Crime Fiction 8

Well, I seem to have got back into the swing of things, so coming to you tonight is another crime fiction post,  starting with a couple of novels by famous crime writer Dorothy L Sayers these being Busman’s Holiday and Strong Poison, which appear to be the only two of her books I possess and possibly even read.

Steven Saylor has written a series of mystery novels set in ancient Rome. I acquired these as I had (and still have) a fondness for Lindsey Davis’ Falco series which are also set in ancient Rome, but under a different emperor (Vespasian). I will not be displaying Lindsey Davis’ books here as I have a complete collection and I can’t be bothered scanning them all.  Anyway, the Saylor novels are set during the time of Cicero and Julius Caesar and are an intelligent, interesting series of historical murder mysteries.

Next, a stray non Penguin Julian Symons novel, Death’s Darkest Face, and an ancient (1964) Pan paperback copy of Josephine Tey’s The Singing Sands.

And finally for this evening, Japanese suspense – The Lady Killer by Masako Togawa.

Coming next – the detective novels of Janwillem van de Wetering.

General Fiction – Masako Togawa, Michel Tournier, Violet Trefusis, Rose Tremain & William Trevor

Now where was I… off somewhere? No, not at all, but just distracted by other things. Anyway, I’ve got myself back into the mood to post more book covers after a long hiatus, for which I apologise.

We’re still on general fiction for the moment, but I have scanned many more covers in the interim, and plan to tackle Crime Fiction after I’ve got through the next few posts.

First up The Master Key by Masako Togawa, a creepy Japanese detective novel set in a single ladies apartment block. 

French author Michel Tournier won 1970 Le Prix Goncourt for his novel The Erl King which was a best seller here in Australia at that time. A black, savage novel of a misfit forced to serve the Germans as a prisoner of the Third Reich.

Something of a curiosity is Echo by Violet Trefusis. Violet Trefusis is best known as the lover of Vita Sackville-West and was the daughter of Edward VII’s mistress, Alice Keppel. Echo is a romance based on her affair with Sackville-West. A classic of gay literature.

Possibly the finest of the writers in this post, is Rose Tremain, who has long been one of my favourite authors. I therefore have most of her books in my collection, mostly paperbacks, but at least three hard cover first editions. I recently picked up on a bargain table, a signed copy  her novel The Road Home. What distinguishes her books for me is how each of them is totally different to the others and how pristine is her prose style along with her skill in creating endearing and vivid characters . My favourites among her novels are Restoration, Music & Silence and Sacred Country (which has gone missing, but I have managed to acquire a Kindle version).

And finally for this entry, The Love Department by William Trevor. It’s a King Penguin edition of this 1966 novel, so has a rather splendid cover.

Next – the final post, for now, on general fiction before I launch into Crime.