{Also published under the title The Sittaford Mystery}
Dear Agatha,
I'm not sure when the "cozy mystery" phrase developed as a genre, but one internet reader pointed out that the first paragraphs of Hazelmoor did set the stage nicely for such:
Major Burnaby drew on his gum boots, buttoned his overcoat collar round his neck, took from a shelf near the door a hurricane lantern, and cautiously opened the front door of his little bungalow and peered out.
The scene that met his eyes was typical of the English countryside as depicted on Xmas cards and in old-fashioned melodramas. Everywhere was snow, deep drifts of it - no mere powdering an inch or two thick. Snow had fallen all over England for the last four days...
As usual, you had me fooled until the very end. I suspected the killer for a moment, but didn't take long to dismiss it.
As I read this, I visualized in my head not a movie, but playing through a video game. Going to this character to gather this information, moving to the next room or character for more clues, continuing on and so forth - very much like the computer game I have for And Then There Were None. It would make a great game!
A favorite line from Captain Wyatt:
"In a place like this you have to teach people to leave a man alone. Always knocking at the door and dropping in and chattering. I don't mind seeing people when I am in the mood - but it has got be my mood not theirs."
I can relate!
And worldly wisdom from Robert Gardner:
"Teach him life can't be all beer and skittles!"
Today, dear Agatha, Skittles brings to mind candy more readily than a game of bowling, so the phrase made me giggle. A little Google research shows that you're not the only one to use that phrase, but it was certainly new to me.
<< and more typos!!! >>
I'm going to spend some more time in your autobiography again before moving on to the next book. I am making good progress through your works, but it's a little slow given book club commitments and such. Grace keeps asking me when I'm going to read the book she gave me for Christmas (which is some obscure fantasy novel). Sigh... I'm so behind.
