October into November has seen a lot of time-intensive events and experiences, some of them sublime – such as my 10-day trip to visit friends and see the sights of London, Oxford, and Paris – and others merely humdrum, such as catching up with office work. But before too much more time goes by, I must announce the Mrs. Bradley mystery chosen for December's Mitchell Mystery Reading Group project: 1936's winter tale Dead Men's Morris.
Initially, I had planned to select a title published in the 1940s, but Dead Men's Morris, published a year before the previous Reading Group selection Come Away, Death, proved too enticing. For one thing, almost 15 years have passed since my one and only reading of this book; for another, the Christmas setting (with Mrs. Bradley arriving with a stuffed boar's head as a gift for her nephew Carey Lestrange) felt appropriate and appealing for the group's first December read. And while I was visiting Oxford, friends Julia and Martyn provided a tour of some of the Morris locations described in the book, so I had the opportunity to see first-hand places like Iffley and Shotover Hill and Stanton St. John!
Note that Dead Men's Morris is available in reprint under the title Death Comes at Christmas from Vintage Books and as a Kindle eBook in the United States. Print copies are also available from earlier Rue Morgue Press and Michael Joseph Jubilee reprint editions.
As with the previous group reads, I wish to offer all interested readers (whether those brand new to Gladys Mitchell or veteran Mrs. Bradley fans) an invitation to take part in the discussion by emailing me any comments and observations you wish to share. With past titles, I moderated a post a week where readers could discuss a group of chosen chapters. With Dead Men's Morris, Gladys Mitchell has separated the book into three sections, with chapter headings incorporating the directions for the Headington Traditional Morris. I am happy to take that cue, so anyone wishing to join us in the dance next month should do so!
Please send your remarks, general or specific, to my email address Jason@jasonhalf.com by the dates below. I will sidestep spoilers in the posts. Here are the dates and itinerary:
FIGURE 1: Fossder's Folly (Chapters 1 to 6) – send comments by Dec. 8 for the Dec. 10 discussion post
FIGURE 2: Shotover Simith (Chapters 7 to 12) – comments by Dec. 18 for the Dec. 20 post
FIGURE 3: Parson's Pleasure (Chapters 13 to 17) – comments by Dec. 28 for the Dec. 30 post
Note that Dead Men's Morris is available in reprint under the title Death Comes at Christmas from Vintage Books and as a Kindle eBook in the United States. Print copies are also available from earlier Rue Morgue Press and Michael Joseph Jubilee reprint editions.
As with the previous group reads, I wish to offer all interested readers (whether those brand new to Gladys Mitchell or veteran Mrs. Bradley fans) an invitation to take part in the discussion by emailing me any comments and observations you wish to share. With past titles, I moderated a post a week where readers could discuss a group of chosen chapters. With Dead Men's Morris, Gladys Mitchell has separated the book into three sections, with chapter headings incorporating the directions for the Headington Traditional Morris. I am happy to take that cue, so anyone wishing to join us in the dance next month should do so!
Please send your remarks, general or specific, to my email address Jason@jasonhalf.com by the dates below. I will sidestep spoilers in the posts. Here are the dates and itinerary:
FIGURE 1: Fossder's Folly (Chapters 1 to 6) – send comments by Dec. 8 for the Dec. 10 discussion post
FIGURE 2: Shotover Simith (Chapters 7 to 12) – comments by Dec. 18 for the Dec. 20 post
FIGURE 3: Parson's Pleasure (Chapters 13 to 17) – comments by Dec. 28 for the Dec. 30 post
I always enjoy the mix of comments I receive, and participants should feel free to write anything from a few sentences to multiple paragraphs in response. I will then look for common topics and do my best to represent everyone who contributes in the blog posts. If you have any questions, please email me. I hope you will consider joining the discussion. May your holidays be filled with dancing, detection, and the inimitable Mrs. Bradley!
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