The Patrick Quentin collection, The Puzzles of Peter Duluth, gathers all the short crime fiction about Patrick Quentin's lead series character. Peter Duluth, who appeared in nine Patrick Quentin novels published between 1936 and 1954. About twenty years ago I bought my first Crippen & Landru book, an edition of John Dickson Carr's radio play Speak of the Devil, and it is a great honor to get to write an introduction to a Crippen & Landru volume today, especially concerning an crime writer I so admire. I hope to have some more posted on Patrick Quentin tomorrow (have been under the weather).
I'm also very excited about the new series of Punshon reissues, the author's 11th through 15th Bobby Owen mysteries: Comes a Stranger (1938), Suspects-Nine (1939), Murder Abroad (1939), Four Strange Women (1940) and Ten Star Clues (1941).
Collectively these books constitute, in my opinion, the single best group of Punshon mysteries, published when the author was at the apex of his popularity in England.
Comes a Stranger is a bibliophile mystery, with a body in the library (or maybe not); Suspects-Nine is about a murder in fashionable London circles; Murder Abroad, partially based on a real life murder case, details a murder investigation in France; Four Strange Women is a serial killer novel with more than a few hints of horror; and Ten Star Clues is a classic country manor and village case that, like Josephine Tey's celebrated Brat Farrar, draws on the Victorian cause célébré of the Tichborne claimant. All together a most inspired and entertaining group of Golden Age detective novels.
The Punshons are available for pre-order in in the US and UK and I will let you know when The Puzzles of Peter Duluth is out. Some good stuff all round!
Your excuses for not blogging are more than valid, Curtis! I'm very excited about the Peter Duluth book, having loved the novels! Cheers to C&L for this one, and congratulations on writing the intro! I haven't read Punshon yet, and it sounds like if I'm going to start, one of these five is the way to go! (I love classic serial killer stories, so maybe Four Strange Women???)
ReplyDeleteI talk some about Punson's admiration for Carr in Four Strange Women, it definitely has an eerie quality. But they all have great virtues in my view. Ten Star Clues may be the most "classic," if you know what I mean. Of course, they are nice to read in order, if you are so inclined, because you can follow developments with Bobby's character.
DeletePunshon must be a terrific writer if you are so gung ho on him Curt, but I am more excited about the prospect of a new Patrick Quentin book! How long I have waited for one. I have a copy of "The Ordeal of Mrs. Snow" but it is far from my favorite of his titles. I have read and reread most of the Quentin/Q Patrick/Stagge books, and reviewed many over at Amazon, even the ultra=rate "The Crippled Muse" by Hugh Wheeler, arguing that it should be recognized as a mystery novel just like his other books of the period, though perhaps it was intended as a straight novel (if so, the gayest "straight novel" of 1951. Here's a link to my notice: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3SVVILBIB9ZTG
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely familiar with your PQ reviews, Kevin, very enlightening! I'm a great Webb and Wheeler fan too, will be writing some more about them tomorrow, and the book.
DeleteGlad to hear that more Golden Age mysteries are being published. :) I've just purchased 'Information Received', and hope to get round to reading it soon. With so many novels by Punshon to choose from, which would you rank as the top 5?
ReplyDeleteI think the single best group in his output are these latest five. Another interesting thing about these last five is that there's major developments in the Bobby Owen story line, both romantically and professionally.
DeleteAmong the earlier ones my favorites probably are Crossword Mystery, Death of a Beauty Queen, Death Comes to Cambers, Mystery of Mr Jessop and The Dusky Hour. And then there's Dictator's Way, which is more on the thrillerish side, but introduces Olive Farrar. I don't want to say more about Olive in case people are reading these in order, but she sticks around for a while!
Dorothy L. Sayers's favorites when she was reviewing for the Sunday Times between 1933 and 1935 probably were Information Received, Mystery Villa and Death of a Beauty Queen. She liked the ones that most brought human values to the forefront.
Good to see old favorites coming out in new editions. Snazzy looking covers.
ReplyDeleteYes, I thought DSP stepped it up another notch with this design, very eye catching.
DeleteJust pre-ordered Suspects Nine, Four Strange Women, and Ten-Star Clues on Kindle: only .99 a book! Also went to Crippen and Landru and noticed not only the Patrick Quentin book but an upcoming collection of Ellery Queen pastiches! I am in heaven!!! :)
ReplyDeleteComes a Strranger has a connection to a fascinating real life case too, which I talk about in an afterword so as not to "spoil" the plot. Suspects-Nine is Punshon's take on the manners mystery, more like Allingham and Marsh.
ReplyDeleteFantastic news about the Duluth book - well done Curtis, long overdue!
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