ŷ������

This is really following on from discussion of children's books in the thread about reissues of old detective fiction. I was just wondering which mysteries are the ones you first remember reading, and which got you interested in the genre?

I did read a few children's mysteries, such as some of the Nancy Drew series and a Blyton series which I don't think has had a mention yet, The Five Finder-Outers - I wasn't a big fan of either, though.

For me it was my mum's stash of Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and a few other old green Penguins which got me hooked from my early/mid teens onwards. I also remember enjoying the TV series Hazell a bit later on, when I was about 17, and the books by P B Yuill (a made-up name), which were written in a hard-boiled style.

I think the first crime novels I read were Dorothy L Sayers' Peter Wimsey books because those were on my parents' bookshelves. I also read Dennis Wheatley's black magic books - at a very early age simply because my Dad used to borrow them from the library and my reading wasn't censored.

I didn't read Nancy Drew - they didn't really appeal to me. I went through a phase of not reading crime novels - preferring romances - both modern and historical and went back to crime novels in my 20s when I used to read PD James and Ruth Rendell.

My mother brought me a hardback which contained Death on the Nile and Evil Under the Sun and I was utterly hooked! I think I was about thirteen or so and that really started me reading crime novels.

I read Enid Blytons "mysteries" but my first adult one was One of Sayers.. I think it was Clouds of witness or Bellona club

Yes, with childhood mysteries I enjoyed Enid Blyton in many forms - Famous Five, Secret Seven, etc. I also liked "Emil and the Detectives," and Malcolm Saville. I am sure I will think of loads more, but Agatha Christie was my first introduction to adult mystery novels.

I started with Enid Blyton (I read all her different series, but my favourites were the ones featuring Barney and his money Miranda), then really loved Malcolm Saville. I also absolutely loved books by Monica Edwards which weren't mysteries, strictly speaking, but there were things to be found out. I have a feeling that I read Josephine Tey quite early.

I also remember reading Ngaio Marsh and Agatha Christie as a child; I think I read Dorothy L Sayers for the first time a bit later, in my teens.

As a child I also loved historical stories, many of which also involved some type of mystery, especially those by Geoffrey Trease and Rosemary Sutcliffe.

I started reading Agatha Christie books when I was about 17 - I can remember buying a new paperback about once a month, they were the ones with the Tom Adams covers and were very affordable at the time being about 25p each!

Ah the five find-outers (and dog) , I loved them. Despite at the time realising the ridiculousness of Fatty being able to disguise himself into anything and fool anyone. Great to imagine that as a child though. I never fear being left in a locked room as long as the key is left in the lock on the other side because I will always have a spare piece of wire to wiggle the key to dislodge it and a handy piece of paper to slide under the door to catch it and pull the key to my side.

I think Enid Blyton got me hooked on books full stop! I loved the Famous Five and the Secret Seven as well as the Island Of Adventure series. Nancy Drew when I was a bit older.

But I never really got into adult mysteries of the golden age genre until a couple of years ago when I tried an Agatha Christie. So quite new to the Golden Age but having a whale of a time discovering them and cursing myself for being a bit stuck up and not reading them before.

Love this group as found some great reads and series I wouldn't have known about. So many many more to read which is a bibliophiles dream. Thanks to Susan and Judy for starting the club and everyone else who keeps it going. Love it. Although my bank account looks lighter my book shelves are full of adventures.

Yes, loved all the Enid Blyton books - The Secret Mountain was my all time favourite - and The Secret of Moon Castle! Loved them all though.

Michelle, I recall the wire/piece of paper method for releasing yourself from a lock door fondly! Ah, for the days before fitted carpets put a stop to that... Glad you are enjoying the group :)

I too have always remembered that way of getting out of a locked room! Fortunately they were always locked up in old castles etc which didn't have any carpets, let alone fitted ones.

I remember there was a real emphasis on clues; they were always looking for clues. It's not a term one sees used so much these days.

I also found Fatty's disguises impossible to believe, but that didn't stop me enjoying the books. Thinking back, I don't know how those books could be updated given that they always featured a full complement of servants, from Cook (she was always just called Cook) to housemaids. Much better to leave them as they were, recording a way of life which doesn't exist anymore.

For me, it was Nancy Drew. Just as most boys here read the Hardy Boys. Not sure whether I read many mysteries after Nancy Drew until college. I think I read a lot of John Steinbeck and J D Salinger when I was still in school. In college I had an English History professor who strongly suggested that we read The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey. I also started reading Hammett and Chandler, while branching out to John D. MacDonald and Ross Macdonald.

Much later I came to Sayers and Christy, through a used book sale at grad school. Years later at work I was introduced to Marsh. PBS had the Campion series which I'd never heard of. Someone else at work introduced me to Manning Henkell. I have to say I had difficulty getting into Marsh that first time round but I am enjoying her much more now.

Jan C wrote: "For me, it was Nancy Drew. Just as most boys here read the Hardy Boys. Not sure whether I read many mysteries after Nancy Drew until college. I think I read a lot of John Steinbeck and..."

I would love to read Nancy Drew! I did read some of the Enid Blyton ones but didn't like them.

It would have been Agatha Christie that reeled me in! Later on I read Marsh & discovered that Heyer wrote mysteries. I tried Sayers & didn't like her - thank heavens this group made me giver Sayers another chance!

I read Blyton, Nancy Drew, and the Hardy Boys, but more as adventure than as mystery stories.

My first true mysteries were Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe mysteries, and I have been reading and loving them ever since.

I love Wodehouse's comment on Stout: "Nobody who claims to be a competent critic can say that Rex Stout does not write well. His narrative and dialogue could not be improved, and he passes the supreme test of being rereadable. I don’t know how many times I have reread the Nero Wolfe stories, but plenty. I know exactly what is coming and how it is all going to end, but it doesn’t matter. That’s writing."

I also don't know how many times I have reread the books, but I still keep going back to them. Sheer pleasure.

(When we're done our Sayers year, maybe we should have a Nero Wolfe year? We couldn't read them all, but they're quick and easy and fun reading, so we could easily do one a month or even one every two weeks. There are plenty of them to choose from!)

Jan C wrote: "For me, it was Nancy Drew. Just as most boys here read the Hardy Boys. Not sure whether I read many mysteries after Nancy Drew until college. I think I read a lot of John Steinbeck and..."

It was Nancy Drew for me as well! I could not get enough of those books. There were many sleepless nights for me when I was reading them :)

I have to say Nancy Drew when I was a kid. I tore through those books as fast as I could. Also the series by Victoria Thompson; these books got me hooked on historical mysteries.

For me it was The Hardy Boys. I loved those books The first "adult" mystery I got hooked on and carried around sneaking reads whenever possible was The Moonstone.

For me it was Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. I own a set of the yellow Nancy Drew books. I read a lot of the Nero Wolf's. I enjoy Nagio Marsh, and many others. Mysteries are the way I can relax my brain and go for a great ride

Deborah wrote: "For me it was Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. I own a set of the yellow Nancy Drew books. I read a lot of the Nero Wolf's. I enjoy Nagio Marsh, and many others. Mysteries are the way I can relax my ..."

Glad you found your way over here. For others' information, I mentioned in another group that we were reading Sayers and Deborah, who's a mod of that group, perked up and said she loved Sayers so I gave her the group link and here she is!

You'll love her. She's a wonderful poster and an equally wonderful person.

Glad to have you here, Deborah!

Susan wrote: "Yes, loved all the Enid Blyton books - The Secret Mountain was my all time favourite - and The Secret of Moon Castle! Loved them all though.

Michelle, I recall the wire/piece of paper method for r..."
Moon Castle was one of my favourites as well. Re-reading EB as an adult, it is the Findouters I love best.

As to what got me hooked to mysteries, it has to be Blyton for me too. Though I also read the Bobbseys, some Trixie Belden, and plenty of Nancy Drew. My first grown up mysteries were Agatha Christie and they still remain among my favourites

Deborah wrote: "For me it was Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. I own a set of the yellow Nancy Drew books. I read a lot of the Nero Wolf's. I enjoy Nagio Marsh, and many others. Mysteries are the way I can relax my ..."

I love the old Nancy Drews as well. I have found sets of the old ones being sold with the original Grosset and Dunlap binding but I'm collecting a set from used/second hand shops instead. Somehow more fun building up the set bit by bit.

It really must have been Enid Blyton's Famous Five and then Secret Seven series.
I think I must be the only person in the world who has never read Nancy Drew! I may have to remedy that at some point.

Nancy Drew or Cherry Ames, especially the latter since she was more believable as a ''detective" or at least I thought so then.

I never read Nancy Drew either, Sandy. I think I got one or two when visiting the States as a child, but I suppose they were not available where I lived, as I don't recall coming across them. It seems to be Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys in the US and Enid Blyton in the UK who are responsible for our crime addiction then?!

The Nancy Drew books were around when I was a child in my area of the UK in the late 60s/early1970s, Susan - I vaguely remember them as small hardbacks sold at a similar price to paperbacks. I think I only read a couple of them, though.

Yes, yellow hardbacks? I know I read one or two, but I don't recall seeing them at around the same time, Judy. Of course, it is possible I just wasn't really aware of them.

I don't remember what colour the covers were, but I think they had pictures of Nancy - not sure, though.

Everyman, thanks for passing the word on to Deborah! It's great that our group is growing and that more mystery lovers are finding their way here. :)

Michelle wrote: "Love this group as found some great reads... Thanks to Susan and Judy for starting the club and everyone else who keeps it going. Love it. Although my bank account looks lighter my book shelves are full of adventures. "

Thanks for the nice comment, Michelle, glad you are enjoying the group! I know what you mean about the TBR list growing by the minute, though...!

Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* wrote: "It really must have been Enid Blyton's Famous Five and then Secret Seven series.
I think I must be the only person in the world who has never read Nancy Drew! I may have to remedy that at some point."

I love the Famous Five as well. Do try the older original Nancy Drews when you do. I have read and did like the Files and newer ones, but the older ones have a charm about them, that the new ones don't.

Everyman wrote: "Deborah wrote: "For me it was Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. I own a set of the yellow Nancy Drew books. I read a lot of the Nero Wolf's. I enjoy Nagio Marsh, and many others. Mysteries are the way..."

Thanks Everyman. You are making me blush. I've spent a bit too much time lately in 19th century literature and watching bad tv. This group is just what I was looking for to give me a bit of fun.

Judy wrote: "I don't remember what colour the covers were, but I think they had pictures of Nancy - not sure, though."

Yes they were yellow with a picture on the front that represented the story to peak your interest.

Sandy wrote: "...I think I must be the only person in the world who has never read Nancy Drew! I may have to remedy that at some point."

I was just thinking this! Nor have I read the Hardy Boys. I was just wondering whether both series are American, and that's why (since I'm English).

Edited: I see Susan has made a similar observation.

HJ wrote: "Sandy wrote: "...I think I must be the only person in the world who has never read Nancy Drew! I may have to remedy that at some point."

I was just thinking this! Nor have I read the Hardy Boys. I..."

Yes both Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys are American.

HJ wrote: "Sandy wrote: "...

I was just thinking this! Nor have I read the Hardy Boys. I..."

Ahem! I may not have been clear but I also haven't read Nancy Drew!

Sandy, I wonder how available Nancy Drew was in NZ when we were younger.

I know a library in my area has at least one title - but it's the library that won't do interloans.

I've never read the Hardy Boys and I don't really remember Nancy Drew, although I know I read a couple of them. Still, most of our US members have not read Enid Blyton and, as I mentioned in another thread, she was voted the most popular ever author in the UK, beating the likes of J K Rowling, Charles Dickens, Agatha Christie (8th) and Shakespeare (5th)!

Susan wrote: "I've never read the Hardy Boys and I don't really remember Nancy Drew, although I know I read a couple of them. Still, most of our US members have not read Enid Blyton and, as I mentioned in anothe..."

Which is why groups like this a great. We expose each other to new things

This is an interesting thread, I hadn't really linked before my love of childhood mysteries and the enjoyment I am finding in these Golden Age crime books as an adult. But seems obvious now I think of it and I only wonder why I hadn't got round to them before! I've enjoyed crime stories before - Ian Rankin and Patricia Cornwell for e.g. - but there is a real difference from those and Golden Age, and I wouldn't have associated those with childhood mysteries at all.

I’ve been trying to remember as this thread has unspooled, and I think my first mysteries were the Lord Peter Wimsey ones—because public television was going to be airing the series and my grandmother wanted me to read the originals before seeing the series. I do recall her banning Nancy Drew from the house because she thought the books were “vulgar”—but then, nearly everything was vulgar in her worldview, from baseball to pasta.

Sandy *I think I must be the only person in the world who has never read Nancy Drew! I may have to remedy that at some point. ."

If you do, go for the original versions. They were actually quite well written for juvenile books, with complex sentence structures and good vocabulary. The revised and reissued versions have been greatly simplified and much of the richness of writing and vocabulary dumbed down.

Everyman wrote: "Sandy *I think I must be the only person in the world who has never read Nancy Drew! I may have to remedy that at some point. ."

If you do, go for the original versions. They were actually quite w..."

I agree. Plus the originals had Nancy being independent and adventurous. The new ones have really reduced or eliminated those qualities in her.

Did anyone read the Three Investigators books? I only had one as a child but now have read a few and find them quite good fun.

And how about Tintin? I read and re-read them ??? times and still love them.

There was also a series (again published under the Carolyn Keene pseudonym) called the Dana Girls who also solve mysteries- also quite nice to read.

Ann wrote: "I discovered Agatha Christie in my early teens. Also Josephine Tey's Daughter of Time."

I also discovered and loved Agatha Christie at an early age. I still enjoy her 50 years later.

Everyman wrote: "Sandy *I think I must be the only person in the world who has never read Nancy Drew! I may have to remedy that at some point. ."

If you do, go for the original versions. They were actually quite w..."

Thanks for the tip. Why do they dumb everything down now? It doesn't benefit anyone.

Lady Clementina I LOVED Tintin! Forgot all about those, but my middle son does enjoy the books and so I have re-read a few (didn't much like the film though....). There are lots of sleuthing childhood books, aren't they?

Susan wrote: "Lady Clementina I LOVED Tintin! Forgot all about those, but my middle son does enjoy the books and so I have re-read a few (didn't much like the film though....). There are lots of sleuthing childh..."

The animated Tintin films/TV episodes are excellent- just like the books come to life. I didn't much care for the 'new' film version either. I still love reading them though don't have too many- but am putting together a set for myself!

Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* wrote: "Everyman wrote: "Sandy *I think I must be the only person in the world who has never read Nancy Drew! I may have to remedy that at some point. ."

If you do, go for the original versions. They were..."

I didn't realise there were dumbed down versions of the original Nancy Drews- I know of the newer series they've come up with like the files and the 'supermysteries' featuring both Nancy Drew and the Hardy boys. I read most of these as a library which I went to had the entire set- original mysteries, files, Dana Girls, etc. It was there that I first discovered them.

Deborah wrote: "Plus the originals had Nancy being independent and adventurous. The new ones have really reduced or eliminated those qualities in her...."

I can just about see why it might be considered desirable to update names and scenarios which are so out of date that modern children wouldn't understand them. But what justification can there be for making Nancy less independent and adventurous? And dumbing down "complex sentence structures and good vocabulary" misses the whole point of good children's books; reading them, gripped by the adventure and the story, is how our language skills were improved without our even realising it.

I'm certain that my lifetime proficiency at "English" as a school and University subject is due mainly to the sheer volume of books I read as a child and teenager. I knew instinctively how to construct a sentence, how to punctuate, when to paragraph, etc., from all the books I'd read (many of them decades old, with complex sentence structure and good vocabulary!). I'd also learnt how to read between the lines, to see a nuance, to construct a plot, etc..

And the vast majority of the books I read would not fall into the category of "literature"; indeed, Enid Blyton was considered a bad author by many. They were good adventure stories, with interesting characters. Once I found them I did prefer writers like Malcolm Saville, Monica Edwards, Geoffrey Trease, Rosemary Sutcliffe etc., but for a voracious reader Enid Blyton was a godsend because she wrote so many books. I could see similarities in the plots and the characters, but when she was good she was very good, certainly for a child.

J K Rowling was/is also considered a 'bad' author by many critics. As a reading mentor for children though, I think that often series aid children as they have familiarity and - when you are learning to read - coming across characters and names, even settings, you already know, are like signposts. Anything which aids reading and gets children opening the pages of a book is good in my opinion.

Susan wrote: "J K Rowling was/is also considered a 'bad' author by many critics. As a reading mentor for children though, I think that often series aid children as they have familiarity and - when you are learni..."

I hadn't heard that criticism of J K Rowling. Why was she considered a bad author?

Malcolm Saville was brilliant, I quite agree Ann. Fantastic mysteries!