Being a fan, myself, of time-travel mysteries, I was intrigued to discover that California author Julie McElwain (Shadows in Time) had collected some of her favorite such yarns for CrimeReads. Included among her half-dozen picks are Dean Koontz’s Lightning, Lauren Beukes’ The Shining Girls, and Stephen King’s 11/22/63.
Curiously absent from her recommendations, though, are Karl Alexander’s Time After Time (1979), in which 19th-century science-fictionist H.G. Wells travels to late-20th-century San Francisco in hot pursuit of Jack the Ripper, and Jack Finney’s Time and Again (1970), wherein an advertising artist leaps back to 1882 New York City on the trail of a much-damaged letter penned that very year.
I can recommend "Twice in Time" by Manly Wade Wellman. I read and liked this as a 1960s teenager, then again probably 15 years ago and I still liked it. I'm not sure if it fully meets your criterion of being a time travel mystery, but if you haven't read it, perhaps you might consider giving it a try.
ReplyDeleteI second the two additional books you mention. TIME AFTER TIME was made into a great movie, giving Michael McDowell, David Warner, and Mary Steenbergen boosts to their respective careers. Deep-voiced David Warner deserved an Oscar for this one and again for his performance as the heavy's bodyguard in TITANIC. He's narrated some remarkable audiobooks as well.
ReplyDeleteSeems like there has been an explosion of time-loop novels lately, many of them crossing genre's and featuring detective work and associated flavors--crime, natch. Claire North's THE FIRST FIFTEEN LIVES OF HARRY AUGUST is a good one that springs to mind.
Oh, I see that James Lee Burk's new one is available now, A PRIVATE CATHEDRAL, featuring a time-traveling villain unlike anything else in Dave Robecheaux's career and reportedly with a lot of Cajun philosophizing. Wonderful book cover that must be seen in person to appreciate.
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