I have an idea

[bunn]

For a series of whodunnits, in which a very elderly Cottia investigates mysteries around the South Downs, with young Servius Placidus from the Horses of the Chalk story that I wrote, as her sidekick.  Because, I love genteel whodunnits. And I love Roman whodunnits. And elderly ladies investigating crimes.  So, surely the best thing of all would be a Genteel Roman Whodunnit with an ancient lady detective!

Whether this will actually get written is another matter, but I felt the idea was so pleasing I would at least make a note of it here.

Comments

[jane-somebody.livejournal.com]

Ooh, brilliant idea. I'm right with you in the love for apparently-genteel elderly ladies investigating crime; I think my favourite is Peter Wimsey's Miss Climpson, though obviously Miss Marple is awesome too :-)

My 'would-like-to-write' detective stories would feature Sokrates' wife Xanthippe as a fab investigator. She gets a bad rap in the sources as something of a shrew, but I can't help feeling that with Sokrates as a husband she has an excuse! While Sokrates waffles around trying to get people to examine themselves and the nature of the universe, Xanthippe just gets on with the more practical uncovering of answers that really matter :-)

[jane-somebody.livejournal.com]

(hmm, I'm now wondering whether it's already been done! I've certainly seen a short story with Sokrates as the detective person, in a historical detectives collection somewhere.)

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Oh - I never know if that is a lose or a win - on the one hand, you can read the story without doing any work! On the other hand, original idea is unoriginal. :-(

I'm inclined to count it a win though.

Miss Climpson! Miss Climpson is great, I always wish there were more stories with her in.

[jane-somebody.livejournal.com]

I have seen at least one good fanfic with Miss Climpson, probably at AO3, possibly coming out of Yuletide. May well have been recced by Sally-Maria?

[jane-somebody.livejournal.com]

Yes, it was! It's this one: The Conscience of the Queen (http://archiveofourown.org/works/39414).

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Excellent! Will add to 'to read' - thank you.

[jane-somebody.livejournal.com]

And following the 'Miss Climpson' tag gives 5 other stories, which I will now be working my through... (I'm working on the, hopefully not unjustified, belief that anyone who would include Miss Climpson in a story is likely to have written something decent!)