Reading the Detectives discussion

Oops! I'm late in posting this, apologies, but it's time to nominate for our May 2024 group read!

Please only nominate books written and published in the Golden Age period, or a little earlier or later - if in doubt whether a title is eligible, please ask. As usual, just one nomination per group member, and only one book by any individual writer can be nominated per month.

If you aren't sure whether we have read something, the group bookshelves may help, or just ask. If it was at least 3 years ago that we read it, it is fine to renominate.

I will nominate The Port of London Murders by Josephine Bell

Wapping. Tugs and barges on the river. A west-end shop that deals apparently in nothing but lingerie. Women who sell their souls for something in a little screw of paper. A doctor in the slums who has mysterious visitors ...

In a mean street of dockland a woman is dead, with every sign of suicide ...

A derelict barge casts part of a cargo ashore, boxes which have double ends: some of these box-ends are empty, others conceal pink chiffon nightdresses ...

The river police are concerned with the smuggling, Detective-Sergeant Chandler with an apparent suicide which he believes to be murder. River and shore police confer. Sergeant Chandler visits his suspects once more. He is never seen again ...

Jill wrote: "I will nominate The Port of London Murders by Josephine Bell

Wapping. Tugs and barges on the river. A west-end shop that deals apparently in nothing but lingerie. Wo..."

Oooh, thanks for nominating, I put it up awhile ago, didn’t win but i was always intrigued, and it’s still on my TBR list…

Not sure if we have read any of J. S. Fletcher (I couldn't find the right link) but the earliest I have is The Middle Temple Murder. So I'd like to nominate it.

A young journalist comes by Middle Temple and a porter comes upon a dead body. He manages to convince the detective that they should work together. It is considered a classic of Golden Age crime fiction, published in 1919.

Great nomination, Jan - it looks as if the only book by J.S. Fletcher we've ever read in this group is The Paradise Mystery, way back in 2016.

I nominated it a couple of years ago, but it didn't win. It came second though so maybe it will this time.

I bought it then (though I think it was actually free) but still haven't read it!

I'll nominate Unexpected Night by Elizabeth Daly. I believe this has been nominated before and didn't win, but as a lot of this author's books are now on Kindle in the UK, I'll have another try. It's the first in the Henry Gamadge series.

An antiquarian book dealer spends his vacation investigating murder in this series opener from Agatha Christie’s favorite American author. New York handwriting and rare book expert—and a gentleman sleuth—Henry Gamadge is vacationing in coastal Maine when the police there need his help. It’s a strange case involving a seemingly natural death, a large inheritance, a mysterious nighttime rendezvous, and a troupe of summer stock actors who start dying off. Something is clearly afoot, but nothing quite seems to fit. With an eye for frauds, Gamadge is just what the local detective needs to throw the book at a killer . . .“

Any more nominations? The poll will be posted at the weekend.

Judy wrote: "I'll nominate Unexpected Night by Elizabeth Daly. I believe this has been nominated before and didn't win, but as a lot of this a..."

This one is on Faded Page for those in countries with the same copyright laws as Canada

I was thinking of nominating something, but as I have two of those nominated in my queue, I think I'll hope that one of them wins!

Rosina wrote: "I was thinking of nominating something, but as I have two of those nominated in my queue, I think I'll hope that one of them wins!"

Same here, I’ve read one, but want to read the other two.

Our poll is now open - please vote for the book you most want to read in May.

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

Voted but would like them all

Very close this month.

Woo-hoo! Looks like my book is currently ahead.

It was a close vote this month, but the winner is The Middle Temple Murder by J.S. Fletcher, which will be our May group read.

Full results:
The Middle Temple Murder 9 votes, 39.1%
The Port of London Murders 7 votes, 30.4%
Unexpected Night (Henry Gamadge, #1) 7 votes, 30.4%

Thanks to all who nominated and voted!