I was today years old when I learned Philip "Chief Inspector Japp" Jackson plays the menacing biker in A-Ha's Take on Me video... A video I have seen hundreds of times without ever clocking it!

Today I take a look at The Mysterious Mr Badman - a bibliomystery from W. F. Harvey.

I have complicated feelings when it comes to Fuminori Nakamura's works. Last Winter, We Parted is unusual for his output in that it is a clued mystery, even if it doesn't look like one. But, is it any good? ⚡️📚

Revisited Murder by Decree today. The more I see that film, the more certain I am that I believe James Mason was the greatest screen Watson. A great performance in a film that uses the character to superb effect.

Coming later this week on the blog - reviews of Last Winter, We Parted by Fuminori Nakamura and The Mysterious Mr. Badman by W. F. Harvey.

It's time for another Holmes on Film. This time I'm taking a look at a children's film that sees a boy trying to help a talking dog stop a gang of drug traffickers. It's also easily the worst film I've viewed since starting this project. Given I've seen Holmes & Watson, that's quite a statement...

The funny thing about revisiting old content is reading comments about things I had planned. Still haven't read Nightmare Alley seven years later... Probably should get to that one soon.

I am currently working on picking ten favorite mystery books. I have complicated this by also trying to represent multiple subgenres in my picks. I am horrifying myself at the titles and authors I am leaving off this list... I should say these rules are all my own. I am doing this to myself.

Today I write about a book I consider one of the best I have read since starting my blog. Celia Fremlin's The Jealous One. Find out why I love it in my review! ⚡️📚💙

For the first time in what feels like years, I have multiple scheduled posts. It's a nice feeling! Also, it's perhaps worth noting that these posts will represent two extremes of opinion... Tomorrow - The Jealous One by Celia Fremlin Monday - Sherlock Bones: Undercover Dog

There are lots of pastiches and works derived from Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. Today I pick my five favorite examples... ⚡️📚

Tonight's viewing was Evil Under the Sun - a much more satisfying effort from Guy Hamilton than The Mirror Crack'd. Part of that is the source material is better, but also the starry cast is less distracting. Still plenty of showbiz bickering though for those who like that sort of thing!

Spoiling a future Holmes on Film post here, but Sherlock Bones: Undercover Dog is unlikely to get a strong recommendation...

Today I return to my Holmes on Film series and, in particular, to Basil Rathbone's take on the celebrated detective. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes sees him grapple with Moriarty as he tries to prevent murder and also a jewel theft...

Tonight's viewing was Cast a Dark Shadow - a rather splendid noir starring the always fantastic Dirk Bogarde. He plays a lively young man who murders his wife only to find he has made a miscalculation. The story has a few neat twists, but Bogarde's performance is the reason to watch this one.

This week on Murder at the Manse, I’m sharing my list of favourite 1920s mysteries. What do you think of my choices? What would be on your list? murderatthemanse.substack.com/p/a-1920s-to...

Today's post sees me return to the world of Detective Conan with the thirteenth volume of Case Closed. This one features an inverted mystery and a case set during the filming of a kaiju movie. It's like this one was built to cater to me! The question is, would I like it? ⚡️📚

Today I return to the Anthony Bathurst mystery series by Brian Flynn with thoughts on Men for Pieces. ⚡️📚

Today's post discusses Venus in Copper, the third book in the Marcus Didius Falco series set in Vespasian's Rome. ⚡️📚

Having heard terrible things about the 80s Ordeal by Innocence for years, I was pleasantly surprised to find it adapts the book pretty well. A few changes (the coma) even make more sense of the action!

Today's post sees me offer up some thoughts on John Ball's Edgar Award-winning first novel, In the Heat of the Night. The book that introduced us to Mr. Tibbs. ⚡️📚

Really interesting podcast here about High and Low which also delves into some of the McBain background of it (including one audacious theory about a possible inspiration for the novel!) Point your podcast machines this way…

High and Low (1963) was the penultimate film in the amazing run of 16 collaborations between Toshiro Mifune and Akira Kurosawa. Aidan Brack (@mysteriesahoy.bsky.social) joins me to celebrate this classic at Tipping My Fedora. Apple buff.ly/wDl4xnB Spotify buff.ly/34bRrLu YouTube shorturl.at/QXP4H

It's been a while since I posted a roundup of the mystery and crime movies I've watched lately. So, here is my report on a Summer of movie-viewing.

@tippingmyfedora.bsky.social Planning to spend my afternoon watching Touch of Evil for the first time(!). Do you have a preference between the theatrical, preview, or reconstructed versions for a first viewing?

This week has been a bit of a slog as I struggle to get over a nasty virus. Happily some lovely comments over the past few days about my blog have given me a bit of a lift.

Darn. I probably wasn't going to watch The Thursday Murder Club but I accidentally spoiled myself by clicking on a Letterboxd review. Use the spoiler button people if you're going to name the actor playing the killer!

A short reflection on my appearance on this week's episode of the Tipping My Fedora podcast, hosted by @tippingmyfedora.bsky.social. One of my favorite things I've done as a result of blogging! mysteriesahoy.com/2025/08/24/d...

Want to hear me talking movies? Check out this week's Tipping My Fedora podcast where I chat with @tippingmyfedora.bsky.social about Kurosawa's High and Low.

Today's post discusses Pro Bono, a mystery novel by Seicho Matsumoto written in 1961. The book explores what happens when a prominent lawyer refuses to help a young woman unable to pay his legal fees. ⚡️📚

I had planned on working on a post tonight, but our internet is out (and not expected to be repaired until early tomorrow). Fortunately, I have books... Currently reading: Pro Bono by Seicho Matsumoto ⚡️📚

'Of all the Christie novels I have reread, none has risen in my estimation as much as Sad Cypress.' Find out the reasons why in today's post... 📚⚡

Amateur Detective Roger Sheringham collects audio adaptations of The Poisoned Chocolates Case and Jumping Jenny. Are they any good though? Click below and find out!

It's been a while since I tried a mystery video game, so I am playing the most recent Murder on the Orient Express adaptation. Early impressions - liking the puzzles but the combination of smartphones and train travel as the height of opulence feels odd...

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Are you a Film Noir absolutist? Do you think comedies, gangsters movies and 1930s dramas don't count? Then this week's episode is for you as Dr Sheldon Hall picks holes in the host's own Noir categories.  Apple buff.ly/wDl4xnB Spotify buff.ly/34bRrLu YouTube buff.ly/QyLHaCo Podbean buff.ly/wk2LnPK

I grew up in Daphne du Maurier-country, so I'm a little embarrassed that it took me until my 40s to really start exploring her work. Today's post discusses My Cousin Rachel and is notable for having a coded spoiler section almost as long as the everything else I wrote... 📚⚡️

I am nearing the end of my readthrough of Peter Lovesey's Sergeant Cribb mystery series. Today's post discusses Swing, Swing Together - the seventh installment. ⚡️📚

I am halfway through rereading Sad Cypress. If it continues as is, this may be one of the ones that has jumped most in my estimation on revisitation...

My Fantastic Four

Are you a fan of Betty White or Angela Lansbury? Take this survey (about 10 minutes) being conducted by @bridgetkies.bsky.social to share your experiences. #angelalansbury #murdershewrote #bettywhite #thegoldengirls Take the survey: oakland.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

Back to the Golden Age and an author who really shouldn't be overlooked - Freeman Wills Crofts #Mystery #ClassicMystery #ClassicCrime #BookSky classicmystery.blog/2025/07/18/f...

Today's post discusses Nina Bawden's The Odd Flamingo - a fascinating, if perhaps uneven, book from 1954 with some distinctly noirish shadows. 📚⚡️

Today's post discusses The Judas Window, an impossible crime story by John Dickson Carr writing as Carter Dickson. 📚⚡️

Pleasantly surprised to find that this was a #DoctorWhoDunnit. The story moves at a nice clip, has some really entertaining dialogue, and the mystery element works pretty well. A winner to start the range and one of the better Who mysteries. www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/d...

Today I take a return visit to the medieval abbey at Shrewsbury in the company of Brother Cadfael. But is Saint Peter's Fair a winner?

A short post today but hey, two posts in a week is pretty good going for me lately. Here I share my thoughts on Ira Levin's 1978 stage play, Deathtrap.

I love ebooks, but I really dislike the practice of counting previews of future books towards the percentage count. I just hit 79% in St Peter's Fair and the book is unexpectedly over. Now I have to figure out what to read next (which is the opposite of relaxing before sleep)...

I may have gone a little wild at the BL shop at the conference. In my defense, one of these was free, and there was a 3 for 2 deal...