2022 Reading Challenges hosted by The Mystillery

The Mystillery is pleased to offer these reading challenges for 2022!

Medical Examiner's Mystery Reading Challenge: You are the Medical Examiner, and your goal is to document the cause of death on as many unfortunate victims as you can by reading murder mysteries. Annual challenge.

Six Shooter Mystery Reading Challenge: (Nothing to do with Westerns) Shoot (read) six mysteries by the same target (author). Annual challenge, but unfinished targets roll over to the following year so you do not lose any partial progress.

Beachcomber Reading Challenge: Scavenger hunt. Fill four beach bags (Detectives, Victims, Crime Scenes, and Weapons) by finding all the items on each list. Honor system: Author/Titles need not be submitted. Annual challenge

Century Club: A real high-class operation. Expand your horizons. Read one mystery from each of the ten previous decades, comprising 1920-2020. Ongoing challenge which never expires.

In addition, The Mystillery offers two games (not challenges) for the relaxation and enjoyment of any of the challengers after a hard day of reading. The games alternate through the year: Abra Cadavers is a baseball game which runs concurrent with the Major League baseball season (April 1 to Sep 30). At all other times during the year, the Ten Pins bowling game is available!

2022 Beachcomber

Weapons

A - Automobile - Case of the Lame Canary (Gardner)

B - Tree branch - Murder on Angler's Island (Reilly)

C - Claustrophobia induced - The Deer Leap (Grimes)

D - Dogs - The Deer Leap (Grimes)

E - Fire - The Hunterstone Outrage (Truss)

F - Frightening phone call - The Deer Leap (Grimes)

G - Gun - Murder on Angler's Island (Reilly)

H - Handgun - Case of the Lame Canary (Gardner)

I or J - Ice pick - Death on the Aisle (Lockridge)

K - 1909 PacKard - Masterstrokes of Crime Detection (Wren)

L - pistoL - The Crouching Beast (Williams)

M - Mud - Colour Scheme (Marsh)

N - Poison - The Hunterstone Outrage (Truss)

O - dOg - The Saint Bids Diamonds (Charteris)

P or Q - Pistol - Death on the Aisle (Lockridge)

R - Razor - Murders in the Rue Morgue (Poe)

S - Shotgun - The Deer Leap (Grimes)

T - GuilloTine - Masterstrokes of Crime Detection (Wren)

U - gUn - The Crouching Beast (Williams)

V - cleaVer - Masterstrokes of Crime Detection (Wren)

WXY or Z - Walking stick - The Deer Leap (Grimes)

Crime Scenes

A - Apartment - Murders in the Rue Morgue (Poe)

B - Bathtub - Death on the Aisle (Lockridge) 

C - Children's Playhouse - The Deer Leap (Grimes)

D - Desert canyon - Case of the Lame Canary (Gardner)

E - Castle - The Hunterstone Outrage (Truss)

F - TeneriFe, Canary Is. - The Saint Bids Diamonds (Charteris)

G - Garden - Death on the Aisle (Lockridge)

H - Hotel room Murder on Angler's Island (Reilly)

I or J - BerlIn - Masterstrokes of Crime Detection (Wren)

K - Kennel - The Deer Leap (Grimes)

L - Laboratory - The Deer Leap (Grimes)

M - Mud pool - Colour Scheme (Marsh)

N - gardeN - The Crouching Beast (Williams)

O - prisOn - The Crouching Beast (Williams)

P or Q - Phone booth - The Deer Leap (Grimes)

R - Railroad crossing - The Crouching Beast (Williams)

S - Swimming pool - Murder on Angler's Island (Reilly)

T - Theatre - Death on the Aisle (Lockridge)

U - gUest house - The Sixth Commandment (Wells)

V - Park AVenue - Masterstrokes of Crime Detection (Wren)

WXY or Z - Corpse in Wax Works (Carr)

Detectives

A - C. Auguste Dupin - Murders in the Rue Morgue (Poe)

B - Bob Arnold - The Sixth Commandment (Wells)

C - Christopher Cox - The Sixth Commandment (Wells)

D - Paul Drake - Case of the Lame Canary (Gardner)

E - JamEs MacParlan - Masterstrokes of Crime Detection (Wren)

F - Frank Geyer - Masterstrokes of Crime Detection (Wren)

G - Inspector Green - Masterstrokes of Crime Detection (Wren)

H - Henri Bencolin - Corpse in Wax Works (Carr)

I or J - Supt. Richard Jury - The Deer Leap (Grimes)

K - Insp. Christopher McKee - Murder on Angler's Island (Reilly)

L - HoLlmann - Masterstrokes of Crime Detection (Wren)

M - Malchus - The Hunterstone Outrage (Truss)

N - Pam North - Death on the Aisle (Lockridge)

O - Olivia Dunbar - The Crouching Beast (Williams)

P or Q - Melrose Plant - The Deer Leap (Grimes)

R - Roderick Alleyn - Colour Scheme (Marsh)

S - Kali DaSs - Masterstrokes of Crime Detection (Wren)

T - Allan PinkerTon - Masterstrokes of Crime Detection (Wren)

U - Nigel DrUce - The Crouching Beast (Williams)

V - Eugene Vidocq - Masterstrokes of Crime Detection (Wren)

WXY or Z - Lt. Bill Weigand - Death on the Aisle (Lockridge)

Victims

A - Mary Fowler - Death on the Aisle (Lockridge)

B - Dr. Carney Bolton - Death on the Aisle (Lockridge)

C - Carrie Fleet - The Deer Leap (Grimes)

D - Daniel Harland - The Hunterstone Outrage (Truss)

E - Ellen Grady - Death on the Aisle (Lockridge)

F Faith Ann Crale - Murder on Angler's Island (Reilly)

G - Dr. Gould - The Hunterstone Outrage (Truss)

H = Odette Duchene - Corpse in Wax Works (Carr)

I or J - Jason Braun - Case of the Lame Canary (Gardner)

K - Annie Klaus - Masterstrokes of Crime Detection (Wren)

L - Madame. L'Espanaye - Murders in the Rue Morgue (Poe)

M - Sally MacBride - The Deer Leap (Grimes)

N - Mme. L'Espanaye - Murders in the Rue Morgue (Poe)

O - Walter Prescott - Case of the Lame Canary (Gardner)

P or Q - Una Quick - The Deer Leap (Grimes)

R - Rudi Von Linz - The Crouching Beast (Williams)

S - PC Pasco - The Deer Leap (Grimes)

T - Ted - The Sixth Commandment (Wells)

U - MaUrice QUesting - Colour Scheme (Marsh)

V - Fairy LoVell - The Sixth Commandment (Wells)

WXY or Z Leslie Manxman - Murder on Angler's Island (Reilly)

2022 Color Coded Reading Challenge

 

This Bev Hankins reading challenge is located here. I am trying a mini-challenge within, by using as many Erle Stanley Gardner books as possible.

Planned

Completed

Read nine books in the following categories:

1. A book with "Blue" or any shade of Blue in the title/on the cover.

Mystery of the Blue Train - Agatha Christie

2. A book with "Red" or any shade of Red in the title/on the cover.

Case of the Crimson Kiss - Erle Stanley Gardner

3. A book with "Yellow" or any shade of Yellow in the title/on the cover.

Case of the Lame Canary - Erle Stanley Gardner

4. A book with "Green" or any shade of Green in the title/on the cover.

Case of the Green Eyed Sister - Erle Stanley Gardner

5. A book with "Brown" or any shade of Brown in the title/on the cover.

Case of the Borrowed Brunette - Erle Stanley Gardner

6. A book with "Black" or any shade of Black in the title/on the cover.

Black Orchids - Rex Stout

7. A book with "White" or any shade of White in the title/on the cover.

The White Cockatoo by Mignon G. Eberhart

8. A book with any other color in the title/on the cover (Purple, Orange, Silver, Pink, etc).

Case of the Gold Diggers Purse - Erle Stanley Gardner

9. A book with a word/image that implies color in the title/on the cover (Rainbow, Polka-dot, Plaid, Shadow, Paint, Ink, etc).

Colour Scheme - Ngaio Marsh

2022 Vintage Scattergories

This Bev Hankins challenge is located here. 

The goal is to read at least eight Golden Age (prior to 1960) books during 2022 from the following categories:

Categories:

1. Colorful Crime: A book with a color or reference to color in the title

Colour Scheme by Ngaio Marsh, 1943 

2. Murder by the Numbers: A book with a number or quantity in the title

The Sixth Commandment by Carolyn Wells, 1927

3. Amateur Night: A book with a detective who is not a P.I.; Police Officer; or other official investigator (Nurse Keate, Father Brown, Miss Marple, etc.)

Eleven Came Back by Mabel Seeley, 1943, in which our narrator/protagonist, Martha Chappell, assumes the role of detective.

4. Leave It to the Professionals: A book featuring cops, private eyes, secret service, professional spies, etc.

The Tannahill Tangle by Carolyn Wells, 1928

5. Jolly Old England: A mystery set in the United Kingdom

The Hunterstone Outrage by Seldon Truss, 1931 (Mystery League #20)

6. Yankee Doodle Dandy: A mystery set in the United States

Whisper Murder! by Vera Kelsey, 1946

7. World Traveler: A mystery set in any country except the U.S. or U.K.

The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe, 1841 (France)

8. Dangerous Beasts: A book with an animal in the title

The Case of the Lame Canary by Erle Stanley Gardner, 1937

9. A Calendar of Crime: A mystery with a date/holiday/year/month/etc. in the title

The Day of Uniting by Edgar Wallace, 1930

10. Wicked Women: A book with a woman in the title--either by name (Mrs. McGinty's Dead) or by reference (The Case of the Vagabound Virgin)

The D.A.'s Daughter by Herman Petersen, 1943

11. Malicious Men: A book with a man in the title--either by name (Maigret & the Yellow Dog) or by reference (The Case of the Haunted Husband)

Alias Uncle Hugo by Manning Coles, 1952

12. Murderous Methods: A book with a means of death in the title (The Noose, 5 Bullets, Deadly Nightshade, etc.)

The Mystery of the Poisoned Dish of Mushrooms by Ernest Bramah, 1924

13. Staging the Crime: A mystery set in the entertainment world (theatre, musical event, pageant, Hollywood, etc)

Death on the Aisle by Frances & Richard Lockridge, 1942

14. Scene of the Crime: A book with the location of the crime in the title 

That Affair Next Door by Anna Katherine Green, 1897

15. Cops & Robbers: A book that features a theft rather than murder

Crooked Lightning by Erle Stanley Gardner, 1928 (jewel theft)

16. Locked Rooms/Impossible Crimes: A locked-room or otherwise impossible crime mystery (locks not necessary). 

The Secret of the Conrad Door, contained in Masterstrokes of Crime Detection by Lassiter Wren, 1929.

17. First Impressions: Randomly select four books from your TBR pile. Read only the first line of each book and select one of them to read based on your first impression of the book.

The White Cottage Mystery by Margery Allingham, 1927.

18. Country House Criminals: A standard (or not-so-standard) Golden Age-style country house murder

The Strawstack Murders by Dorothy Cameron Disney, 1938

19. Murder on the High Seas: A mystery involving water

A Corpse by Any Other Name by RAJ Walling, 1943, in which a valuable message is lost when a ship is torpedoed.

20. Planes, Trains, & Automobiles: A book with a mode of transportation in the title

Death in the [train] Tunnel by Miles Burton, 1936

21. Murder is Academic: A mystery involving a scholar, teacher, librarian, etc. OR set at a school, university, library, etc.

Deep Lay the Dead by Frederick C. Davis, 1942

22. Things That Go Bump in the Night: A book with something spooky, creepy, gothic in the title (The Skeleton in the Clock; Haunted Lady; The Bat; etc)

The Corpse in the Wax Works by John Dickson Carr, 1932

23. Repeat Offenders: A mystery featuring your favorite series detective or by your favorite author or reread an old favorite

Cordially Invited to Meet Death by Rex Stout, 1942, featuring Nero Wolfe

24. The Butler Did It...Or Not: A mystery where the butler is the victim, the sleuth...(gasp) the criminal...or is just downright memorable for whatever reason.

The Crime Conductor by Philip MacDonald, 1931, in which the butler Vickers has a secret past which is part of the plot.

25. A Mystery by Any Other Name: Any book that has been published under more than one title (Murder Is Easy--aka Easy to Kill [Christie]; Fog of Doubt--aka London Particular [Christianna Brand], etc.)

The Saint Bids Diamonds, apa Thieve's Picnic by Leslie Charteris, 1937

26. Dynamic Duos: A mystery featuring a detective team (Holmes & Watson; Pam & Jerry North; Nero Wolfe & Archie Goodwin, or a little-known team that you introduce to us)

Black Orchids by Rex Stout, 1941 (Nero Wolfe & Archie Goodwin)

27. Size Matters: A book with a size or measurement in the title (Death Has a Small Voice; The Big Four; The Weight of the Evidence; etc.)

The Saint at Large by Leslie Charteris, 1942.

28. Psychic Phenomena: A mystery featuring a seance, medium, hypnotism, or other psychic or "supernatural" characters/events

Lost Man's Lane by Anna Katherine Green, 1898

29. Book to Movie: A book that has appeared on screen (feature film or TV)

The Case of the Crimson Kiss by Erle Stanley Gardner, 1948

30. The Old Bailey: A courtroom drama mystery OR a mystery featuring a judge, lawyer, barrister, district attorney

The Case of the Stuttering Bishop by Erle Stanley Gardner, 1936

31. Serial Killers: Books that were originally published in serial format (from the pulp era) OR a book that includes three or more deaths--all committed by the same person.
The Mystery of Marie Rogêt by Edgar Allan Poe, 1842, published as a newspaper serial

32. Killed in Translation: A work that originally appeared in another language and has been made available in English--original publication date determines Gold or Silver Age--OR if your native language is not English, then a work that originally appeared in English which you read in your native language.
The Horla by Guy de Maupassant, 1887

33. History Mysteries: The bulk or focus of the mystery must take place at least 15 years prior to the date of publication. Flashback stories are fine as long as the modern events frame the story OR the historical events are absolutely vital to the present day story. Example: A Study in Scarlet by Sir Artur Conan Doyle.

The Crouching Beast by Valentine Williams (1928) in which the story takes place just prior to World War I. 

34. International Detectives: A variation on "World Traveler"--but instead of the crime being set in another country, the detective is not from the U.S. or U.K.

The Big Shot by Frank L. Packard, 1929, in which our amateur detective is a Canadian woman.

35. Somebody Else's Crime: Read a book that someone else has already read for the challenge.

The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie, 1942, previously read by Christina. 

36. Genuine Fakes: Read a book by an author who wrote under a pseudonym (Josephine Tey [Elizabeth Mackintosh]; Nicholas Blake [Cecil Day Lewis]; etc.)

The Four of Hearts by Ellery Queen, 1938. Pseudonym of Frederic Dannay and Manfred Lee

37. Hobbies Can Be Murder: A mystery that involves a hobby in some way: stamp, coin, book collecting, etc; knitting; birdwatching; hunting; etc.

Murder on Angler's Island by Helen Reilly (1945) in which 'Angling' is in the title

38. Snatch & Grab: Read the first book you pick up off your shelf or TBR stack/s

The Man With the Clubfoot by Valentine Williams (1918)

39. I've Got You Covered: Pick a book to read based on the cover

The White Cockatoo by Mignon G. Eberhart (1933)

40. Get Out of Jail Free: One per customer. You tell me what special category the book fits and it counts--the only thing I won't accept is "It's a vintage mystery!" The genre/time period is a given.

Duty Free by Manning Coles, 1959. Submitted in the literal  sense - It features one character who escapes from jail successfully.

2021 Mount TBR Challenge

 

This is the 2021 Mount TBR (To Be Read) Challenge, from Bev Hankins.
The challenge page is located here. 

Wrap up: Hello from Mt. Everest! (100 titles)

These are the challenge levels:

• Pike's Peak: Read 12 books from your TBR pile/s
• Mount Blanc: Read 24 books from your TBR pile/s
• Mt. Vancouver: Read 36 books from your TBR pile/s
• Mt. Ararat: Read 48 books from your TBR pile/s
• Mt. Kilimanjaro: Read 60 books from your TBR pile/s
• El Toro: Read 75 books from your TBR pile/s 
• Mt. Everest: Read 100 books from your TBR pile/s
• Mount Olympus (Mars): Read 150+ books from your TBR pile/s

Climbing Log:

1. Lynn Brock (Alister McAllister) Murder on the Bridge
2. Agatha Christie By the Pricking of My Thumbs
3. Agatha Christie Murder at the Vicarage
4. Philip R. Craig Vineyard Deceit - Martha's Vineyard #3
5. Philip R. Craig Cliff Hanger - Martha's Vineyard #4
6. Frederick C. Davis Deep Lay the Dead
7. Erle Stanley Gardner The Case of the Turning Tide
8. Erle Stanley Gardner The Case of the Smoking Chimney
9. Martha Grimes The Old Fox Deceiv'd - Richard Jury #2
10. Martha Grimes The Anodyne Necklace - Richard Jury #3
11. Rupert Hughes Ladies' Man
12. Kathleen Moore Knight Bells for the Dead (PIKE'S PEAK SUMMITED)
13. Kathleen Moore Knight Port of Seven Strangers
14. McNeile, H. C. Temple Tower
15. Ellery Queen (Frederic Dannay & Manfred Lee) The Chinese Orange Mystery
16. Ellery Queen (Frederic Dannay & Manfred Lee) The Dragon's Teeth
17. Edgar Wallace Face in the Night
18. Edgar Wallace White Face
19. Carolyn Wells All At Sea
20. Carolyn Wells Anybody but Anne
21. Ellery Queen    The Adventures of Ellery Queen
22. S. S. Van Dine   The Benson Murder Case
23. Carolyn Wells    Prillilgirl
24. The Man in the Dark   John Ferguson (MOUNT BLANC SUMMITED)
25. The Mirror Crack'd   Agatha Christie
26. Off Season  Philip R. Craig
27. The Chiffon Scarf  Mignon G. Eberhart
28. The Bigger They Come  A. A. Fair
29. The Avenging Ray   Austin J. Small
30. The Dirty Duck   Martha Grimes
31. The New Adventures of Ellery Queen   Ellery Queen
32. The Canary Murder Case by Ellery Queen
33. The Devil Man by Edgar Wallace
34. The Man in Lower Ten by Mary Roberts Rinehart
35. A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie
36. A Case of Vineyard Poison by Philip R. Craig (MOUNT VANCOUVER SUMMITED)
37. The Hangman's Whip by Mignon G. Eberhart
38. The Case of the Ice Cold Hands by Erle Stanley Gardner
39. The Tule Marsh Murder by Nancy Barr Mavity
40. Without Lawful Authority by Manning Coles
41. The Roman Hat Mystery by Ellery Queen
42. The Greene Murder Case by S. S. Van Dine
43. The Calendar by Edgar Wallace
44. Dead Man's Secret by Mary Plum
45. Shadow in the House by Sinclair Gluck
46. At Bertram's Hotel by Agatha Christie
47. The Basle Express by Manning Coles
48. The Railway Detective by Edward Marston (MOUNT ARARAT SUMMITED)
49. Beauty is a Beast by Kathleen Moore Knight
50. The Preying Mantis by Nancy Rutledge
51. The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett
52. The Pattern by Mignon G. Eberhart
53. Death of a Doxy by Rex Stout
54. A Deadly Vineyard Holiday by Philip R. Craig
55. The Day the World Ended by Sax Rohmer
56. Jerusalem Inn by Martha Grimes
57. The D.A.'s Daughter by Herman Petersen
58. The Case of the Black-eyed Blonde by Erle Stanley Gardner
59. The Silent Partner by Kathleen Moore Knight
60. The Final Deduction by Rex Stout (MOUNT KILIMANJARO SUMMITED)
61. The Bishop Murder Case by S. S. Van Dine
62. The 81st Site by Tony Kenrick
63. The Gaol Breaker by Edgar Wallace
64. It Walks by Night by John Dickson Carr
65. The Beautiful Derelict by Carolyn Wells
66. Red Wind by Raymond Chandler
67. Alphabet Hicks by Rex Stout
68. The Saint on Guard by Leslie Charteris
69. Murder in Three Acts by Agatha Christie
70. Search for a Sultan by Manning Coles
71. The Red Box by Rex Stout
72. Cruel and Unusual by Patricia Cornwell
73. Poirot Loses a Client / Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie
74. The Leavenworth Case by Anna Katharine Green
75. Streaked with Crimson by Charles J. Dutton (EL TORO SUMMITED)
76. The Man Who Didn't Exist by Geoffrey Homes
77. Marked Men by Charles Neville Buck
78. Help the Poor Struggler by Martha Grimes
79. And on the Eighth Day by Ellery Queen
80. The Trial of Scotland Yard by Stuart Martin
81. The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie
82. Design in Diamonds by Kathleen Moore Knight
83. The League of Frightened Men by Rex Stout
84. Hickory Dickory Death by Agatha Christie
85. The Other Bullet by Nancy Barr Mavity
86. The Scarab Murder Case by S. S. Van Dine
87. The Case of the Missing Sandals by Nancy Barr Mavity
88. The Kennel Murder Case by S. S. Van Dine
89. The Fifth Key by George Harmon Coxe
90. The Man Who Didn't Mind Hanging by Nancy Barr Mavity
91. Danger in the Dark by Mignon G. Eberhart
92. The Fate of Jane McKenzie by Nancy Barr Mavity
93. The Confession by Mary Roberts Rinehart
94. The Calloused Eye by Ethel Loban
95. House of Storm by Mignon G. Eberhart
96. Trouble is My Business by Raymond Chandler
97. The House on the Roof by Mignon G. Eberhart
98. Blackmailers Don't Shoot by Raymond Chandler
99. The Pencil by Raymond Chandler
100. Bab, a Sub-Deb by Mary Roberts Rinehart (MT EVEREST SUMMITED)
101. Sight Unseen by Mary Roberts Rinehart