Reading the Detectives discussion

US author Ellery Queen has been mentioned quite a few times, so here's a thread to discuss your favourite books by this author.

Or authors, in fact - according to the Goodreads blurb:

"Ellery Queen" was a pen name created and shared by two cousins, Frederic Dannay (1905-1982) and Manfred B. Lee (1905-1971), as well as the name of their most famous detective. Born in Brooklyn, they spent forty two years writing, editing, and anthologizing under the name, gaining a reputation as the foremost American authors of the Golden Age "fair play" mystery.

Have you read many books by Queen and which ones would you recommend?

Answering my own question, the only book by this author I've read so far is The Siamese Twin Mystery, as this was the only Queen ebook my library had. I didn't enjoy it very much, but have been assured it isn't one of the best in this series!

I remember reading (and presumably enjoying) Ellery Queen books in the 60s. I tried to read one recently - the Roman Hat Mystery - but couldn't get into it. Is there one which someone will recommend to get me going again?

I have had the same experience as Rosina. When I read almost all of the books years ago, I enjoyed them, but when I re-read some recently something about them bothered me. Perhaps they don't translate well from the 40s and 50s to the present.

It reminds me of my experience with the Philo Vance series. I read them years ago and thought they were great. Recently re-read one and wondered how I ever got through it the first time. Although Ellery Queen isn't quite that insufferable, the early books certainly don't hold up as well in more modern times.

Reading in order and I am up to #5, The Egyptian Cross Mystery.

Are you enjoying them, Jan? Which is the best so far?

I liked the second one, The French Powder Mystery. The victim was found in the front display window of a department store.

French Powder Mystery is next on my list. Read over 20 years ago. Trying to read early Queens in order

I see quite a few of the Queen books are on both Kindle Unlimited and Scribd. I'll probably give the first couple a try.

I have read a lot of Queen over the years. Bought them in paperback back in the 1970s and didn't read them in order. Not long ago I started reading them more or less in order. The Egyptian Cross is next on my list. I have read A Study in Terror and The Adventures of Ellery Queen out of order in my current read. The novels are definitely of their time. Readers going in to the early novels expecting the Ellery of the Jim Hutton TV series will be disappointed.

I have a number of these books but it is an author I have yet to get to. Hopefully a pleasure for the future

So far I've read The Chinese Orange Mystery, and I enjoyed it. I also own The Egyptian Cross Mystery: An Ellery Queen Mystery, which I planned to read for Christmas, but ran out of time, as well as The Dutch Shoe Mystery: An Ellery Queen Mystery, which I will be reading in a month or two for a book club discussion.
My impressions so far is that they are definitely books of their time, but can be enjoyable if you approach them from that angle.
Has anyone read the Ellery Queen Mystery Magazines?I believe they are still publishing, but were probably at their peak in the 40s/50s.

Tara, the Ellery Queen & Alfred Hitchcock mystery magazines have been in print for decades. I read them as a teen in the 70s & I still read the stories as a senior ....😂
Really enjoy short mystery stories, especially when travelling ....which I hope we can all get back to soon!

Icewineanne wrote: "Tara, the Ellery Queen & Alfred Hitchcock mystery magazines have been in print for decades. I read them as a teen in the 70s & I still read the stories as a senior ....😂
Really enjoy short mystery ..."

Who you feel wrote the best short stories they featured in the magazines?

Tara wrote: "So far I've read The Chinese Orange Mystery, and I enjoyed it. I also own The Egyptian Cross Mystery: An Ellery Queen Mystery, which I planned to read for Christmas,..."

hey! the Chinese Orange Mystery was the first EQ book I read. I loved how complex the crime/puzzle was.
My favourites thus far have been TCOM, Egyptian Cross, Spanish Cape and Drury Lane's Last Case.