Book Review: The Groom Lay Dead

Cover by Robert Stanley. This scene actually happens in the book!

Book Review: The Groom Lay Dead by George Harmon Coxe September 9, 1943: In Europe, the Armistice of Cassibile has been announced, the Italian government having withdrawn from the Axis alliance. (Not that it helped them much because Germany promptly took over much of Italy to fight on.) But in the Finger Lakes region of… Continue reading Book Review: The Groom Lay Dead

Magazine Review: High Adventure #194: Wheeler-Nicholson Special

Magazine Review: High Adventure #194: Wheeler-Nicholson Special edited by John P. Gunnison This volume of the pulp reprints series has five stories by Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson, who in addition to writing many fine pulp stories is important to the history of comic books. In 1935, he founded National Allied Publications, which published the first comic… Continue reading Magazine Review: High Adventure #194: Wheeler-Nicholson Special

Comic Book Review: The Local Haunt

Comic Book Review: The Local Haunt by Kevin Wind In the sleepy river town of Stillwater, Minnesota, four young aspiring ghost hunters/video makers investigate the manor on Hounds Hill. It’s reputed to be very haunted, with several different stories ranging from devil dogs to World War Two ghost planes. The quartet enter the building at… Continue reading Comic Book Review: The Local Haunt

Movie Review: Earthquake (1974)

Los Angeles in the wake of the Big One.

Movie Review: Earthquake (1974) directed by Mark Robson There are many attractive features to living in Los Angeles. Ground stability isn’t one of them. The San Andreas Fault runs nearby, and it’s overdue for a major seismic shift in the area. This movie asks, “What if the Big One hit now?” To give us some investment… Continue reading Movie Review: Earthquake (1974)

Book Review: Dead Men’s Plans

Book Review: Dead Men’s Plans by Mignon G. Eberhart Sewal Blake is the stepdaughter of Julius Minary, the child of his first wife. Only a few years into their marriage, Sewal’s mother died, and Julius almost immediately remarried. She bore him a daughter, Amy, and a son, Reg, before passing away herself. Bereft and knowing… Continue reading Book Review: Dead Men’s Plans

Magazine Review: Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine September/October 2021

Cover by Brian Stauffer

Magazine Review: Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine September/October 2021 edited by Janet Hutchings “The years keep coming and they just keep coming.” It seems like just a few months ago I reviewed a 75th anniversary issue of Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, but in fact it was five years ago, and here’s the 80th anniversary issue. It’s… Continue reading Magazine Review: Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine September/October 2021

Movie Review: Ponyo

Ponyo is the Shockwave Runner.

Movie Review: Ponyo (2008) directed by Hayao Miyazaki Brunhilde’s father, Fujimoto, is a sorcerer in love with the sea, in the person of the Ocean Goddess Granmamare. He has long abandoned the land and no longer considers himself human. He’d prefer that Brunhilde and her sisters stay safe under his protection forever in the depths of… Continue reading Movie Review: Ponyo

Manga Review: The Promised Neverland

Manga Review: The Promised Neverland story by Shirai Kaiu, art by Demizu Posuka Note: While I will be speaking about the ending of the manga in only vague terms, spoiler-phobic people should be aware I will be speaking about the ending. Life is good for Emma, Norman and Ray. True, they’re orphans, but Grace Field… Continue reading Manga Review: The Promised Neverland

Magazine Review: Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine August 1953

Magazine Review: Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine August 1953 edited by Ellery Queen If you’re not picky about condition, you can find a lot of cool old magazines for very reasonable prices, like say a dollar for this 1950s EQMM. At this time, editor Frederic Dannay still used his pen name of Ellery Queen on the… Continue reading Magazine Review: Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine August 1953

Movie Review: Let the Right One In

Oskar meets Eli.

Movie Review: Let the Right One In (2008) directed by Tomas Alfredson Oskar, like a lot of twelve year olds, has problems. His parents are divorced (and Dad has a drinking problem), and he’s being bullied at school. Having a strong interest in serial killers, Oskar has taken to carrying a knife and fantasizing about solving… Continue reading Movie Review: Let the Right One In