Odd, he usually only growls at policemen

Unfortunately, murders happen all over the world.  Fortunately for us, Agatha Christie's murder mysteries can be adapted using local characters and settings while keeping the Queen of Crime's basic outlines.  One such adaptation is the delightful series Les Petits Meurtres D'Agatha Christie, which features the French Superintendent Larosière solving crimes...

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Promotions on the fast and slow track

DSC James Langton and DI Anna Travis are back again investigating a murder in Above Suspicion 3.  Their last case ended on a bad note, with a suspected drug dealer escaping justice.  The higher-ups in the police force were looking for a scapegoat, and they seemed to suspect that DSC Langton was the one at fault.  His expected promotion to Commander has been...

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None of this generation will do as they're told

The year is 1831 and the country of Australia is slowly coming into its own after having served as the transportation destination for those in England and Ireland who have ended up on the wrong side of the law.  This is the setting for Under Capricorn, a 2-part series first broadcast in 1983.  The governor of New South Wales is anxious to welcome his cousin,...

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Wisdom from another age

People today who need to figure out the best way to remove a stain from a carpet or cure a case of hiccups need only consult the many oracles of the Internet to find a variety of solutions.  Well-born ladies of an earlier age lacked such an advanced resource, but they did have access to the wisdom passed down through Household Books. These books...

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A view from downstairs

Those of us who love British costume dramas always imagine ourselves in the gorgeous stately homes, chatting with Dukes and Countesses, dressed in the height of fashion and dripping with jewels.  Shows such as Downton Abbey are so popular because while they show plenty of that sort of thing, we also get a glimpse behind the scenes to see all the effort it takes...

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Don't sit under this apple tree -- or do anything else there, either!

I'm always interested to read books set in London, and Apple Tree Yard: A NovelApple Tree Yard by Louise Doughty sounded intriguing.  The story begins with Yvonne Carmichael and her unnamed lover on trial for some offense which sounds pretty serious.  The opening scene takes place when Yvonne is on the stand being questioned and realizes that the court case...

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What sort of effort would it take to dislodge a gargoyle?

Thank heavens, the good people of Midsomer are at it again -- killing each other, I mean! Even though they live in a beautiful area seemingly far from "big city" problems, there's never a shortage of recently dispatched bodies for DCI John Barnaby and DS Ben Jones to investigate.  This is certainly still the case in Midsomer Murders: Set 23. This set includes three...

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As soon as I get it, you'll get it

Although perhaps best known as the beloved Inspector Lewis, actor Kevin Whately has also starred in other detective series.  In The Broker's Man, he plays a former cop who now works as an investigator for insurance companies.  While he's a dogged investigator determined to get to the bottom of every case, his personal life gets much less attention from him. As...

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