Hitchcock smartly threads theatrical ‘Rope’ (1948)
On a Hitchcock kick (Movie review): An updated version could wring more twists and tension, but Hitchcock’s is a fascinating experiment.
Mystery
Hitchcock smartly threads theatrical ‘Rope’ (1948)
Hannah tries to get into the spirit with ‘Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night’
Book review: Unfortunately, this is the weakest of her first five Poirot books thanks to an implausible character’s unlikely actions.
‘Marple: Twelve New Mysteries’ (2022) honors, expands character
Sleuthing Sunday (Book review): A dozen modern authors write Marple with an ease that will make you cozy next to the fireplace; plus, we get mild surprises.
‘Thin Man’ movie (1934) emphasizes stars, but I can’t blame it
Sleuthing Sunday (Movie review): Dashiell Hammett’s mystery is still there, but Powell and Loy steal the show. And that’s OK.
‘Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie’ is not only for obsessives
Movie review: The art of solving murders with attention to detail is not stuck in the Aughts, as proven by Monk’s first on-screen case in 14 years.
Hammett launches icons Nick and Nora Charles in ‘The Thin Man’ (1934)
Sleuthing Sunday (Book review): Misleading title aside, Nick Charles isn’t the Thin Man. But he is a helluva detective in the hardboiled tradition.
‘Lake Mungo’ (2008) a grief-laden mystery-horror classic
Frightening Friday (Movie review): In the year of “Talk to Me,” we look back at another chiller from Down Under, from one-and-done (?) helmer Joel Anderson.
‘The Lady Vanishes’ (2013) is a lovely dramatic counterpoint
On a Hitchcock kick (Movie review): Seventy-five years after the comedic original version, a fresh take showcases the mystery – and Tuppence Middleton.
‘Maltese Falcon’ (1930) stands as definitive hardboiled mystery
Sleuthing Sunday (Book review): Dashiell Hammett only wrote five novels, but the influence outshines the output, especially with this Sam Spade starrer.
‘A Murder at the End of the World,’ ‘Fargo’ Season 5, ‘The Irrational,’ ‘The Spencer Sisters’
First episode impressions (TV reviews): “A Murder at the End of the World” goes to the head of the fall class of long-form mysteries, while “The Irrational” might intrigue procedural fans.