During The Bodies From The Library Conference our speakers mentioned many books, some famous, some lesser-known titles. At the time and in subsequent feedback, lots of you asked if we could make available a list of the titles that were discussed and/or recommended by the speakers.

Here are lists provided by the speakers. We will also include these on the Suggested Reading page of our website as a permanent record.

Having looked through the list, I think there is enough to keep me going till long after our conference next year.

Tony’s list:
The American Gun Mystery by Ellery Queen
Hercule Poirot’s Christmas by Agatha Christie
Rim of the Pit by Hake Talbot
Sudden Death by Freeman Wills Crofts
The Hollow Man by John Dickson Carr
The Plague Court Murders by Carter Dickson
The Tattoo Murder Case by Akimitsu Takagi

Martin’s list:
Middle Class Murder – Bruce Hamilton
Excellent Intentions – Richard Hull
Verdict of Twelve – Raymond Postgate
Mist on the Saltings – Henry Wade
Lonely Magdalen – Henry Wade
The Sweepstake Murders – J J Connington
Trial and Error – Anthony Berkeley
Family Matters – Anthony Rolls
Behind the Screen and The Scoop – Detection Club
The Floating Admiral – Detection Club
Ask a Policeman – Detection Club
Six Against the Yard – Detection Club
The Anatomy of Murder – Detection Club – non-fiction

David’s list:

EDMUND CRISPIN – new editions out now, £7.99 each:
The Moving Toyshop, 1946
Holy Disorders, 1946
Love Lies Bleeding, 1948

FRANCIS DURBRIDGE – published 2nd July, £7.99 each:
Send for Paul Temple, 1938
Paul Temple and the Front Page Men, 1939
News of Paul Temple, 1940
(Then two a month until December.)

COLLINS’ DETECTIVE CLUB HARDBACKS, £9.99 each:
This is the new hardback list and the titles we have announced are as follows.
13 August:
The Mayfair Mystery (Frank Richardson, intro by David Brawn), 1907
The Perfect Crime (Israel Zangwill + Edgar Allan Poe, intro by John Curran), 1892, 1841
Called Back (Hugh Conway, intro by Martin Edwards), 1883
24 September:
The Mystery of the Skeleton Key (Bernard Capes, intro by Hugh Lamb), 1919
22 October:
The Grell Mystery (Frank Froëst, intro by Tony Medawar), 1913
19 November:
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (R.L. Stevenson + sequel by Francis Little, intro by Richard Dalby), 1886, 1890
3 December:
The Rasp (Philip MacDonald, intro by Tony Medawar), 1924
7 January:
The House Opposite (J. Jefferson Farjeon, intro by H.R.F. Keating), 1931
(More to come…)

My recommendation (for curiosity value rather than literary merit) was The Passing of Mr Quinn, based on a short story by Agatha Christie and novelised by G. Roy McRae, 1929.

Rob’s List:

Quick Curtain – Alan Melville – published 1/7
Death of Anton – Alan Melville – published 1/8
Thirteen Guests – J. Jefferson Farjeon – published 1/9
Silent Nights: Christmas Mysteries – ed. Martin Edwards – published 1/10
The Z Murders – J. Jefferson Farjeon – published 1/11