As we consider Father’s Day, it is obvious the role that fathers have played in a staple of television comedy: Father Knows Best, The Courtship of Eddie’s Father, Parenthood, Modern Family. But they are also integral to many a plot twist and emotional conflict driving drama as well, particularly in the crime and spy genre.
I love a good mystery. So do millions of other readers, and some of them don’t mind paying a premium price in order to acquire a particular volume. The 34th annual Florida Antiquarian Book Fair, held recently at St. Petersburg’s handsome 1920s vintage Coliseum Ballroom was, as usual, a veritable literary feast. A hundred dealers from around the country displayed their wares in well lighted, neatly piped and draped booths, and mysteries were prominently featured in many of them.
As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday each of us with our memories of family togetherness (however wonderful or painful they might be), I thought I’d take a look at fictional families who solve mysteries together. You might consider whom you might want at your dinner table.
