1940 Club, hosted by Simon of Stuck in a Book and Karen of Kaggsy’s Bookish Ramblings, starts on Monday and we will all be reading and writing about books published in that year. It seems to have been a particularly great year for publishing – I have previously read and reviewed ten 1940 books on my blog and thought I would list them here before the week begins. If you’re looking for some last-minute ideas I can recommend most of these!
Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie – This is one of two Christie novels published in 1940. One, Two, Buckle My Shoe, which I haven’t read yet, is the other.
Miss Hargreaves by Frank Baker – An entertaining and imaginative read (and one of club co-host Simon’s favourites).
The Winter is Past by Noel Streatfeild – One of Streatfeild’s novels for adults, set during the winter of 1939-40.
The Strangers in the House by Georges Simenon – This is one of Simenon’s standalone romans durs or ‘hard novels’.
Black Plumes by Margery Allingham – A standalone crime novel set in and around a London art gallery.
The Man in the Moonlight by Helen McCloy – The second book in McCloy’s Dr Basil Willing mystery series.
There Came Both Mist and Snow by Michael Innes – The first of two books published in 1940, both from Innes’ Inspector Appleby crime series.
Verdict of Twelve by Raymond Postgate – This was one of the first British Library Crime Classics I read and still one of my favourites.
The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer – There are also two Heyer novels published in 1940, this one (which is great fun) and The Spanish Bride.
The Secret Vanguard by Michael Innes – Another Inspector Appleby novel, but more of a spy thriller than a mystery this time.
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Have you read any books published in 1940? Will you be joining in with 1940 Club?
She Reads Novels 
Wow, you’ve done well! I haven’t got anything ‘ready to go’ on my bookshelves, and I did take one 1940 book with me on my travels through France, but didn’t get around to reading it because I’ve been inundated with other books to read. However, I intend to keep going (or start?) with 1940 books all month. Let’s see how much I get done.
I hope you enjoy whatever you end up reading. It was such a good year for publishing I think you could easily spend all month reading 1940 books.
Great list – some marvellous idea for the reading week! I certainly could have read nothing but GA crime if I wanted to!!
Yes, 1940 seems to have been a particularly great year for crime!
I have The Corinthian and Sad Cypress on my 1940 list too 😃I’m trying to be a bit more adventurous this time around though so will try a couple of new authors to me.
I always intend to try new authors for these club weeks, but find myself drawn back to old favourites instead.
That’s a tempting list, with Sad Cypress being the only one I’ve read. Black Plumes is on my shortlist though for my ‘mystery’ pick, I’m veering towards previously unread authors, let’s see.
These clubs are a good opportunity to try new authors, although I usually just stick to authors I already know and love. I’ll look forward to seeing what you decide to read.
So true, this time, I have two familar/favourite authors and one new to me one.
Ooh, this is so helpful! I’m going to read Native Son but am hoping for a shorter, fun read as well, and might pick up one of these.
I hope you like Native Son, but yes, sometimes you need something short and light as well!
I’m reviewing The Corinthian and Miss Hargreaves next week but have my own list of previous reads: Mariana by Monica Dickens, The Hamlet by William Faulkner, Bewildering Cares by Winifred Peck, and Cheerfulness Breaks In by Angela Thirkell.
I haven’t read any of those. I did think about reading Mariana for the club week, but decided on some other books instead.
1940 was a great book year! I was surprised by how many familiar books are on the list and this is a lovely selection!
Yes, it seems to have been a really great year for books. I was surprised to find how many I’d already read and how many others I wanted to read.
Helen you are a life saver. I have been so confused lately on what to read for the event. I think one Christie and Miss Hargreaves for sure .
I’m glad I could help! Miss Hargreaves is fun – I think you would like it.
Ah, the age of the Hard-Boiled detective novel…. What’s not to love? [grin]
It seems to have been a great year for fiction!
I must have read the relevant Heyers and Christies but I’ve only been keeping my detailed spreadsheet with publication dates for a few years! I’ve read three for this Week, one reviewed today, one review out on Wednesday and one to write!
I’ll look forward to your other two reviews. I have one posted today, one coming later in the week, and am hoping to finish The Spanish Bride by Heyer as well – I hadn’t realised it was so long or I would have started it earlier!
That Noel Stretfeild sounds right up my street, I wish I had known about it earlier. I have enjoyed a few books by her previously.
The Winter is Past is a lovely book – I’m sure you would enjoy it. It’s the only one of Noel Streatfeild’s adult novels I’ve read so far, but I’ll definitely be looking for more of them.