2019 Reading Challenges Round Up

This year I took part in a couple of Bev’s reading challenges, (which are hosted on her wonderful blog My Reader’s Block). The two challenges I participated in were the Just the Facts Ma’am Challenge and the Calendar of Crime. Despite having read quite a lot less this year I managed to complete the Just the Facts Gold Card, with a smattering of Silver Card categories and out of the 108 categories for the Calendar of Crime, I managed to complete 94. So not too bad. As part of doing these challenges participating bloggers are asked to put up a round up post of the titles we have read.

Just the Facts Ma’am

Gold Card

Who

An Academic: ‘The Hours of Darkness’ by Edmund Crispin in Bodies from the Library

Actor/Actress: Plenty Under the Counter

Professional is main sleuth: The Strange Case of Harriet Hall

Vicar/Religious Figure: Three Act Tragedy

Watson narrator: Deep Waters

Librarian/Bookstore Owner/Publisher: Mischief

Lawyer/Barrister/Judge: According to the Evidence

In the Medical Field: She Died a Lady

A Journalist/Writer: Dead Ernest

An Artist/Photographer: The April Robin Murders

 

Where

At a Country House: Why didn’t they ask Evans?

On an Island: Tour de Force

At a School: Love Lies Bleeding

Set in a small Village: The Case of the Housekeeper’s Hair

In a hospital/nursing home: Partners in Crime

In a Locked Room: Through a Glass Darkly

Set in a capital city: 120 Rue de la Gare by Leo Malet

Any country but US or UK: Murder in the Telephone Exchange

Any outdoor location: And Death Came Too

At a theatre/circus/other place of performance: Who Killed Dick Whittington?

 

What

Person’s Name in the Title: Mr Priestley’s Problem

Number in the Title: Third Crime Lucky

Colour in the Title: The Crimson in Purple

An Animal in the Title: Cat and Mouse

Means of Murder in the Title: A Bullet for Rhino

Written by more than one Person: The Black Honeymoon Conyth Little

Comic/Humorous Mystery: Natural Causes

Inverted Mystery: Dead March in Three Keys

Includes letter/s or diary extracts: The Lethal Sex

Title has a literary allusion in it: The Noonday Devil

 

How

Death By Drowning: Murder of Lydia

Crime Involved Fire/Arson: The Body in the Library

Death on Wheels – any vehicle used to murder: The Case of the Haven Hotel

Death By Strangulation: Pick Your Victim

Death by Knife/Dagger etc.: A Knife for Harry Dodd

Death by Poison: The Seven Deadly Sisters

Unusual Murder Method: Crooked House

Death By Shooting: A Man Called Jones

At Least Two Deaths With Different Means: So Bad a Death

Death By Blunt Instrument: The Blind Villain

 

When

During A Recognised Holiday: Three Sisters Flew Home

Set in Victorian Era: The Measure of Malice

Set during WW1 or WW2: The Hollow Chest

Time/Date/Etc. in Title: Murder every Monday

Timing of Crime is Crucial: Dead March for Penelope Blow

 During a Weather Event: The Devil’s Caress

Set Pre 1800: Death Comes as the End

During a Trip/Vacation/Cruise etc.: Suicide Excepted

During a Performance of any sort: Fatal in my Fashion

During a special event: Birthday, Village Fete etc.: Dead Man’s Folly

 

Why

It won an award of any sort: Go, Lovely Rose

It made a “best of” list: The Clock in the Hat Box by Anthony Gilbert

Author’s 1^st or Last Name begin with the same letter as yours: Murder Noon and Night

Author from your country: While she sleeps

Out of Your Comfort Zone: The Short Weekend

Author not from your country: Wall of Eyes

A character has a similar job to yours: An Afternoon to Kill

Read by a fellow challenger: There’s Trouble Brewing

Because Simon Says: The Black Gloves

Book Made into TV/Film/Play: The Key to Nicholas Street

 

Silver Card

Who

Actor/Actress: Murder is Absurd

Professional is main sleuth: The Body in the Dumb River

Lawyer/Barrister/Judge: She Shall Die

In the Medical Field: The Evil Wish

A Journalist/Writer: Home to Roost

 

Where

Any country but US or UK: The Two Faces of January

 

What

Inverted Mystery: A Judgement in Stone

Includes letter/s or diary extracts: And Presumed Dead

 

How

Death By Drowning: Hallowe’en Party

Crime Involved Fire/Arson: Surfeit of Suspects

At Least Two Deaths With Different Means: Postern of Fate

 

When

During A Recognised Holiday: The Long Shadow

 

Why

Author’s 1^st or Last Name begin with the same letter as yours: Necessary Evil

Author from your country: Appointment with Yesterday

Book Made into TV/Film/Play: The Execution of Justice by Friedrich Durrenmatt

 

CALENDAR OF CRIME

January

1. Month in the Title: The Two Faces of January
2. Author’s Birth Month: Dead Ernest (Alice Tilton)
3. Primary action takes place in this month: A Man Called Jones
4. New Year’s: Three Sisters Flew Home
5. Other January Holiday: The Chinese Chop (Chinese New Year)
6. Original Publication month: The Blind Villain
7. Book title has word starting with J: Justice Hall
8. Month-related item on cover (snow winter scene, top hat or party scene): A High Mortality of Doves
9. Snow bound country house Mystery: Groaning Spinney

 

February

1. Month in the Title: The Thirty First of February
2. Author’s Birth Month: Third Crime Lucky (Anthony Gilbert)
3. Primary Action Takes Place in this month: Murder in the Telephone Exchange
4. Valentine’s Day: A Judgement in Stone
5. Other February Holiday: The Measure of Malice (Polyeuctus, Catholic Saint venerated on Feb 13^th)
6. Original Publication Month: Murder is Absurd
7. Book title has word beginning with F: Tour de Force
8. Month-related item on cover (heart, a couple, bow&arrow): Cold, Cold Heart
9. Couple/romance/love triangle major role: Dead March in Three Keys

 

March

1. Month in the Title: Dead March for Penelope Blow
2. Author’s Birth Month: And Presumed Dead (Lucille Fletcher)
3. Primary Action Takes Place in this month: The Crimson in Purple
4. St Patrick’s Day: Night Call and Other Stories of Suspense
5. Other March Holiday: Murder in the Mill Race (Lady Day)
6. Original Publication Month: Crooked House
7. Book title has word starting with M: Murder Every Monday
8. Month related item on cover (shamrock, something green): The Noonday Devil
9. Money/fortune or inheritance has a major role: The Clock in the Hatbox

 

April

1. Month in the Title: The April Robin Murders
2. Author’s Birth Month: There’s Trouble Brewing (Nicholas Blake)
3. Primary Action Takes Place in this month: Mr Priestley’s Problem
4. Easter: Left Handed Death
5. Other April Holiday: The Mystery of the Peacock’s Eye (St George’s Day April 23^rd)
6. Original Publication Month: The Key to Nicholas Street
7. Book Title has word starting with A: According to the Evidence
8. Month related item on cover (rabbit, fancy hat, church, cross): The Advent of Murder
9. Church/Minister/Religion has a major role: Three Act Tragedy

 

May

1. Month in the Title: Very Cold for May
2. Author’s Birth Month: The Strange Case of Harriet Hall (Moray Dalton)
3. Primary Action Takes Place in this month: The Black Gloves
4. Other May Holiday: May Day Murder
5. Original Publication Month: Through a Glass, Darkly
6. Book title has word starting with M: Murder Lies Waiting
7. Month related item on cover (graves, flags, a mother, flowers): The Maltese Herring
8. Military figure or mother has a major role: Pick Your Victim

 

June

2. Author’s Birth Month: So Bad a Death (June Wright)
3. Primary Action Takes Place in this month: Love Lies Bleeding
4. Other June Holiday: Unnatural Death (St John’s Eve)
5. Original Publication Month: Cold Steal
6. Book title has word starting with J: The Execution of Justice
7. Month related item on cover (father, a tie, a bride, cake or bells): The Black Honeymoon
8. Father or wedding figures prominently: Death Comes as the End

 

July

2. Author’s Birth Month: An Afternoon to Kill (Shelley Smith)
3. Primary Action Takes Place in this month: Murder of Lydia
4. Other July Holiday: Stairway to an Empty Room (Saint Victor’s Feast Day)
5. Original Publication Month: A Gentleman’s Murder
6. Book title word starting J: Scales of Justice
7. Month related item on cover (flag, fireworks, maple leaf): The Sussex Murder
8. Takes place in US or Canada: Last Puzzle and Testament

 

August

2. Author’s Birth Month: Deep Waters
3. Primary Action Takes Place in this month: And Death Came Too
4. Academic setting: The Hollow Chest
5. Original Publication Month: Cat and Mouse
6. Book title has word starting with A: Appointment with Death
7. Month related item on cover (summer scene, beach/water, a school, a bus): The Body in the Dumb River
8. Summer holiday setting: Suicide Excepted

 

September

2. Author’s Birth Month: Natural Causes (Henry Cecil)
3. Primary Action Takes Place in this month: While She Sleeps
4. Other September Holiday: Home to Roost (Michaelmas/ Feast of Michael and All Angels)
5. Original Publication Month: Why didn’t They Ask Evans?
6. Book title word starts with S: The Seven Deadly Sisters
7. Month-related item on cover (people working, picnic scene, means of travel): The Jazz Files
8. Setting is place of employment: Who Killed Dick Whittington?

 

October

2. Author’s Birth Month: Bodies from the Library 2 (Jonathan Latimer)
3. Primary Action Takes Place in this month: The Kill Fee
4. Halloween: Hallowe’en Party
5. Original Publication Month: Dead Man’s Folly
6. Book title word starting with O: Wall of Eyes
7. Month related item on cover (pumpkin, mask, spooky scene, fall scene): Listening in the Dusk
8. Costume/disguise or Mistaken Identity: Partners in Crime

 

November

2. Author’s Birth Month: She Died a Lady (Carter Dickson)
3. Primary Action Takes Place in this month: Shadow of a Lady
4. Thanksgiving: Calendar of Crime
5. Other November Holiday: The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club
6. Original Publication Month: Black City
7. Book has word starting with N: Speak No Evil
8. Birth Month Wild Card: A Knife for Harry Dodds

 

December

2. Author’s Birth Month: The Lethal Sex (Christianna Brand)
3. Primary Action Takes Place in this month: The Amber Shadows
4. Christmas: Death in Store
5. Other December Holiday: 120 Rue De La Gare
6. Original publication month: Hercule Poirot’s Christmas
7. Book title with word starting with D: Devil Take the Blue Tail Fly
8. Month related item on cover (Christmas tree/ other decor, snow, winter scene): The Long Shadow
9. House party/family gathering important: The Devil’s Caress