The 10-4 Buffalo Bills are headed for the Playoffs. But first, they have an afternoon game with the 11-3 New England Patriots today. For the Bills to win the AFC East, they would have to defeat the Patriots then beat the NY Jets next week…and the Patriots would have to lose to the Miami Dolphins. Not likely.

So do the Bills rest some of their key players today and next week? Do they treat these games like Preseason games? We’ll find out later today. The one thing that could derail the Bills’ hopes is…injuries. Will you be watching this game? Check out the WALL STREET JOURNAL article about the Buffalo Bills:

If the Bills Shock the Patriots, Should a National Holiday Be Declared?
A pesky Buffalo football club has a small, outside chance to win the AFC East. That’s amazing unto itself.

By Jason Gay

I know the country is roiling right now, ablaze with a president’s impeachment, a clamor of partisan finger-pointing, a lot of Beltway yappers barking in circles on cable news, and, as always, angry tweets. So many angry tweets. Also, there’s a very alarming new “Cats” movie, apparently, with singing, mewling cats.

Still, I need everyone to focus on something much more important:

The Buffalo Bills have a chance to shock the world.

They can topple the mighty, mightily respected, mightily despised New England Patriots.

I know. I told you. It’s a big deal. Knocking off the fancy Death Star Patriots? It’d be more seismic than impeachment. Clocks would stop. Mountains would move. Parents, children and dogs of all sizes would rush to the streets and dance. A national week of celebratory Bills Mafia table smashing would commence.

But…let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet.

The 10-4 Bills travel to Foxborough, Mass., for a Saturday afternoon contest against an 11-3 Patriots team that does not feel very 11-3. The Patriots have lost two games in December already, and Tom Brady is finally looking his age (a handsome 89) as he struggles to connect with another iffy set of wide receivers the Patriots appear to have found on Etsy.

Meanwhile, the NFL is investigating yet another claim of Patriots cheating shenanigans, and the irritated and anxious New England fandom is behaving like Cape Cod will be closed next summer.

Let’s get some perspective here. There are at least 28 or so teams in the NFL which would love to have the Patriots’ problems. Caution is advisable. New England motivationally feasts on predictions of their demise. We heard a lot of “End is Nigh” speculation around this time last year, and then the Patriots went on to win their nine billionth Super Bowl.

But this could be the moment the Patriots are vulnerable—and not just vulnerable in the playoffs. They’re also potentially vulnerable in their own division, the AFC East, which has been a light appetizer they’ve snacked on for this entire century.

Enter the Bills. Buffalo isn’t a perfect club—they’ve beaten a lot of middling teams on their way to their first 10-win season since Bill Clinton was in office—but they’re feisty, and they’re just one game in the standings behind the Grumpy Lobster Boat Captain, Bill Belichick. They have an excellent defense (third-ranked in NFL total defense) a sturdy secondary (led by Pro Bowler Tre’Davious White) and there’s stability at quarterback, in second-year passer Josh Allen from Wyoming.

Head coach Sean McDermott has taken Buffalo to the playoffs twice in his first three seasons, and he appears to know what he’s doing, which immediately vaults him over basically all of the Bills coaches since Marv Levy left the sideline. McDermott’s turned the Bills into nasty visitors: Buffalo is 6-1 on the road this season after their Sunday night victory over Pittsburgh.

Because of this, they actually have an outside crack at the AFC East. Let’s be clear: the Bills will need to win and get some help to do it. For the Patriots to fork over the division, they would need to lose to Buffalo Saturday and also drop their regular-season finale with fetid Miami.

That’s a big ask. Probably not going to happen.

But the fact that it’s the third week of December and we’re even talking about this is, well, staggering.

That’s because the AFC East has been New England’s sure thing for close to two decades. Since the 2001 season, when Brady replaced Drew Bledsoe and led the Patriots to their first Super Bowl title, New England has won the AFC East a startling 16 times, including the last 10 in a row. The only other teams to win the division since 2001 are the 2002 New York Jets, quarterbacked by Chad Pennington, and the 2008 Miami Dolphins, also quarterbacked by Chad Pennington.

I’ll ask it for you: why isn’t Chad Pennington in the Pro Football Hall of Fame for this mere factoid alone?

The Patriots don’t lose this division. The Grumpy Lobster Boat Captain clings onto it like a bow line in a nor’easter. Outside of some mild pestering by the Jets and Rex Ryan 10 or so years ago, no one’s come close to unseating them as the division’s best team. The AFC East has basically operated as a four-team competition featuring the Globetrotters, plus the Generals, the Generals and the Generals. Here’s a fun fact courtesy of the Journal’s football czar Andrew Beaton: The last time the Bills won the division (1995), Josh Allen wasn’t even born. (Beaton himself was playing Legos in Yoda pajamas.)

This all could change over the next couple of weeks. A win by the Bills (5-34 against the Patriots since 2000) would be a mood-changing event. Even if the Patriots cling onto the division, a rival will have made them work for it. New England’s anxiety will intensify. I haven’t even gotten into the latest “scandal.” The league wants to know why a Pats staffer was videotaping the sideline of a Bengals game a week before New England’s game with Cincinnati. This is suspicious because A) it was the Patriots and B) who on earth wants to watch tape from a Bengals game?

For Buffalo, it would be a stunning revival for a club primarily known for a run of early ‘90s Super Bowl losses and—more recently—viral internet videos of their tailgating fans jumping off structures and smashing into cheap plastic tables.

The Buffalo Bills…AFC East champions?

Unimaginable. The skies would thunder. Birds would sing. So would those strange movie cats.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
The AFC East has been New England’s sure thing for close to two decades. Is this the beginning of the end for the Patriots dynasty? Join the discussion.

Write to Jason Gay at Jason.Gay@wsj.com

Who wouldn’t want to find a lavish full-color coffee table volume of more than 2000 books by more than 250 authors published by the iconic Crime Club between 1930 and 1994 under their Christmas tree. John Curran performs magic in presenting cover artwork with commentaries, the publishing background of many of the mysteries, and–my favorite feature–the blurbs for each Collins book!

Here’s Curran’s commentary on Evelyn E. Smith’s Miss Melville Regrets (1987): “Unlike the elderly ladies who devote their declining years to the elucidation of crime–Jane Marple and Hildegarde Withers, for instance–Miss Susan Melville has a different agenda. She undertakes, for a fee, to eliminate unpleasant persons from society. And gets to like it. The first three of Miss Melville’s four novels appeared in the Crime Club.” (p. 186)

Here’s the blurb that appeared on The Golden Spiders (May 1954): “The street urchin reported what he had seen to that famous but slothful detective, Nero Wolfe, instead of to the police because: ‘I know how you feel about the lousy cops, just like I do.’ What Peter Drossos had seen, nebulous and improbable as it sounded, in fact led directly to some very solid and dangerous facts. Three murders quickly followed–and the most certain way of getting killed apparently was to come to Wolfe’s house and ask for help: his visitors were apt to be hit on the head or run over by cars shortly after leaving. How was the Association for the Aid of Displaced Persons–known as Assadip–being exploited? Who had to commit three murders to cover their tracks? And, above all, what was the importance of the golden earrings, shaped like spiders, worn by the lady Pete had seen for a fleeting moment in the Cadillac? Nero Wolfe’s cerebral powers, aided possibly by Archie Goodwin’s, and certainly by Archie’s strong-arm methods, lead to a surprising solution, with a great deal of un along the way.” (p. 369)

The Hooded Gunman is one of my favorite books of 2019! This book is a browser’s delight! It would make a wonderful present for that book lover on your Gift List! GRADE: A+
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
INTRODUCTION 7
The History of Collins 8
COLLINS AND CRIME FICTION 11
The Dawn of a Golden Age 12
The Key to Success 15
The Detective Story Club 19
The Crime Club 21
The Crime Club Cover Story 25
FIRST DECADE – THE 1930s 30
SCECOND DECADE – THE 1940s 62
THIRD DECADE – THE 1950s 86
FOURTH DECADE – THE 1960s 110
FIFTH DECADE – THE 1970s 132
SIXTH DECADE – THE 1980s 160
SEVENTH DECADE – THE 1990s 194
POSTSCRIPT: 65 YEARS OF BRILLIANT CRIME 210
The End of an Era 212
“Phantom” Titles 213
The White Circle 214
Anniversary Volumes 216
The Crime Club Card Games 220
“Only for Dons” Crime Novel Competition 222
MURDER THEY WROTE 225
The Descriptive Blurbs 226
Short Story Collections 386
Omnibuses 387
Duplicate Titles 388
Topics in Crime Club 388
Topics in Crime Club 389
White Circle Paperbacks 390
Elect References 391
Index of Authors 392
Index of Titles 394

For the Wonder Woman fan on your Gift List, here’s the latest DC Animated adventure. Wonder Woman Bloodlines begins with the origin story on Themyscira, Diana’s home. There’s a brief tour of Wonder Woman’s various adversaries. Then, the real action starts as Wonder Woman’s new villain appears to threaten Themyscira. AMAZON is offering Wonder Woman Bloodlines at a remarkable $9.99! Another great Stocking Stuffer! GRADE: B+

For that Cole Porter fan on your Gift List, Harry Connick, Jr.’s new CD, True Love: A Celebration of Cole Porter provides wonderful music by a performer who truly appreciates Cole Porter’s songs. I particularly liked Connick’s version of “All of You” (take a listen below). Very moving. You could consider True Love as Cole Porter’s Greatest Hits. This is a perfect Stocking Stuffer! My only quibble is that Harry Connick, Jr.’s cover photo looks him look like a Bad Guy in a Spaghetti Western. Do you have a favorite Cole Porter song? GRADE: A
TRACK LIST:
1. Anything Goes
2. I Love Paris
3. I Concentrate On You
4. All Of You
5. Mind If I Make Love To You
6. Just One Of Those Things
7. In The Still Of The Night
8. Why Can’t You Behave
9. Begin The Beguine
10. You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To
11. True Love
12. You’re Sensational
13. You Do Something To Me

This 4-Blu-ray set goes for $59.99 on AMAZAON. It includes all 41-episodes, a Scooby-Doo Encyclopedia, and a Scooby-Doo keychain. NEW BONUS FEATURES:
• My Life with Scooby, Frank Welker’s Animated Journey
• A Scooby-Doo for Everyone • 50 Years of Scooby Snacks
• Scooby-Doo and the Lost City of Gold Trailer (Live Stage Production)
Kids will love this! And, if you’re a kid at heart, you’ll love this set, too! GRADE: A
DISC 1 – SEASON 1 (1969-1970)
What a Night for a Knight
A Clue for Scooby-Doo
Hassle in the Castle
Mine Your Own Business
Decoy for a Dognapper
What the Hex Going On?
Never Ape an Ape Man
Foul Play in Funland
The Backstage Rage
Bedlam in the Big Top
A Gaggle of Galloping Ghosts
DISC 2 – SEASON 1 (1969-1970)
Scooby-Doo and a Mummy, Too
Which Witch is Which?
Go Away Ghost Ship
Spooky Space Kook
A Night of Fright is No Delight
That’s Snow Ghost
DISC 2 – SEASON 2 (1970)
Nowhere to Hyde
Mystery Mask Mix-Up
Scooby’s Night with a Frozen Fright
Jeepers, It’s the Creeper
DISC 3 – SEASON 2 (1970)
Haunted House Hang-Up
A Tiki Scare is No Fair
Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Werewolf?
Don’t Fool with a Phantom
DISC 3 – SEASON 3 (1978)
Watch Out! The Willawaw!
To Switch a Witch
A Creepy Tangle in the Bermuda Triangle
The Creepy Case of Old Iron Face
A Highland Fling with a Monstrous Thing
A Scary Night with a Snow Beast Fright
DISC 4 – SEASON 3 (1978)
The Tar Monster
Jeepers, It’s the Jaguaro!
Make a Beeline Away from That Feline
The Creepy Creature of Vulture’s Claw
The Diabolical Disc Demon
Scooby’s Chinese Fortune Kooky Caper
A Menace in Venice
Don’t Go Near the Fortress of Fear
The Beast is Awake at Bottomless Lake
The Warlock of Wimbledon

To help you with your Holliday gift shopping, I’m devoting this week to making suggestions for those hard-to-buy-for people on your List. This handy volume reprints the DC Comics 5-story arc. I’m hoping Titan Books reprints all the Ms. Tree adventures that ran from 1981 to 1993, printed by various publishers. Ms. Tree, a tough private eye with a talent for dealing with trouble, holds up after almost 40 years. Only $18.49 on AMAZON! GRADE: A

The 9-4 Buffalo Bills need a win tonight over the 8-5 Pittsburgh Steelers to punch their ticket to the Playoffs. Win, and they’re in. But the Steelers are 28-7 in night games since 2006. The Bills are 1-point underdogs. How will your favorite NFL team fare today?

Jumanji: The Next Level brings the cast of the 2017 surprise hit, Jumanji (you can read my review here), back together for another bizarre adventure in an old video game. Yes, the cast is expanded by Danny Glover and Danny DeVito who frankly add nothing to the mix. The previous Jumanji had more humor and more surprises. This sequel creaks along until the team–Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, and Jack Black–start swapping bodies. Silly, but funny. The strong hint that another Jumanji movie might appear in a year or two doesn’t thrill me if it’s as mediocre as Jumanji: The Next Level. Save your time and money and skip this one. GRADE: C+

The Great SF stories #17 (1955) features two genuine classic stories: Cordwainer Smith’s “The Game of Rat and Dragon” and Walter M. Miller, Jr.’s “The Darfsteller.” “The Star” by Arthur C. Clarke borders on classic status. I was impressed by James H. Schmitz’s “Grandpa,” a ecological puzzle story. Philip K. Dick’s “Captive Market” and Erie Frank Russell’s “Allamagoosa” delighted me upon rereading. Once again, Theodore Sturgeon shows why he’s one of the great SF short story writers with “Who?” This is another excellent volume in an important series. Are any of these stories favorites of yours? GRADE: A
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
INTRODUCTION By Martin H. Greenberg 9
“The Tunnel Under the World” by Frederik Pohl (GALAXY, January 1955) 13
“The Darfsteller” by Walter M. Miller, Jr. (ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION, January 1955) 56
“The Cave of Night” by James E. Gunn (GALAXY, February 1955) 112
“Grandpa” by James H. Schmitz (ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION, February 1955) 130
“Who?” by Theodore Sturgeon (GALAXY, March 1955) 153
“The Short Ones” by Raymond E. Banks (THE MAGAZINES OF FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION, March 1955) 187
“Captive Market” by Philip K. Dick (IF, April 1955) 209
“Allamagoosa” by Eric Frank Russell (ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION, May 1955) 228
“The Vanishing American” by Charles Beaumont (THE MAGAZINE OF FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION, August 1955) 243
“The Game of Rat and Dragon” by Cordwainer Smith (GALAXY, October 1955) 253
“The Star” by Arthur C. Clarke (INFINITY SCIENCE FICTION, November 1955) 270
“Nobody Bothers Gus” by Algis Budrys (ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION, November 1955) 277
“Delenda Est” by Poul Anderson (THE MAGAZINE OF FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION, December 1955) 292
“Dreaming Is a Private Thing” by Isaac Asimov (THE MAGAZINE OF FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION, December 1955) 333

Whenever I travel, I always take a Jack Reacher novel with me. I find Lee Child’s Jack Reacher books easy to read on a trip, involving, and real page-turners. I decided to read the Jack Reacher series in “Chronological” order, not in the order the books were published. Lee Child has published a few “prequels” to the series–a strategy I’m guessing Child will resort to again.

The Enemy introduces Jack Reacher as a Major in the Military Police. Reacher investigates the death of a General and that leads to a conspiracy. Night School brings Reacher onto a team that’s investigating possible terrorist plots. You can get more details here. Bill Crider makes some funny observations about The Affair (you can read them here). Reacher is sent to investigate the dead of three women in a small town outside a military base. Could someone at the base be the killer?

The first Jack Reacher novel in publishing order is Killing Floor. In the edition I read, Lee Child provides a retrospective on how Jack Reacher came to be and how he decided the kind of books he wanted to write. Jack Reacher gets arrested at the beginning of the book while eating breakfast in a little Southern town. What Reacher discovers has international dimensions. Reacher untangles the bizarre plot and extracts vengeance from the Bad Guys in an explosive conclusion. I’ll continue reading Jack Reacher novels in this order throughout 2020. GRADE: B (for all four books)
JACK REACHER SERIES IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER:
The Enemy (2004) Prequel set eight years before Killing Floor
Night School (2016) Prequel set when Reacher is 35
The Affair (2011) This is another prequel set just before Killing Floor
Killing Floor (1997)
Die Trying (1998)
Tripwire (1999)
Running Blind (2000) UK Title: “The Visitor”
Echo Burning (2001)
Without Fail (2002)
Persuader (2003)
One Shot (2005)
The Hard Way (2006)
Bad Luck and Trouble (2007)
Nothing to Lose (2008)
Gone Tomorrow (2009)
61 Hours (Spring 2010)
Worth Dying For (Fall 2010)
A Wanted Man (2012)
Never Go Back (2013)
Personal (2014)
Make Me (2015)
No Middle Name (2017) Collection of 12 short stories
The Midnight Line (2017)
Past Tense (2018)
Blue Moon (2019)