|
|
Post by Nalkarj on Jul 12, 2018 16:57:54 GMT
John Dickson Carr…  This guy. My first avatar here and one of my favorite writers—his books are so much fun to read, Chestertonian murder-mysteries by way of Dumas or Stevenson. Anyhoo… Like me and many of his readers, Carr loved history. Though he wrote his first historical book, a brilliant true-crime study in which (as many scholars now agree) he solved The Murder of Sir Edmund Godfrey, in 1936, it was truly after the war that he turned to writing more historical fiction than detective fiction. He disliked the post-war world and was a thoroughgoing, if temperamentally libertarian, Tory (“...an old-fashioned champion of gentility, taste, standards and romance,” as William Murchison, Jr., perceptively noted in National Review). While I love detective-stories, his historical novels are the kinds of books I’d love to write: rollicking adventures in the grand manner, with excitement, gallantry, quick wit, derring-do, and rescuing the fair maiden from the wicked villain. (I mean, all of his books have these elements, but they’re particularly pronounced in the historicals.) Lots of historical detail, copious amounts of research to make sure that the backgrounds and language are true-to-life, and non-cutesy and apropos appearances by historical figures. The Bride of Newgate and The Devil in Velvet are especially good. OK, two questions: has anyone else read Carr, especially the historicals, and (if so) do you have any recommendations for other books in that vein? A fella I know from Australia runs a blog and reviews Carr from time to time, and he recommended George MacDonald Fraser, of whose work I have, to my shame, not yet read any. There’s Flashman, of course, but he also recommended Mr. American, which he described as very Carrian. Anyone know any more? My thanks. |
|
|
|
Post by divtal on Jul 12, 2018 19:12:42 GMT
I'm not familiar with his work, Salzmank. But, you've planted an interest. Thank you.
(I think I recall that avatar.)
|
|
|
|
Post by Carl LaFong on Jul 13, 2018 13:35:07 GMT
Haven't read him.
Agree with the Flashman books recommendation. They're a hoot and contain lots of accurate and entertaining historical facts.
|
|
|
|
Post by politicidal on Jul 13, 2018 14:35:53 GMT
Well now I've a face to the name, and his work sounds interesting. Thanks!
|
|
|
|
Post by Morgana on Jul 13, 2018 15:18:55 GMT
John Dickson Carr… This guy. My first avatar here and one of my favorite writers—his books are so much fun to read, Chestertonian murder-mysteries by way of Dumas or Stevenson. Anyhoo… Like me and many of his readers, Carr loved history. Though he wrote his first historical book, a brilliant true-crime study in which (as many scholars now agree) he solved The Murder of Sir Edmund Godfrey, in 1936, it was truly after the war that he turned to writing more historical fiction than detective fiction. He disliked the post-war world and was a thoroughgoing, if temperamentally libertarian, Tory (“...an old-fashioned champion of gentility, taste, standards and romance,” as William Murchison, Jr., perceptively noted in National Review). While I love detective-stories, his historical novels are the kinds of books I’d love to write: rollicking adventures in the grand manner, with excitement, gallantry, quick wit, derring-do, and rescuing the fair maiden from the wicked villain. (I mean, all of his books have these elements, but they’re particularly pronounced in the historicals.) Lots of historical detail, copious amounts of research to make sure that the backgrounds and language are true-to-life, and non-cutesy and apropos appearances by historical figures. The Bride of Newgate and The Devil in Velvet are especially good. OK, two questions: has anyone else read Carr, especially the historicals, and (if so) do you have any recommendations for other books in that vein? A fella I know from Australia runs a blog and reviews Carr from time to time, and he recommended George MacDonald Fraser, of whose work I have, to my shame, not yet read any. There’s Flashman, of course, but he also recommended Mr. American, which he described as very Carrian. Anyone know any more? My thanks. I've read a lot of his detective stories, but I don't remember reading any of his historical novels. I'm not sure if this is exactly what you are asking for, but a writer I feel sadly underrated is Sarah Caudwell. Her books are witty and erudite. |
|
|
|
Post by Nalkarj on Jul 13, 2018 19:18:49 GMT
Which of his books have you read, Morgana? Of the detective stories, I’m particularly fond of The Crooked Hinge, The Red Widow Murders, and He Who Whispers. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
@Deleted
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2018 22:55:09 GMT
i think I've only read The Mad Hatter Mystery. I don't remember much about it. I liked some of the stories in The Department of Queer Complaints, though.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
@Deleted
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2018 21:59:35 GMT
Keeping on the crime side, you should try The Big Book of Locked Room Mysteries.
|
|
|
|
Post by novastar6 on Jul 16, 2018 6:01:53 GMT
I first found out about him in a Wishbone Mysteries book, anybody remember that show from PBS? Anyway, I thought it was ironic, in each book of the series one of the kids would be reading a famous mystery that would parallel an event taking place in their own town, and this time it was John Dickson Carr's locked room mysteries, when the Oakdale parallel was a locked car mystery. I've picked up a couple of his books but I never got around to reading them yet.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
@Deleted
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2018 22:47:37 GMT
I thought that was a photo of you. |
|
|
|
Post by Nalkarj on Jul 25, 2018 12:45:46 GMT
I thought that was a photo of you. Far from it!  |
|
|
|
Post by ellynmacg on Jul 25, 2018 13:07:28 GMT
John Dickson Carr… This guy. My first avatar here and one of my favorite writers—his books are so much fun to read, Chestertonian murder-mysteries by way of Dumas or Stevenson. Anyhoo… Like me and many of his readers, Carr loved history. Though he wrote his first historical book, a brilliant true-crime study in which (as many scholars now agree) he solved The Murder of Sir Edmund Godfrey, in 1936, it was truly after the war that he turned to writing more historical fiction than detective fiction. He disliked the post-war world and was a thoroughgoing, if temperamentally libertarian, Tory (“...an old-fashioned champion of gentility, taste, standards and romance,” as William Murchison, Jr., perceptively noted in National Review). While I love detective-stories, his historical novels are the kinds of books I’d love to write: rollicking adventures in the grand manner, with excitement, gallantry, quick wit, derring-do, and rescuing the fair maiden from the wicked villain. (I mean, all of his books have these elements, but they’re particularly pronounced in the historicals.) Lots of historical detail, copious amounts of research to make sure that the backgrounds and language are true-to-life, and non-cutesy and apropos appearances by historical figures. The Bride of Newgate and The Devil in Velvet are especially good. OK, two questions: has anyone else read Carr, especially the historicals, and (if so) do you have any recommendations for other books in that vein? A fella I know from Australia runs a blog and reviews Carr from time to time, and he recommended George MacDonald Fraser, of whose work I have, to my shame, not yet read any. There’s Flashman, of course, but he also recommended Mr. American, which he described as very Carrian. Anyone know any more? My thanks. Salzmank, you've brightened up my day! My sister and I--taking after our late father, who, IIRC, also enjoyed George MacDonald Fraser--are rabid fans of JDC (as we would often refer to him). If I had come here to IMDb V. 2.0 early enough to see that avatar, I would have asked you about it, because I remember that genial, whimsical, ever-so-slightly-sly countenance peeking up at me from the back cover of paperback mysteries.  I was all set to recommend The Devil in Velvet...right up until you mentioned it.  It's one of my favorite novels--not just favorite mysteries--and I've re-read it at least once, despite knowing whodunit, because it has so much more to offer. Have you considered how far ahead of his time he was? (Stupid question--of course you have!) He was one of the first to combine not just history and mystery, but also to introduce time travel into the mix. Right now, I have to get ready for work (blah), so I won't have time to answer your question, but I will give it careful consideration. In the meantime, have you read any of JDC's works written under his nom-de-plume of Carter Dickson? For more straightforward mysteries, they're hard to beat, and their sleuth is usually the lovable curmudgeon, Sir Henry Merrivale, aka H.M. Not historical (to the best of my knowledge), but highly enjoyable. Gotta run, but thanks again! |
|
|
|
Post by Nalkarj on Jul 25, 2018 13:35:36 GMT
Thank you so much for the kind words, ellynmacg! Yes, JDC is a favorite author of mine as well—the books are just such fun, and Carr really does write well. Which are your favorites? Yes, indeed, I’ve read several of the Carter Dickson books as well. I think that in general they tend to be higher quality than the books he wrote under his own name, but they also tend to take fewer chances, if that makes sense. But The Plague Court Murders, The Reader is Warned, She Died a Lady, and especially The Red Widow Murders (which includes Carr’s real first piece of historical fiction—that bravura French Revolution story that really ought to be reprinted on its own) are all excellent. I’ve never seen the mix of diablerie, time-travel, and history in The Devil in Velvet done by any other author—the book is remarkably sui generis, even if Carr also wrote some later, very good time-travel works ( Fear is the Same, Fire, Burn!). I once tried my hand at something similar and had to re-read the duelling scene in The Devil in Velvet to get a better idea of how to write that kind of thing. The historical background is first-class. So nice to hear from another fan. Thanks again.  |
|
|
|
Post by ellynmacg on Jul 26, 2018 2:07:47 GMT
So are you also a published author? If you are, and don't feel like shouting your identity from the rooftops , feel free to send me a PM*. I wholeheartedly agree!  *Which, around our household, often stands for Perry Mason. |
|
|
|
Post by ellynmacg on Jul 27, 2018 5:43:02 GMT
Nowadays, libraries abound in historical mysteries, but I've yet to find any that could hold a candle to JDC's unique combination of elements. However, I do have a couple of recommended authors for you, one whose works I've read, and one I haven't. The author whose oeuvre I have yet to sample is Lillian De La Torre, author of The Detections of Dr. Sam: Johnson. As one might suppose, the narrator of Dr. Johnson's adventures, who also functions more or less as his "Watson", is James Boswell. Now that I've cited Ms. De La Torre's works, I feel duty-bound to look into them myself. The other author, Edward Marston, has written dozens of books (not only under that name, but under many other pseudonyms as well). One of his numerous series--the only one from which I've yet read--deals with the exploits of a theatrical stage manager, one Nicholas Bracewell, in the latter days of Elizabeth I. According to my sister, who recommended Lillian De La Torre, the swashbuckling component in the Bracewell series is considerably larger than in the Samuel Johnson series, but they are both well worth your time. |
|
|
|
Post by Morgana on Jul 27, 2018 8:40:40 GMT
Which of his books have you read, Morgana ? Of the detective stories, I’m particularly fond of The Crooked Hinge, The Red Widow Murders, and He Who Whispers. I've remembered something about JDC, and that's something he wrote in one of his books, talking about the English countryside, and it's houses. He wrote how the old houses looked like they had grown out of the ground and weren't built, and that's a remark that struck a chord with me because that's how I've felt about a lot of small English villages. I know he was living in England then, so he must have loved it a lot from the fragments of prose he wrote about it's beauty. |
|
|
|
Post by Nalkarj on Jul 27, 2018 14:07:40 GMT
ellynmacg Not a published fiction author, but I’ve published my non-fiction political stuff in a national magazine (which I’m not going to go into now, but if you’d really like I can send you a PM). Just a poor, struggling, young unpublished author… No, seriously, I’ve written a great deal of fiction, but none of it has been published yet. I’d like it to be some day, of course. But I can send you some work I’ve written—I posted some here and here as well. I’ve read a few of Lillian de la Torre’s short stories and enjoyed them, but I really want to read her Elizabeth is Missing (1945), which she based on Carr’s The Murder of Sir Edmund Godfrey and which Carr loved. I’ll take a look at Marston too. Thanks! ______________________________________ Morgana I don’t remember the “grown out of ground” quote offhand, but I love this similar one: What a writer.
|
|
|
|
Post by Morgana on Jul 27, 2018 14:44:18 GMT
ellynmacg Not a published fiction author, but I’ve published my non-fiction political stuff in a national magazine (which I’m not going to go into now, but if you’d really like I can send you a PM). Just a poor, struggling, young unpublished author… No, seriously, I’ve written a great deal of fiction, but none of it has been published yet. I’d like it to be some day, of course. But I can send you some work I’ve written—I posted some here and here as well. I’ve read a few of Lillian de la Torre’s short stories and enjoyed them, but I really want to read her Elizabeth is Missing (1945), which she based on Carr’s The Murder of Sir Edmund Godfrey and which Carr loved. I’ll take a look at Marston too. Thanks! ______________________________________ Morgana I don’t remember the “grown out of ground” quote offhand, but I love this similar one: What a writer. I remember that too. Perhaps my quote was from the same book? |
|
