Cozies: new & old

The obvious: Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh

The new: (character or series names here) Daisy Dalrymple, Grace & Favor, Maisie Dobbs, Jade del Cameron, Phryne Fisher


...just for a start.

Maisie Dobbs has gotten a lot of press and attention, but I've lost interest, partly as I don't particuarly like her. Too much self-rightousness and an appalling lack of humor don't make the woman.

The Christies I like best are not the series books, though I am very fond of Tommy and Tuppence. My favorite Christie is The Man in the Brown Suit.

Has anyone read the Maude Silver books, by Patricia Wentworth?

Apparently, Miss Silver is a former governess-turned-detective who knits throughout the story!

I saw references to this on one of my Ravelry groups, but have yet to pick up the books!

I love the Daisie Dalrymple and Grace & Favors, but wasn't wild about Ngaio Marsh..though I had one of the later ones. That might be why.

Love Tommy & Tuppence, but am a HUGE Poirot fan. I adore the man.

And, though they aren't actually cozies, per se, the Nero Wolfe series is fantastic! I got all the DVDs for Christmas last year of the A&E series, starring Timothy Hutton as Archie Goodwin. :swoon:

I read one. Some interesting characters, and she reminds me of Miss Marple in that she doesn't have a very rosy opinion of her fellow creatures!

It was reasonably well-done, but it seemed creaky and not as timeless as Christie.

lindydiva wrote:

Maisie Dobbs has gotten a lot of press and attention, but I've lost interest, partly as I don't particuarly like her. Too much self-rightousness and an appalling lack of humor, don't make the woman.

Yes! Isn't she horribly annoying? Also, I don't like her name -- it always makes "maresy-doates, and doesy-doats, and little lambs eat ivy" get stuck in my head. The author really isn't very good either...in one of the books she went on and ON for PAGES about a piece of lint on Maisie's NEW suit. ENDLESSLY. And then they didn't have anything to do with anything. I assummed that Maisie was going to have one her psychic visions, or whatever, from the stupid piece of lint on the stupid NEW (did we mention that it's NEW?) suit. Grrr.

But I really don't care for any of the new stuff that much. (I did try the first of Catriona MacPherson's Dandy Gilver series, but didn't get too far) Christie and Allingham are my favorites far and away -- I read them both over and over and over again.

PS: Masie is MEAN too -- never going to see her poor shell-shocked beau -- no -- make that fiance! -- in the hospital when he came back from the War? Nasty, mean girl.

Cetainly the new ones are a different take. They're....shinier. Not necessarily in a good way, but I think you know what I mean.

Still, they feed my obsession, and I enjoy some of the characters.

I keep trying to write a period mystery, and keep getting bogged down in bad writers' hell (too many details, not a very good plot).

The Phryne Fisher books aren't perfect, but I like them very much. Phryne is someone I'd like to know (better, to be). The author has a talent for creating interesting characters without giving in too much to rambling.

lindydiva wrote:

I keep trying to write a period mystery, and keep getting bogged down in bad writers' hell (too many details, not a very good plot).

I've been researching/writing one for ages, but have been having lit agent difficulties, despite already having published two books (the publishing biz can be extremely vicious and gossipy in a really bad way, with loads of backstabbing and blackballing), so it's on hold for awhile, as the whole thing is such an ordeal. And, even if I get it all sorted out, I'm not even certain I want to get involved with publishing peeps again, after bad experiences. We'll see.

I've heard some ugly stories about publishing.

But unless I actually get to work and write something viable I'll never find out for myself!

Well, I have a Margery Allingham waiting for me at the library today.

AND some Father Brown on DVD. I never did read those, but one of these days I'll add them to the reading list.

Has anyone read the Leonidas Witherall books? (Phoebe Atwood Taylor is the author, I think.)

Mimi wrote:

Has anyone read the Maude Silver books, by Patricia Wentworth?

I've read a couple. I like them, the plots can be slightly over the top but they are enjoyable. I'm happy to do a book swap on the copes I have

I've not heard of the Leonidas Witherall books. Are they any good?

I don't know about the Leonidas Witherall books. (I saw one last w/e in a used bookshop, that's what made me think of it...should have picked it up.)