And then* read Raymond Chandler. Yes, he's an awful snob, and there's some toe-curling bigotry but there's such glee to be had from lines like "From 30 feet away she looked like a lot of class. From 10 feet away she looked like something made up to be seen from 30 feet away".
*Don't do it the other way round as Chandler's snappy dialogue makes Hammett's look rather dated (well of course they're both dated, but Chandler's pace and wit make Hammet sound like something from the previous century rather than the previous decade).
And of course you get to read it all with Humprey Bogart's voice in your head, which turns out to be one of life's great joys.
And of course you get to read it all with Humprey Bogart's voice in your head, which turns out to be one of life's great joys.
Yeah Wimsey inspired quite a bit of imitation, ranging from the good (Greenwood's Phryne Fisher is an excellent female Wimsey) to the mediocre (the later Vance as you mentioned). Rather like Holmes.
Lilian Jackson Braun wrote The Cat Who series; I liked them despite the efforts she went to pad out the quite short stories.
Yeah Wimsey inspired quite a bit of imitation, ranging from the good (Greenwood's Phryne Fisher is an excellent female Wimsey) to the mediocre (the later Vance as you mentioned). Rather like Holmes.
I'm reading the entire Lord Darcy series presently and there's a definite Wimsey/Bunter vibe there.
Excellent stories too, I wonder what Randi thought of his cameo as Chief Forensic Sorcerer of London?
Lilian Jackson Braun wrote The Cat Who series; I liked them despite the efforts she went to pad out the quite short stories.
I've read a couple of Irene Kelly' books, I like them but she started using the superman serial killer meme a little much.
If you like SF/F you might like the Lord Darcy stories; basically a blend of Wimsey and Holmes in an alternate world with Victorian technology and scientific magic.
And a sorcerer never does it.
I keep hearing about the Phryne Fisher series -- never encountered directly, must seek out -- just, please don't let the heroine hook up with a ruined WW1 veteran ! -- I'd have no quarrel with that happening in real life, and good luck to both of them -- just, please let whodunnits mostly be whodunnits, without greatly-distracting sub-plots ! (As said, I know nothing about the series -- for all I know, Phryne is lesbian / asexual / voluntarily celibate for whatever reason...)
oh no, not Phryne.
She won't disappoint as the hero.
Oops, I should have included that; Randall Garrett wrote the original stories (and one novel) they were collected by Baen in one volume a few years ago.
I'd heard of these but never tried them, I'll add them to my list. Thanks.
No, Phryne is definitely not asexual, lesbian or celibate. And while she does hook up with a damaged WW1 veteran it's a brief fling.If anyone's interested in the audiobooks, the mob who publishes those is called Bolinda Audio. They sell titles as well as supply the ones we can borrow through the library. It's online, so it may be available to OS customers as well as us.
Thanks. I'm fascinated by the period -- really must try the Phryne Fisher books.
There are a number of sub-plots, some ongoing from book to book, so it's a good idea to read them in order. I've seen them on the shelves of my main bookstore in Dublin so I assume they've a UK publisher now, I used to have to order them from Allen and Unwin.
Oops, I should have included that; Randall Garrett wrote the original stories (and one novel) they were collected by Baen in one volume a few years ago.
Michael Kurland (an excellent author, try his 'Moriarty' books) wrote two further novels; Ten Little Wizards and A Study in Sorcery
I'd heard of these but never tried them, I'll add them to my list. Thanks.
There are a number of sub-plots, some ongoing from book to book, so it's a good idea to read them in order. I've seen them on the shelves of my main bookstore in Dublin so I assume they've a UK publisher now, I used to have to order them from Allen and Unwin.
