The Biter Bit (1858)

Our Ian Fleming series continues with "Diamonds Are Forever" from 1956. Bond's infiltration of a diamond smuggling ring brings him to America, where he plays high-stakes with the Spangled Mob and its cronies. So slide back into your mud bath and bet all remaining chips on LTP to get you through! Enjoy our takedown of this classic adventure, in spite of its much maligned film adaptation. This chat was originally recorded in April of 2016 and we're delighted to finally share it as part four of our reconditioned look down the Literary Gunbarrel.Context&Publication@08:00; Plot@28:30; Discussion&Review@57:45

John Gardner's sweep of 007 adventures continues with this twelfth original instalment. Here, Bond is in pursuit of David Dragonpol, whose thespian stardom helps conceal a globetrotting serial killer behind the mask. Bond racks up the air miles and the romance in this one, hitting Switzerland, Germany, Greece and Italy before a final showdown in the Magic Kingdom to save the Royal family from further '90s scandal... Yep, you read correct: showdown Euro Disney has arrived!Summary@04:30; Review@31:00

In London's bewildering atmosphere of furtive strangers, a search for a man in spectacles leads two unwitting gentlemen into a decidedly eccentric succession of encounters, stories and revelations. To do Arthur Machen's late-Victorian text justice, we called in the pros and were joined by Nick Anderson from The Book Graveyard. Together, we (tried to) uncover every cobblestone of every dark alley Machen brings us down. This episode is a double-length Halloween indulgence, detailing all the literary sleuthing, shifting narratives and supernatural horror this foundational novel has to offer.FastFacts@06:30; PlotExplorations@48:00; PIPES@2:48:45Check out Nick's wide range of genre fiction goodies at The Book Graveyard on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@TheBookGraveyard

Two outcast sisters and an uncle with diminishing faculties are all that remains of the Blackwoods after tragedy struck the family six years ago. That poisonous event permeates the plot with unspoken force and what's left of the Blackwoods have hunkered down in their manse to weather the storm of bigotry from outside. Only eighteen year-old Mary Catherine leaves the home for supplies each week, braving the villagers' scorn and judgement. History is poised to repeat itself when cousin Charles enters the scene with designs of getting the family (and himself) back on track. Merricat shares her experiences through a wickedly prismatic narrative voice. Shirley Jackson's final novel is a psychological character study into trauma, fear and revenge. It's also our first mystery review of the Halloween season.FastFacts@2:45; Summary@17:30; PIPES@44:30

What do you get when you mix a fractured and vulnerable post-war society with a master criminal bent on mind-control and an altruistic state prosecutor desperate to clean up the streets? Norbert Jacques' "Dr Mabuse", that's what! The psychological thriller that took Germany by storm in the early 20th century is up for discussion in this episode. First translated into English by Lilian Claire in 1923, our review concentrates on the Carrier translation from 2026. From sweeping set-pieces to convoluted fever-dream prose, we ponder all the mysteries here in our first Autumn read of the season. FastFacts@11:00; Summary@30:30; PIPES@58:30

British Industrialist Hugo Drax is cheating at cards at M's private club. James Bond is recruited to play the player but what starts as a lesson in humility soon evolves into a more dangerous game masking darker threats. Fleming's "Moonraker" is his third 007 novel and held by many fans as the author's best outing. Originally recorded in March of 2016, this conversation secures all the gyroscopic settings and launches listeners straight into the face of this contentious James Bond adventure. We're pleased to finally share this episode, the third chat from our original Bond series. Intro&Publication@3:00; Summary@26:00; Discussion&Review@40:25.

In this episode we return to Leslie Charteris's singular Saint for a lightly linked trio of narrative rides from 1932. First published in the pages of Thriller magazine in April, June and August of that year, these three novellas once more pit Simon Templar against London's criminal underground. First up, "The Inland Revenue" sees The Saint take on a master blackmailer. Next, Templar faces a mystery of international extortion with "The Million Pound Day". Finally, "The Melancholy Journey of Inspector Teal" has our hero chasing down a diamond-smuggling assassin. All three deliver high stakes hijinks, Saintly resourcefulness and glimpses into the evolving relationship between Simon Templar and the chief detective of Scotland Yard. "The Inland Revenue"@13:45; "The Million Pound Day"@53:50; "The Melancholy Journey of Inspector Teal"@1:36:15

Our Fleming series refurb continues with this review of 1954's "Live and Let Die", originally produced back in February of 2026. Our discussion goes deep the into inspirations and publication history behind Fleming's second novel before taking on the text itself. In order to separate hazard from hokum within Mr Big's criminal enterprise, James Bond must handle the streets of Harlem, travel south on the Silver Phantom with a voodoo mystic and neutralise a handful of colourful henchmen. From hotel bombs to subterranean lairs, biting sharks to keel-haul executions, "Live and Let Die" feels like adventure-Bond's coming out party!Context@5:30; Summary@31:20; Review@45:00; Scoring@1:37:30

Another Simenon mystery means another chance to chat with our buddy Nick Anderson from The Book Graveyard. This episode looks at the "Maigret and the Burglar's Wife" from 1951. This case sees Maigret negotiate a Paris heatwave and the neighbourhood of Neuilly in following a dangerous lead brought to him by an unlikely source. A dentist and his mother fall under suspicion as the plot thickens around a missing body, family secrets and a twice-broken pane of glass. So open your windows and catch a breeze with us and Nick - "The Burglar's Wife" is blowing through with a strong scent of Simenon supremacy!ParisFF@20:45; Plot Summary@44:00; PIPESreview@1:20:00Check out this episode and all of Nick's other offerings at The Book Graveyard on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@TheBookGraveyard

We return to Wilkie Collins and early detective writing with a study of this comic story, originally published in the Atlantic Monthly back in April of 1858. Mr Yatman, a hard-working SoHo stationer, has been robbed at home and now faces financial ruin. Conditions and suspects in the crime point to a "closed circle" mystery. When the veteran Sergeant Bulmer is taken off the case, a young upstart named Matthew Sharpin takes over the investigation... in a manner of speaking. Sharpin is well-connected but absurdly self-confident and Collins leans into the popular form of epistolary writing to chart this young man's (not-so-tragic) fall.Summary@7:50; PIPES@28:40.For more on Wilkie Collins, check out our episode on "The Moonstone" from March 2022.