Golden Age Mysteries Archives - Liam Ashe

A Taste for Poison

Liam Ashe — Fri, 01 May 2026 14:00:01 +0000

Over a literary career spanning 66 novels and 164 short stories, Agatha Christie earned a reputation for knowing a thing or two about death. Estimates suggest that her body of work encompasses more than 270 murders, more than 40 accidental deaths, 40 suicides, and 50 assorted fatalities. Her weapon of choice? More than any other […]

The post A Taste for Poison appeared first on Liam Ashe.

And Then There Were Some

Liam Ashe — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 14:00:56 +0000

For many readers, their first exposure to Agatha Christie comes in the tale of And Then There Were None. First published in 1939 under a more problematic title, None has become one of the best-selling books in history, estimated to be among the top ten titles ever published by sheer volume — and that includes […]

The post And Then There Were Some appeared first on Liam Ashe.

Public Domain Mysteries

Liam Ashe — Thu, 01 May 2025 14:00:11 +0000

Looking for a summer read that won’t break the bank? Try one of these public domain mysteries below. Each exists outside of copyright and can be downloaded and read for free. On a side note, should you always seek out authorized copies when purchasing books that have fallen out of copyright. On Amazon and other book […]

The post Public Domain Mysteries appeared first on Liam Ashe.

The Rules of Detective Fiction

Liam Ashe — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 15:00:59 +0000

In retrospect, the earliest days of mystery fiction feel much like the Wild West — anything is fair game. Victorian-era authors relied on unbelievable coincidences, absurd jumps in logic, and outright chicanery to wrap up their stories. Some 30 years later, a sheriff brought order this lawless land. Anglican priest and prolific author Ronald Knox […]

The post The Rules of Detective Fiction appeared first on Liam Ashe.