The hospital setting in Green for Danger came directly from Christianna Brand's experience working in such a facility during World War II. The gangsters in A Ring of Roses come directly from Brand's reading Damon Runyon--that's my guess anyway. It's not necessarily a problem because ARoR is about artifice; it makes sense that the characters… Continue reading A Ring of Roses by Mary Anne Ashe (AKA Christianna Brand)
1947 Maine and Gretta Grahame is living her best life. She has successfully escaped her past for several years, settling in the safe, sleepy town of New Sweden. Besides working at the local library, Gretta is president of her murder-mystery book club. She knows a lot about murder mysteries. She claims there's no plot she… Continue reading The Synopsis Blues
Jerry Lewis once tried to explain his distaste for widescreen aspect ratios by thundering, "It's lazy to shoot a film in widescreen; everything is in the goddamn frame. There's no need for pictorial skill!" Whether I agree with Mr. Lewis's opinion on widescreen ratios (or indeed, what constitutes pictorial skill) is entirely moot, but I… Continue reading The Greek Coffin Mystery
Here is a picture of me and a random cat in Istanbul. I'm not going to do these polls forever. At some point, I'll simply read what I want from the big pile. I've discussed reviewing some contemporary authors (both self and traditionally published), and those will come...sometime soonish--probably in the winter. In the meantime,… Continue reading My very second poll!
James Scott Byrnside 