absolutely charmed by the attention that was paid to Maigret's personal life in this story outside of the central mystery.
Puzzle for Poppy by Patrick Quentin 5*
This is my favourite story in the collection. Does the dog die?
The Secret by Mary Roberts Rinehart 3*
This was another story where the detective characters have lives and motivations outside of their case, and I really loved Fuller and Hilda at the end of the story. I have, in fact, added the rest of the Miss Pinkerton novels to my TBR, because I am very intrigued to learn more about these characters. Unfortunately, I wasn't satisfied with the motivations behind the murders, and that affected my rating quite a bit.
The Incautious Burglar by John Dickson Carr 3*
This wasn't a standout story, but it wasn't bad either. I'd guessed the murderer nearly right away, but not how the murder was done.
The Lamp of God by Ellery Queen 2*
Am I being unfair because the main character shares the author's pen name? Or maybe I'm being unfair because it was longer than I wanted it to be and all I wanted to do was read Fool's Assassin? Maybe! It's certainly possible! But the who was too obvious, and the how was totally unguessable; it was one of those reveals with no build up and no foreshadowing. Overall, the story fell totally flat, and fell flat for far too long.
The Case of the White Elephant by Margery Allingham 2*
Maybe it's because I didn't have time to read this one all at once, but I had an exceptionally difficult time actually following this story, or whole the characters were and what their relationships were to one another. I mean, I could easily say so and so is whosits aunt, and this girl is his girlfriend, and all that. But I couldn't figure out what any of them had to do with the detective on the case, or with.... like... anything at all. Why are these people involved in this? I don't have a damned clue.
Rear Window by William Irish 4*
Not going to lie, this was the story in this collection that I was most looking forward to reading. This is one of those stories that everyone knows for one reason or another. Is it because of the Simpsons episode? The movies that have been made from it? Just the general knowledge around it?
I wish I could have gone into the story blind without knowing what was coming. But regardless I still enjoyed this story. Out of all of them, it was the one that most masterfully used dramatic tension, and the prose was gripping. I can see why it's such a classic.
February 3, 2024
Great anthology, if you can find it.
I'd expect this collection to be outstanding, given that the editor is Howard Haycraft. He was a publisher who wrote "Murder for Pleasure: The Life and Times of the Mystery Story", considered to be the definitive study of the mystery genre from its beginnings through 1940. That's the only one of Haycraft's books available in a Kindle edition. "Treasury" is long out of print, but I found one at a used book store and I notice that Better World Books has copies of both volumes.
I don't know about other Kindle owners, but I'm getting rid of my print books as I can replace them with e-books. Reading my Kindle is simply more convenient. I've hung onto this one because it has some stories not available in e-books. It's certainly a fine collection of two novels, three novelettes, and seven stories.
"Murder on the Calais Coach" (now sold as "Murder on the Orient Express") is one of Agatha Christie's best and speaks to her love of travel in general and train travel in particular. "The Secret" is a good novelette, if you're a fan of Mary Roberts Rinehart and I am. There's a wonderful Maigret story by Georges Simenon. Simenon's books are available as e-books, but they're pricy and seldom on sale.
Most mystery fans know about "Rear Window" by William Irish (Cornell Woolrich.) It's a great story and less depressing than most of Woolrich's stuff. I bless the day I discovered Edgar Wallace's stories featuring Mr J.G. Reeder. He's one of my favorite characters and I love this story of how he uses a convict's greed and desire for revenge to find a body and arrest a murderer.
I like Margery Allingham's Albert Campion and "The Case of the White Elephant" shows him solving crimes while surrounded by his peers - the English aristocracy. Patrick Quentin was new to me, but his mysteries featuring Peter and Iris Deluth (a crime-solving Broadway producer and his actress wife) are now available in Kindle editions. "Puzzle for Poppy" is delightful and is included in the Kindle collection of Quentin's short stories.
The only clunker is "The Lamp of God", which I recently read in another anthology under another title. I think it's long and boring, but the Ellery Queen mysteries must have fans or they wouldn't have sold so well.
I pulled this book out of my bookshelves to read "The Case of the Crimson Kiss" by Erle Stanley Gardner. Like many mystery writers of old, Gardner got his start in the pulps and he must have continued to write short stories even after his Perry Mason series became popular. This one appeared in 1948 and is billed as a novelette although not long enough to qualify.
It's sure not the best story Gardner ever wrote, but it's an interesting picture of Perry Mason and his loyal secretary Della Street, showing their tight relationship and how it works for them. It's the story of an eligible bachelor and the two young women in love with him. Dating a woman and dumping her to date her roommate probably isn't the smartest thing in the world, but Dane Grover is no genius. He IS rich and so handsome that normally bullet-proof Della Street actually fails to count the money he pays for Perry's services.
The victim is tough businessman and reckless skirt-chaser Carver L Clements. He's not a bachelor, but he's working on it. Divorces take time and Mr Clements isn't about to give up his girl friends while he tries to pressure Mrs Clements into agreeing to a lower settlement. As he discovers (too late) a man can have too many women in his life.
As always, Perry's client is innocent, but has the deck stacked against her. He's ALMOST sure that Dane Grover will stick with his fiance, but Dane's strong-minded mama thinks not. Would Perry have been able to pull off a miracle if Aunt Louise hadn't arrive in the nick of time? A lipstick mark on the dead man identifies the guilty party. Bite marks have now been discredited as trial evidence. Are lip prints still admissable?
Full disclosure: I skipped "Journey into Fear" by Eric Ambler. Sorry, but I just don't like spy stories. If you do, you're in luck.
I enjoy the new anthologies available on Kindle, but I think there's a place for the old ones, too. I hope Haycraft's books will be rediscovered and published as e-books. He had great taste in mysteries.
I'd expect this collection to be outstanding, given that the editor is Howard Haycraft. He was a publisher who wrote "Murder for Pleasure: The Life and Times of the Mystery Story", considered to be the definitive study of the mystery genre from its beginnings through 1940. That's the only one of Haycraft's books available in a Kindle edition. "Treasury" is long out of print, but I found one at a used book store and I notice that Better World Books has copies of both volumes.
I don't know about other Kindle owners, but I'm getting rid of my print books as I can replace them with e-books. Reading my Kindle is simply more convenient. I've hung onto this one because it has some stories not available in e-books. It's certainly a fine collection of two novels, three novelettes, and seven stories.
"Murder on the Calais Coach" (now sold as "Murder on the Orient Express") is one of Agatha Christie's best and speaks to her love of travel in general and train travel in particular. "The Secret" is a good novelette, if you're a fan of Mary Roberts Rinehart and I am. There's a wonderful Maigret story by Georges Simenon. Simenon's books are available as e-books, but they're pricy and seldom on sale.
Most mystery fans know about "Rear Window" by William Irish (Cornell Woolrich.) It's a great story and less depressing than most of Woolrich's stuff. I bless the day I discovered Edgar Wallace's stories featuring Mr J.G. Reeder. He's one of my favorite characters and I love this story of how he uses a convict's greed and desire for revenge to find a body and arrest a murderer.
I like Margery Allingham's Albert Campion and "The Case of the White Elephant" shows him solving crimes while surrounded by his peers - the English aristocracy. Patrick Quentin was new to me, but his mysteries featuring Peter and Iris Deluth (a crime-solving Broadway producer and his actress wife) are now available in Kindle editions. "Puzzle for Poppy" is delightful and is included in the Kindle collection of Quentin's short stories.
The only clunker is "The Lamp of God", which I recently read in another anthology under another title. I think it's long and boring, but the Ellery Queen mysteries must have fans or they wouldn't have sold so well.
I pulled this book out of my bookshelves to read "The Case of the Crimson Kiss" by Erle Stanley Gardner. Like many mystery writers of old, Gardner got his start in the pulps and he must have continued to write short stories even after his Perry Mason series became popular. This one appeared in 1948 and is billed as a novelette although not long enough to qualify.
It's sure not the best story Gardner ever wrote, but it's an interesting picture of Perry Mason and his loyal secretary Della Street, showing their tight relationship and how it works for them. It's the story of an eligible bachelor and the two young women in love with him. Dating a woman and dumping her to date her roommate probably isn't the smartest thing in the world, but Dane Grover is no genius. He IS rich and so handsome that normally bullet-proof Della Street actually fails to count the money he pays for Perry's services.
The victim is tough businessman and reckless skirt-chaser Carver L Clements. He's not a bachelor, but he's working on it. Divorces take time and Mr Clements isn't about to give up his girl friends while he tries to pressure Mrs Clements into agreeing to a lower settlement. As he discovers (too late) a man can have too many women in his life.
As always, Perry's client is innocent, but has the deck stacked against her. He's ALMOST sure that Dane Grover will stick with his fiance, but Dane's strong-minded mama thinks not. Would Perry have been able to pull off a miracle if Aunt Louise hadn't arrive in the nick of time? A lipstick mark on the dead man identifies the guilty party. Bite marks have now been discredited as trial evidence. Are lip prints still admissable?
Full disclosure: I skipped "Journey into Fear" by Eric Ambler. Sorry, but I just don't like spy stories. If you do, you're in luck.
I enjoy the new anthologies available on Kindle, but I think there's a place for the old ones, too. I hope Haycraft's books will be rediscovered and published as e-books. He had great taste in mysteries.
February 27, 2023
I pulled this anthology of classic mystery stories off my bookshelf recently. I had it for years without ever reading it. To my surprise, it includes verifiable classics like Christie's A Murder on the Calais Coach (better known today as A Murder on the Orient Express); and Cornell Woolrich's original short story that inspired Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window." You'll also find stories from Mary Roberts Rinehart, Erle Stanley Gardner, Ellery Queen, Edgar Wallace, Margery Allingham and Georges Simenon. Good reads all.
This is Volume 1, lacking it's original dust jacket. I'd love to find Volume 2, packed with tales from more classic mystery authors.
If you can track this down through a used book store, it's definitely worth the time.
This is Volume 1, lacking it's original dust jacket. I'd love to find Volume 2, packed with tales from more classic mystery authors.
If you can track this down through a used book store, it's definitely worth the time.
August 3, 2025
Several short stories and novellas. Most written in the 1930's. They are a slower read because they are written better than today's books and you have to concentrate harder and look words up. In my case I had to look up history and geography because It was mostly pre WWII and a much different world.
I would definitely recommend this book. Very glad to have read these stories.
I feel blessed to have found this at an estate sale. I am enjoying older books much more than the books that have been released in the last few years.
I would definitely recommend this book. Very glad to have read these stories.
I feel blessed to have found this at an estate sale. I am enjoying older books much more than the books that have been released in the last few years.
December 25, 2021
A very decent collection of mystery novels, novellettes and short stories. The first novel "Murder at Calais Coach" by Agatha Christie is of course excellent.
I also really liked the last novel " Journey Into Fear" by Eric Ambler, "The Secret" by Mary Roberts Rineheart, "Maigret's Christmas" by Georges Simenon and "The Case of the Crimson Kiss" by Erle Stanley Gardner. I will specifically read more books from all of these authors in the future.
I also really liked the last novel " Journey Into Fear" by Eric Ambler, "The Secret" by Mary Roberts Rineheart, "Maigret's Christmas" by Georges Simenon and "The Case of the Crimson Kiss" by Erle Stanley Gardner. I will specifically read more books from all of these authors in the future.
May 18, 2021
Classic mystery stories and novellas.
The authors are among those I have always wanted to read . They were all in one place.
They were mostly written in the 1940's or earlier so they are a glimpse into our society of that time.
There is no gore, torture, mass murderer .. Just great mysteries.
Really liked the various stories even though I didn't always predict who done it.
The authors are among those I have always wanted to read . They were all in one place.
They were mostly written in the 1940's or earlier so they are a glimpse into our society of that time.
There is no gore, torture, mass murderer .. Just great mysteries.
Really liked the various stories even though I didn't always predict who done it.
November 21, 2024
with novels, novellas, and stories from:
#agatha christie
#earlstanleygardner
#edgarwallace
#georgessimenon
#patrickquentin
#maryrobertsrinehart
#johndickinsoncarr
#elleryqueen
#marjorieallingham
#williamirish (cornell woolrich) and
#ericambler
"Patriots, in common with other mystics, dislike logical argument."
#agatha christie
#earlstanleygardner
#edgarwallace
#georgessimenon
#patrickquentin
#maryrobertsrinehart
#johndickinsoncarr
#elleryqueen
#marjorieallingham
#williamirish (cornell woolrich) and
#ericambler
"Patriots, in common with other mystics, dislike logical argument."
October 26, 2021
Overall it was a good book filled with many interesting stories. I liked the British stories the best, and the American stories were okay. The last story, Journey Into Fear, was the best. Was the fear that Graham would be killed at some point in story the journey the point?
July 9, 2022
Fun, light reading in a genre i don’t usually turn to. Especially enjoyed the final novel: Journey Into Fear by Eric Ambler whose suspense was followed up with an exciting climax and satisfying conclusion.
December 6, 2022
My favorite stories in the treasury were:
Murder in the Calais Coach (aka Murder on the Orient Express) by Agatha Christie
The Treasure Hunt by Edgar Wallace
Maigret's Christmas by Georges Simenon
The Lamp of God by Ellery Queen
Murder in the Calais Coach (aka Murder on the Orient Express) by Agatha Christie
The Treasure Hunt by Edgar Wallace
Maigret's Christmas by Georges Simenon
The Lamp of God by Ellery Queen
July 29, 2023
It came out almost 70yrs ago and has stories pre WWII. I found it really interesting. Rear view Window was great to read since I had seen the movie. Journey into Fear was my favorite though the ending is a little lame. I owned it for 25 yrs before finally getting to it!
January 21, 2020
"Rear Window" was thrilling, but I was underwhelmed by the other mysteries in this volume.
September 4, 2020
It seems that I can never become a fan of mysteries outside of the cosmos
June 16, 2022
Several books in one volume, most of them excellent, especially Journey Into Fear by Eric Ambler.
July 11, 2021
Earlier this year, I took out from the library several anthologies of mystery and detective stories, hoping to discover or rediscover some authors for pleasure reading.
It turns out that Murder On The Calais Coach is another title for Murder On The Orient Express (although I read further into it than I would like to admit before recognizing it) so I didn't have to read that one. That is one of my least favorite Agatha Christies and although it's "classic" I consider it a terrible mystery and not very representative, so I thought it was an odd choice for an anthology. Death On The Nile is a much better Poirot story in my opinion.
Anyway, I definitely started this book back in February or early March, when I was still going to work, because I remember reading some of these stories on my lunch breaks. After March 13, I was unexpectedly stuck at home without access to my office, so for a while, I couldn't make any progress on this book even if I had wanted to. Finally some time in April, I was able to arrange a visit to work, and get my belongings and library books. Still, it took me two more months to finish this.
I was underwhelmed overall, although I've definitely already read and sometimes liked stories by some of these authors, including Ellery Queen, some Maigret novels, and lots of Mary Roberts Rinehart. Besides MRR, who is already a favorite of mine, I think the Margery Allingham was my favorite thing in this collection. I'm sure I've read an Albert Campion story or book before, but not this story.
Rear Window was even more dull than the movie, which I already disliked, and Journey Into Fear was a slog for me, and it's debatable that it's really a "mystery" as far as I can see, although I can see how it would make a good movie. It's a spy story narrated in the tone "I can't believe it happened to ME!" in which everything is pretty much exactly as it appears once the unexpected hero finds out he is a marked man; it's only a question of how this hapless, unassuming man will rise to the occasion, beat the bad guys at their own game, and save the Allies/western civilization as we know it.
It turns out that Murder On The Calais Coach is another title for Murder On The Orient Express (although I read further into it than I would like to admit before recognizing it) so I didn't have to read that one. That is one of my least favorite Agatha Christies and although it's "classic" I consider it a terrible mystery and not very representative, so I thought it was an odd choice for an anthology. Death On The Nile is a much better Poirot story in my opinion.
Anyway, I definitely started this book back in February or early March, when I was still going to work, because I remember reading some of these stories on my lunch breaks. After March 13, I was unexpectedly stuck at home without access to my office, so for a while, I couldn't make any progress on this book even if I had wanted to. Finally some time in April, I was able to arrange a visit to work, and get my belongings and library books. Still, it took me two more months to finish this.
I was underwhelmed overall, although I've definitely already read and sometimes liked stories by some of these authors, including Ellery Queen, some Maigret novels, and lots of Mary Roberts Rinehart. Besides MRR, who is already a favorite of mine, I think the Margery Allingham was my favorite thing in this collection. I'm sure I've read an Albert Campion story or book before, but not this story.
Rear Window was even more dull than the movie, which I already disliked, and Journey Into Fear was a slog for me, and it's debatable that it's really a "mystery" as far as I can see, although I can see how it would make a good movie. It's a spy story narrated in the tone "I can't believe it happened to ME!" in which everything is pretty much exactly as it appears once the unexpected hero finds out he is a marked man; it's only a question of how this hapless, unassuming man will rise to the occasion, beat the bad guys at their own game, and save the Allies/western civilization as we know it.
January 29, 2011
I'm not a mystery fan but after reading last year Arthur Conan Doyle and reviving my love for Agatha Christie, I decided to delve into the world of the mystery. This two volume set was inherited from my mother, a great lover of mysteries. And after reading the first volume I realized what the attraction is to this genre. However, perhaps because a lot of these stories are dated, and perhaps due to the short story style that doesn't always lend the reader a good opportunity of knowing the principle characters, I still only feel a "like" attraction. But a couple of these stories are real gems and am interested in reading more by a few of the authors. It will be a while though before I pick up volume two. I think I need a break from mysteries, or at least go back to Christie.
January 26, 2016
I enjoyed Volume 1 more than Volume 11. I believe I would have appreciated Volume 11 more if I had checked out the stories on line. I found both these books at books sales at different times. Now I want to re-read the 2nd volume. Although I do remember Rebecca from the first book and loved it.
Volume I's favorites were Murder in the Calais Coach (or Murder on the Orient Express), The Case of the Crimson Kiss (Perry Mason)...actually I enjoyed them all.
Volume I's favorites were Murder in the Calais Coach (or Murder on the Orient Express), The Case of the Crimson Kiss (Perry Mason)...actually I enjoyed them all.
July 29, 2024
Both volumes of these mystery compilation books are filled to the brim with some of the best works from some of the greatest mystery writers. I consider both volumes must read by anyone who enjoys a good mystery.
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June 21, 2009Mystery,Anthology
September 14, 2011
A truly excellent selection of mysteries by the great masters of the art, most of which I hadn't read before. Now, to find Volume 2...
September 14, 2015
I enjoyed some better ten others, but an excellent introduction to a number of classic mystery writers
January 21, 2017
I love mystery books and this collection of short stories, novels, and novellas has a plethora of them.
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