THE LISTENING WALLS - Margaret Millar

I've seen Millar described as the best mystery writer no ones ever heard of, which is probably true as she does not get the credit she deserves.  Her husband was Kenneth Millar, aka Ross MacDonald who wrote the outstanding Lew Archer series, but the more I read of Millar the more I think she had the win in the writing stakes.

This is an outstanding mystery.  As usual for her very dark ,but there is some funny dialogue from the PI hired to solve a wife disappearing.

There are not many of her 27 novels in print so if you're into the genre troll the secondhand stores and websites.

Highly recommended

NINETY-TWO DAYS - Evelyn Waugh

 

An interesting wee read, no great discoveries but a tale of genuine discomfort traveling in Guiana and Brazil in the 1930's.

Mr Christie is is met in some hell hole called Boa Vista and becomes the model used in "The Man Who Liked Dickens", which in turn is included in "A Handful of Dust" 

If you like your travel books short this is worth picking up.

PIETR THE LATVIAN - Georges Simenon

 

If you are ever indecisive about what you want to read , pick up a Maigret.  They are works of art.

CAKE IN THE HAT BOX- Arthur Upfield

 

THE UNDERGROUND MAN - Ross MacDonald

 

ALL THE SOUNDS OF FEAR - Harlan Ellison

 

ALL THE FLOWERS ARE DYING - Lawrence Block

 

BORN VICTIM - Hillary Waugh

This is very very dark.  Unsettling the way it ends up.

Waugh is outstanding 

DANCE HALL OF THE DEAD - Tony Hillerman

 

First of these I have read, good mystery, good descriptions of the Indian lands where the action takes place.

I will read more when I come across them.

SIDETRACKED - Henning Mankell

 

RED HARVEST - Dashiell Hammett

Hardboiled crime.  Hammett, often imitated , never bettered.

THE GLIMPSES OF THE MOON - Edmund Crispin

 

MEMOIRS - Kingsley Amis

 

Not autobiographical, more snapshots of his life, friends & enemies.  The booze, my god.  His entire set put it away like they were going to stop making it.

Very very funny in places, sad in others but if you were a friend , you were a friend for all time.  Well worth a read

VANISH IN AN INSTANT -Margaret Millar

 

PATRICK BUTLER FOR THE DEFENCE - John Dickson Carr

 

HOPE TO DIE - Lawrence Block

 

MADMAN'S BEND - Arthur Upfield