The Cozy Mystery List Blog

Cozy Mystery (and Other Favorite) Books, Movies, and TV

1945’s “The Spiral Staircase” Mystery Movie

The Spiral Staircase I watched this movie a few months ago, and was so taken by it that I quickly wrote an entry about it, which I decided to wait and post until I saw another airing of it. Well, that time has come! On Monday – April 18 (2016) at 9:00 PM (Central) they will be airing The Spiral Staircase on Turner Classic Movies, and if you want to see a terrific, old classic mystery movie, go set up your DVRs as soon as you finish reading my entry. Here’s the synopsis from the TCM channel:

THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE (1945)
A serial killer stalks a mute servant girl in a remote mansion.
Dir: Robert Siodmak Cast: Dorothy McGuire, George Brent, Ethel Barrymore.
BW-84 mins

I watch a lot of old, black and white mystery movies, and since I do, I don’t often write an entry about them. For me to do so, the movie has to be particularly good; it has to leave an impression on me >>> and that is what the 1945 version of The Spiral Staircase did!

The Spiral Staircase is based on Ethel Lina White’s novel “Some Must Watch“. I have not read the novel, so I can’t tell you how true-to-the-written word the producers/director stayed. I can, however, tell you that if the movie is anything like Ethel Lina White’s “Some Must Watch“, then the book must be a great mystery read!

The Spiral Staircase, for the most part, takes place inside of an old, elaborately-decorated early 1900s mansion >>> during a fierce thunderstorm. The movie’s director is Robert Siodmak, and he does an absolutely fabulous job accelerating the tension and mystery as the (+/-) hour and a half progresses. I found myself (much to my husband’s chagrin) saying “Don’t go!” and “Don’t do it!” as I gathered up the red herrings and thought that I definitely had solved the mystery (I was wrong!) before the last scene of the movie.

Ethel Barrymore is terrific as Mrs. Warren, the bed-ridden curmudgeonly, old woman. Dorothy McGuire is absolutely wonderful as Helen, the young servant who cannot speak. George Brent (a particular favorite of mine), Kent Smith, Rhonda Flemming, and Gordon Oliver are all great as the secondary characters. And, as an added treat, we get to see Elsa Lanchester do what she did best >>> complain about her lot in life. (I love seeing her do that!)

It wasn’t until after my husband & I watched The Spiral Staircase that I found out that Ethel Lina White’s “Some Must Watch” was made into four versions of The Spiral Staircase. I haven’t seen the other three versions (1961 with Elizabeth Montgomery as Helen, 1975 with Jacqueline Bisset as Helen, and 2000 with Nicolette Sheridan as Helen) so I can’t vouch for them, but I can say this about the 1945 version of The Spiral Staircase: If you get a chance to see this movie, do yourself a favor. It’s a terrific mystery movie!

P.S. So, before you forget, go set up your DVRs!

For more ideas on movies and television shows, be sure to check my TV and Movie page on my site. Here’s the list of television mystery movies that will be on for the remainder of April: Upcoming Television Mystery Movies for April 2016.

Do You Think You Recognize Any of These Cozy Mysteries?

I’m hoping that some of you can help identify these authors/books/series that other Cozy Mystery readers are looking for.

wldmstnglvr:
photographer

… In the not too distant past (within the past year I believe) I read a cozy that featured a woman photographer, her Australian Shepherd, her boyfriend and his Labrador. They both did obedience and agility, including cat agility with her cat. The story also was about illegal exotic bird smuggling.

***** ***** ***** *****
Roslyn:
Island

… Someone at a banquet recommended a mystery series about a lawyer who lives on Catalina Island, single father.

She couldn’t remember the author. I’ve been searching and can’t find it. If you know it, I’d love the author’s name.

***** ***** ***** *****
Melvin R:
cottage

… I am looking for a book that I read several years ago. I am not sure of the author or title, but I do know it was a British cozy. It was written by a woman author and was set in a small English village. The sleuth is the wife of a vicar and they have just moved into their house. There is a cottage by the name of Fox Glove Cottage in it and the murder was done with an overdose of digitalis. The suspect is an herbalist, I think she was, there was a group of hippies and fur protesters and a gay guy. I think it took place around Easter. Other than that I can’t tell you much about the book. … I know it is not one of the M.C. Beaton books.

***** ***** ***** *****
Shirley:
goat

… I am looking for a book and cannot remember the Author or Title. … It was about a woman that had a goat farm and some of her friends dropped by and they noticed the goats surrounding something by a tree in the pasture. As it turned out it was the bodies of a man and woman who had either been murdered or suicide.

***** ***** ***** *****
Jimmy:
waitress

… Does anyone remember the series about a girl who was a waitress, had a best friend who was hippie-like, and who was trying not to fall in love with a man who was almost a gangster-type and who had a gambling establishment. She had a little apartment with shabby furniture that he started trying to replace. He had bodyguards, one of whom cooked. Obviously, I remember about everything but the author’s name and the characters’ names and the titles.

***** ***** ***** *****
Suz-Anne:
Turret

… It involved a man who was a writer and lived in a Victorian (I think), in a seaside village in California, with cats. The house had a turret? at the top where the cat(s) came and went freely. I am going crazy….it’s not my typical read, (although I’ve read all the Cat Who), but I would really love to read these.

Suz-Anne, this sounds like it might be The Cat Who Went Up the Creek by Lilian Jackson Braun, except for your California village.

***** ***** ***** *****

If you think you know who these Cozy Mystery readers are looking for, would you please post a comment? Thank you!

Krista Davis: Domestic Diva Mystery Series

The Diva Runs Out of Thyme (A Domestic Diva Mystery Book 1) Lately I’ve been going back and revisiting some of the Cozy Mystery series most recommended by visitors to the site. A few of my recent articles on these topics were on Sofie Kelly’s Magical Cats Mystery Series and the Consignment Shop Mystery Series by Duffy Brown. Another of these highly recommended mystery series is the Domestic Diva Mystery Series by Krista Davis – today I’ll be discussing the first book in the series, The Diva Runs Out of Thyme.

This novel introduces us to Sophie Winston, a divorcée with a talent for hosting parties, decorating, giving advice, and other domestic tasks that are traditionally considered the personal domain of divas. When the novel opens she is gearing up to face-off against one of her oldest friends and rivals, Natasha Smith. Natasha’s not a bad person certainly, but the domestic advice she gives out is definitely a bit on the impractical side, far different from Sophie’s more down to earth “common sense” style advice tips. Sophie and Natasha will be competing in a local stuffing competition, suitable since Thanksgiving is coming up over the long weekend.

Unfortunately (as in all Cozies!) disaster must strike for there to be a plot. Naturally, the two people who have turned up dead are tied to Sophie in some way (the first a somewhat-shady private investigator who is apparently investigating Sophie >>> whose body Sofie discovers, the second the main judge of the stuffing competition >>> again unluckily discovered by Sophie). So Sophie’s already complicated Thanksgiving suddenly becomes even more stressful with a pair of homicide investigations lurking in the background. A sudden fire at her rival Natasha’s house further complicates Thanksgiving, as Sophie finds herself suddenly hosting Natasha’s friends and family as well – including Sophie’s ex-husband Mars, who is now quite attached to Natasha! Even worse, Sophie ends up being considered a potential suspect in the fire as well!

The Diva Runs Out of Thyme is in many ways an archetypal Cozy since it takes an already surprisingly stressful situation (in this case a family visit rotating around Thanksgiving) and further adds complicating elements >>> namely police investigations, a wrinkle I think most people can be thankful they don’t have to face at the average holiday gathering! The Domestic Diva Series also gives out a lot of interesting advice, including recipes and tips for entertaining.

This is a fast-paced series, with end-of-chapter cliff hangers that will keep you turning the pages as quickly as you can. The characters are vividly colorful and make you feel like you’re right there spending time with friends. The mysteries are interesting; don’t be surprised to find red herrings, and Davis usually has a few little side mysteries going at the same time as the murders are being solved. Also, if you love holiday themed Cozies as much as I do, you’ll be happy to know that Krista Davis’ Domestic Diva series has several.

If you’re already a fan of the Domestic Diva Mystery Series, you might also be interested in the other series that Krista Davis started relatively recently, the Paws & Claws Mystery Series, which stars Holly Miller, an employee of a family-owned hotel intended for both human guests and their pets. (I’m sure our beloved Sprite would have loved staying at the Sugar Maple Inn in Wagtail, Virginia! I know I would have >>> minus the murders, that is!)

If you’re interested in seeing some of the other entries I’ve written on the other highly recommended Cozy Mystery series in these previous write-ups, you can find them at the Most Recommended Cozy Mystery Series page on my site. Also, if you would like to see even more holiday themed mysteries, check out the Holiday Mystery Book List page on my site.

One New Cozy Mystery Series Coming May 2016

Last month I told you about three new Cozy Mystery series that are going to begin this month (April 2016). If you’d like to refresh your memories, here is that post entry: Three New Cozy Mystery Series Coming April 2016. Well, so far it looks like we’re only going to have one new Cozy Mystery series from site authors coming out in May. However, this new Cozy series looks like a real winner!

May will see the beginning of Kylie Logan‘s Ethnic Eats Mystery Series with the first entry in the series, Irish Stewed. Former chef to a Hollywood celebrity, Laurel Inwood is somewhat below her former station when she finds herself cooking for her aunt Sophie’s restaurant in Hubbard, Ohio. Aunt Sophie’s business is in a bit of trouble, as it is more of a run-down establishment than Laurel had been led to believe before she relocated. Still, Laurel is determined to turn the business around with her menu of interesting specialty dishes. But when a local investigative reporter turns up in a booth with a receipt spike in his back, Laurel will need to cook up a solution of a different kind>>> a solution to murder! (Also, for those of you who like your Cozies to have recipes, you’re in luck!)

Kyrie Logan also writes the Button Box Mystery Series, League of Literary Ladies Mystery Series, and Chili Cook-Off Mystery Series, as well as the Cooking Class Mystery Series as Miranda Bliss and the Pepper Martin Mystery Series as Casey Daniels.

And of course, this series (and many more!) can be found on the New Cozy Mystery Book Series page, as well as the Soon to Be Released Mysteries page on my Cozy Mystery site.

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