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It's time to nominate for our August 2021 group read!

Please nominate mystery/detective books written in/set in the GA period, or slightly earlier or later. As usual, just one nomination per group member and only one book by any individual writer can be nominated per month.

I would like to nominate Checkmate to Murder by E.C.R. Lorac if it is available to everyone.

I enjoyed Bats in the Belfry and we have only two books by the author on the shelf.

Great nomination, Shaina. I will nominate:

Seven Clues in Search of a Crime: Theodore Terhune 1

“So you know House-on-the-Hill,Mr. Terhune?�

Theodore Terhune, bookseller in the tranquil Kent village of
Bray-in-the-Marsh, interrupts the attempted robbery of Helena Armstrong, secretary-companion to Lady Kylstone. Someone
was trying to steal the key to the Kylstone burial vault, which will shortly be open to the public for the anniversary of the
Battle of Agincourt. When the key goes missing, Terhune is certain there must be something in the vault the thieves are
after, but why bother when it will shortly be accessible to all? A series of mysterious encounters leads the curious Terhune
from one clue to another, and eventually to the secret past of two families. A 1941 crime classic republished for the first time.

BRUCE GRAEME (1900-1982) was a pseudonym of Graham
Montague Jeffries, an author of more than 100 crime novels
and a founding member of the Crime Writer’s Association. He
created six series sleuths, including bookseller and accidental
detective Theodore Terhune, who’s adventures—Seven
Clues in Search of a Crime (1941); House with Crooked Walls (1942); A Case for
Solomon (1943); Work for the Hangman (1944); Ten Trails to Tyburn (1944); A Case of
Books (1946); And a Bottle of Rum (1949)� are
republished by Moonstone Press

I nominate The Dead Shall be Raised & Murder of a Quack by George Bellairs

Two classic cases featuring Detective-Inspector Littlejohn.

In the winter of 1940, the Home Guard unearths a skeleton on the moor above the busy town of Hatterworth. Twenty-three years earlier, the body of a young textile worker was found in the same spot, and the prime suspect was never found - but the second body is now identified as his. Inspector Littlejohn is in the area for Christmas and takes on the investigation of the newly reopened case. Soon it becomes clear that the murderer is still at large...

* * *

Nathaniel Wall, the local quack doctor, is found hanging in his consulting room in the Norfolk village of Stalden - but this was not a suicide. Wall may not have been a qualified doctor, but his skill as a bonesetter and his commitment to village life were highly valued. Scotland Yard is drafted in to assist. Quickly settling into his accommodation at the village pub, Littlejohn begins to examine the evidence...Against the backdrop of a close-knit village, an intriguing story of ambition, blackmail, fraud, false alibis and botanical trickery unravels.

Shaina wrote: "I would like to nominate Checkmate to Murder by E.C.R. Lorac if it is available to everyone.

I enjoyed Bats in the Belfry and we have only two books by the author ..."

Oh, I love Lorac, have requested this from my library- still waiting on it, but hopefully by August...otherwise, I’d buy it!

Great nominations so far, I want to read them all! I also want to read more Catherine Aird, I believe the group read them before I joined, so I’ll leave it up to the mods. I’m a read in order person, and I am up to, and will nominate, if accepted The Stately Home Murder by Catherine Aird:

A dead body in a case of armor, a once-wealthy earl with lots to hide, a sprawling estate stacked with witnesses . . . it’s another head-scratcher of a case for Detective Inspector C. D. Sloan in this intriguing mystery by CWA Diamond Dagger winner Catherine Aird

It is the early 1970s, and times are tough in the upper reaches of British society. To survive the changing times, the Earl of Ornum has done the previously unthinkable and opened his estate to wandering tourists. One day, a hyperactive little boy and his family are roaming Ornum House delightedly. The curious tyke sees a full suit of armor and lifts the visor . . . only to see a face staring out at him.

As Detective Inspector C. D. Sloan soon finds, the man in the suit of armor is dead—and there’s a slew of suspects waiting to be interviewed. Was it the ditzy duchess? The disappointing nephew? One of the servants? The earl himself? It’s up to Sloan and his wisecracking sidekick, Detective Constable Crosby, to find out before the murderer strikes again.

oo yes. I've read the first two and this is my next to read

I've also read Aird and am up to #5. Yet another series I need to continue.

I really enjoy her dry style - humor, but not farce! And satisfying mysteries.

We haven't read any Aird in the group as far as I'm aware - although it is early 70s it does sound like a Golden Age type setting, so is fine as a nomination.

I read Checkmate to Murder earlier this year and enjoyed it - Lorac wrote some good mysteries set in wartime London.

Nominations so far:

Shaina: Checkmate to Murder by E.C.R. Lorac

Susan: Seven Clues in Search of a Crime: Theodore Terhune 1 by Bruce Graeme

Michaela: The Dead Shall be Raised & Murder of a Quack by George Bellairs

Susan in NC: The Stately Home Murder by Catherine Aird

Judy wrote: "We haven't read any Aird in the group as far as I'm aware - although it is early 70s it does sound like a Golden Age type setting, so is fine as a nomination."

Thanks, Judy!

Any more nominations? I'd like to get the poll up this weekend.

I actually own/have read all of them, so I'm easy (although I'll vote for the one I haven't yet read).

I'll nominate The Seven Dials Mystery if it's OK to nominate another Christie. I enjoyed Superintendent Battle in our current read and would love to read another book in which he features.

Great suggestion, Frances.

Thanks to all who nominated - the poll is now open. Please vote for your preferred choice!

/poll/show/2...

Gosh. It is so difficult this time.

Very true, Jill!

Very close at the moment, but early days yet.

Still a tie at the moment, so please vote if you haven't done so!

/poll/show/2...

I really don't mind which wins of the two but I guess we will have to change our votes to get a winner, now that it's a two horse race!

And the winner is... Checkmate to Murder by E.C.R. Lorac, which will be our August group read.

Full results:

Checkmate to Murder (Robert MacDonald #25) 11 votes, 40.7%

The Seven Dials Mystery (Superintendent Battle, #2) 8 votes, 29.6%

The Stately Home Murder (Inspector Sloan, #3) 5 votes, 18.5%

The Dead Shall be Raised & Murder of a Quack (Chief Inspector Littlejohn #4-5) 2 votes, 7.4%

Seven Clues in Search of a Crime: Theodore Terhune 1 (Theodore Terhune Series) 1

I´m alway for Lorac! :)

Yes, me too! Lorac is one of my favorite discoveries from this group.

Oh, wow! I missed this entire nomination/voting. I wasn't receiving messages.