Texts for Class

Scroll down for information about what we'll read this semester. I'll provide links to pdf version of some stories, as well as links to the dramas we'll watch.

We will read one novel (in December, so you have time): Death at La Fenice. This is the first in Donna Leon's Commissario Guido Brunetti series, set in Venice.

We'll also read select stories from The Best Mystery Stories of 2024:

Here are links to pdf and online stories (you can choose which you prefer to read).

Some links will be provided closer to class dates. Readings marked with asterisk (*) indicate these are found in The Best Mystery Short Stories of 2024 (edited by Anthony Horowitz). You can either purchase this book or check out from the Library

Wk 1 Sept 2 Introduction

Wk 2 Sept. 9 Colombo: Etude in Black (1972)

Wk 3 Sept. 16 Rodrigues Ottolengui: The Nameless Man (1898)

Wk 4 Sept. 23 Conan Doyle: The Adventure of Silver Blaze (1892)

Wk 5 Sept. 30 Christie: The Italian Nobleman (1923)

Wk 6 Oct 7 Christie: Miss Marple Tells a Story (1934)

Wk 7 Oct 14 Miss Fisher: Deadweight (2012)

Wk 8 Oct 21 Hammett: They Can Only Hang You Once (1932)

Wk 9 Oct 28 Michael Bracken: Beat the Clock* (2024)

Wk 10 Nov 4 Dragnet: The Big Family (1955)

Wk 11 Nov 11 Hitchcock: The Lady Vanishes (1938)

Wk 12 Nov 18 Sarah Pinsker: And Then There Were [N-one]

Wk 13 Dec 2 John M. Floyd: Last Day at the Jackrabbit* (2024)

Wk 14 Dec 9 Donna Leon: Death at La Fenice (1992)

Wk 15 Dec 16 Rex Stout: The Christmas Party (1958 / 2001)

Wk 16 Jan 6 Peter Hayes: El Paso Heat* (2024)

Wk 17 Jan 13 Conclusions