--------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 244 MYSTERY Ref: DD300000 Date: 09/02/96 From: SAMANTHA SMARTT Time: 11:17am \/To: ALL (Read 3 times) Subj: Missing persons report? Has anyone been seeing posts from either Catherine Vanicek or Kevin binson?? I'm afraid Cate is ill or her husband might be. Maybe it is just computer problems. Anyone know? I have not seen her posts in the packets I just downloaded since Aug. 5th when we left town. . . . And I never see Kevin Robinson, although a message way back in the beginning of this packet mentioned he has a newsletter. Anyone get this address? Is it for the disabled, or is it for mystery fans?? (Either way, I would like to get it.) Obligatory On Topic Comments: I just started three different series (reading not writing!!). Selma Eichler: Murder Can Ruin Your Looks and two others (I am not at my own computer at the moment to check the titles). Her protagonist, first of all, is a fat lady (or BBW, or whatever!) and not ashamed to defend her personal worth or show her face--bravo! And her writing is a better style than many I have seen. The books are actually funny! (Unlike many of those billed as humorous, such as the Diane Mott Davison, which I feel have been worsening and worsening, the characters and everything getting more lame and the humor getting self-consciously forced and not funny. Although the recipes are fine, and they may be the reason the books apparently continue to sell well.) These are hard-boiled type detective mysteries and she's a PI but not as fake as VI Warshawski or as drab as the alphabet series has become (K is for Killer, E is for Endless....) I say search these out and support this author! You'll like these books. Jon Katz: The Family Stalker (not as good as the first two), Murder by Station Wagon, the Last Housewife. These books are well written (though I don't think a new author could get away with the amount of reflection the caracter does often) and interesting, hold your attention, and all that good stuff. His person is also a detective, but he's an ex-stockbroker who is not making much money and is kind of a house- husband while his wife makes the money as a counselor/psychologist. There is much emphasis on the interactions of people in a small community of wealth--I mean a country club suburb. Anyway, I think people would enjoy these; though the mysteries aren't the puzzle-est, they are solid, it seemed to me as I was reading them the first time anyway, and the narrative carried me along. Jacqueline Girdner: Murder Most Mellow, *Fat-Free and Fatal*, Adjusted to Death, and other titles. I like this lady's protag, who is a mail- order seller of joke gifts like Spencer's used to be (Jest Gifts), and who is in love with a very homely man who scares people but is beautiful on the inside, and who seems to get mixed up in murders. She had a friend who was going to be her sidekick in FF&F (the best of the books except for the very latest, which is in large-format paperback and I had to borrow it so I can't find the title but it is in print and on shelves) in the beginning, and this friend was a psychic, so she used that as a schtick for a while, but now it seems that friend is not major at all and her ugly man is her major helper, along wiht a columnist who gives her news info in trade for help. These started out better than most, but now they've gotten a little less well written, although nothing major is wrong; it's just that she has a lot of phone calls and people just showing up on the doorstep to tell their clues, and I think that's laziness on the part of the author to do that instead of having the person active (not proactive, please!!) But that could be she's rushed to get books out, which may mean she will be around for a while. Sorry if this is not appropriate place to post reviews, but I thought it would be. . . . ss --- * Origin: Palindrome WriterNet 214-437-2734 (1:124/8107) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 244 MYSTERY Ref: DD300001 Date: 09/02/96 From: FRED RUNK Time: 06:21pm \/To: LEE GREENE (Read 3 times) Subj: used books -=>While in the White Hart, Lee Greene explained to Fred Runk that<=- LG> are you just interested in myustey's? No, really like all sorts of works, from mysteries to SF to mainstream to natural science to.... My last four books consisted of a mystery, two SF books, and one based on conversations with Konrad Lorenz, the Austrian ethologist. LG> i like them myself, what about first editions? Generally don't go in for first editions as they are frequently priced out of my budget. However, if I find a first edition or a special edition that has a reasonable price, I will grab it. LG> there was an dealer in derry, but there closed, is there LG> any other dealer's around that reputable? I'm not in Derry--Is that New Hampshire? I'm in Tucson, Arizona. We do have a few dealers who specialize in rare or first editions, but I've never gone near them. Email: fred.runk@mbhbbs.playcom.com ... Happiness is good health--and a bad memory. ___ X Blue Wave/QWK v2.20 X --- Maximus 2.02 * Origin: Fred's Place (1:300/6.2) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 244 MYSTERY Ref: DD300002 Date: 09/02/96 From: STEVEN HORN Time: 11:12pm \/To: JOAN TUCKEY (Read 3 times) Subj: Sharyn McCrumb's Split Personality Joan Tuckey (1:342/1015) wrote to DOROTHY REYNOLDS at 11:31 on 31 Aug 1996: JT> A really funny one by Sharon McCrumb called "If I'd Killed Him When JT> I Met Him". When I got home I got another of hers out of our JT> library called "If Ever I Return, Pretty Peggy-O" - it wasn't funny JT> at all. I also ready "Tom Clancy's Op-Centre: Mirror Image". It was JT> like reading a movie script - exciting though. Joan, I couldn't help but comment on your perception of Sharyn McCrumb's books. Like you, I thought "If I'd Killed Him When I Met Him" funny but it didn't have a lot of substance. In fact, I'm not sure any of her Elizabeth MacPherson books do. "If Ever I Return, Pretty Peggy-O" on the other hand has a lot of meat as does "She Walks These Hills". They may be mystery novels but they capture a sense of place and time which I find fascinating. I'm still waiting for my local bookstore to come up with a copy of "The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter" but I suspect I'll like it. Take care, Steven Horn Moderator CAN_SYSLAW E-mail shorn@yknet.yk.ca _or_ shorn@web.net --- timEd/386 1.10+ * Origin: Yukon Mail, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada (1:3409/1) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 244 MYSTERY Ref: DD400000 Date: 09/03/96 From: MAUREEN GOLDMAN Time: 09:23am \/To: SAMANTHA SMARTT (Read 3 times) Subj: Missing persons report? On (02 Sep 96) Samantha Smartt wrote to All... SS> Has anyone been seeing posts from either Catherine Vanicek or Kevin SS> Robinson?? Haven't seen anything from Kevin in ages, since he relocated. I thought that he was becoming involved with Internet. It wouldn't surprise me if he has a web page. You're right about Cate being on the missing list. It seems to me - warning, I have a lousy memory - that her BBS might have been going down. She has email, right? SS> [much left out] SS> Sorry if this is not appropriate place to post reviews, but I thought SS> it would be. . . . Jeez, if this isn't the appropriate place to post your opinion and reviews of mystery books, I don't know what is. ... If it walks out of your refrigerator, let it go. --- PPoint 2.00 * Origin: Point of No Deposit, No Return (1:153/404.11) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 244 MYSTERY Ref: DD400001 Date: 09/03/96 From: BETH FRIEDMAN Time: 11:28am \/To: SAMANTHA SMARTT (Read 3 times) Subj: Re: Missing persons report? SS> I'm afraid Cate is ill or her husband might be. Maybe SS> it is just computer problems. Anyone know? I have SS> not seen her posts in the packets I just downloaded SS> since Aug. 5th when we left town. . . . Pamela Dean has exchanged e-mail with Cate Vanicek. Apparently she has lost her Fidonet feed and has had a bad summer, but she's all right. Unfortunately, she won't be making it to Bouchercon in St. Paul as originally planned. I hope to hear from her soon, though. --- Sirius 1.0ya * Origin: Beth's Point: Minneapolis, MN (1:282/26.5) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 244 MYSTERY Ref: DD400002 Date: 09/03/96 From: PATRICIA FERRARA Time: 06:01pm \/To: HELEN FLEISCHER (Read 3 times) Subj: Living Forever -=> Quoting HELEN FLEISCHER to Patricia Ferrara <=- PF> If you're backlog of to-be-read books is anything like the PF> one I'm building, your plans of re-reading books might be a PF> fantasy. HF> Hush. I'm going to live forever! ;) Of course you are! (And better you than me!) HF> The Copperfield Press, 306 West 11th St, NY, NY 10014. I think someone HF> else already tried writing to that address with no luck, though. Oh, well. I might still give it a try, just in case... PF> once they've been, tend to return. Everyone marvels over how PF> little they paid, particularly at the first visit. HF> I'm sure they'll catch on. I found some nice bargains at my FOTL shop HF> last week. I'm finally starting to make some headway in the pile I have to read. My goal is to be almost caught-up by the next FOTL sale. HF> I heartily recommend it. ;) I plan to read a few more Stouts soon. HF> Meanwhile I'm still in chilly Moscow during the cold war. ;) Went HF> camping over the weekend and ended up doing very little reading. I'll bet you've finished it by now. I don't think I booted up my computer even once in the last week. Too many distractions. I'm actually starting a Christmas project. I realized that this year's going to be yet another holiday of being broke, so I'm trying to prepare ahead of time. I thought of a gift idea that I can put together from items readily available to me. I don't know whether it will work out or not, but thought I'd give it a try. I just finished reading a Charlotte McCleod book that had a rather intriguing premise, though others might not think so. Unfortunately, the dilemma was much more intriguing than the solution... Oh, well. I don't regret reading it. Now I'm reading Alisa Craig's "The Terrible Tide". I have the terrible feeling that I've already figured out what is going on, and I'm not even midway through the book. Maybe I'll be surprised, though... Patsy --- Blue Wave/DOS v2.30 * Origin: Orion's Sword | Bush, LA | (504) 867-9701 | V.* (1:3828/1) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 244 MYSTERY Ref: DD400003 Date: 09/03/96 From: PATRICIA FERRARA Time: 05:59pm \/To: ROBERT WHITE (Read 3 times) Subj: Edna Buchanan -=> Quoting Robert White to Patricia Ferrara <=- RW> If you like terse, action filled stories, and a fair bit of violence RW> you'll probably like Buchanan. The violence isn't very graphic, but the RW> stories are written in the quick streamlined style of the crime RW> reporter that Buchanan was, and her main character is. I like them occasionally, but wish that, like you, I could follow it with a Joan Hess book that I haven't yet read. Isn't her Claire Malloy series fun? I like the Maggody series, too. Patsy --- Blue Wave/DOS v2.30 * Origin: Orion's Sword | Bush, LA | (504) 867-9701 | V.* (1:3828/1) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 244 MYSTERY Ref: DD400004 Date: 09/03/96 From: JAY MCMILLAN Time: 10:13am \/To: ALL (Read 3 times) Subj: Ancient Caves Of Extraterrestial origin Dear Fellow BBSers, I am placing this message as a request for direction to more info about ancient caves I heard of long ago in my youth. Apparently these caves are located on the west coast of Africa, are of an origin that defies human ability and technology to duplicate their construction. I remember being told that "They have walls so finely formed that even with todays technology they can NOT be duplicated." Also, that "They descend several hundred feet, and then extend westward under the Atlantic ocean 1500 to 2000 feet". I also remember some details of there being doors in the horizontal passage that were constructed of massive stones very finely shaped, and hinged in such an advanced mannor as to be moveable with the slight force that any person may exert with their index finger! These doors were said to be of an estimated weight of at least ten tons. The story stopped in its progression when the mysterious investigating party reached one of these doors that was shut, and estimating their depth under the ocean the team of explorers decided not to attempt opening the door for fear of being drowned. This is as much of the story as I can remember. I would appreciate any guidance you could give that would direct me to additional information, as I have often wondered about this over the years. Also, please know that I have been unable to locate materials in the library that relate to this specific story. Thank You For Any Help You Can Render. --- Maximus/2 3.01 * Origin: UFOria (1:109/369) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 244 MYSTERY Ref: DD400005 Date: 09/02/96 From: ROBERT WHITE Time: 07:59am \/To: SUZZE TIERNAN (Read 3 times) Subj: Visiting Bob Hi Suzze', I'm sneaking in here on the mystery echo at Bob's house. I haven't found a new source for it in the Portland area. I miss seeing what you all are reading. So Bob has been good about telling me some of the books all of you are reading. I just finished "Scold's Bridle" by Minette Walters. I find her books very fascinating. What's this I hear about you going to work in a Mystery Bookstore? Will you get paid in money or books?? :-) Must be fun seeing the new ones come in and getting almost "first crack" at them. Is Kevin Robinson still writing for the Detroit Free Press? I still haven't convinced our paper to carry his articles. Nice to talk to you again. Suzanne Williamson at Bob's house in Calgary. --- Blue Wave/Max v2.20 * Origin: TechTalk; Calgary, Alberta. V.34+ (1:134/40) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 244 MYSTERY Ref: DD500000 Date: 09/03/96 From: JAN MURPHY Time: 07:58am \/To: SAMANTHA SMARTT (Read 3 times) Subj: Re: Missing persons report? > Has anyone been seeing posts from either Catherine Vanicek > or Kevin Robinson?? > > I'm afraid Cate is ill or her husband might be. Maybe it > is just computer problems. Anyone know? I have not seen > her posts in the packets I just downloaded since Aug. 5th > when we left town. . . . If my memory is correct, Cate lost access to Fidonet -- I think the BBS she was calling from was shut down by the sysop. > And I never see Kevin Robinson, although a message way back > in the beginning of this packet mentioned he has a newsletter. > Anyone get this address? Is it for the disabled, or is > it for mystery fans?? Again, if I remember, Kevin is working on a whiz-bang project to set up a retreat for disabled artists/writers. I did get a mailing from him shortly after he moved, but I've put it in some safe place ;-) and haven't seen it in a while. If I stumble across it, I'll post his address here, but I suspect somebody on the echo will be able to come up with the address first. --- Opus-CBCS 1.73a * Origin: Sci-Fido II, World's Oldest SF BBS, Berkeley, CA (1:161/84.0)