THE AXEMAN COMETH by Nev Fountain

What do you mean you’ve never heard of cult sci-fi series Vixens from the Void - what about its star, the sultry Vanity Mycroft -  no? Well, that’s understandable because they only exist in the imagination of Nev Fountain, serving as the background for his series of comic mysteries featuring Mervyn Stone, the erstwhile script editor and co-creator of said fictional TV show. After starring in three books, Stone has come to audio for a truly unique case that makes very clever use of the form and should appeal to all Agatha Christie fans too.

Ragu in The Smoke – part 2

In British parlance I am supposed to be ‘Exchanging Contracts’ this week – putting a deposit on my flat, binding all parties to the sale. These things always take longer than you imagine, however … so activity here at Fedora will slow down once again while I try to sort out my move to the foggy enclaves of old London Town (well, zone 5 on the tube anyway). I will definitely be back on 28 June to participate in the Elmore Leonard celebration taking place at the Pattinase blog.

And if I don’t see you before then  …

Mind how you go.

THE NAKED FACE (1970) by Sidney Sheldon

In the 1970s Sidney Sheldon became one of the biggest names in publishing after an already highly successful career as a screenwriter and producer, his dozens of film and TV credits ranging from the musical Easter Parade to the sitcom I Dream of Jeannie and the screwball Thin Man ‘homage’, Hart to Hart. He made his debut as a novelist with this Edgar-nominated mystery about a Manhattan psychoanalyst investigating several murders.

I offer the following review as part of the 2013 Book to Movie Challenge at the Doing Dewey blog – for links to other participants’ reviews, click here; and Friday’s Forgotten Books meme run by Patti Abbott at her Pattinase blog.

Endeavour Morse will return

News reaches us at Fedora that a second series of Endeavor has now been commissioned. The show is a prequel to Inspector Morse with Shaun Evans playing the younger iteration of the character created on screen by the late John Thaw. I for one am very pleased to hear this as I thought the previous five episodes (one-off pilot in 2012 and four series instalments broadcast in 2013, all two-hours long) were well-above average.

Vienna: The Memory Box

Vienna Salvatori – a glamorous bounty hunter played by the equally glam Chase Masterson – first appeared in last year’s Doctor Who audio The Shadow Heart opposite Sylvester McCoy. She has now been spun off into this pilot for a new series (due in 2014). Written by Jonathan Morris (who also wrote the Doctor Who story), it’s a fast-moving, all guns blazing murder mystery told in the style of such Philip K. Dick movie adaptations (rather than the original texts) as Blade Runner, Minority Report and especially Total Recall.

The following review is offered as part of the Tuesday’s Overlooked AV Media meme hosted by Todd Mason over at his Sweet Freedom blog and you should head over there to see the many other fascinating titles that have been selected.

MAIGRET SETS A TRAP (1955) by Georges Simenon

A psychopath is stalking the women of a small district in Paris and Jules Maigret of the Police Judiciaire is under pressure to find the culprit. Pretty soon, after a failed attack, an arrest is made – but then another murder is committed. Is it possible that Maigret got the wrong man? And who is truly responsible for the crimes anyway?

I submit this review for Bev’s 2013 Vintage Mystery Challenge in the ‘World Traveler’ category; the 2013 Book to Movie Challenge at the Doing Dewey blog (for links to other participants’ reviews, click here); and Patti Abbott’s Friday’s Forgotten Books meme over at her fab Pattinase blog – you should head to these great sites now.

In Your Hands – Tuesday’s Forgotten Film

Kristin Scott Thomas is the woman in jeopardy in this unusual suspense movie. It opens with a nervy bravura sequence, dialogue-free and shot hand-held, charting her return home in a highly agitated state. She is days late getting back from a holiday and seems utterly terrified. After an abortive attempt to go back to her job (she works as a OBGYN) she reports her kidnapping to the police. In flashback we see her being taken at knife point from her apartment, bundled into the back of a car and then waking in a locked basement. When the man with the knife bring her food, she claims to have no money and that he must have the wrong person. But he knows exactly who she is and is very, very angry with her …

I offer the following review as part of the Tuesday’s Overlooked Film meme hosted by Todd Mason over at his Sweet Freedom blog and you should head over there to see the many other fascinating titles that have been selected.