tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post7903648599852504359..comments2024-03-18T11:01:42.459-05:00Comments on Pretty Sinister Books: FFB: Murder Yet To Come - Isabel Briggs MyersJ F Norrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06473487417479127354noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-25649557131077919742012-12-02T08:16:28.630-06:002012-12-02T08:16:28.630-06:00I like the Indian angle to this story, however rem...I like the Indian angle to this story, however remote it may seem. Goddess Kali is used as a leitmotif in many books and films and often associated with curses against anyone who incurs her wrath. I enjoyed your review, John, and I'm going to see if I can find this book.Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-57021827800293828942012-12-01T20:16:07.965-06:002012-12-01T20:16:07.965-06:00John: I am very intrigued by the comparison to Th...John: I am very intrigued by the comparison to The Moonstone--which I love (Woman in White, not so much)--and Van Dine. Definitely going to be this on the must-look-for list!Bev Hankinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01127476456755776574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-16996379177582750032012-12-01T14:57:33.084-06:002012-12-01T14:57:33.084-06:00The first thing that occurred to me when I read yo...The first thing that occurred to me when I read your review was that I still haven't read <i>The Moonstone</i>, after all these years! The second thing I noticed was a pang of jealousy at your ratio for finding mysteries that are both obscure <i>and</i> good. I guess I have some digging around to do for this one and I'm looking forward to your follow-up post on the contest. TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-23842043302907443722012-11-30T12:24:10.953-06:002012-11-30T12:24:10.953-06:00Perhaps someone better acquainted with the actual ...Perhaps someone better acquainted with the actual types like you, Mike, may be able to label each of the characters according to the MBTI. No character at any time talks about personality type or discusses behavior using MBTI terminology. I expected the book to be a sort of combo of mystery and psych treatise and was disappointed it had been advertised by CAPT for something it is not.<br /><br />Still, it is an excellent detective novel and I highly recommend it. Unlike some of the private eye books I've been going through I never once lost interest in the tale. That Myers and Queen were basically tied in the writing contest is amazing to me. She has the goods on display here.<br /><br />I've taken the MBTI and other similar tests many times and I always come out as one of those Idealist/Feeler types. Can't remember the exact four letter type I was given. I always envision myself as a creative go-getter, but my subconscious seems to overrule when taking these tests. For me it's always disappointing to look into the mirror.J F Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06473487417479127354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-32803989182468741572012-11-30T11:54:45.330-06:002012-11-30T11:54:45.330-06:00This sounds wonderful, John. Especially since I...This sounds wonderful, John. Especially since I've just finished (within the past three weeks or so) reading THE MOONSTONE by Wilkie Collins and you know how much I adored THE WOMAN IN WHITE. I've never heard of this author (why am I not surprised?) so this is another name to add to my vintage list of authors I hope to find somewhere, somehow. <br />I LOVE LOVE LOVE the covers you've posted as well - and the map. :)Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-78889086190510638632012-11-30T11:43:26.932-06:002012-11-30T11:43:26.932-06:00Thanks, John, for reviewing this book. I've ha...Thanks, John, for reviewing this book. I've had a copy (the CAPT reprint) on my shelf for a while now, but I'd forgotten about it, and your post definitely spurs me to give it a look. I have a casual interest in personality-type psychology, and in fact I first learned about this title at an MBTI-related Web site. It's a little disappointing to hear that the book doesn't contain the kind of ur-MBTI material that it's been advertised to contain. But the prospect of reading what appears to be a highly accomplished Van Dine pastiche easily makes up for that disappointment. (Both the murder-scene diagram and your description of the murder set-up suggest thematic kinship to "The Scarab Murder Case," published that same year.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-60482601684479846932012-11-30T09:49:32.581-06:002012-11-30T09:49:32.581-06:00Tomorrow I'm doing a follow-up post on the &qu...Tomorrow I'm doing a follow-up post on the "scandal" involving that contest Myers won. Queen was the real winner and the book was published by Stokes, but the money went to Myers and her book was published first. It's complicated. Tune in tomorrow -- same Bat time, same Bat blog.<br /><br />I love that map. I purposely blew it up to full size. One of my favorites as far as crime scene maps go. The corpse and the books and the fallen grandfather clock (all described in detail inthe story) are the perfect touches. Usually you get an X for the victim.J F Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06473487417479127354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-21601307575901761852012-11-30T07:43:29.478-06:002012-11-30T07:43:29.478-06:00I have Give Me Death and have been meaning to read...I have Give Me Death and have been meaning to read it for years. Didn't her first one beat out Ellery Queen's The Roman Hat Mystery for that prize money? Nice that it was reprinted, we should see more of that. There are so many enjoyable books from that era. Thanks for the insightful review.<br /><br />That house plan, by the way, looks like it came straight out of Van Dine. The Mental Murder Case?The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-88065846054524418232012-11-30T07:04:11.549-06:002012-11-30T07:04:11.549-06:00If you go to capt.org you can buy a brand new copy...If you go to capt.org you can buy a brand new copy of their paperback reprint for $15. Very few used copies available from the online booksellers (I found only three!) and they range from $35 to $100.J F Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06473487417479127354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-54896491633511752002012-11-30T04:47:08.967-06:002012-11-30T04:47:08.967-06:00Really interesting post John, thanks for that. Ano...Really interesting post John, thanks for that. Another book I have not heard of before at all but I love the idea of a Queen/Van Dine book so steeped in Collins lore. $7.500 really would have been a lot of cash at the height of the Depression - this is going to be another not cheap buy, isn't it ..?Sergio (Tipping My Fedora)http://bloodymurder.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.com