This reading challenge has been ongoing every March for ten years now!
Here is Lizziefaye’s announcement video:
I have chosen Path #1: Deep Dive
I will pick a decade and explore that.
I’ve chosen the 1950’s because that’s when I was born! I’ll be attempting to read three mystery novels first published in the 1950’s. I’m starting with The Talented Mr. Ripley and The Berry Pickers. I’ll read the other two only if I feel I have time for them.
Here’s my video about the books I plan to read:
★ The Talented Mr. Ripley, by Patricia Highsmith
“Tom Ripley is a smooth confidence-man…” – Really, this one sounds the best, out of the list of 1950’s era mystery novels I found.
UPDATE – 3/4: I’m nearly half-way through this novel and am not at all happy to be reading a psychological thriller concerning a sociopath. However, I’ll proceed with the program so I can get my education on 1950’s novel writing in the mystery genre.
UPDATE – 3/15: I finished reading this yesterday. Tom Ripley was a CAD. A real sociopath thinking only of himself and having no conscience whatsoever about people he hurt along the way. I’m calling this book a psychological thriller, not really a mystery at all.
☆ Daughter of Time, by Josephine Tey
This is a historical mystery re: the murder of young princes in the Tower of London in 1483.
UPDATE 3/15: I started reading this today. It forced me to go read Wikipedia pages about King Richard III and others. It is an odd English series mystery, and since all the characters are much more familiar with English history than I am, I needed to get more information on what they were talking about. In the novel poor Inspector Alan Grant is confined to a hospital bed and is busy reading and learning the details of Richard III and his nephews who are said to have been smothered in the Tower of London in 1483. See, for example: Princes in the Tower.
UPDATE 3/17: I finished reading this and must say, this was not a good novel for me. Others have high praise for it. I learned a lot about English history. Review
☆ My Cousin Rachel, by Daphne du Maurier
Actually, Rachel is the widow of Philip’s cousin.
UPDATE 3/17: I started my audio-listen as of St. Patrick’s Day, and so far I’m LOVING this audiobook. It has background music throughout making it a unique and optimal performance… putting my thoughts in a dreamy state as I wait for events to unfold.
There is also a group-read:
★ The Berry Pickers, by Jim Thompson
UPDATE 3/15: I finished reading this yesterday. It was such a PAGE-TURNER it took only 2 days to get through it. In this novel a Native American family from Nova Scotia was spending the summer picking berries in Maine when one of their daughters disappeared. The girl was only 4 years old. The 6 year old brother who saw her last was devastated and guilt-filled. Chapters alternated between the missing girl and the older brother. Great book.
Similar Posts:
- My Progress on the PopSugar Reading Challenge for 2017
- My Progress on the PopSugar Reading Challenge for 2018
- 101 Great Books Recommended by the College Board – Classic Novels and Plays
- Pulitzer Prize Winning Novels – How Many Have You Read?
- My New Book Lady YouTube Channel, and What I’m Reading Now
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