Upcoming Television Mystery Movies for June 2013

June 1, 2013

As some of you know, I am a fan of old movies. Most of them are in black and white, although some of them are in color – depending on the year the movie was made. Several people have asked me to continue posting the upcoming mystery movies that will be appearing on television each month. That said, here is the list of the upcoming television mystery movies that I have been able to find which will air on the Turner Classic Movie channel (TCM). (I go through my TCM Now Playing guide to find them.)

I have actually seen some of the movies on this list, but not all. I'm going to be listing these movies in Central time zone. If you know of any other mystery movies that are going to be aired on television during June 2013, please post a comment.

***** ***** ***** *****

Saturday – June 1, 2013

THE FALCON IN DANGER  (1943)  9:45 AM (Central)
A society sleuth tracks a lost plane carrying $100,000.
Dir: William Clemens Cast: Tom Conway, Jean Brooks, Elaine Shepard .
BW-70 mins, TV-G, CC

***** ***** ***** *****

Sunday – June 2, 2013

SUED FOR LIBEL (1940)   12:30 AM (Central)
When he's sued for libeling a murder suspect, a hot shot reporter decides to solve the crime himself.
Dir: Leslie Goodwins Cast: Kent Taylor, Linda Hayes, Lilian Bond.
BW-66 mins, TV-G

***** ***** ***** *****

Tuesday – June 4, 2013

CRIME BY NIGHT (1944)  2:15 AM (Central)
Married detectives investigating a small-town murder uncover a spy ring.
Dir: William Clemens Cast: Jane Wyman, Jerome Cowan, Faye Emerson.
BW-73 mins, TV-PG, CC,

THE LAST RIDE (1944)  3:30 AM (Central)
A detective suspects foul play in a series of accidental deaths.
Dir: D. Ross Lederman Cast: Richard Travis, Charles Lang, Eleanor Parker .
BW-57 mins, TV-G

***** ***** ***** *****

Friday – June 7, 2013

STRANGER ON THE THIRD FLOOR (1940)  10:15 AM (Central)
A newspaperman serves as key witness in a circumstantial murder case.
Dir: Boris Ingster Cast: Peter Lorre, John McGuire, Margaret Tallichet.
BW-64 mins, TV-14, CC

THE MALTESE FALCON  (1931)  7:00 PM (Central)|
In the first screen version of The Maltese Falcon, detective Sam Spade investigates the theft of a priceless statue.
Dir: Roy Del Ruth Cast: Bebe Daniels, Ricardo Cortez, Dudley Digges.
BW-79 mins, TV-G, CC

***** ***** ***** *****

Saturday – June 8, 2013

THE MALTESE FALCON  (1941)  1:30 AM (Central)
Hard-boiled detective Sam Spade gets caught up in the murderous search for a priceless statue.
Dir: John Huston Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Gladys George.
BW-100 mins, TV-PG, CC

SATAN MET A LADY (1936)  3:30 AM (Central)
In the second screen version of The Maltese Falcon, a detective is caught between a lying seductress and a lady jewel thief.
Dir: William Dieterle Cast: Bette Davis, Warren William, Alison Skipworth.
BW-74 mins, TV-G, CC

THE FALCON AND THE CO-EDS (1944)  9:45 AM (Central)
A society sleuth investigates murder at a girls' school.
Dir: William Clemens Cast: Tom Conway, Jean Brooks, Rita Corday.
BW-68 mins, TV-G, CC

***** ***** ***** *****

Sunday – June 9, 2013

GASLIGHT (1944)  11:00 AM (Central)
A newlywed fears she's going mad when strange things start happening at the family mansion.
Dir: George Cukor Cast: Charles Boyer, Ingrid Bergman, Joseph Cotten.
BW-114 mins, TV-PG, CC

***** ***** ***** *****

Tuesday –  June 11, 2013

WOMAN IN WHITE, THE (1948)  8:30 AM (Central)
Classic mystery about the adventures of a young tutor sent to a ghostly country estate.
Dir: Peter Godfrey Cast: Alexis Smith, Eleanor Parker, Sydney Greenstreet.
BW-109 mins, TV-G, CC

***** ***** ***** *****

Wednesday – June 12, 2013

SCARED TO DEATH (1947)  5:00 AM (Central)
A beautiful murder victim recalls how she met her untimely end.
Dir: Christy Cabanne Cast: Bela Lugosi, George Zucco, Nat Pendleton.
C-68 mins, TV-PG

SKY MURDER (1940)  2:00 PM (Central)
Detective Nick Carter tries to prove a beautiful immigrant innocent of murder.
Dir: George B. Seitz Cast: Walter Pidgeon, Donald Meek, Karen Verne.
BW-72 mins, TV-PG

***** ***** ***** *****

Thursday – June 13, 2013

SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE SECRET WEAPON (1942) 5:45 AM (Central)
Sherlock Holmes fights to keep a new bombsite design from the Nazis.
Dir: Roy William Neill Cast: Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Lionel Atwill.
BW-68 mins, TV-PG

SHERLOCK HOLMES IN TERROR BY NIGHT (1946)  7:00 AM (Central)
Sherlock Holmes signs on to protect a priceless diamond from jewel thieves.
Dir: Roy William Neill Cast: Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Alan Mowbray.
BW-63 mins, TV-PG

***** ***** ***** *****

Friday – June 14, 2013

DARK PASSAGE (1947)  7:00 PM (Central)
A man falsely accused of his wife's murder escapes to search for the real killer.
Dir: Delmer Daves Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Bruce Bennett.
BW-106 mins, TV-PG, CC

***** ***** ***** *****

Saturday – June 15, 2013

THE FALCON OUT WEST (1944)  9:45 AM (Central)
A society sleuth turns cowboy to investigate a Texas murder.
Dir: William Clemens Cast: Tom Conway, Carole Gallagher, Barbara Hale.
BW-64 mins, TV-G

***** ***** ***** *****

Wednesday – June 19, 2013

MY NAME IS JULIA ROSS (1945) 12:30 PM (Central)
A young girl finds herself entrenched in a murder cover-up when she goes to work for a wealthy widow.
Dir: Joseph H. Lewis Cast: Nina Foch, Dame May Whitty, George Macready.
BW-65 mins, TV-PG

***** ***** ***** *****

Friday – June 21, 2013

THE GIRL IN BLACK STOCKINGS (1957)  4:00 AM (Central)
A young girl's murder leaves a hotel full of suspects.
Dir: Howard W. Koch Cast: Lex Barker, Anne Bancroft, Mamie Van Doren.
BW-75 mins, TV-PG

ADAM'S RIB (1949)  5:30 AM (Central)
Husband-and-wife lawyers argue opposite sides in a sensational women's rights case.
Dir: George Cukor Cast: Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Judy Holliday.
BW-101 mins, TV-G, CC
*** This comedy stars one of my very favorite actresses (Judy Holliday) and is not a mystery.***

BORN YESTERDAY (1950)  7:15 AM (Central)
A newspaper reporter takes on the task of educating a crooked businessman's girlfriend.
Dir: George Cukor Cast: Judy Holliday, Broderick Crawford, William Holden.
BW-102 mins, TV-PG, CC
*** This comedy stars one of my very favorite actresses (Judy Holliday) and is not a mystery.***

BELLS ARE RINGING (1960)  9:00 AM (Central)
An answering service operator gets mixed up in her clients' lives.
Dir: Vincente Minnelli Cast: Judy Holliday, Dean Martin, Fred Clark.
C-126 mins, TV-G, CC, Letterbox Format
*** This musical stars one of my very favorite actresses (Judy Holliday) and is not a mystery.***

NOCTURNE (1946)  7:00 PM (Central)
A police detective refuses to believe a composer's death was suicide.
Dir: Edwin L. Marin Cast: George Raft, Lynn Bari, Virginia Huston.
BW-87 mins, TV-PG, CC

DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944)  10:15 PM (Central)
An insurance salesman gets seduced into plotting a client's death.
Dir: Billy Wilder Cast: Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson.
BW-108 mins, TV-PG, CC
***If you haven't seen this movie, try to catch it this month.***

***** ***** ***** *****

Saturday – June 22, 2013

THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE (1946)  12:15 AM (Central)
Illicit lovers plot to kill the woman's older husband.
Dir: Tay Garnett Cast: Lana Turner, John Garfield, Cecil Kellaway.
BW-113 mins, TV-PG, CC

THE FALCON IN MEXICO (1944)  9:45 AM (Central)
A society sleuth travels South of the border to investigate an art dealer's murder.
Dir: William Berke Cast: Tom Conway, Mona Maris, Martha MacVicar.
BW-70 mins, TV-G, CC

***** ***** ***** *****

Wednesday – June 26, 2013

REBECCA (1940)  9:30 PM (Central)
A young bride is terrorized by the memories of her husband's glamorous first wife.
Dir: Alfred Hitchcock Cast: Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine, George Sanders.
BW-130 mins, TV-PG, CC
***I think this adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's novel is really good.***

***** ***** ***** *****

Friday – June 28, 2013

THE LEOPARD MAN (1943)  7:00 PM (Central)
When a leopard escapes during a publicity stunt, it triggers a series of murders.
Dir: Jacques Tourneur Cast: Dennis O'Keefe, Margo, Jean Brooks.
BW-66 mins, TV-PG, CC

DEADLINE AT DAWN (1946)  8:30 PM (Central)
An aspiring actress risks her life to clear a sailor charged with murder.
Dir: Harold Clurman Cast: Susan Hayward, Paul Lukas, Bill Williams.
BW-83 mins, TV-G, CC

MURDER, MY SWEET (1944)  10:00 PM (Central)
Detective Philip Marlowe's search for a two-timing woman leads him to blackmail and murder.
Dir: Edward Dmytryk Cast: Dick Powell, Claire Trevor, Anne Shirley.
BW-95 mins, TV-PG, CC

***** ***** ***** *****

Saturday 29, 2013

BIG SLEEP, THE (1946)  12:00 AM (Central)
Private eye Philip Marlowe investigates a society girl's involvement in the murder of a pornographer.
Dir: Howard Hawks Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, John Ridgely.
BW-114 mins, TV-PG, CC

LADY IN THE LAKE (1947)  2:00 AM (Central)
Philip Marlowe searches for a missing woman in this mystery shot entirely from the detective's viewpoint.
Dir: Robert Montgomery Cast: Robert Montgomery, Audrey Totter, Lloyd Nolan.
BW-103 mins, TV-PG, CC

STRANGERS ON A TRAIN (1951)   4:00 AM (Central)
A man's joking suggestion that he and a chance acquaintance trade murders turns deadly.
Dir: Alfred Hitchcock Cast: Farley Granger, Ruth Roman, Robert Walker.
BW-101 mins, TV-PG, CC

THE FALCON IN HOLLYWOOD (1944)  9:45 AM (Central)
A society sleuth tours the movie capital, where he uncovers an actor's murder.
Dir: Gordon Douglas Cast: Tom Conway, Barbara Hale, Veda Ann Borg.
BW-67 mins, TV-G, CC

THIRD MAN, THE (1949)  5:00 PM (Central)
A man's investigation of a friend's death uncovers corruption in post-World War II Vienna.
Dir: Carol Reed Cast: Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles.
BW-104 mins, TV-14, CC

AUNTIE MAME (1958)  7:00 PM (Central)
An eccentric heiress raises her nephew to be a free spirit.
Dir: Morton DaCosta Cast: Rosalind Russell, Forrest Tucker, Coral Browne.
C-143 mins, TV-G, CC, Letterbox Format
***Rosalind Russell is terrific in this movie. It is not a mystery.***

WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO AUNT ALICE? (1969)  9:30 PM (Central)
A woman signs on as housekeeper in the home where her friend disappeared.
Dir: Lee H. Katzin Cast: Geraldine Page, Ruth Gordon, Rosemary Forsyth.
C-101 mins, TV-PG, CC, Letterbox Format

***** ***** ***** *****

If you know of any other mystery movies that are going to be airing this month, feel free to post a comment.

(All of the above descriptions were copied from the TCM site. I hope they don't change their line-up!)

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June is Upon Us and I've Been Procrastinating…

May 31, 2013

It seems to me that it was just the beginning of May, and here we are, tomorrow is June. Where does the time go?

I had such good intentions of getting a lot done this month, but seem to have put off what I needed to do in lieu of doing what I wanted to do… again! It's difficult to muster up the energy to work in garage trying to get things straightened out. My husband and I both know there are many things we simply have got to part with – hopefully not so we can make room for new things to put out there! Every once in a while we go through a "Let's downsize." phase, but we never actually do anything concrete about it.

We have several boxes of our children's most prized toys out in our garage, as well as boxes of different holiday knick knacks out there (or is it nick nacks?). At Easter time, I sifted through all of our decorations and was able to just about fill the second seat of our car with bags I quickly took to Goodwill. I knew if I didn't act fast, I would start to get sentimental, and repack all of those Easter items, remembering special times in our past.

As for the downsizing, every time we think we might be happier in a smaller house, we are reminded of how much we enjoy living in a house where we have the room for everything to be in its place. You know what I mean? If I need to mend a shirt, I know exactly where the thread and needles are. If I want to make a puzzle, I know right where our puzzles are kept. I guess it's the familiarity of our house… our home.

So, my husband and I have decided that since we are in the throes of another humid and hot summer, we'll put off going through the garage until next fall. Of course, these hot, clammy days last as late as the end of September/early October, which somehow makes me feel better knowing. This way, at least we aren't procrastinating! (Reasoning makes me feel oh-so-much less guilty!)

How about you? Are there any other procrastinators out there?

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Cozy Mystery Books Recommendations – May 2013

May 28, 2013

I have been anticipating this entry for almost an entire month. It is the time of the month when I ask you all to recommend your favorite Cozy Mystery book read of this past month. This should be the book you read during May 2013 that you think the rest of us have absolutely got to know about >>> so that we can read it also.  Of course, if you read more than one Cozy Mystery that you loved, let us know about those. Please tell us why you enjoyed the book (books). This makes it easier for the rest of us to decide whether we want to give the authors/books a try.

The Cozy Mystery book I read this month which I thought was a really good book is Susanna Calkins' A Murder at Rosamund's Gate. I am hoping that Calkins has many more Lucy Campion mysteries in store for us. (Here is the link to my entry explaining why I like this first mystery novel in Calkins' new Lucy Campion Mystery Series so much.)

[As usual, I ask that you don't tell us about the books you read that you didn't like.]

What Cozy Mystery book (or author) have you read during Mayl 2013, and why did you enjoy it (or him/her)?

Here are the current recommended authors who some of you have read this past month:

Victoria Abbot (aka Mary Jane Maffini & Victoria Maffini): Book Collector's Mystery Series

Ellery Adams (aka Jennifer Stanley, J. B. Stanley, & 1/2 of Lucy Arlington): Charmed Pie Shoppe Mystery Series

Susan Wittig Albert: China Bayles Mystery Series

Laura Alden: PTA Mystery Series

Lucy Arlington (Duo: Jennifer Stanley & Sylvia May): Novel Idea Mystery Series

Nancy Atherton: Aunt Dimity Mystery Series

Ella Barrick (aka Laura DiSilverio & Lila Dare: Ballroom Dance Mystery Series

C. C. Benison: Her Majesty Investigates Mystery Series 

Heather Blake (aka Heather Webber): Wishcraft Mystery Series

Janet Bolin: Threadville Mystery Series

Susan Bordo: The Creation of Anne Boleyn (not a mystery)

Jacklyn Brady (aka Sherry Lewis): Piece of Cake Mystery Series

Emily Brightwell: Mrs. Jeffries Mystery Series

Duffy Brown: Consignment Shoppe Mysteries

Rita Mae Brown: Mrs. Murphy Mystery Series

Lucy Burdette (aka Roberta Isleib): Key West Food Critic Mystery Series

Susanna Calkins: Lucy Campion Mystery Series

Kate Carlisle: Bibliophile Mystery Series

Ann Charles: Deadwood Mystery Series

Erika Chase: Ashton Corners Book Club Mystery Series

Laura Childs: Scrapbooking Mystery Series

Laura Childs: Tea Shop Mystery Series

Edie Claire: Leigh Koslow (Never) Mystery Series

Mary Jane Clark: Piper Donovan Wedding Cake Mystery Series

Sheila Connolly (aka Sarah Atwell): County Cork Mystery Series

Jeanne M. Dams: Dorothy Martin Mystery Series

Laura DiSilverio (aka Lila Dare & Ella Barrick): Mall Cop Mystery Series

Joanne Dobson: Karen Pelletier Mystery Series

Alice Duncan: Mercy Allcutt Mystery Series

Laura Durham: Annabelle Archer Mystery Series

Sara Hoskinson Frommer: Joan Spencer Mystery Series

Anne George: Southern Sisters Mystery Series

Sally Goldenbaum: Seaside Knitters Mystery Series

Kerry Greenwood: Phryne Fisher Mystery Series

Carolyn Haines: Sarah Booth Delaney Mystery Series

Victoria Hamilton: Vintage Kitchen Series

Rosemary Harris: Dirty Business Mystery Series

Anna Lee Huber: The Anatomist's Wife

Julie Hyzy: White House Chef Mystery Series

Julie Hyzy: Manor of Murder Mystery Series

Diane Kelly: Tara Holloway Death and Taxes Mystery Series

Joyce and Jim Lavene (aka J. J. Cook): Peggy Lee  Garden Mystery Series 

Sherry Lewis (aka Jacklyn Brady): Senior Sleuth Fred Vickery Mystery Series 

Karen MacInerney: Grey Whale Inn Mystery Series

Charlotte MacLeod (aka Alisa Craig): Peter Shandy Mystery Series

Julie Moffett: No Money Down

Katherine Hall Page: Faith Fairchild Mystery Series

Nancy J. Parra: Gluten for Punishment

Cynthia Riggs: Martha's Vineyard Series

Joanna Campbell Slan: Kiki Lowenstein Scrap-N-Craft Mystery Series

Dorothy St. James: White House Gardener Mystery Series

Ann Summerville: Lowenna Mystery Series

Shirley Tallman: Death on Telegraph Hill

Lea Wait: Shadows Antique Mystery Series

Edith Wharton: The Age of Innocence (not a mystery)

Livia J. Washburn: Literary Tour Mystery Series

Heather Webber (aka Heather Blake): Lucy Valentine Mystery Series 

Jacqueline Winspear: Masie Dobbs Mystery Series

♦To access more Cozy Mystery Books Recommendations, click on this link♦

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Susanna Calkins, Author of A Murder at Rosamund's Gate : My Newest Favorite Author

May 26, 2013

I am always happy when I read a new-to-me author and enjoy his/her book so much that I add the author to my Favorite Authors list. Susanna Calkins is the newest author I am adding to this "exclusive"  list.

Before I started reading Susanna Calkins' A Murder at Rosamund's Gate, I knew that it would be historically accurate. I knew this because Calkins has her doctorate in British History, and teaches at Northwestern University – which is no small feat! Calkins has attached an "Historic Note" at the very end of this mystery explaining any liberties she took in order to ensure the reader a pleasurable mystery read.

I would definitely label Calkins' A Murder at Rosamund's Gate as an historical Cozy Mystery. While it does deal with adult themes (it is written for adults) there is no graphic language or sex, and it is also lacking in excessive gore.  I am hoping that the Agatha Awards' new Historical Novels category has this book listed as one of this year's best!

A Murder at Rosamund's Gate follows Lucy Campion, a chambermaid in the London home of a 17th century magistrate. As a chambermaid, Lucy's time is not her own. She is fortunate to work for a particularly kind magistrate; however she still has to perform the daily chores those times dictated she perform.

Calkins' London is not a sugar-coated version; there is poverty, sickness, and over-crowding outside of the magistrate's house. Lucy knows she is lucky to work in a fair man's home, and tries not to jeopardize her job – which forces her to find clever ways to follow the mystery's clues.

Calkins' characters are three-dimensional and very believable. She not only introduces us to her very likeable Lucy, but also to Lucy's family, coworkers, and friends. Even the secondary characters in A Murder at Rosamund's Gate are people I look forward to seeing again.

Lucy's sleuthing makes perfect sense in the context of the story. It is not simply an interest that this very busy and (more than likely) tired young chambermaid devotes her time to. There's a reason Lucy wants to solve this mystery. (I don't want to say too much and give away any of the plot, so that others can enjoy the book.)

Calkins shows us how the British class system in the 17th century dictated every aspect of a Londoner's life – including the way he/she would be treated by the judicial system. Calkins is able to weave London's 17th century judicial system into the mystery in a way that piqued my interest.

Susanna Calkins' A Murder at Rosamund's Gate has plenty of red herrings, a delightful young sleuth, a very solid mystery, and very enjoyable easy-to-read writing. (I was so interested in the characters and plot that I actually read this 357 page book in three days, which is a record for me!)

I hope Susanna Calkins will be releasing the second book in the Lucy Campion Mystery Series soon. I am definitely looking forward to spending more time with Lucy Campion as she solves many more mysteries.

P.S. I liked this book so much that I bought another copy as a gift for my adult daughter. (That's a first for me for Kindle books!)

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Bouchercon XLIV, More Commonly Known as Bouchercon 2013, Or Even Anthony Awards 2013!

May 24, 2013

Congratulations to all of this year's Bouchercon mystery author nominees!

Most of you already know that Bouchercon is a huge convention that celebrates mystery authors and their books. This year, Bouchercon XLIV will be held in Albany, New York (at the Empire State Plaza) during the September 19 – 22 weekend.

The awards they present at the Bouchercon conventions are the Anthony Awards, which are named after Anthony Boucher, one of the founders of the Mystery Writers of America organization.

Here is the list of the Bouchercon XLIV authors and their works:

Lifetime Achievement:  Sue Grafton

International Guest of Honor:  Anne Perry

American Guest of Honor:  Tess Gerritsen

Toastmaster:  Steve Hamilton

Fan Guests of Honor:  Chris Aldrich & Lynn Kaczmarek

Best Novel:

Dare Me by Megan Abbott
The Trinity Game by Sean Chercover
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny
The Other Woman by Hank Phillippi Ryan

Best First Novel:

Don't Ever Get Old by Daniel Friedman
The Professionals by Owen Laukkanen
The Expats by Chris Pavone
The 500 by Matthew Quirk
Black Fridays by Michael Sears

Best Paperback Original:

Whiplash River by Lou Berney
Murder for Choir by Joelle Charbonneau
And She Was by Alison Gaylin
Blessed are the Dead by Malla Nunn
Big Maria by Johnny Shaw

Best Short Story:

Mischief in Mesopotamia by Dana Cameron
Kept in the Dark by Shelia Connolly
The Lord is My Shamus by Barb Goffman
Peaches by Todd Robinson, Grift
The Unremarkable Heart by Karin Slaughter

Best Critical Nonfiction Work:

Books to Die For: The World's Greatest Mystery Writers on the World's Greatest Mystery Novels by John Connolly and Declan Burke, eds.
Blood Relations: The Selected Letters of Ellery Queen, 1947-1950 by Joseph Goodrich, ed.
More Forensics and Fiction: Crime Writers Morbidly Curious Questions Expertly Answered by D.P. Lyle, M.D.
The Grand Tour: Around the World with the Queen of Mystery Agatha Christie by Mathew Prichard, ed.
In Pursuit of Spenser: Mystery Writers on Robert B. Parker and the Creation of an American Hero by Otto Penzler, ed.

Congratulations to ALL!

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A Touch of Frost Television Series

May 22, 2013

A Touch of Frost is yet another example of a British police procedural television show that (to me) makes most of these types of shows made in the USA look overly ambitious and… if you'll excuse me for saying… idiotic.

A Touch of Frost began airing in 1992 and continued many years after that (2010). The shows are based on the mystery books by author R. D. Wingfield. I have read several of Wingfield's mysteries, and highly recommend them to people who want to read a really good police procedural series. Unfortunately, there are only six in this mystery series.

The always-entertaining actor, David Jason, portrays  Detective Inspector Jack Frost. This is another example of an actor who made the part his own, much like John Thaw in the British Inspector Morse television series. (See what I mean?!? Bravo to the Brits!)

I think what I like the most about A Touch of Frost is the interaction Jack has with everyone – both his superiors and his subordinates, as well as the individuals he interviews. Frost isn't the most patient man, but his character exudes an incredible amount of empathy for others, which in a lot of  television police procedurals is lacking.

He is a great detective, as well as a wonderful teacher. For some reason, Frost seems to be assigned a lot of young "newbies" to teach the ropes to. Unfortunately, some of Jack's "ropes" include tip-toeing down the hallways to avoid his superiors (more on that later) as well as leaving piles of unfinished paperwork on his desk.

Frost's permanent sergeant is Detective Sergeant George Toolan, played by John Lyons. There is a great rapport between these two men. However, the most interesting interaction for me is between Jack and the young detectives assigned to him. While Jack seems gruff with them, he actually is a perfect teacher for them. I always feel like those young detectives have benefited immensely from their time with unconventional and independent Jack.

As in a lot of police procedural television shows, Jack and his boss (Superintendent Mullett - played by Bruce Alexander) don't see eye to eye. As a matter of fact, if Jack sees his boss before Mullett sees him, Jack makes it a point to slip out/hide/leave very quickly… before Mullett sees him. This makes for some comedic scenes.

My husband and two adult children watched the entire series, which of course indicates that we like it. There is one minor qualm we have with the show: for some reason, Jack invariably runs after culprits.. literally! We didn't notice this until the final seasons of the show. We would find ourselves wondering when Jack would start running after the robust, young criminals, and when he would overtake them. (Did I mention that Jack is not a young man?) Jack would run up stairs, down stairs, through corridors with obstacles being thrown at him, etc. (Or should I say ETC?!? As in capital etc!) While I always enjoy David Jason, and I must admit he has kept himself very trim, we just found it a little odd that a man of his age could tackle/catch men one third his age. We couldn't quite understand why the director decided to include these action-filled chase scenes.

Regardless, we all truly enjoyed A Touch of Frost, and I highly recommend it.

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Between Books…

May 19, 2013

I just finished my latest mystery book early last week, and I am having a difficult time picking out my next read. I have been trying to enjoy a non mystery book that I got several years ago that was supposed to be a lot like my very favorite author's books, but it was nothing like them at all!

I know it seems odd that someone who has dedicated so much time to reading Cozy Mystery books, not to mention someone who actually has a site called Cozy-Mystery, would have a favorite author who is not known as a mystery author.

I have a lot of Cozy Mystery authors on my "favorite authors" list, but for some reason, which I myself can't figure out, my very favorite of all authors is E. F. Benson, the author of (as I say on the "B" page of my site) "my absolute favorite sequence of books". I don't follow all of E. F. Benson's books, just his Lucia series. (I have some of his other works, but Lucia reigns supreme for me!)

Getting back to my "Between Books" entry >>> I felt like it was finally the time to read one of my "Similar to E. F. Benson" books. I'm here to say, as far as I can see, this author is not similar in any way to Benson. What a disappointment! I tried to like this author, honest I did. But as with many things that are "talked up" >>> it fell quite short of my expectations.

So, I'm back to my Cozy Mystery books. (Yes indeed, every once in a while a stray from my beloved Cozy Mystery books, and read a non mystery!) I have decided to start reading one of the authors on my "favorite authors" list, Charlotte MacLeod. As I have said before (many times!) I try to space out my favorite authors so that I don't run out of them. Silly as this may seem, it works for me.  When I know there will be no more books in a particular series, I "save" the books so that I can sprinkle them into my reading queue.  Needless to say, I am way behind with most of my favorite authors.)

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