Golden Age Mysteries Odd One Out: The Answers

Last week I set readers of this blog a challenge to spot the odd one out of groups of three Golden Age mystery novels. If you haven’t already given it a go (and why haven’t you?) then click here before reading more of this post. One thing I liked about the responses that came in were the alternative similarities that people spotted, as it made me look at the books I chose in a different light. However, below are my answers for which books were the odd ones out and why:

Question 1

Answer: B

The Tiger in the Smoke is the only book out of three which is set in the UK/London.

Question 2

Answer: A

The Saltmarsh Murder is the only book not featuring a musical instrument.

Question 3

Answer: C

Whose Body? Is the only one which is not a short story collection.

Question 4

Answer: A

The Unfinished Clue is the only one not set in a theatre.

Question 5

Answer: B

The Moving Toyshop is the only one not set in a fishing village.

Question 6

Answer: A

Murder Begins At Home is the only one set in the USA

Question 7

Answer: B

The Case of the Constant Suicides is the only one not set on an island.

Question 8

Answer: C

Death in the Stocks is the only novel which does not involve planes.

Question 9

Answer: A

The Z Murders is the only one which is a thriller.

Question 10

Answer: B

Enter a Murderer is the only one set in the 20th century/ set in contemporary times to when it was published/ not set in the distant past.

 

Spoiler Warning: If you have not read Speedy Death by Gladys Mitchell, The Layton Court Mystery by Anthony Berkeley or Harriet Rutland’s Blue Murder skip Question 11 and move on to Question 12.

 

Question 11

Answer: A

Speedy Death is the only novel where the detective as killer goes unpunished, whilst in the others it is the original murderers who go unpunished.

 

[Safe to resume reading]

Question 12

Answer: A

Mystery in White is the only one not set on a boat.

Question 13

Answer: C

A Question of Proof is the only one which does not feature an animal in the title.

Question 14

Answer: C

The Man in the Queue is the only one which is not set in a country house.

Question 15

Answer: B

Light Thickens is Ngaio Marsh’s last book, whilst the other two novels in this category were author’s debut novels.

So how well did you do?

Over to you

So far this year I have done an Agatha Christie Dust Jacket quiz and now an Odd One Out round. But the question is this something you want more of? If so what type of puzzles do you like best? What authors do you think it would be good to do them on? Let me know in the comments section below.