Mysteries/Thrillers
Rosemary's Baby, Ira Levin
This is the great-granddaddy-- or, given the plot, the great-grandmommy-- of Satanic thrillers. You probably know the story, or the rough outline of it, but for those of you who don't: Rosemary Woodhouse and her husband, Guy, move into the apartment of their dreams in a grand old house, the Bramford, and settle into young married life. Rosemary is a homemaker, and Guy an actor, and they seem reasonably happy together. Rosemary wants a baby, and their neighbors are a little weird and prying, but other than that, everything is fine. Then Rosemary begins having weird dreams. Then she gets pregnant. Then dark and ominous things begin to happen, and their neighbors-- and they-- seem to be at the heart of it.
Ira Levin is a master of suspense writing, but I do think I would have enjoyed the book more if it wasn't kind of an It Was His Sled situation. Rosemary's Baby has so entered the social consciousness that I knew the ending going in. It was an entertaining read, but, again, yeah. Also, Hutch is a delight.
Also also, this book has not one but two happily settled gay couples who are just sort of in the background, with no relation to the plot. They're just there, and happy, and that made me smile. Not the book I'd expected it in, but a larger moment of happiness for that.
And Then There Were None, Agatha Christie
Unlike Rosemary's Baby, I somehow managed to avoid being spoiled for this one, despite knowing more or less what the plot was. I had my guesses as to who the murderer was, and they were all bloody WRONG because Agatha Christie is kind of a genius, if pretty racist. I'm not sure if I had an old edition, or if only the adaptations have changed it to "ten little soldier boys," but the rhyme made me wince every time it turned up. Which was often. Anyway.
Essentially, ten people are summoned as guests to Indian Island. They don't know each other or their mysteriously absent hosts. At dinner on their first night there, they are all accused (by recording) of various murders. Immediately afterwards, one of them is murdered. Over the next few days, people start dropping like flies, and the suspense and terror builds until a shattering climax. The killer, by the way, has a Theme, and is probably the archetype for every serial killer who is way too devoted to his theme (looking at YOU, specific killer from Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries).
I would have rated this higher than three stars, but there's the racism inherent in the book, and something about the writing just struck me the wrong way. The shifting POVs? The sort of weird structure? I don't know. Still, it was a fun read, and definitely worth it, if only because it's a classic.
Strong Poison, Dorothy Sayers
I am slowly but steadily working my way through the Lord Peter mysteries, and I am happy to say that Strong Poison is way less weirdly homophobic than Unnatural Death. It's also brighter in tone, and extremely hilarious when Peter proposes to Harriet literally five minutes after he met her. Just. Wow, Peter, don't do that. She is literally on trial for murder, Peter. Wow. Also do not make her murder trial about you, Peter, that is gauche.
Anyway, this book features the first mention of the Cattery, and more Miss Climpson, who is a joy. We also meet a bunch of Harriet's friends, who are fun, and get a lot of banter between Harriet and Peter, which I dearly hope continues. Bonus points for every bit of Harriet being stone-cold awesome. I love her. I want more of her. Bless.
Ahem. The mystery is pretty convoluted but also pretty obvious in retrospect, but I enjoyed it for all that. The characters are a ton of fun and nice to see in action. Peter, stop being weird about your courtship. Seriously.
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