Tuesday 7 October 2008

Old-Time Detection again

I recently received the latest issue of Arthur Vidro’s fanzine, ‘Give Me That Old-Time Detection’, which specialises in Golden Age mysteries (although he was kind enough to mention the fact that ‘The Bookbinder’s Apprentice’ won the CWA short story award.) As usual, it’s packed with interesting items.

What I had not realised is that it is published by a ‘special interest group’, or SIG, which is part of Mensa. Being so slow on the uptake really ought in itself to disqualify me from being a member of Mensa, but happily Arthur's journal is available to anyone, regardless of Mensa membership.

Stand-out pieces include a reprint of a skit on John Dickson Carr by William Brittain, articles by Arthur Vidro (on Harry Kemelman, author of the Rabbi novels and the ingenious Nicky Welt short stories) and the tireless Marv Lachman, and reviews by the ultra-knowledgeable Charles Shibuk.

The journal is published three times a year, and if you like classic mysteries, it is well worth a look. Further details are available from oldtimedetection@netzero.com

2 comments:

Nan said...

This is Nan, the person who mentioned your blog on my blog the other day, and I wanted to explain that this post is how I found you. I did a google blog search for Harry Kemelman since I'm on my second go round of his wonderful Rabbi Small books. Then because you mentioned Old-Time Detection, I emailed the address you gave, and am going to subscribe. So, in that one little search, I discovered you - a new author to me, and the magazine. I've just ordered your first Lake District book.

Martin Edwards said...

Hi Nan. Hope you enjoy The Coffin Trail! It was short-listed for the Theakston prize for best crime novel of 2006, yet oddly enough I think the two later books in the series are my favourites. But writers aren't always the best judges of their own work.....