Somewhere along the line I got distracted by Dorothys. Several of my favorite authors share that name. Sixteen years ago I even named my cat Dorothy because of my love of all mysteries Dorothy. My mother recently began re-reading one of the series, and got me back to thinking about them. So while they’re fresh in my mind, I thought I’d share them with you…
Dorothy L. Sayers first got me into mysteries. When I was a student at Hesston College in my pre-mystery-writing days I traveled with a choir on a bus for a few weeks. Desperate for something to read when we stopped at a mall, I plucked the book Have his Carcase from the shelf. I was hooked. Lord Peter Wimsey? He’s the Man. From there on during my choir trip whenever we would stop I would rush to the nearest bookstore and snatch up one or two more of the series. Loved ‘em. Still love ‘em.
Dorothy Gilman has been my “feel good” author for years. Her Mrs. Pollifax series, especially. I own them all, and they’ve all seen much better days, as they’ve been read over and over (and over) again. If I had to pick one series that would travel with me to a desert island? It would be this one.
Dorothy Simpson wrote a delightful, warm series about Detective Inspector Luke Thanet. Full of family dilemmas and love, with Thanet’s nice Sergeant Lineham, these books offer interesting plots in a traditional setting.
P.D. James (bet you didn’t know her middle name is Dorothy!) of course writes the Adam Dalgliesh books (newest one was just out in August). I was privileged to see her in person in Chicago once, years ago, when Children of Men came out. Her books have been made into the really wonderful Mystery! series. Haven’t seen ‘em? Netflix ‘em!
Anyone else know any mystery-writing Dorothys I should read? It seems to be a good name to have.
Hmmm… Now that I think about it, perhaps that could be the pen name Casey keeps saying I need to use…
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Go for it Judy….Dorothy Clemens. Sounds good.
Zz
by Zorro
on November 20th, 2008 at 6:57 am
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Dorothy Sayers is one of my favorites, too. And the Mystery series done from the Lord Peter books was great. Haven’t seen that one in years!
by Casey
on November 20th, 2008 at 8:39 am
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Dorothy Bennett was a screen writer who did the movie High Window ( Ray Chandler novel) starring George Mongomery as Marlow.
Dorothy Malone wrote cookbooks. Mom had at least three of them.
Dorothy Parker was a poet and funny lady. I think she came up with the line “Men don’t make passes at girls who wear glasses”
Dorothy Kingsley was a screen writer who used to turn broadway musicals into movies. Pal Joey and others. I believe she wrote 7 Brides for 7 Brothers.
Dorothy Dinnerstein ( who should have written cookbooks) was on the leading edge of feminism when she wrote The Mermaid and Minotaur. ( I think that was the title…I couldn’t get through it.)
by Orroz
on November 20th, 2008 at 10:41 am
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And I suppose, Orroz, you’ve worked with all of them?
by Judy
on November 20th, 2008 at 10:47 am
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In Cleveland, Dorothy Fuldheim is a legend. She was a tough-talking, gutsy news reporter long before women were “allowed” to be those things. She did a commentary on local TV news even when she was elderly–and she always had a shock of brilliant red hair!
And as long as we’re talking Dorothy, let’s not forget:
Dorothy Dandridge
Dorothy Gale (you all know who that is, right?)
Dorothy Hamill
And the Aunt Dorothy I never knew because she died as a child, even before my mother was born.
by Casey
on November 20th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
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I think Judy is a fine name.
by Don
on November 20th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
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Aw, Don, you’re so sweet.
And sorry, Casey. I don’t know who Dorothy Gale is. Unless she’s the Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, whom we’ve yet to mention.
by Judy
on November 20th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
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Yup, Dorothy Gale is the little creep who destroyed the Wicked Witch of the West, one of my all time favorites! Of course, if you’ve seen “Wicked,” you know all is not as we’ve been led to think!
by Casey
on November 20th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
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Hey Orroz, were you not married to a Dorothy?
Zz
by Zorro
on November 20th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
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Hey, Zorro…aren’t you supposed to be working????
by Casey
on November 20th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
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Yikes! We forgot Dorothy Dunnett, author of sweeping historicals including “Game of Kings,” one of my all-time favorite books. The anti-hero in that book, Francis Crawford, is one of the most incredible and memorable fiction characters ever.
by Casey
on November 20th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
