Supper Sleuths

Spoiler Alert! If you like to figure out How more than Why or Who in the mysteries you read, then this category is full of complications. This list contains mysteries, suspense novels, thrillers, and crime novels in which relatively or usually harmless items are employed as effective murder weapons. From the comical to the diabolical, these mysteries hold murder by hatpin, nicotine, card catalog drawer pin (remember those?), and exploding cow.

(Credit is due to the Waterboro Public Library in Waterboro, ME for the original list, and Nanci Milone Hill for refining it.)

The following is a list of titles by author. Whenever possible, the series is in order of publication date. This is by no means an exhaustive list, and please let us know if you feel that a title should be here. Please read one or more titles, and come prepared to discuss your impressions of them with the group.

AUTHOR	WEAPON	TITLE
Peter E. Abresch	Bonsai Tree	Bloody Bonsai: Elderhostel mystery (1998)
Donna Andrews	Flamingo Mouse Cord	Revenge of the Wrought-Iron Flamingos: Meg Langslow. (2001) Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon: Meg Langslow. (2003)
George Baxt	Radio	Queer Kind of Death: Pharoah Love. (1966)
Rhys Bowen	Steam Room	Evans to Betsy: Constable Evans (2002)
C.J.Box	Exploding Cow	Savage Run Joe Pickett (2002)
John Dickenson Carr	Steel Hand Watch	Death Watch: Dr. Gideon Fell (1935)
Helen Chappell	Antique Snow Goose Decoy	Dead Duck: Hollis Bay (1997)
Margaret Chittenden	Hibachi	Dying to Sing: Charlie Plato. (1996)
Mindy Starns Clark	Iron Remover	A Dime a Dozen: Million Dollar Mysteries (2003)
Beverly Connor	Dragon's Blood	Dressed to Die: Lindsay Chamberlain (1998)
Natasha Cooper	Nicotine Hatpin Umbrella	Poison Flowers (1991) Bitter Herbs (1993) A Place of Safety (2003)
Jo Dereske	Card catalog drawer rod	Miss Zukas and the Library Murders (1994)
Tim Dorsey	Women's Designer Jeans	Florida Roadkill (1999)
Umberto Eco	Poisonous Book	Name of the Rose (1983)
Ruth Dudley Edwards	Newspaper Library Ladder	Clubbed to Death.(1992) Matricide at St. Martha's.(1995)
Tony Fennelly	Feminie Hygiene product	The Closet Hanging (1987)
Ian Fleming	Gold Paint	Goldfinger: James Bond. (1959)
Dorothy Brenner Francis	Conch Shell	Conch Shell Murder (2003)
Sara Hoskins Frommer	Puffer Fish	Murder in C Major (1986)
Charles A. Goodrum	Paper Cutter	Dewey Decimated (1977)
Sue Grafton	Window	B is for Burglar (1985)
Georgette Heyer	Toothpaste	Behold, Here's Poison (1936)
Carl Hiaasen	Frozen Lizard	Basket Case (2002)
James Dean	Garlic Canape	Posted to Death: A Simon Kirby-Jones Mystery (2002)
Stephen King	Typewriter	Misery (1978)
Charlotte Macleod	Nose Drops	Rest Ye Merry (1978)
Margaret Maron	Walking Stick Iron Fence	Corpus Christmas: Sigrid Harald (1989) Baby Doll Games: Sigrid Harald (1995)
Evan Marshall	Toaster	Toasting Tina: Jane Stuart & Winky (2003)
James Melville	Blowfish Chandelier	Sayonara, Sweet Amaryllis: Tetsua Otani (1983) Kimono for a Corpse: Tetsua Otani (1988)
T Jefferson Parker	Anaconda	Where Serpents Lie (1998)
Julie Parsons	Bee	Courtship Gift (1999)
Mary Reed & Eric Mayer	Artificial Hand	Three for a Letter: John the Eunuch (2001)
Cynthia Riggs	Fudge Air Nail Gun Funeral Parlor Cooler Amanita Mushroom	Deadly Nightshade: Martha's Vineyard (2001) Cranefly Orchid Murders: Martha's Vineyard (2002) Cemetery Yew: Martha's Vineyard (2003) Jack in the Pulput: Martha's Vineyard (2004)
Roberta Rogow	Handkerchief	Problem of the Spiteful Spiritualist (1999)
Dorothy L.Sayers	Church bell ringing Hanging Flowerpot	Nine Tailors (1934) Busman's Honeymoon (1937)
Harry Shannon	Crossbow	Memorial Day (2004)
Nancy Tesler	Stick & Star	Shooting Stars and Other Deadly Things (1999)
Trevanian	Pencil and Drinking Straw	Shibumi (1979)
Lea Wait	Azalea Blossoms	Shadows at the Fair: Antique Print Mystery (2002)
Kate White	Peanut Butter & Box of Chocolates	If Looks Could Kill (2002)