June 18, 2020 The Inugami Curse by Seishi Yokomizo Translated by Yumiko Yamazaki Review by Terence Jagger This Japanese detective thriller is set in the 1940s and so is relatively ‘modern’, but only…
May 24, 2018 Blood on the Tracks: Railway Mysteries, ed. Martin Edwards Reviewed by Karen Langley Golden Age crime, which has had such a revival recently, is renowned for particular tropes and settings; the country house…
November 21, 2017 Portrait of a Murderer by Anne Meredith Reviewed by Harriet Subtitled ‘A Christmas Crime Story’, this is a remarkably accomplished and fascinating novel by a writer better known under her other…
August 24, 2017 The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books by Martin Edwards Reviewed by Harriet Here at Shiny we love our classic crime, and we have been delighted to review a number of excellent novels that…
May 16, 2017 Miraculous Mysteries edited by Martin Edwards Reviewed by Hayley Anderton Locked room murders and other similarly impossible crimes are one of the sub genres I particularly enjoy in golden age,…
December 15, 2016 Crimson Snow: Winter Mysteries, ed. Martin Edwards Reviewed by Harriet The British Library Crime Classics editions started a successful trend in 2014 with their publication of J. Jefferson Farjeon’s Mystery in…
December 1, 2016 The Poisoned Chocolates Case by Anthony Berkeley Reviewed by Harriet In the pantheon of detective fiction there is nothing quite like it. So writes Martin Edwards in his introduction to the…
August 17, 2016 Sergeant Cluff Stands Firm by Gil North Reviewed by Harriet Cluff did not stir. Nor did Wright. Wright gripped the curtain, his arm raised, frozen in the beginning of motion. The…
June 7, 2016 Murder in the Museum & Calamity in Kent by John Rowland Reviewed by Harriet Here at Shiny we love our reprints, and are always delighted to include reviews of one or more of the British…
June 2, 2016 The White Cottage Mystery by Margery Allingham Reviewed by Simon Bloomsbury Reader has done an excellent job in bringing back many neglected authors (including some of my favourites, such as E.M….
April 19, 2016 Murder at the Manor ed. Martin Edwards Reviewed by Kirsty Gibson I’ve been reading my way through the British Library Crime Classics for some time now, so when Simon gave me…
January 26, 2016 Death on the Riviera by John Bude Reviewed by Simon I’ve got all the John Bude reprints that have appeared in the British Library Crime Classics series, and have given several…
January 20, 2016 Murder of a Lady by Anthony Wynne Reviewed by Hayley Anderton I do love the British Library Crime Classics series. It feels like it goes from strength to strength, or maybe…
December 17, 2015 Silent Nights: Christmas Mysteries, ed. Martin Edwards Reviewed by Harriet Christmas is a mysterious, as well as magical, time of year. Strange things can happen, and this helps to explain the…
December 9, 2015 The Z Murders by J Jefferson Farjeon Reviewed by Harriet Golden Age crime has always been popular, and each of the so-called queens – Sayers, Christie, Allingham, March, Tey – has…
December 7, 2015 The Crystal Beads Murder by Annie Haynes Reviewed by Lyn Baines It struck me while I was reading this book that one of the differences between the Golden Age murder mystery…
October 15, 2015 Thirteen Guests by J Jefferson Farjeon Reviewed by Harriet Every station has its special voice. Some are of grit. Some are of sand. Some are of milk cans. Some are…
July 9, 2015 Resorting to Murder: Holiday Mysteries edited by Martin Edwards Reviewed by Harriet Vintage crime fiction is enjoying a tremendous renaissance at the moment, and the British Library Crime Classics series certainly has a…
July 9, 2015 Martin Edwards Q&A Questions by Harriet Harriet: Martin, although you have been a solicitor all your working life, it’s probably true to say that until recently you have…
July 9, 2015 The Golden Age of Murder by Martin Edwards Reviewed by Lyn Baines The Golden Age of crime fiction spanned the period between the World Wars. There are many stereotypes about the books written…
April 9, 2015 Spotlight on Publishers: British Library Crime Classics By Robert Davies The British Library is younger than you might think for such an august institution – it was only established with a…
April 9, 2015 Capital Crimes: London Mysteries, edited by Martin Edwards Reviewed by Harriet The relation between Douglas Stone and the notorious Lady Sannox was very well known both among the fashionable circles of which…
December 2, 2014 Mystery in White: A Christmas Crime Story by J.Jefferson Farjeon Reviewed by Harriet Love reprints? Looking for the perfect Christmas story? Look no further. The British Library Crime Classics have excelled themselves with this…
October 13, 2014 A Scream in Soho by John G. Brandon Reviewed by Harriet Devine “A lace handkerchief without even a monogram on it and a bloodstained knife without fingerprints or marks of any kind”,…
July 16, 2014 Murder Underground and Death on the Cherwell by Mavis Doriel Hay Reviewed by Harriet Devine Mavis Doriel Hay (1894-1979) wrote only three crime novels, all published in the 1930s. They slipped completely under the radar…
