Official Selection:
Baroness Orczy (1865-1947) was a Hungarian-born British author, best known for her Scarlet Pimpernel novels. Her Teahouse Detective was one of the first fictional sleuths created in response to the Sherlock Holmes stories' huge success. Initially serialized in magazines, the stories in this collection were first published in book form in 1908. Called "the first armchair detective" by Ellery Queen, The "Old Man in the Corner" is definitely a detective all mystery fans should meet.
Official Selection:
Rex Stout (1886-1975) wrote the first of the most famous armchair detective series in 1934 - Fer-De-Lance. Nero Wolfe and his right hand man Archie Goodwin star in this very long sereis of books. All of which involve Nero Wolfe, the brilliant detective, sending Archie out to his legwork and using that information alone to solve his case from home. The basis for a long-running TV series as well, The Nero Wolfe books are quintessential mystery reading. In fact, Murder By The Book was named after the Rex Stout book carrying that title.
Bonus Selection:
The first in a new series by Stephen Spotswood featuring Pentecost & Parker, and giving off major Nero Wolfe vibes! His fast-paced modern take on 1940s New York, with a great mystery too, is highly recommended by the MBTB staff!
Bonus Selection:
A Tess Monoghan novella, originally serialized, this short read finds Tess facing mandatory bed rest, watching the world from her bedroom window. When suddenly a daily dog-walking woman stops walking by, she investigages - from bed.