It's futile to resist, and as I want to read more mysteries next year in any case, I might as well have a little fun doing so. And it is always nice having company when working on a little reading project, so I am going to join the 2014 Vintage Mystery Bingo Challenge hosted by My Reader's Block. There are two Bingo cards to play from--Silver or Gold the distinction being mysteries written either before or after 1960. I'm opting for the Golden version, so I'll be choosing books written before 1960. As I'm a great fan of vintage/Golden Age mystery authors I should have no problem 'getting Bingo' over the course of the year. If you are curious you can read all the rules here, but the way the Bingo works:
"BINGOS may be claimed by completing all spaces in a row--horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. You may also claim a 'Four Corner' BINGO by reading a book for each of the four corners plus two more spaces—any two. A valid BINGO must have six complete spaces."
Six books over the course of the year, surely even I can do that, right? I'm sure I'll still get my fill of regular contemporary crime novels and other mysteries, but this will give me the opportunity to revisit some authors I've read and enjoyed and have been meaning to get back to.
I won't be creating a list of books to read, as it will be more fun to see where my reading takes me according to my mood and the categories on the card (you can click on it to enlarge it). But I do have a mental list going of possible authors: Agatha Christie (of course), Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, Dorothy Sayers, Josephine Tey, Ross MacDonald, Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, Mignon Eberhart, and Christianna Brand to name just a few from the top of my head. I am sure I'll come across more, and as always am open to suggestions.
I'm not sure where I'll start in the card, but as I have been (very slowly) reading the Miss Marple mysteries in the order they were written, perhaps I'll see where I can make A Murder is Announced (1950) fit on the card. Or maybe I'll study the card and then find a book that fits for something a little different and unexpected. I think I'll be starting a new mystery over my upcoming break. Something else to look forward to!