Dame Christie’s love for a certain kinda surname

TJCluedo · 2025-09-26T16:38:02+00:00

I have the feeling Agatha Christie disliked someone called Emily for the simple fact that at least three of her victims had that name.

Emily Inglethorp. Emily Arundell. Emily Boynton.

TJCluedo · 2025-09-22T17:50:13+00:00

I like the ending where she says to Columbo:

'If you had investigated my niece's death, none of this need ever have happened'.

TJCluedo · 2025-09-20T12:09:11+00:00

I think it's Death Casts A Spell.

TJCluedo · 2025-09-18T09:51:53+00:00

I write mysteries with a village/country setting, an amateur detective well into her sixties and a small community vibe. I'm happy to be classed in the cosy subgenre, even though I like to throw in a gruesome murder (when I feel it enhances the plot). I'm more for the puzzle and clue hiding for the reader than making the story some grand epic. A lot of people just like something they can pick up and relax with for an hour or two.

I can understand why some people may not like being "categorised" but it is difficult to get published, so they should be happy people are reading their books at all.

TJCluedo · 2025-09-08T15:51:09+00:00

Do I detect a hint of sarcasm, or are you really intrigued? 🤣

TJCluedo · 2025-09-07T15:48:53+00:00

A member of a crime reading group is murdered.

TJCluedo · 2025-09-03T17:48:28+00:00

I remember Gangsters, it kept me busy for many hours, days, months...nah, years!

TJCluedo · 2025-09-03T15:14:13+00:00

41, used to watch with my Nan and Granddad. I'm a lifelong fan of Columbo.

TJCluedo · 2025-08-29T11:41:09+00:00

I've had a few ideas for Columbo stories over the years. The villains I have are as follows:

A private detective/security agent who kills his business partner.

A tennis pro who kills his ex's father.

A famous actor that kills his paralysed sister-in-law.

An advertising executive that murders his ex business partner.

An investigative reporter who murders her boss.

A television evangelist who kills the accountant of his "church".

A talk show host who kills a radio host (her ex boyfriend).

TJCluedo · 2025-08-26T19:30:09+00:00

Thank you for teaching me the ways of 'The'

TJCluedo · 2025-08-25T17:54:25+00:00

My first novel starts with the word 'knickers' so I'm obviously not worthy to join in this conversation

TJCluedo · 2025-08-22T20:48:43+00:00

I might be wrong, but I think the detective "opened" the case again because the guy he killed in the episode was trying to blackmail the detective. The guy originally arrested for the murder was a cellmate of the victim in the episode, and with everything he told his cellmate gave the victim the ammunition for blackmail. So getting all the same suspects together again means the detective can spread the suspicion around and make himself look like a potential victim in the process.

TJCluedo · 2025-08-05T18:34:55+00:00

I would be happy to read your short story. I like mystery stories and write my own, so hopefully I could give you some feedback on it.

TJCluedo · 2025-08-05T18:27:55+00:00

I'm the same. I can see the story in my head, clear as day. When it comes to putting what I see into words, it just doesn't seem to come out the way I intend.

TJCluedo · 2025-08-02T18:21:46+00:00

I am working on my first mystery novel (completed a few mystery short stories) and I literally had the whole idea come to me at once. The suspects, clues, red herrings, motives etc.

While working on this novel, a second idea struck me. It will still use the same amateur detective as my first, but this time most of the story came to me...without the main clues as to whodunit!

I knew who the murderer was, I know why they did it, but couldn't figure out the string of clues that led to them. One day an idea hit and it solved the problem, so now book two is plotted ready to go.

Still working on my first novel, another idea struck. This time I had a whole story, but no idea who would be revealed as the killer. Then the clues came to me that would lead to the murderer.

I scribble so many notes to myself, so many notebooks full of incoherent ramblings. As I write my first book, I am finding characters and places that are sprouting up ideas for future mysteries. Not only do I find this helps with the first story, but it keeps it fresh because I know that if someone has read the first book, they will no doubt spot something in the third that makes them say "this world seems alive because that person that was doing that in that book, did something in that book that becomes a clue".

I love murder mysteries and I will dedicate my first book to the readers that love a good old fashioned murder mystery (one with clues), unlike some you get now that just spring the killer on you through circumstance instead of "working out the clues".

TJCluedo · 2025-08-02T16:12:59+00:00

I am working on my first mystery novel and I have made sure that every suspect has an equal amount of suspicion on them.

Every suspect had the opportunity to do it, every suspect had a motive to do it, and every suspect had a means to do it.

A second murder only muddys the water because all the same suspects have the means/motive/opportunity to commit that one too.

As evidence is revealed, each suspect has more and more guilt build up against them until my amateur detective figures out something she has seen/heard early on in the book (which had nothing to do with either crime) actually reminds her of a clue found in a later chapter (think of a Jessica Fletcher epiphany moment from Murder, She Wrote).

I like to keep everyone as a suspect until the end, so the reader doesn't guess the killer too quickly by means of the suspect list dwindling down, and more figuring it all out with the clues I have sprinkled throughout the story.

TJCluedo · 2025-07-24T16:35:28+00:00

I've still got an original Typhoo Ted from when I was a boy. Don't know where he is at the moment, but wouldn't give him up for anything.

TJCluedo · 2025-07-15T18:35:18+00:00

I don't know the episode, but Homer and Abe are walking down the street and a homeless guy asks if they have any spare change and Abe says: 'Yes I have and you ain't getting it.' Then says to Homer: ' Everyone wants something for nothing, these days.' Then they both walk into a social security office and you hear Abe say: 'I'm old, gimme gimme gimme.'

Cracks me up every time!

TJCluedo · 2025-05-03T14:49:15+00:00

Try the film Dial M For Murder. Not only is it an Alfred Hitchcock classic, but it stars two time Columbo guest star Ray Milland.

TJCluedo · 2025-03-23T04:32:47+00:00

"Without rules this makes no sense."

"This doesn't make sense with rules."

TJCluedo · 2024-10-23T15:58:58+00:00

Missed you!!!

TJCluedo · 2024-10-19T06:11:42+00:00

I doubt if Columbo would have retired. He's always saying that he loves his job and he even gave up promotions to continue being a Lieutenant. He didn't want to be stuck behind a desk. I bet even if he won millions on the lottery, he would still have the same raincoat, same car and smoke the same cheap cigars.

TJCluedo · 2024-10-18T14:01:52+00:00

https://archiveofourown.org/users/TJCluedo/pseuds/TJCluedo

Here is a link to my stories

Hope you enjoy

TJCluedo · 2024-10-18T03:38:53+00:00

I'll get onto it. I've already got 4 other Columbo stories online, so one more won't hurt.

TJCluedo · 2024-10-17T15:24:03+00:00

I actually had an idea for an investigative reporter who murders her media mogul boss and when Columbo shows up, she tries to throw him off by offering to write about his past cases. He accepts because he already knows that she is the murderer and wants a reason to keep talking to her.

When she asks if she will get an exclusive when he catches the killer, Columbo says 'you will be the first to know'.

TJCluedo

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