Here's one of my favorites: The Raindrop Prelude by Chopin performed here by Vladimir Horowitz.
I have found the most wonderful murder writer. He really is my new favorite. We all love Roy Vickers.
Me kissing Roy Vickers
Hercule kissing Roy Vickers
Percy kissing Roy Vickers
See? We all love him. I cannot wait to find everything he has written.
Department of Dead Ends: 14 Stories by Roy VickersMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have found a new favorite murder author. I can't call his stories mysteries because he informs us of who the murderer is, as well as the murdered, in the first paragraph. His stories would be more accurately described as psychological drama.
The Department of Dead Ends is Scotland Yard's name for what we in the U.S. would call "Cold Cases". These are unsolved murders that go dormant or "cold" because not enough evidence was garnered and too much time has passed. Vickers' detectives who work in the Department of Dead Ends usually by chance uncover clues that come together to solve a dead end case.
The stories are told mostly in third person narrator, limited. We read the thoughts and motives of the murderer shortly after we are introduced to him or her.
Sometimes we are listening to the reasoning of a psychopath, sometimes someone who, out of despair and perhaps temporary insanity killed someone but never meant to. Sometimes you are glad the murderer gets hanged (they all get hanged and you know that before you start the story), other times you wish it had turned out otherwise. Or rather, you wish they had not thrown their life away on someone who wasn't worth hanging for.
Sometimes the murders occur in a moment of passion; sometimes the plans are carefully set out. Even when the murder is impulsive, the cover up is still methodically planned. One finds oneself following the murderers steps and holding our breath as we wait to see how the Detectives (it's always Inspector Rason and Chief Inspector Karslake) put random facts together to discover by luck (usually) the incriminating evidence that convicts the guilty.
Sometimes the putting together of facts is a little too "lucky" or Inspector Rason's reasoning is a little stretching, but what makes these stories unique and worthwhile is the psychological study of the personality of the murderer. Vickers' insight is truly perspicacious.
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8 comments:
The fact that the murder is revealed right away sounds so different. This seems very different for this genre. I really like originality. This is one reason that these stories sound appealing.
Hi Brian. I must say that Vickers digging into the psyche of his characters is what really makes these stories the most interesting of all mysteries I've read. Have a great week!
i've read some RV... "The Sole Survivor" and "The Kynsard Affair"... i don't remember them, i've just got them listed in my HRB list(have read books). but i must have liked them, otherwise i wouldn't have finished them... besides, if Hercule and Percy like them, what could be better?
Hi Mudpuddle. I have not read any of Vickers' novels. I'd like to. Sometimes authors of short stories are not as good at novels. I don't know if that is the case with Vickers but I'd like to find out. And I must say that Hercule and Percy have impeccable taste in literature.
Sounds like a fun series and I'm very impressed with Hercule's posing ability.
Hi Marcia. It is a fun selection of stories. Hercule has no problem posing for the camera. The trick is to try to catch him unawares.
This book seems very interesting, especially since it is not a mystery as to who the murderer is. I will have to check it out. In my daughter's Classical Conversations group last week we went over Debussy. Supposedly one of Debussy's early piano teachers, who gave him lessons for free, was a pupil of Chopin.
Hi Chris! Debussy is one of my favorite composers! I did not know that, but I am not surprised since Chopin lived in Paris and is buried there.
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