Below is the list, arranged alphabetically by author and then chronologically by title — because that’s the only way that makes sense — and in order to pick a top ten you have up to twelve votes each. Yes, this means that not everything you pick will be in the final list, but you get to indulge yourself a bit if you so wish and throw in a few titles you might otherwise not. Y’know, for fun.
The poll will remain open for a week, and then next weekend I shall revealthe ten books that garnered the most votes. In order? I haven’t decided yet. Oooo, the suspense…
Spread the word, and I’ll see you next weekend for the results…
I was surprised to see a title on this list that I haven’t read. Off to Amazon! (Like this, For Ever by Sharon Bolton, 2013.) Oh, darn it, this is a novel I know as “Lost”. It didn’t make my top twelve.
But to be clear and play fair 😉 when I answered, I wasn’t absolutely sure that the novels themselves were rigorously “fair-play” (sorry, Scott Ratner) without any loopholes. All I asked was that they left me with the belief that they observed that convention to a greater extent than others on the list. I’ve taken the trouble to examine the solution to a mystery novel exhaustively in the past, and it is a great deal of work and effort to little ultimate use. I’ll go by “feel” these days and let those who will get logical.
I can’t believe many people would be too different — any massive infelicities are going to stick in the brain, so therefore if we have no distinct memory of a sharp elbow with an undisclosed letter on it we’re generally going to remember something as being fair. Don’t see anything wrong with that myself…it’s exacty how I voted 🙂
The Invisible Event 
Sorry, JJ, but there’s only one where I can remember the plot mechanics enough to be confident enough that it’s actually fairly. Ten… no chance ☹️
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Haha, I’m much the same, but there are some people out there with astonoshing memories and I don’t want them to feel restricted…
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Like the Puzzle Doctor I couldn’t vote up to the maximum number but I am intrigued to see which books make it into the top 10.
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I made it to ten! I think I nominated 8-9 titles anyway, and there was another title someone else nominated that I loved. 😀
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Huzzah!
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I voted! And if my ten picks don’t make it, I’ll burn down the blog!
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Ye gods, people, I’ve only just finished paying off the mortgage on this place — vote fot TomCat’s picks, I implore you!
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I was surprised to see a title on this list that I haven’t read. Off to Amazon! (Like this, For Ever by Sharon Bolton, 2013.) Oh, darn it, this is a novel I know as “Lost”. It didn’t make my top twelve.
But to be clear and play fair 😉 when I answered, I wasn’t absolutely sure that the novels themselves were rigorously “fair-play” (sorry, Scott Ratner) without any loopholes. All I asked was that they left me with the belief that they observed that convention to a greater extent than others on the list. I’ve taken the trouble to examine the solution to a mystery novel exhaustively in the past, and it is a great deal of work and effort to little ultimate use. I’ll go by “feel” these days and let those who will get logical.
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I can’t believe many people would be too different — any massive infelicities are going to stick in the brain, so therefore if we have no distinct memory of a sharp elbow with an undisclosed letter on it we’re generally going to remember something as being fair. Don’t see anything wrong with that myself…it’s exacty how I voted 🙂
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