Monday 3 August 2015

Nostalgia of Golden Age Crime

The last couple of weeks, I was delighted to discover a re-run of the Dorothy L Sayers Mysteries on the TV Drama programme. I missed the first story where Lord Peter Wimsey met Harriet Vane and helped to exonerate her when she stood accused for murder, but I was totally engrossed in the next couple of stories. I loved Edward Petherbridge's wonderful portrayal of Lord Peter and Harriet Walters intelligent Miss Vane.


I've always loved the 'golden age' of crime novels: D.L.Sayers; Ngaio Marsh; Gladys Mitchell; Marjery Allingham and Agatha Christie. Although we have endless adaptations of Christie novels on TV, the others seem to be rarely filmed. A while back, I did catch the splendid series of Gladys Mitchell adaptations starring Diana Rigg as psychological sleuth, Mrs Adela Bradley.

I used to have many of the old paperbacks but they were so tattered that we got rid of them. My aim is to replace them at some point when I decide what other books are staying and which are going from the overcrowded shelves! Do you have a favourite golden age crime novelist or character?

Rosemary

5 comments:

joanne fox said...

When I was a child, I discovered Agatha Christie's books in rented flats where we used to go on holiday. I enjoyed them so much, but then as I grew up I moved on to other things.

This year I went back onto Agatha Christie for the first time in years. Again, I have loved reading and rereading her work. Also her autobiography, which is quite funny and witty. She was so clever to dream up the vast amount of fiction that she wrote, and had what sounds like a very interesting life.

Carolb said...

I noticed Strong Poison was on one of the digital channels, Rosemary, but I do remember watching them when they were shown originally. :-)

I've read a few of Sayer's books, and enjoyed them, in fact I probably prefer her stories to Agatha Christie's.

Rosemary Gemmell said...

Thanks for the great comment, Joanne. I adored Agatha Christie books when growing up and I'd love to re-read them all again - something to look forward to!

I hadn't seen them all originally, Carol, though I've read the books. Another author to enjoy re-visiting!

Maggie May said...

I much prefer psychological thrillers to who-done-its as the many red herrings drive me insane. Am I alone in this?

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