strange and random happenstance

Hair of the Dog by J.J. Murphy
Published by: Amazon
Publication Date: May 17th, 2011
Format: Kindle
Rating: ★★★
To Buy

Dorothy Parker just wants a quiet lunch, but the dining room at the Algonquin is anything but. There's a big brouhaha over some missing meat. With the owner steaming mad he points the finger at the likely suspects, the waiter, or Dorothy's dog. One being in the vicinity when the veal was purloined, the other being a dog. But in this day and age with liquor being illegal counterbalanced by the continuing need to slack the thirst, there's more fluidity to crime and punishment. There's a give and a take. There's a barter system that might just be what's at work. This quick little story was not nearly enough to slack my thirst for this new series. Hair of the Dog was a quick little read that offered yet another glimpse into the bygone era Dorthy Parker lived in. Here instead of the publishing world we see more the lower classes and how, even in the darkest of times, there are ways to have a grand celebration, if you are willing to turn a blind eye and bend the rules but not break them.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: 1920s, Dogs, Dorothy Parker, Hair of the Dog, J.J. Murphy, Kindle, Murder Your Darlings, Mystery, Prohibition, Roaring Back to Reading, The Algonquin Round Table

Murder Your Darlings: Algonquin Round Table Mystery Book 1 by J.J. Murphy
Published by: Signet
Publication Date: January 4th, 2011
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy

"In all reverence I say Heaven bless the Who-dunit, the soothing balm on the wound, the cooling hand on the brow, the opiate of the people." - Dorthy Parker

Dorthy Parker may be at the center of a vicious circle of writers in New York, in fact, THE Vicious Circle... that still doesn't mean that any of them are responsible for the appearance of a corpse under their celebrated round table at the Algonquin. But, as any good writer knows, that doesn't eliminate them from the suspect pool. The fact that the corpse is a reviewer that one or more of them has wished dead at one time or another doesn't help matters. Once the press gets a hold of the story and starts to sensationalize the scenario, things are libel to get out of hand. Dorthy and her fellow writer, Robert Benchley, decide to solve the case on their own without the cops, who seem to be questioning all the wrong people. Not to mention the flatfoots seem obsessed with the young wannabe writer Billy Faulkner, who Dorothy just knows couldn't have done it. She must make sure that Billy is safe and not the prime suspect! With her dog's lead in one hand, a cup of tea filled with anything but in the other, and a heart longing for the married Benchley, Dorothy will solve this crime if she has to go to every illegal gin joint, speakeasy, and bad play that stands in her way.

Murder Your Darlings throws you headlong into the heart of the Vicious Circle at the height of their powers. Therefore I will caution, the unwieldy cast coupled with the plethora of puns does take a while to adjust to, like getting your sea legs or finding your tolerance level for alcohol. But once you grasp who everyone is and what they're notorious for the story fully captures you. I wouldn't say that it's one of those books you just start and plow through cover to cover, with it's wonderfully short chapters and it's witty dialogue it's a book you can pick up and set down like an indulgent afternoon snack. You get a little bit of refreshment and go on with your day, mulling over the wonderful little world you've been reading about. It's a nice leisurely stroll to the conclusion, which, when reached, makes you wish that you had a few more hours to bask in the time period. I was left with a happy glow that I still look back on fondly and look forward to having again when the next book comes out. Perhaps this time a who's who and maybe a map would improve the reading experience. Or little bios of everyone... because this wonderful world is made that much more interesting when you know the history. Thanks Wikipedia, I phrase I rarely utter and which I'm sure Dorothy would abhor.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 2 comments  

Labels: Bright Young Detectives, Dorothy Parker, J.J. Murphy, Murder Your Darlings, Mystery, Roaring Back to Reading, Robert Benchley, The Algonquin, The Algonquin Round Table, The Vicious Circle, William Faulkner

Murder Your Darlings: Algonquin Round Table Mystery by J.J. Murphy
Published by: Signet
Publication Date: January 4th, 2011
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy
"In all reverence I say Heaven bless the Who-dunit, the soothing balm on the wound, the cooling hand on the brow, the opiate of the people." - Dorthy Parker

Dorthy Parker may be at the center of a vicious circle of writers in New York, in fact, THE Vicious Circle... that still doesn't mean that any of them are responsible for the appearance of a corpse under their celebrated round table at the Algonquin. But, as any good writer knows, that doesn't eliminate them from the suspect pool. The fact that the corpse is a reviewer that one or more of them has wished dead doesn't help matters. Once the press gets a hold of the story and starts to sensationalize the scenario, things are libel to get out of hand. Dorthy and her fellow writer, Robert Benchley, decide to solve the case on their own without the cops, who seem to be questioning all the wrong people. Not to mention the cops seem obsessed with the young wannabe writer Billy Faulkner, who Dorothy just knows couldn't have done it. She must make sure that Billy is safe and not prime suspect number one! With her dog's lead in one hand, a cup of tea filled with anything but in the other, and a heart longing for the married Benchley, Dorothy will solve this crime if she has to go to every illegal gin joint, speakeasy and bad play that stands in her way.

The unwieldy cast coupled with the plethora of puns does take awhile to adjust to. But once you grasp who everyone is and what they're notorious for, the story fully captures you. I wouldn't say that it's one of those books you just start and plow through cover to cover, with it's wonderfully short chapters and it's witty dialogue, it's a book you can pick up and set down like a nice snack. You get a little bit of refreshment and go on with your day, mulling over the wonderful little world you've been reading about. It's a nice leisurely stroll to the conclusion, which, when reached, makes you wish that you had a few more hours to bask in the time period. I was left with a happy glow that I still look back on fondly and look forward to having again when the next book comes out. Perhaps this time a who's who and maybe a map would improve the reading experience. Or little bios of everyone... because this wonderful world is made that much more interesting when you know the history. Thanks Wikipedia!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Algonquin Round Table, Dorthy Parker, J.J. Murphy, Murder Your Darlings, New York, Robert Benchley, Vicious Circle, Wikipedia, William Faulkner

While by now you have heard from many authors and read my reviews to see that there are plenty of great books out there to appease the beast inside that needs mysteries set during their Golden Age, there is an interesting phenomenon that is occurring within this genre. What I am talking about is an author as the sleuth. Not the one writing the book, no, that is a bit too meta, but that famous authors of the twenties and later, not necessarily even in the detective genre, are now going about solving crimes. The first book I read in this interesting sub-genre was J.J. Murphy's Murder Your Darlings. In this book the witty writer, Dorothy Parker, goes about cracking wise and solving murders. Since then I have kept my eyes open, not just for another J.J. Murphy book, which I always do now, but other books of this ilk. I have stumbled upon both Joanna Challis and Nicola Upson. Challis' books are about a young Daphne Du Maurier, who definitely was of the mysterious writer vein, and Nicola Upson writes about that most famous of Golden Age mystery writers, Josephine Tey. While I'm sure there are more out there that I have yet to discover, I chose two of the authors to profile, sadly the first Tey mystery wasn't set till the thirties, so, like Tey herself, is on the tail end of the Golden Age, and was therefore excluded from this section, though I really recommend them. So, without further ado, I bring you the crime solving exploits of a young Daphne Du Maurier and Dorothy Parker.

And don't forget to check back often as I'll have guest posts from these authors, and don't forget to enter the giveaway. You want free books right?

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 1 comments  

Labels: Author as Sleuth, Daphne Du Maurier, Dorothy Parker, Golden Age of Detection, Golden Summer, J.J. Murphy, Joanna Challis, Josephine Tey, Murder Your Darlings, Nicola Upson

Murder Your Darlings: Algonquin Round Table Mystery by J.J. Murphy
Published by: Signet
Publication Date: January 4th, 2011
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
Challenge: Mystery and Suspense 2011
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy
"In all reverence I say Heaven bless the Who-dunit, the soothing balm on the wound, the cooling hand on the brow, the opiate of the people." - Dorthy Parker

Dorthy Parker may be at the center of a vicious circle of writers in New York, in fact, THE Vicious Circle... that still doesn't mean that any of them are responsible for the appearance of a corpse under their celebrated round table at the Algonquin. But, as any good writer knows, that doesn't eliminate them from the suspect pool. The fact that the corpse is a reviewer that one or more of them has wished dead doesn't help matters. Once the press gets a hold of the story and starts to sensationalize the scenario, things are libel to get out of hand. Dorthy and her fellow writer, Robert Benchley, decide to solve the case on their own without the cops, who seem to be questioning all the wrong people. Not to mention the cops seem obsessed with the young wannabe writer Billy Faulkner, who Dorothy just knows couldn't have done it. She must make sure that Billy is safe and not prime suspect number one! With her dog's lead in one hand, a cup of tea filled with anything but in the other, and a heart longing for the married Benchley, Dorothy will solve this crime if she has to go to every illegal gin joint, speakeasy and bad play that stands in her way.

The unwieldy cast coupled with the plethora of puns does take awhile to adjust to. But once you grasp who everyone is and what they're notorious for, the story fully captures you. I wouldn't say that it's one of those books you just start and plow through cover to cover, with it's wonderfully short chapters and it's witty dialogue, it's a book you can pick up and set down like a nice snack. You get a little bit of refreshment and go on with your day, mulling over the wonderful little world you've been reading about. It's a nice leisurely stroll to the conclusion, which, when reached, makes you wish that you had a few more hours to bask in the time period. I was left with a happy glow that I still look back on fondly and look forward to having again when the next book comes out. Perhaps this time a who's who and maybe a map would improve the reading experience. Or little bios of everyone... because this wonderful world is made that much more interesting when you know the history. Thanks Wikipedia!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 1 comments  

Labels: 2011 Reading Challenge, Algonquin Round Table, Dorthy Parker, J.J. Murphy, Murder Your Darlings, New York, Robert Benchley, Vicious Circle, Wikipedia, William Faulkner

Dorothy Parker is one of the most quotable writers of her day. Her sparkling, and often snarky wit is as fresh today as it was in the 1920s. She is the symbol of her age, the literary "New Yorkers" with intelligence to burn, often burning off many a brain cell at a speakeasy. The literati of the day, when those who wrote the news also made the news. I would give anything to go back to a time when writers where king and not reality television stars and D-list celebrities. When wit and intelligence where prized and not viewed as something odd.

Luckily I found the next best thing to time travel: a new series of books! If there's a better way of getting lost in a time period other than the written word I can't think of it. The world comes alive in your mind. The clothes and the people, long since gone are brought back to us. This of course can be problematic when you then have to face the "real world," but luckily a book will be waiting for you once you're done with the inconvenience of reality. Back in January while perusing the upcoming book lists of new releases, my eye spied a book about Dorothy Parker and the members of the vicious circle, ie, her writing and lunchtime cronies, Murder Your Darlings. This book intrigued me. Dorothy Parker as a kind of lackadaisical and witty crime fighter by accident. With one of those rare instances when I finally read the book it lived up to my expectations. A fun little romp round New York. More of the cosy genre of mysteries, nothing too dark or too gory. A book that makes you feel all warm and content inside, like a cat has taken up residence in you.

Since that day I have been waiting for the follow up book, You Might as Well Die, because the little story, Hair of the Dog,  for my e-reader was not enough to whet my appetite. As the days I had to wait grew shorter and shorter a wonderful thing happened. One day I was checking my email and who should have dropped me a line but J.J. Murphy! The writer! Any time a writer contacts me it's a trill with a frisson of excitement. But here was an author not just asking me if I'd like to read the new book (a few weeks early!) but have a giveaway and a Q and A and guest posts and what have you! I don't think I could be more thrilled, unless of course Dorothy Parker herself somehow wrote a guest post from beyond the grave... so I obviously said to J.J., have my blog! Just take it over for December. And thus, Dorothy December was born. I'll have reviews and a giveaway (cough, look below, cough) and little guides to the members of the round table, the witty one, not the one with swords. I'll hope you'll take some time during this holiday season to sit back and get cozy with me and J.J.

Prize: A signed copy of the new book, You Might as Well Die, direct from the author, and if that alone isn't enough, an Algonquin Round Table Mysteries coffee mug, perfect for those cold December days.

The Rules:
1. Open to EVERYONE, just because you haven't been following me all along doesn't mean you don't matter, you just get more entries if you prove you love me by following.
2. Please make sure I have a way to contact you if your name is drawn, either your blogger profile or a link to your website/blog or you could even include your email address with your comment(s).
3. Contest ends Saturday, December 31st at 11:59PM CST
4. How to enter:

Answer me this: Which round table would you rather visit? Arthur's (as in the King) or Dorothy's?

5. And for those addicted to getting extra entries:

• +1 for answering the question above
• +2 for becoming a follower
• +10 if you are already a follower
• +10 for each time you advertise this contest - blog post, sidebar, twitter (please @MzLizard), etc. (but you only get credit for the first post, so tweet all you like, and I thank you for it, but you'll only get the +10 once). Also please leave a link!
• +25 if you comment on any of the posts this month, with something other than "I hope I win" or a variation thereof.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 11 comments  

Labels: 1920s, Algonquin Round Table, Dorothy December, Dorothy Parker, J.J. Murphy, Murder Your Darlings, You Might as Well Die

The Mistress of Nothing by Kate Pullinger
Published by: Simon and Schuster
Publication Date: January 4th, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 256 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The American debut of an award-winning novel about a lady’s maid’s awakening as she journeys from the confines of Victorian England to the uncharted far reaches of Egypt’s Nile Valley.

When Lady Duff Gordon, paragon of London society, departs for the hot, dry climate of Egypt to seek relief from her debilitating tuberculosis, her lady’s maid, Sally, doesn’t hesitate to leave the only world she has known in order to remain at her mistress’s side. As Sally gets farther and farther from home, she experiences freedoms she has never known—forgoing corsets and wearing native dress, learning Arabic, and having her first taste of romance.

But freedom is a luxury that a lady’s maid can ill afford, and when Sally’s new found passion for life causes her to forget what she is entitled to, she is brutally reminded she is mistress of nothing. Ultimately she must choose her master and a way back home—or a way to an unknown future.

Based on the real lives of Lady Duff Gordon and her maid, The Mistress of Nothing is a lush, erotic, and compelling story about the power of race, class, and love."

Lady's maid and Egypt! Must own! Must own!

Home for a Spell (Bewitching Series #7) by Madelyn Alt
Published by: Penguin
Publication Date: January 4th, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"As the newest witch in Indiana, Maggie O'Neill already has plenty to deal with. So being hobbled by a broken leg doesn't help. Neither does the fact that her best friend and upstairs neighbor is getting ready to tie the knot with her own boyfriend and move away. This leads Maggie to wonder if it isn't time to find herself a new pad.

But when she finds a place, Maggie's dream of new digs turns into a nightmare: the apartment manager is found dead before she can even sign the lease. And Maggie finds herself not only searching for a new home- but for a frightfully clever killer."

Such a cute little Midwestern witch series. So glad it's doing well enough to merit the hardcovers now.

Murder Your Darlings: Algonquin Round Table Mystery by J.J. Murphy
Published by: Penguin
Publication Date: January 4th, 2011
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"One morning legendary wit Dorothy Parker discovers someone under Manhattan's famed Algonquin Round Table. A little early for a passed out drunk, isn't it? But he's not dead drunk, just dead. When a charming writer from Mississippi named Billy Faulkner becomes a suspect in the murder, Dorothy decides to dabble in a little detective work, enlisting her literary cohorts.

It's up to the Algonquins to outwit the true culprit-preferably before cocktail hour-and before the clever killer turns the tables on them."

This first in a new series could be fun... that's if they can capture the time period and the wit... so it could also fail miserably.

Buffalo West Wing (White House Chef Mystery Series #4) by Julie Hyzy
Published by: Penguin
Publication Date: January 4th, 2011
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"With a new First Family, White House executive chef Olivia Paras can't afford to make any mistakes. But when a box of take-out chicken mysteriously shows up for the First Kids, she soon finds herself in a "no-wing" situation. After Olivia refuses to serve the chicken, the First Lady gives her the cold shoulder. But when it turns out to be poisoned poultry, Olivia realizes the kids are true targets."

For my mom, who loves this cozy little series.

Blood Bound (Mercy Thompson Series #2) by Patricia Briggs
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: January 4th, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"Mechanic Mercy Thompson has friends in low places-and in dark ones. And now she owes one of them a favor. Since she can shapeshift at will, she agrees to act as some extra muscle when her vampire friend Stefan goes to deliver a message to another of his kind.

But this new vampire is hardly ordinary-and neither is the demon inside of him."

Yeah for Ace and their hardcover re-issues. I LOVE them!

The Betrayal of the Blood Lily (The Secret History of the Pink Carnation Book 6) by Lauren Willig
Published by: Penguin
Publication Date: January 4th, 2011
Format: Paperback, 512 Pages
To Buy
The official patter:
"The heroines of Lauren Willig's bestselling Pink Carnation series have engaged in espionage all over nineteenth-century Europe. In the sixth stand-alone volume, our fair English heroine travels to India, where she finds freedom-and risk-more exciting than she ever imagined.Everyone warned Miss Penelope Deveraux that her unruly behavior would land her in disgrace someday. She never imagined she's be whisked off to India to give the scandal of her hasty marriage time to die down. AS Lady Frederick Staines, Penelope plunges into the treacherous waters of the court of the Nizam of Hyderabad, where no one is quite what they seem-even her husband. In a strange country, where elaborate court dress masks even more elaborate intrigues and a dangerous spy called the Marigold leaves venomous cobras as his calling card, there is only one person Penelope can trust...Captain Alex Reid has better things to do than play nursemaid to a pair of aristocrats. Or so he thinks-until Lady Frederick..."

A new cover for Pen that is entirely un-Pen like. I'm glad they're trying to reach out to more markets, but at the same time I want to stamp my foot on the ground and whine "But now my paperbacks won't match!"

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 2 comments  

Labels: Blood Bound, Home for a Spell, Julie Hyzy, Kate Pullinger, Lauren Willig, Madelyn Alt, Murder Your Darlings, Patricia Briggs, The Betrayal of the Blood Lily, The Mistress of Nothing