And Then There Were None

[Shirl]

This country has indeed produced some great women writers but they still were a tiny minority when compared to male authors (and they still are in a minority). However at least since the 19th century, writing was an art form which was a little more accommodating towards women than other arts like music or painting, where women were even more rare.

One thing that's always interested me is that murder mysteries are hugely popular both with female writers and readers. My three best female friends all love them. The genre my male friends gravitate to the most is science fiction. Of course there are always exception but on the whole that seems tone the case. I wonder why that is.

I'm with your female friends Reno. I love a good murder

 

[Reno]

My favourite female crime writer is Patricia Highsmith. I wish she'd lived longer.

I'm with your female friends Reno. I love a good murder

My favourite genre is horror though I like both a good murder and space ships when done well.

I love Patricia Highsmith and had a phase where I read everything by her I could get my hands on. I think she transcended crime writing and was never interested in murder mysteries. Her books are more character studies which often happen to be about murderers.

 

[Spymaster]

It's a very long time since I was a teenager and I probably can't remember half of them.
Murder at the Vicarage was the first I read. Then The Mirror Cracked form Side to Side, The body in the Library and A Murder is announced were some of the early others I read. I used to read one then go into a book shop and just get really excited about buying another one. It wasn't easy to know much about what was coming out next in those days. As I said earlier, I always preferred Miss Marple but I liked the Poirot too, just not as much.
I can't really critique them, I was very drawn into the country house way of living and wanted to marry a vicar back in those days. Miss Marple sort of took me there

I inherited about 3 shelves of AC paperbacks from an aunt when I was about 13 and read them all but can only remember a few of the titles.

 

[Shirl]

I also bought every Patricia Highsmith book I could find. I think there were only a couple that I didn't have. Apart from the collections of short stories, I think I just had one of those I bought by mistake as I don't like short stories.
Once I'd got my collection, having read everything I just gave it away. I'm no good at keeping books I've read even though I loved them.
I just loved the way she made you think Ripley was a good guy or was that just me
Strangers on a Train was a favourite too.

 

[Shirl]

I inherited about 3 shelves of AC paperbacks from an aunt when I was about 13 and read them all but can only remember a few of the titles.

I can't remember many titles either. I looked at a list earlier and didn't recognise many of the titles but I know I must have read them.

 

[Shirl]

Reno, if anyone mentions space ships I mentally switch off. I can't read science fiction (not the space ship kind anyway) I can't watch it either

 

[Epona]

I really like a good murder-mystery read, but the best ones have some clues so that you could have figured it out, but misdirect you along the way. I do enjoy a story that manages to surprise me at the end, yet look back on it to see that it really shouldn't have been a surprise.

In a way, the stuff I like best is where the author laid enough of a trail that I could have worked it out, but still genuinely got the better of me.

 

[Spymaster]

I looked at a list earlier ...

Same here. I recognised some titles but none of the plot synopses beyond a few names. Colonel Race rang a bell.

 

[scifisam]

But with more exploding heads and less uses of the word "nigger"

Ironic given the original title of the book.

Lombard and Vera did get together in the stage play version, which Christie also wrote, although in that one they stayed alive and were innocent of their crimes.

The book also makes it much clearer how the judge knew, too; I'm going to re-read it because it's been too long for me to explain in detail.

I love Christie. She always creates interesting characters, especially female ones. That's unusual even these days.

 

[D'wards]

Ironic given the original title of the book.

That's what I was referring to. I read that version, about 25 years ago. The island is called Nigger Island because when viewed from above it looks like a man with big lips *cringe*