Review: They Died in Vain

They Died in Vain Amazon US TPB Amazon Canada TPB
Jim Huang
Class/Genre: Mystery Reference [Short Stories]
The Crum Creek Press; April 2002; Trade; $13.00; 192pp

Neither the title nor the sub-title, “Overlooked, Underappreciated and Forgotten Mystery Novels,” is entirely correct. That’s a small point. This is a much needed and will become a much valued gem. It belongs in the hands of anyone with more than a passing interest in mystery fiction of this or the previous two centuries. And it’s bound to be controversial.

“They Died In Vain,” is a collection of over 100 essays, some thoughtful, some straight forward, some a bit pedantic, about several underappreciated and overlooked mystery novels of the last, roughly, two hundred and thirty years. The contributors are dubbed mystery experts, but they are not necessarily scholars of the genre. They are ordinary individuals who happen to be steeped in the literature. They are reviewers, booksellers,librarians and devotees. Several are working authors. They are not academics. The essayist nearest to academia is probably Sally Fellows, a retired history teacher who produces thoughtful careful reviews of mysteries she enjoys.

Sharon Villnes essay on Katharine Green’s 1878 “The Leavenworth Case,” is probably the most comprehensive in terms of making the case for inclusion in this book. Green’s work arguably lays the broad foundation for many authors of note, including, Christy, Sayers, Collins, Doyle and others. Other essays are essentially reviews of favorite novels. Several deal with working authors whose novels can by no means be considered forgotten. They include authors like Child, Pronzini and Muller, Krueger, Dams and Elenore Bland.

Some of the choices are surprising, which adds conversational spice to the book. I was pleased to see Richard Prather included, but I would have chosen “Strip For Murder,” if only for the scene in which protagonist Shell Scott find himself drifting naked under a hot-air balloon over noon-time L.A. But that’s part of the point. The book is idiosyncratic, personal to each essayist, and helps to remind us how diverse is the genre. It isn’t meant to be complete or comprehensive.

The last section is a useful shopping list, indicating current availability, publisher and price. The brief pieces about each essayist are also valuable. “They Died In Vain,” could be greatly improved by the inclusion of a comprehensive index, incorporating both authors and essayists. Nevertheless, with all its omissions and commissions, “They Died In Vain,” is an excellent addition to the library and should be on the shelves or in the hands of everyone even casually interested in mysterious crime fiction.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Carl Brookins - RAM

Book Review: They Died in Vain