Monday, December 24, 2012

Mystery Challenges Wrapped Up


I didn't do that many challenges this last year, mainly because they are so damn stressful.  I only did three, two of which were mystery related.  Now that the year is about over, I guess it's time to see how I did.


The first challenge I had signed up for was the A-Z Mystery Author Challenge hosted by Michelle of Red Headed Book Child.  The goal was to try and read through the entire alphabet, using the last name of the author.  I knew I wouldn't be able to get all the way through, but I wanted to see how far I could get.  I wasn't sure what would happened, but I did manage to get 15 letters of the alphabet conquered.  I don't know if the is doing it again next year, but if she is, I'm in.

A-  Miss Me When I'm Gone by Emily Arsenault
B-  Royal Blood by Rhys Bowen
C-  Death in the Clouds by Agatha Christie
D-
E-  Wolf in Man's Clothing by Mignon Eberhart
F-
G-  The Case of the Borrowed Brunette by Erle Stanley Gardner
H-  Our Man in the Dark by Rashad Harrison
I-
J-  The Dispatcher by Ryan David Jahn
K-
L-
M-  The Red House Mystery by A.A. Milne
N-
O-
P-  Prime Suspect by Lynda la Plante
Q-  A Puzzle for Fools by Patrick Quentin
R-  The Great Mistake by Mary Roberts Rinehart
S-
T-  The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey
U-
V-  The Greene Murder Case by S.S. Van Dine
W-  Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson
X-
Y-
Z-  The Girl Below by Bianca Zander



The Vintage Mystery Reading Challenge was hosted by Bev of My Reader's Block.  My goal was to read nine books in three different categories.  It came down to the wire, but I managed to pull it off.  I'm really looking forward to the way she has structured the challenge for the coming year.

Golden Age Girls

1.  The Great Mistake by Mary Roberts Rinehart
2.  Death in the Clouds by Agatha Christie
3.  The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey
4.  The Man in the Lower Ten by Mary Roberts Rinehart
5.  The A.B.C. Murders by Agatha Christie
6.  Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie
7.  The Album by Mary Roberts Rinehart
8.  Murder in Pastiche by Marion Mainwaring
9.  Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie

Cherchez le Homme

1.  The Greene Murder Case by S.S. Van Dine
2.  A Puzzle for Fools by Patrick Quentin
3.  The Case of the Borrowed Brunette by Erle Stanley Gardner
4.  The Case of the Lucky Legs by Erle Stanley Gardner
5.  The Red House Mystery by A.A. Milne
6.  The Breaking Point by Mary Roberts Rinehart
7.  The Case of the Perjured Parrot by Erle Stanley Gardner
8.  The Kennel Murder Case by S.S. Van Dine
9.  The Corpse With the Eerie Eye by R.A.J. Walling

Occupational Hazards

1.  Miss Pinkerton by Mary Roberts Rinehart
2.  The Haunted Lady by Mary Roberts Rinehart
3.  The Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart
4.  The Red Lamp by Mary Roberts Rinehart
5.  The Yellow Room by Mary Roberts Rinehart
6.  Brat Farrar by Josephine Tey
7.  The Frightened Wife by Mary Roberts Rinehart
8.  The Episode of the Wandering Knife by Mary Roberts Rinehart
9.  Wolf in Man's Clothing by Mignon Eberhart

6 comments:

Prashant C. Trikannad said...

Ryan, a Merry Christmas to you and your family! I like your choice of book, especially the emphasis on Rinehart whom I haven't read much.

bermudaonion said...

You did great with the challenges! I don't let them stress me so I don't do so well on them.

Bev Hankins said...

Merry Christmas, Ryan! You did great this year--congrats on finishing the Vintage Mystery Challenge! If you'd like to claim a prize, shoot me an email at phryne1969 AT gmail DOT com and I'll send you the latest prize list. I've heard from Michelle and she does plan on hosting the A-Z again, so get your alphabet search on....

Debbie Rodgers @Exurbanis said...

Good for you for finishing Bev's Vintage Mysteries challenge. That was one I figured I get for sure, but it's looking not. And I too love the way she's restructured it for next year.

That A-Z one is a toughie, if you're using authors of only mystery titles!

Alexia561 said...

Congrats on finishing the Vintage Mystery Reading Challenge! And you did pretty well with the A-Z Mystery Author Challenge too! I didn't do well with any of my challenges this year, but have high hopes for 2013! :)

Michelle (Red Headed Book Child) said...

Hope you had a great holiday! You didn't do too bad!