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2023 SCHEDULE (1911-1934)

It’s time for more mysteries and thrillers! Scroll down to see our 2023 selections!

2022 Schedule (1841-1910)

2024 Schedule (1934-1939)

2025 Schedule (1939-1943)

2026 Schedule (1943-1949)

The Innocence of Father Brown - Tea Tonic and Toxin podcast and book club

January 2023

Publication: 1911  |  Reading Time: 5 hours
 
Why It Made the Cut
This is Chesterton’s first collection of short stories featuring Father Brown, a nondescript Catholic priest who solves crimes using intuition and by tapping into spiritual and philosophic truths rather than scientific details. The stories are clever, thoughtful, and lovely.
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Trent's Last Case - Philip Trent Mystery - Tea Tonic & Toxin Podcast

February 2023

Publication: 1913  |  Reading Time: 4 hours

Why It Made the Cut
This book is considered one of the first “whodunits” – stories in which new clues appear throughout, making it possible for readers to feel as if they’re solving the crime along with the detective. Also, Trent is a “less than perfect” sleuth – in contrast to Sherlock Holmes.
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The Thirty-Nine Steps - Richard Hannay - Tea Tonic and Toxin podcast and book club

March 2023

Publication: 1915  |  Reading Time: 4 hours

Why It Made the Cut
When a spy is murdered in Richard Hannay’s London flat, can Hannay manage to stay one step ahead of his pursuers? The story is an early example of the “man-on-the-run” adventure. It’s also a “shocker” that combines personal and political dramas.
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The Mysterious Affair at Styles - Tea Tonic and Toxin podcast and book club

April 2023

Publication: 1920  |  Reading Time: 4 hours

Why It Made the Cut
The story introduces Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. From the Times Literary Supplement (1921): “[The story] is said to be the result of a bet about the possibility of writing a detective story in which the reader would not be able to spot the criminal. Every reader must admit that the bet was won.”
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Whose Body? - Tea Tonic and Toxin podcast and book club

May 2023

Publication: 1923  |  Reading Time: 4 hours

Why It Made the Cut
This is the first of 16 detective novels published by Sayers, one of the queens of the Golden Age of Detective Fiction. The story introduces Lord Peter Wimsey, considered the father of the amateur “gentleman sleuth” who will appear in many British novels for decades to come.
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The Murder of Roger Ackroyd - Tea Tonic and Toxin podcast and book club

June 2023

Publication: 1926  |  Reading Time: 4 hours

Why It Made the Cut
This story has become known as one of Agatha Christie’s most controversial novels due to an unexpected stunner of a twist at the end. Christie considered it her masterpiece. In 2013, the British Crime Writers’ Association voted it the best crime novel ever written.
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Red Harvest - Tea Tonic and Toxin podcast and book club

July 2023

Publication: 1929  |  Reading Time: 4 hours

Why It Made the Cut
This book marked Hammett’s transition from short stories to novels. His portrayal of the Continental Op as a “hard-boiled” detective eventually became a prototype for many detective stories to come. A former detective, Hammett knew his stuff.
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The Maltese Falcon - Tea Tonic and Toxin podcast and book club

August 2023

Publication: 1930  |  Reading Time: 4 hours
 
Why It Made the Cut
The third-person-objective narrative offers no insights into characters’ thoughts and feelings. Sam Spade’s cool, cynical nature turned this detective into a favorite character who was also popular in movies, most notably the 1941 release, starring Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade.
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Malice Aforethought - Tea Tonic and Toxin podcast and book club

September 2023

Publication: 1931  |  Reading Time: 5 hours
 
Why It Made the Cut
This book is considered one of the first examples of the “inverted detective story,” in which both the murder AND murderer are revealed at the beginning. The intrigue occurs when the reader sees how the detective unravels the clues to solve the mystery.
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The Case of the Velvet Claws - Perry Mason - Erle Stanley Gardner

October 2023

Publication: 1933  |  Reading Time: 4 hours
 
Why It Made the Cut
In this 1933 mystery, we meet criminal defense lawyer and detective Perry Mason for the first time. He’s hired by Eva Belter, who’s being blackmailed. Mason’s secretary, Della Street, says Eva’s “all velvet and claws.” Gardner went on to write 150 books that sold 300 million copies worldwide.
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Murder on the Orient Express - Tea Tonic and Toxin podcast and book club

November 2023

Publication: 1934  |  Reading Time: 4 hours
 
Why It Made the Cut
Agatha Christie is the most widely published author of all time, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. Her books have sold more than a billion copies in English and another billion in a hundred foreign languages. This page-turner starring Hercule Poirot helps to explain why.
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The Nine Tailors - Tea Tonic and Toxin podcast and book club

December 2023

Publication: 1934  |  Reading Time: 6 hours
 
Why It Made the Cut
Although there is much debate as to whether The Nine Tailors is Dorothy Sayers’ best novel, many call it her finest literary achievement. The murder method in this story was unique. The idea came from a sixpenny pamphlet that explained bell-ringing.
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Hoping to catch up on the books we read and discussed in 2022? Man, we really like you. You can find the list here and listen to the episodes anywhere you get your podcasts!

2022 Schedule