Tag Archives: books

Dear Edgar 42 ~ The Black Cat

Posted on October 1, 2025 by Mark Hayes

Pluto the cat was not named for Pluto the planet. Pluto the planet was not discovered until 1930 (though one suspects it was always there…) which was almost ninety years after this story was written. Continue reading →

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Turning Widdershins

Posted on September 29, 2025 by Mark Hayes

Three turns windleshin’s

Around the Lochfa’ston

Three turns windleshin’s

an’ call the other’s names Continue reading →

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A Hint of Scarlet

Posted on September 8, 2025 by Mark Hayes

Then last night, or rather this morning while I was trying to make it back into last night, I had something of a break through. Scarlet started speaking to me, as she has previously only whispered. So perhaps, just perhaps, it is time. Continue reading →

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Dear Edgar 41 ~ The Gold Bug

Posted on August 25, 2025 by Mark Hayes

To an extent then, this Poe story shorted the second world war and saved the lives of many allied soldiers… Which is almost enough to forgive its flaws… And certainly more than the DeVince code ever managed to do. Continue reading →

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Tuesday Too

Posted on August 19, 2025 by Mark Hayes

Meanwhile, elsewhere (Things the last couple of weeks have been somewhat hectic in the Passing Place of late hence the blog has been quiet… normal service will resume shortly, but until then , buy book read books , enjoy books, … Continue reading →

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Dear Edgar 40 ~ The Tell-Tale Heart

Posted on August 18, 2025 by Mark Hayes

That relentless thud, thud , thud that is the beating of of the tell tale heart of his victim. Continue reading →

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Dear Edgar 39 ~ The Pit and the Pendulum

Posted on July 29, 2025 by Mark Hayes

It is a perfect tale in that respect, in that it does exactly what Poe set out to do. It gets under your skin, and crawls about… Continue reading →

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The Humpty Dumpty Controversy

Posted on July 28, 2025 by Mark Hayes

I have questions, many questions, but lets consider first why did Humpty fall. Obviously, people do fall off walls we know, but in general not just because they are just sat on them. In actuality, sitting on walls is not an inherently risky proposition. Continue reading →

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To be a Writer

Posted on July 24, 2025 by Mark Hayes

To be a writer you have to write, it really is as simple and as complicated as that. Continue reading →

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Dear Edgar 28 ~ The Mystery of Marie Roget

Posted on July 21, 2025 by Mark Hayes

‘Based on true events’ is a cliche, a trope so common we pay it no mind. Writers have been using it for years… In fact it is not unreasonable to say they have been using it since the autumn of 1842 when our own Dear Edgar dipped his toes in that particular well. Continue reading →

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