English Mysteries Club discussion

just wondering which duo you all like the most? Obviously Sherlock and Watson are going to come up - but who else?

do you rate Lynley and Havers ? or prefer Gamache and Beauvoir?

if so why?

I love Lord Peter and Bunter.

Me too, Peter and Bunter. Their relationship is beautifully drawn. Their extraordinary friendship, and the past that is revealed only occasionally, and the way their strengths compliment each other in life and investigation (well, Bunter's strengths compliment Peter's, more than the other way round) – love those two.

I also like Lord Peter and Bunter, but I also like Poirot and Hastings. Not sure which I prefer since the dynamic is so different! Poirot and Hastings are more of the Holmes & Watson type duo, where the detective does all the solving and the friend provides an audience to whom the detective can explain his reasoning. Bunter is more of an assistant.

Personally I don't care much for Lynley and Havers. Havers (like Troy in Badger's Drift) has too much of a chip on her shoulder for my taste (at least she does in the beginning of the series -- I gave up reading these after 5 or 6 of them). I agree with Mike that the relationship is very believable, just not much to my taste.

Definitely LPW and Bunter, but I would also add Albert Campion and Lugg. Mrs. Bradley and her chauffeur, George (?) were also quite a team.

Another vote for LPW and Bunter. LPW and Harriet Vane made a pretty good team too. :)

Ok excuse ignorance - which books have Peter and Bunter is? are they Lord Wimsey?

Penny wrote: "Ok excuse ignorance - which books have Peter and Bunter is? are they Lord Wimsey?"

Penny, Peter is Lord Peter Wimsey, Dorothy L Sayers' aristocratic amateur sleuth. Bunter is Lord Peter's manservant and Harriet Vane is the woman Lord Peter falls in love with and ultimately marries. Here's a link to the books in the series.

For me the great partnership is Morse and Lewis with Dalziel and Pascoe a close second.

I like Tommy and Tuppence for more spy-type mysteries. Another husband & wife team is Amelia & Emerson in Elizabeth Peters' books.

Kim wrote: "Penny wrote: "Ok excuse ignorance - which books have Peter and Bunter is? are they Lord Wimsey?"

Penny, Peter is Lord Peter Wimsey, Dorothy L Sayers' aristocratic amateur sleuth. Bunter is Lord Pe..."

thanks Kim - I thought I vaguely remembered Lord Peter I think I read one or two but a very long time ago

Just finished James Lee Burke's "Creole Belle" . Sorry, he is not an English author, but I love his Dave Robicheaux mystery/detective series and "Belle" is his best one yet. I'm including it because of the detective duo of Robicheaux and his partner Cletus Purcell who pursue crime in and around New Orleans in this long running series. They are my favorite duo ever. Both damaged by their past, both determined to protect those who can't protect themselves and both loyal to one another to the end. A healthy dose of humor, fascinating characters and great plots.

Leslie wrote: "I also like Lord Peter and Bunter, but I also like Poirot and Hastings. Not sure which I prefer since the dynamic is so different! Poirot and Hastings are more of the Holmes & Watson type duo, wh..."

I really like Lord Peter and Bunter. He is a very unique partner. I like Campion and his valet/friend/bodyguard, but can't remember is name. He is always making comments that are sharp and witty.

Same with Jeeves and Bertie Wooster. I know that Wodehouse always meant for Jeeves to be the sidekick, but I like him better than Wooster who just seems like a befuddled fool. I am probably missing the subtlety somewhere though. Read quite a while ago and probably could stand to re-read.

Havers has changed quite a bit since the early books. She has really mellowed from a woman I could hardly see on the police force and one with a huge anger management issue. It seems her relationship with Lynley and also her neighbor and his daughter have made her aware of how friendships can exist.

She was very standoffish because of her family and her history. She has been through a lot with Lynley and they have covered each other often in crises. Good duo.

Cheryl S. wrote: "Just finished James Lee Burke's "Creole Belle" . Sorry, he is not an English author, but I love his Dave Robicheaux mystery/detective series and "Belle" is his be..."

Also realize this is not English, but I could not agree more. It seems like these two are wonderful friends and have each others' backs.

I am worried though that given the live Clete Purcell lives, James Lee Burke will have to kill him off at some point. It has been a close call for both of them more than once.

Sorry, just had to say how much I like James Lee Burke. Perhaps there is another forum to discuss great American duos!!!

Kathy wrote: "Cheryl S. wrote: "Just finished James Lee Burke's "Creole Belle" . Sorry, he is not an English author, but I love his Dave Robicheaux mystery/detective series and..."

I'm nervous every time I read a new Burke book because I'm afraid it will be the end of Clete.

Kathy wrote: "I like Campion and his valet/friend/bodyguard, but can't remember is name. He is always making comments that are sharp and witty. ..."

Lugg! I actually forgot about Campion and Lugg. They're great fun too.

For me it has to be Poirot and Hastings, but I also love the Lord Peter novels. Another good pairing were the Nigel and Georgia Strangeways novels by Nicholas Blake - although Georgia was not in all the books.

I've never read Nicholas Blake although I've been told I should at least read The Beast Must Die. Should the series be read in order?

Ideally, I think most series need to be read in order. However, The Beast Must Die is probably a good one to read as a standalone. I also really like Malice in Wonderland, set in a holiday camp - I love books set in unusual settings and Nicholas Blake is a great author, one of my faves. Christianna Brand is another author that has been out of favour, but I adore her books too.

@Susan -- Thanks for the info. I'll put Blake onto my to-read list!

I also like Christianna Brand! I've only read a few though -- "Green for Danger" is the one I remember best.

My all time favorite is Holmes & Watson, but Inspector Morse and Sergeant Lewis I would personally rate higher than Lynley and Havers.

Joyce wrote: "My all time favorite is Holmes & Watson, but Inspector Morse and Sergeant Lewis I would personally rate higher than Lynley and Havers."

Interestingly - do you think that's based entirely on the books or does the TV series affect your thinking? I cannot do inspector Morse without seeing John Thaw at all so I cannot separate out these particular ones!

Penny wrote: "Joyce wrote: "My all time favorite is Holmes & Watson, but Inspector Morse and Sergeant Lewis I would personally rate higher than Lynley and Havers."

Interestingly - do you think that's based ent..."

Yes, in fact I did not enjoy the books as much as the series because of John Thaw. I think he was more interesting than the character developed in the books.

Penny wrote: "Joyce wrote: "My all time favorite is Holmes & Watson, but Inspector Morse and Sergeant Lewis I would personally rate higher than Lynley and Havers."

Interestingly - do you think that's based ent..."

I think so. When I read or listen to Hercule Poirot, I always see Poirit as David Suchet!

Joyce wrote: "My all time favorite is Holmes & Watson, but Inspector Morse and Sergeant Lewis I would personally rate higher than Lynley and Havers."

On PBS it has to be Lewis and ? (can't remember name at the moment). Sherlock will always be Basil Rathbone for me.

As for a British duo, I like Inspector Morse and Sgt. Lewis.

For a U.S. duo, I enjoy Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin.

Sean wrote: "As for a British duo, I like Inspector Morse and Sgt. Lewis.

For a U.S. duo, I enjoy Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin."

Yes! I agree about the US!

Joyce wrote: "Sean wrote: "As for a British duo, I like Inspector Morse and Sgt. Lewis.

For a U.S. duo, I enjoy Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin."

Yes! I agree about the US!"

Love Nero Wolfe and Archie. My other US alternative would be Spenser and Hawk - Robert B Parker.

This is a GREAT topic. I'm already getting more ideas for new series.

I would agree with Havers and Lynley, because they are so different and they have each grown tremendously as people and as friends/colleagues.

Not yet mentioned are Gemma James and Duncan Kincaid. They started out as partners but are now in different precincts (or whatever the Brit equivalent is) but they somehow *manage* to be involved in the same cases. The intertwining of their professional and personal lives always has me coming back for more. I powered through the series this year and am now all caught up. {pout}

Someone remind me... in what series is Mrs. Bradley and her chauffeur? I don't think I realized this was a print series; I loved the PBS series with Diana Rigg.

Gladys Mitchell's Mrs Bradley Mysteries - I've never read those. Somehow I never saw the PBS series, either; how'd I manage that?

Carol/Bonadie wrote: "Someone remind me... in what series is Mrs. Bradley and her chauffeur? I don't think I realized this was a print series; I loved the PBS series with Diana Rigg..."

Me too!! although I must admit I still think "Mrs. Peel" whenever I see Diana Rigg :P

Love the Mrs. Bradley TV series! She and George are quite the not-so-UST pair. ;)

I should know this...

But I don't.

*www dot goodsearch dot com*

University of St. Thomas?

:|

Underground Storage Tank?

>:|

Umsatzsteuer?

:0

U.S. Tobacco Company?

< o.O >

Under sexed twosome?

Underlying Sexual Tension

:)

aahhhh....!

Or Unresolved Sexual Tension. When the unresolved becomes resolved, that usually spells the end of the series.

Thanks, I knew it was UN something. At any rate, I love their chemistry.

Oh! Ah. I thought it was one of those British acronyms I always have to work out. :D

American duos with a lot of UST would include Lydia Chin and Bill Smith, in the S.J. Rozan novels. Nine volumes and they still have not resolved their romance!

Brenda wrote: "American duos with a lot of UST would include Lydia Chin and Bill Smith, in the S.J. Rozan novels. Nine volumes and they still have not resolved their romance!"

I love those books!

Tracey wrote: "Gladys Mitchell's Mrs Bradley Mysteries - I've never read those. Somehow I never saw the PBS series, either; how'd I manage that?"

Good lord, there are 66 books in this series!!! My TBR pile just toppled and spontaneously combusted.

The woman seems to have written a book a year from 1929 to 1984. Yikes. Wonder if they are readily available. I just looked in my library network and the have some going back to the '80s.

Carol/Bonadie wrote: "Tracey wrote: "Gladys Mitchell's Mrs Bradley Mysteries - I've never read those. Somehow I never saw the PBS series, either; how'd I manage that?"

Good lord, there are 66 books in this series!!! M..."

I loved the TV series. Has anyone who has seen it also read the books? Are they as good as the series?

Tracey wrote: "Gladys Mitchell's Mrs Bradley Mysteries - I've never read those. Somehow I never saw the PBS series, either; how'd I manage that?"

I had forgotten that series as well. So very droll my dear!!!!

I had no idea there were so many books. I doubt if they are readily available. At my local library most of the older books are either only available on sound recordings, or you have to request them from other libraries in the network. (Nothing outside the regional network available.) That is the curse of living in a town that is not huge, and one where the budgets for libraries have sadly diminished.

What we all probably have noticed is that in a budget crisis learning and libraries are some of the first cuts to be made. As avid readers who are constantly interested in learning more this is probably viewed as as much of a mistake as it is to you.

But Maslov's (sp?) often jumps in. I worked, before I retired, for a program that offered retraining to those who are unemployed. Very little money to survive while in retraining. You can imagine why people dropped out. Not because they failed to be interested in learning new skills, but because they had to eat and feed their families.

As if it is not already bad enough. So many of my friends don't even enjoy reading!!!!

Carol/Bonadie wrote: "Good lord, there are 66 books in this series!!! ..."

Yikes! And I can't even finish writing one...

Tommy and Tuppence come to mind. Mary Russel and Sherlock Holmes. Richard Jury and Melrose Plant.

@Jean-Luke -- "Nursing Home Murder" is one of my favorite of Ngaio Marsh's books!

The Mrs. Bradley series is impossible to get. My library, a big one, has four. There's a small publishing company (Rue Morgue Publishing) reprinting some of these. But only a few. One bookseller has the first one listed for $68. Maybe B&N will add it to their classic series.

How could I forget Roderick Alleyn and Br'er Fox? Marsh is one of my favorite authors.

Sean wrote: "As for a British duo, I like Inspector Morse and Sgt. Lewis.

For a U.S. duo, I enjoy Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin."

I've been collecting Nero Wolfe books, hoping to get them all and read straight through. A TV series was tried, but didn't make it. Not much gory stuff for today's audience.