Academic Mysteries-Part 2
© Terry Frey Weingart
Peter & Helen Shandy, botany professor and librarian respectively, are featured in the ten-book series written by Charlotte MacLeod. The series begins with Rest You Merry, a humorous and satirical mystery set at Balaclava Agricultural College at Christmas time. Because Christmas is big business at the College, the authorities quickly agree in ruling the death of a faculty wife--sprawled out on Professor Peter Shandy's living room floor--an accident, although Shandy is not convinced. This book is being re-released in November. The series continues with The Luck Runs Out, Wrack and Rune, Something the Cat Dragged In, and The Curse of the Giant Hogweed. The Corpse in Oozak's Pond, the sixth book, was nominated for an Edgar and won a Nero Wolfe award. Vane Pursuit, An Owl Too Many, Something in the Water and Exit the Milkman complete the series. The books are difficult to find; try the library. If you like humor and irreverence with your mysteries, you will like this series.
Sharyn McCrumb wrote two books featuring James Owens Mega, engineering professor and science fiction author. Ms. McCrumb is better known for her Ballad series and Elizabeth MacPherson series. However, Bimbos of the Death Sun is a funny satire of science fiction conventions which feature Trekkers and other sci-fi fandoms. Zombies of the Gene Pool features a buried time capsule, filled in the 1950s with the literary efforts of eight young men. A few of those men have since become famous and a capsule excavation turns into a multimedia event.
Aaron Elkins' series features Gideon Oliver, anthropology professor a.k.a. "the skeleton detective". The series begins with Fellowship of Fear and is now up to ten books, the most recent being Skeleton Dance, released in 2000. Old Bones, the fourth book, won an Edgar award.
Not only professors gravitate toward mysteries. Laurien Berenson's series features Melanie Travis, a special education teacher and dog exhibitor. (See Dog Lovers Mysteries). A new series by Denise Swanson, features Skye Denison, a school psychologist. The first book in this series, Murder of a Small Town Honey, received an Agatha nomination. Her second book Murder of a Sweet Old Lady was just released in April.
Jane Langton's series features Homer Kelly and his wife, Mary. Homer is a retired cop. He now feeds his lust for learning by lecturing at universities. Homer also has a thirst for justice and relies on instinct. The series, up to 15 books, starts with The Transcendental Murder. Homer meets Mary in this book and it is not love at first sight but they reluctantly work together to solve a series of murders. Emily Dickinson is Dead, book five, was an Edgar nominee and a Nero Wolfe award winner. Divine Inspiration, book 10 and a personal favorite of mine, revolves around the tuning of a pipe organ. In The Thief of Venice, book 14, Homer and Mary attend a rare book conference in Venice. The latest release, Murder at Monticello, features Monticello, Thomas Jefferson memorabilia, and a series of murders. The books are adorned with Ms. Langton's original pen and ink sketches.
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