The Big Four
by Agatha Christie (William Collins & Sons, 1927)
audiobook read by Hugh Fraser (Lamplight, 2014)
A fix-up novel that shows its seams yet affords both an arch-(group)nemesis for Poirot and also the space to do it justice (cf. Conan Doyle’s one-shot introduction and despatch of Moriarty). Poirot’s quirks and Hastings’ stupidity remain one-dimensional and rather clumsily wrought.
Hands Off
by Robert Sheckley
Galaxy Science Fiction (April, 1954); UK No. 18 (September, 1954), pp. 54-63.
SF novelette offering a two-pronged narrative, following the actions firstly of an unscrupulous human pirate crew, and secondly of the principled alien whose near-totally incompatible physical makeup renders it impossible for them to steal his spaceship. A whimsical, waggish tale of comeuppance.
The Disappearing Diplomat
by Terrance Dicks (Blackie & Son, 1986)
A return to form. Dicks makes use of Cold War tropes to cram in a proper, high-stakes action adventure where all the Irregulars have a chance to contribute (Mickey, thankfully, is reined in a little). Dan’s Sherlock-inspired brainwork is spot-on for middle-grade.
Doorways in the Sand
by Roger Zelazny (Harper & Row, 1976)
audiobook read by Andrew J. Andersen (Trantor, 2024)
A near-future SF runabout with a veneer of mystery and dollops of humour. Career student (and serial acrophile) Fred Cassidy proves a welcome departure from the usual hardboiled protagonists of such stories. Still, there’s a sense here of Zelazny just dawdling along.
The TV Kid
by Betsy Byars (Viking, 1976)
Short book. Short chapters. Byars again creates a relatable MG character with life issues. In this instance, however, it’s not clear whether she’s advocating imagination (albeit TV-fuelled, not dissimilar from the escapism of The Cartoonist) or the maturing benefits of real-world experience.
A Stroke of the Pen: The Lost Stories
by Terry Pratchett (Harper Collins, 2023)
audiobook read by various narrators (ISIS, 2023)
A collection of very early Pratchett stories, pseudonymously written and mostly lacking impact as individual pieces. Though they have their moments (and are lent panache by the various audiobook readers), few would garner more than a ‘ho-hum’ if their authorship were unknown.
Toy Story
dir. John Lasseter (1995)
Pixar’s first feature-length film and the first ever to be fully computer-animated. Pioneering kudos aside, Toy Story remains (thirty years on!) a charming, perfectly paced and pitched family film whose script earns the viewer’s engagement and whose toy characters are joyously compelling.
The Mysteries of Great Cities
by Baroness E. Orczy (The Royal Magazine, April-October 1902)
reprinted in “Rivals of Sherlock Holmes”, ed. Alan K. Russell (Castle Books, 1978)
Seven serviceable mystery scenarios (almost entirely unrelated to the titular ‘great cities’), dressed up as short stories and related by a one-quirk armchair detective to a superfluous Watson figure. Orczy offers no investigation and little by way of intrigue or literary merit.
Science Fiction Movies
by Philip Strick (Octopus Books, 1976)
Broad in its definition of science fiction, wide-ranging in its consideration of obscure and/or non English–language movies, Strick’s compendium offers both a balanced, incisive overview of the vintage SF corpus and a good-humoured jumping-off point for delving into individual genre films.
First Term at Malory Towers
by Enid Blyton (Methuen, 1946)
audiobook read by Beth Eyre (Hodder Children’s, 2017)
The first book of what might be Blyton’s best series. First Term introduces the characters and setting while forever preserving the boarding experience within a spirit of post-war optimism. A delightful school story with ups and downs and an open, straightforward charm.