I’m a fan of Locked Room mysteries and Impossible Crimes so this volume of Tantalizing Locked Room Mysteries immediately appealed to me. My favorite stories in this anthology are Cornell Woolrich’s “Murder at the Automat,” “The Exact Opposite”–one of Erle Stanley Gardner’s clever Lester Leith stories–and Edward D. Hoch’s “The Leopold Locked Room” puzzle story where Captain Leopold is charged with the murder of his ex-wife.

I’m also fond of “Vanishing Act” by Bill Pronzini and Michael Kurland, which isn’t really a Locked Room mystery but an Impossible Crime. It involves the murder of a stage magician in front of an audience…and the murderer vanishes!

Are you a fan of Locked Room mysteries? GRADE: A-

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Introduction: “No one done it” / Isaac Asimov — ix

The Murders in the Rue Morgue / Edgar Allan Poe — 1

The Adventure of the speckled band / Sir Arthur Conan Doyle — 37

The Problem of Cell 13 / Jacques Futrell — 65

The Light at three o’clock / MacKinlay Kantor — 103

Murder at the automat / Cornell Woolrich — 119

The Exact opposite / Erle Stanley Gardner — 141

The Blind spot / Barry Perowne — 181

The 51st Sealed Room / Robert Arthur — 197

The Bird House / William March — 217

Big Time Operator / Jack Wodhams — 235

The Leopold locked room / Edward D. Hoch — 263

Vanishing act / Bill Pronzini and Michael Kurland — 285

Here’s another volume in the Women & Songs CD series. I’m guessing you’re familiar with many of the songs included on this compilation disc. What ever happened to Bananarama? And Martha & The Muffins? I’m always perplexed by Kim Carnes’s enigmatic “Bette Davis Eyes.” And Irene Cara’s “Flashdance What A Feeling” always causes me to trip the light fandango! Do you remember these songs? And favorites? GRADE: B+

Tracklist

BEFORE

AND

AFTER

If you’re in the mood for a Downton Abbey clone, I recommend Belgravia on EPIX (I accessed it through AMAZON PRIME Video). Julian Fellowes, who came up with Downton Abbey goes back a little farther in time. Wellington defeats Napoleon at Waterloo and that marks the beginning of a plot involving the up-and-coming merchant family–the Trenchards (Anne Trenchard is my favorite character)–and the British aristocracy which is declining in Victorian England. Anne Trenchard (Tamsin Greig) is my favorite character. Her husband is referred to as “The Magician” by the military forces because of his skill providing them with critical wartime supplies.

Julian Fellowes also wrote Belgravia, a novel that the 6-episode mini-series is based on (Belgravia is also available as an audiobook). The mini-series follows the novel closely.

What are you watching on TV? GRADE: A

It’s been nearly two months since my last haircut. All the barber shops and beauty parlors and spas are closed here and not likely to open soon.

Diane trimmed my bushy sideburns a couple weeks ago, but couldn’t really address the hair growing on my head. Her scissors just pinched too much with my long hair.

So we ordered the Panasonic trimmer. It includes several attachments which should do the job. We’re busy reading the instructions now and we might watch some YouTube videos to help us with the haircutting process. How are you and your hair getting along during this pandemic?

When looking at the Fake Fans in the South Korean stadium above, I’m reminded that the United States faces a crisis in the Fall when the NFL plans to play games. Will NFL teams compete in empty stadiums? Will only a portion of the seats be filled with fans who can “prove” they don’t have coronavirus? Or will we resort to the South Korean solution of filling our stadiums with Fake Fans? It’s all a big mystery!

What do you think will happen? What do you think of your favorite NFL team’s schedule?

BUFFALO BILLS 2020 SCHEDULE

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

• Introduction by Martin H. Greenberg 9
• “Mariana” by Fritz Leiber (FANTASTIC, February 1960) 15
• “The Day the Icicle Works Closed” by Frederik Pohl (GALAXY, February 1960) 23
• “The Fellow Who Married the Maxill Girl” by Ward Moore (MAGAZINE OF FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION, February 1960) 70
• “Mine Own Ways” by Richard M. McKenna (MAGAZINE OF FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION, February 1960) 108
• “Make Mine Homogenized” by Rick Raphael (ASTOUNDING, April 1960) 132
• “The Lady Who Sailed the Soul” by Cordwainer Smith (GALAXY, April 1960) 196
• “I Remember Babylon” by Arthur C. Clarke (PLAYBOY, May 1960) 231
• “Chief” by Henry Slesar (PLAYBOY, June 1960) 247
• “Mind Partner” by Christopher Anvil (GALAXY, August 1960) 250
• “The Handler” by Damon Knight (ROGUE, August 1960) 297
• “The Voices of Time” by J. G. Ballard (NEW WORLDS, October 1960) 304

The most recognizable stories from The Great SF Stories #22 (1960) would be “The Lady Who Sailed the Soul” by Cordwainer Smith followed by J. G. Ballard’s “The Voices of Time.” I liked Richard M. McKenna’s “Mine Own Ways” a lot. Henry Slesar’s “Chief” provides one of his patented clever short-short stories.

What was the beginning of a growing trend, SF stories printed in “men’s magazines” like Playboy and Rogue started to show up in YEAR’S BEST SCIENCE FICTION anthologies. In this case, Damon Knight’s “The Handler” and Arthur C. Clarke’s “I Remember Babylon” are represented.

I’d also forgotten how good prolific SF writers like “Christopher Anvil (aka, Christopher Crosby) could be. “Mind Partner” is first-rate. I’ve only a few more volumes in this series to reread and review. I’m feeling sad about this 25-month project nearing its end. GRADE: A-

I’ve been listening to a lot of music during this Stay-at-Home lifestyle. Just by accident, I found some Women & Music CDs and I’m both in the process of listening to them and buying the CDs in the series that I lack (only two more to go!).

I thought I’d start with a 2-CD set, Women & Music: Beginnings. One of the usual aspects of this set is that singers from different musical eras rub shoulders with one another. I remember the first time I heard Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain” (featuring Mick Jagger) in 1972 and immediately headed to the local record store to buy No Secrets with the daring (for that time) braless photo album cover. On Disc 1, it follows Mary Wells’s “My Guy” which expresses a completely different attitude toward guys.

Marie Muldaur is represented by “Midnight at the Oasis” and Melissa Manchester’s “Midnight Blue” sounds great. I’m a big fan of Doris Troy’s “Just One Look” and Nicolette Larson’s “Lotta Love” which sounds like a faux-Fleetwood Mac song to me.

How many of these songs do you remember? Any favorites here? GRADE: B+

TRACK LIST:

Disc 1

1. God Bless the Child [4:00]
   • (performed by Billie Holiday)
2. What a Diff’rence a Day Made [2:31]
   • (performed by Dinah Washington)
3. Fever [3:22]
   • (performed by Peggy Lee)
4. Son of a Preacher Man [2:27]
   • (performed by Dusty Springfield)
5. Respect [2:26]
   • (performed by Aretha Franklin)
6. Downtown [3:11]
   • (performed by Petula Clark)
7. Walkin’ After Midnight [2:01]
   • (performed by Patsy Cline)
8. Ode to Billie Joe [4:16]
   • (performed by Bobbie Gentry)
9. Put a Little Love in Your Heart [2:35]
   • (performed by Jackie DeShannon)
10. Midnight Train to Georgia [4:40]
    • (performed by Gladys Knight & The Pips)
11. Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off [4:30]
    • (performed by Ella Fitzgerald)
12. My Guy [2:53]
    • (performed by Mary Wells)
13. You’re So Vain [4:20]
    • (performed by Carly Simon)
14. The Rose [3:33]
    • (performed by Bette Midler)
15. Me and Bobby McGee [4:30]
    • (performed by Janis Joplin)

Disc 2

1. I Feel the Earth Move [3:00]
   • (performed by Carole King)
2. Lotta Love [3:09]
   • (performed by Nicolette Larson)
3. At Last [3:02]
   • (performed by Etta James)
4. Chuck E’s in Love [3:31]
   • (performed by Rickie Lee Jones)
5. Just One Look [2:32]
   • (performed by Doris Troy)
6. So Long [2:39]
   • (performed by Ruth Brown)
7. Baby I’m Yours [2:32]
   • (performed by Barbara Lewis)
8. I’ll Never Fall in Love Again [3:03]
   • (performed by Dionne Warwick)
9. Midnight at the Oasis [3:47]
   • (performed by Maria Muldaur)
10. Reflections [2:53]
    • (performed by The Supremes)
11. Misty [3:02]
    • (performed by Sarah Vaughan)
12. Midnight Blue [3:55]
    • (performed by Melissa Manchester)
13. Blue Bayou [3:55]
    • (performed by Linda Ronstadt)
14. Both Sides Now [3:16]
    • (performed by Judy Collins)
15. I Will Always Love You [3:07]
    • (performed by Dolly Parton)
16. Over the Rainbow [3:30]
    • (performed by Judy Garland)