>>Hannah Freece: Good afternoon.
Welcome. My name is Hannah
Freece and I'm a writer editor
in the Library of Congress
publishing Office. And thank
you.
I'm delighted to welcome you
here for a performance from the
theatrical adaptation of Rudolph
Fisher’s 1932 novel, The Conjure
Man Dies. [Applause] The
library recently reissued the
Conjure Man Dies in its Library
of Congress Crime Classic
series, which is published in
association with Poison Pen
Press. And the series brings
back into print some of the
finest American crime writing
from the 1860s to the 1960s,
showcasing rare and lesser known
titles that represent a range of
genres from cozies to police
procedurals. In addition to
reproducing the original text,
each book includes a critical
introduction and annotations by
our series editor Leslie S.
Klinger, as well as cover art
drawn from the library's
collections. And our hope is for
these books to start
conversations, inspire further
research, and bring obscure
works to a new generation of
readers. The National Book
Festival and the publishing
office staff are exploring
innovative ways that books can
be performed. And today we will
present Act One, Scene One of
the play that Rudolph Fisher
adapted from his novel. The
Federal Theatre Project, a New
Deal program that provided
grants to actors, directors and
other theater professionals
during the Great Depression,
staged Fisher's adaptation in
1936 at the Lafayette Theatre in
Harlem, and the production was
so successful it was revived
after its four week run and
performed in New York City parks
and open air theaters throughout
the summer of 1936.
With more than 60,000 people
estimated to have seen the play.
Today, we're proud to share on
the large screen, photographs
from the original production,
which are part of the Federal
Theatre Project's archives that
are held at the library's music
division. Before introducing our
performers, I'm thrilled that
Les Klinger has joined us from
Los Angeles, where he is an
attorney by day and an expert in
the history of mysteries and
horror fiction all of the time.
Les is considered one of the
world's foremost experts on
Sherlock Holmes, Dracula and
H.P. Lovecraft, and he has
authored and annotated many
books on these literary giants.
He brings his deep knowledge of
the mystery genre to his
annotations for the Library of
Crime Classic series, and he'll
provide some background on the
Conjure Man Dies. And then after
our performance, he'll be back
to speak more about the book and
answer questions. So thank you
again for joining us. And I will
turn the podium over to Les.
[Applause] >>
Leslie S. Klinger: Thanks,
Hannah. One of the one of the
phrases that Hannah didn't use
about this series is time
machines. I think that that's
what we've been trying to
produce here. These books are
windows on their eras, and
they're not all pleasant. They
are not all politically correct,
but they are, I think, very
accurate depiction of the times.
The Conjure Man Dies, published
in 1932, was one of the great
fruits of the Harlem
Renaissance. The Renaissance was
ebbing already at that time as
the Depression began. But we
selected this book for the
series for two reasons. One,
it's the first mystery novel by
a black writer to feature an all
black ensemble of characters.
It's set in Harlem, and so it is
in that way it's very evocative
of a specific time when the
white culture of New York had
discovered black culture. And
the other reason is it's a great
mystery. It's a puzzling
mystery. And Fisher, you won't--
we're not going to do the whole
thing here, you're not going to
solve the crime in this
performance. For that, you have
to actually read the book.
But it's a terrific mystery.
And the author combined his love
of crime fiction.
He clearly knew the work of
Dashiell Hammett and some of the
other early pioneers in the
field. But it also is a very
realistic book. The book has--
is filled with Harlem slang
and a great sense of the culture
of Harlem at that time.
So in today's performance, we're
only going to see, there are
actually five detectives in this
story.
We're going to meet three of
them in this scene. Dr. Archer,
who is very much in the
tradition of physician
detectives. Fisher himself, the
author, by the way, was also a
physician, much as Arthur Conan
Doyle was. Bubber Brown and Jinx
Jenkins. Bubber and Jinx are
denizens of Harlem. They all
live in Harlem, actually. Doctor
Archer is being played by
Jonathan Del Palmer, Bubber
Brown by Joshua Street, and Jinx
Jenkins by Travis Brown. And
now, on with the show.
>> Dr. Archer: Hmm. That's one advantage
of being an undertaker. You
don't have to fear robbers.
Not a twitch.
>> Bubber Brown:
Long gone, huh Doc?
>> Dr. Archer: Not so long. Only about
half an hour. But, gone.
>> Bubber Brown: What’d I tell you.
>> Dr. Archer: So, this was Frimbo. Conjure
 man, caster of spells.
Prophet. I wonder if he foresaw
his own— Oh, Hello.
>> Bubber Brown: What is
it, Doc?
>> Dr. Archer: Ach. Blood in his hair.
 Scalp wound.
Who are you two gentlemen?
>> Bubber Brown: Why, uh,this is 
Jinx Jenkins, Doctor Archer.
He's my buddy, see him and me--
>> Dr. Archer: And you, if I don't
presume?
>> Bubber Brown: Me? I'm Bubber Brown.
>> Dr. Archer:  Just how did
this happen, Mr. Bubber Brown?
>> Bubber Brown: 'deed I don't know,
 Doc. It's, somebody killed him?
>> Dr. Archer: You don't know?
>> Bubber Brown: Me? Noooo, sir.
[laughs nervously]
>> Dr. Archer: You came and got
me, you must know something
about it. Who found him?
>>Bubber Brown: Jinx. 
[laughter]
>> Dr. Archer: Where?
>> Bubber Brown: Same place you
did. Upstairs in that funny room
of his.
>> Dr. Archer: In that chair?
>> Bubber Brown: Yes, sir.
>> Dr. Archer: Mm hmm.
Well, but how?
>> Bubber Brown: You see, we just
come here to get his advice.
About something. Jinx took his turn. I 
waited in the waiting room. Presently,
Jinx come busting out pop eyes,
and beckon to me. I went back
with him and there was Frimbo.
Just like you found him. We
didn't know he was already over
the river. That's how come I run
across the street for you.
>> Dr. Archer: Did he fall against 
anything and strike his head?
>> Bubber Brown: Go. Tell the doc 
you was in the room with the man.
>> Jinx Jenkins: Not while he was talking 
to me. But I know it could have
happened, though.
>> Dr. Archer: When?
>> Jinx Jenkins: Well. You told us to
 bring him down here so you.
Could see him in a better light.
>> Dr. Archer: Yes.
>> Jinx Jenkins: Well, maybe we
bumped his head on the banister
or something?
>> Dr. Archer: In which case the wound
would not have bled since the 
victim is already dead.
>> Bubber Brown: Would just getting 
hit on the head kill him?
>> Dr. Archer: It might, but it
didn't. This isn't a fatal wound.
>> Bubber Brown: Well, what done
 it then?
>> Dr. Archer: Patience, my friend.
Let's see. Contorted features,
retracted lips, bulging eyes. 
Frimbo was choked to death.
>> Bubber Brown: Choked?
>> Dr. Archer: Yet, there are no
marks on his throat. Anyone else
present when this happened?
>> Bubber Brown: There was two 
ladies in the waiting room.
They up there yet, I reckon,
wondering what's the hold up?
>> Dr. Archer: No one else?
>> Bubber Brown: Well, there was
three men went in and seen
Frimbo ahead of us. Jinx was the
fourth. But the others must have
left by the hall door.
>> Dr. Archer: You gentlemen will
pardon my undue curiosity, I
hope. But, which of you, if
either stands responsible for
the um, expenses of medical
attention in this case?
>> Bubber Brown: You mean, who
gonna pay you?
>> Dr. Archer: That makes it a
 rather bald question.
>> Bubber Brown: Bald?
But here's one with hair on it,
Doc. Who's getting the medical
attention?
>> Dr. Archer: Hmm. Seems I must
seek my compensation in
something other than the coin of
the realm. Well, what's money
but a means of satisfaction.
>> Bubber Brown: Oh, Sure. Sure
>> Jinx Jenkins: Sure.
>> Dr. Archer: This case may 
satisfy my native
curiosity, yet, if not my
cellular protoplasm.
You follow me, of course.
>> Bubber Brown: With my 
tongue hanging out. [laughter]
>> Dr. Archer: In other words,
gentlemen, suppose we notify the
police?
>> Bubber Brown: The police? [laughs]
>> Dr. Archer: Yes, the police. 
You know the police.
>> Bubber Brown: Why? Oh, sure.
We'll go get em, won't we, boy? 
Come on.
>> Dr. Archer: Just a
moment, gentlemen. All first
rate undertakers have
telephones.
>> Bubber Brown: Oh, you mean
just call them up?
>> Dr. Archer: I think you'll find
 Mr. Crouch's telephone, in there.
>> Bubber Brown: In there?
>> Dr. Archer: In there. If you 
see a body or two lying.
Around, just ignore them. I'll 
check up here.
>> Bubber Brown: A body? Hmm.
[laughter]
>> Jinx Jenkins: Police.
>> Bubber Brown: He’ll
check up in there, and we'll
just about check out in here.
>> Jinx Jenkins: I wish I could
check out. This thing don't look
so good to me.
>> Bubber Brown: Alright, dumbo, 
check out and make everybody.
Think you done it.
>> Jinx Jenkins: Well, if I
thought that--.
>> Bubber Brown: Oh, oh--.
>> Jinx Jenkins: Oh!
Another one.
>> Bubber Brown: What’d I tell ya!
>> Jinx Jenkins: Graveyard’s a
playground compared to this
place.
>> Bubber Brown: Ooooo.  Where's
the phone?
>> Jinx Jenkins: Don't ask me.
 I got both of my eyes occupied.
>> Bubber Brown: There it is,
right by the thing. Go on.
Use it.
>> Jinx Jenkins: Use it
yourself! I'm going out of here.
>> Bubber Brown: Not alone! Come
on. We use it together.
>> Jinx Jenkins: All right. But if that
whoosit say howdy, then I'm
saying goodbye.
>> Bubber Brown: Where the hell
you think I'm
gonna be when it say howdy?
>> Jinx Jenkins: Church in the 
basement. Undertaker on the.
First floor and the conjure man 
upstairs? Roll, Jordan, roll.
Well step on it, slow motion!
>> Bubber Brown: Hello?
Hello? Operator? Operator!
>> Jinx Jenkins: My God, is the
phone dead too?
>> Bubber Brown: Operate-- oh, here
 she is. Give me the station. Quick!
Pennsylvania? No, no, ma'am.
New York. Harlem.
Listen, lady, not railroad.
Police.
Yeah, police station.
Please, ma'am.
Hello? Is this, is this? Hey,
send a flock of cops around
here. Big cops.
Frimbo’s. The conjure man.
On 130th Street. Yep.
Somebody done put that thing on
him.
>> Jinx Jenkins: Mmm Hmm.
>> Bubber Brown: How? You'll
have to ask Doc Archer about
that. He's right here in the
next room. Huh?
Okay, but make it fast.
Hello? 18 West 130th Street.
Yes, sir. Wait right here?
We'll wait. But not right here.
[laughter]
>> Jinx Jenkins: No, sir.
>> Bubber Brown: Find anything
else, doc?
>> Dr. Archer: Yes.
>> Bubber Brown: What?
>> Dr. Archer: A brand new way of
choking a man to death.
[Applause]
>> Leslie S. Klinger: Oh, come on
back, guys. Come on back.
[Applause]
I'm sure you all saw
what the doctor did there,
pulled out, and there's a little
tiny spoiler here, but he pulls
a handkerchief out of the throat
of the corpse. Who put a
handkerchief down the corpse's
throat?
And by the way, the handkerchief
belongs to Jinx Jenkins.
>> The Audience: Whoooaa?!?
>> Leslie S. Klinger: The plot thickens.
There are two other detectives
featured in the book, Perry
Dart, who is a black police
detective, and he becomes sort
of a partner to Dr. Archer. They
work together on this case, and
there's actually another story
about Archer and Dart and a
fifth detective, who you'll have
to read the book to find out who
it is. There's a lot of
surprises in this book.
So if the early 1920s to mid thirties
was the Harlem Renaissance, then
the author, Rudolph Fisher, was
truly a Renaissance man. Born in
1897, in Washington, he attended
Brown University.
He was raised in Providence,
actually, and then he attended
Brown. He also went to Howard,
where he obtained his medical
degree. He was a well known
radiologist in New York.
He wrote papers in the field,
but he also played music.
He was a regular habitue of
Harlem. He played with various
bands, and he was a writer. He
was friends with Langston
Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and
the other luminaries of the
Renaissance. People have
suggested, as I said, that he
had studied Hammet in
particular. And as you can tell
from this, he combined crime
with realistic views of Harlem.
There was a lot of debate in the
Renaissance at that time about
how the black culture should be
depicted, what black writers
obligations were--should they be
presenting the noble, the best?
Fisher decided that he wanted to
present a realistic picture of
Harlem, and so he did.
Bubber Brown is not the clown
that you saw a glimpse of here.
Jinx is not the, mmm, he's a
little, he's kind of suspicious.
And Dr. Archer has his own long
story about how he got to be a
physician practicing here. And Perry
Dart, one of the tiny handful of
black detectives on the police
force in New York at that time.
So it's a very focused look at
what was going on in the
culture. So, as I said, this is
the first novel by a black
writer with an all black cast.
There hadn't been very many
people of color writing before
this. One of the most important
is Pauline Hopkins. She wrote,
she was the editor of the
Colored American Magazine from
1901 to 1903, and she produced
two novels of great importance.
One is called Of One Blood,
which is essentially sort of a
lost world. If you if you think
Wakanda, she invented it.
Of One Blood is in part about
that and about a black artist
assimilating in white culture in
America, only to discover his
roots. The other book, called
Hagar's Daughter, is a crime
novel with a female detective
with roots of the crime in
slavery. These are very
important works and just about
forgotten today. There were only
two other works by people of
color that we know of in the
crime fiction field. One was
called The Black Sleuth. It was
serialized, so it doesn't count
as the first novel, and it's not
quite finished. And the other is
a novel by, looking for his name
at the moment--the hunt is--
W. Adolf, Adolph Roberts.
This book was published in 1926.
It's called The Haunted Hand.
Roberts was a Jamaican who had
moved to the United States at an
early age. But there is nothing
black about the book at all.
The detective is a white
Brooklyn born lowlife who turns
out to be important in finding
things out about the case. So,
Fisher stands out as the first
great writer of color. Later, of
course, we have Chester Himes,
who wrote the series, some of
you may know the film, called
Cotton Comes to Harlem. That's
based on a novel called The Rage
in Harlem. Himes was a very
successful novelist in the
1950s, and that sort of opened
the floodgates. And now we have
a great diversity of mystery
writers. So this play is, has
never been
published. The script came from
the libr-- the New York Public
Library, I believe? Where you
can find it if you really have
to have a copy of it. But we're
hopeful that the play will see a
greater audience at some point.
Who knows? Maybe even film
producers out there will say
this deserves production. So
that concludes our presentation
of the Conjure Man Dies.
You'll have to read the book to
solve the crime. But we will
take questions for the actors,
the library staff or me about
this or the series. And I should
let me say a word or two about
the series before we launch into
that. The series spans the
period 1867, with the first
American mystery novel called
The Dead Letter to 1960.
And that's sort of our aim is
that century of crime fiction.
There are many titles that have
gotten lost that haven't gotten
the attention they deserve.
We're not trying to be
politically correct in the
titles that we choose. We're
trying to pick books that are
evocative of the time periods
and that may offend some people
to remember our own history. But
we think it's important that we
do remember who we are and where
we came from. Questions?
[Applause]
Questions, comments,
rebuttals.
Yes. Yes. There's a microphone here.
>> Vanessa Atkin: Vanessa Atkin
with the D.C. Commission on the
Arts and Humanities. Thank you
for the presentation. This is
Questions for Hannah. I'm
curious about your thoughts of
working with this project and
your impressions. Thank you.
>> Hannah Freece: Thank you for that
 question.
It's been a great privilege to
work on this project. I think,
as Les said, these books are
snapshots of the time in which
they were written, and they
really provide the opportunity
to think about sociopolitical
history, cultural history and
just so many different threads
of history, but hopefully in an
engaging and accessible way
because you still want to find
out who did it.
>> Leslie S. Klinger: Speaking of who did it,
I forgot to mention that in the
course of putting this book
together, we looked into Dr.
Fisher, and we found his last
surviving relative, his
granddaughter named Laurel
Fisher. She lives in Illinois.
And I reached out to her. I
mean, using the Internet, found
her, called her up, and she was
thrilled that we were publishing
her grandfather's book. And
you'll see in this edition that
we have some memories of her
grandfather that she
contributed. The interesting
part of the story is, she had no
idea that she owned the
copyrights to this book.
[laughter]
Other questions? Comments? This
young woman here has a
little something to do with the
series, Becky Clark.
>> Becky Clark: I'm Becky Clark. I'm
director of the publishing
office. And I thought it would
be helpful, Hannah, if you could
say a little bit about how we
chose the cover for the book and
where that cover comes from.
>> Hannah Freece: Yeah, I would be
happy to. All the cover art on
all the books in the series does
come from the library's
collections, and we have a
fantastic prints and photographs
collection at the library, which
has literally millions of images
to choose from. We try to find
ones that we can get permission
to use or are in the public
domain and that have something
to do with the contents of the
book, of course. So we did do a
lot of research trying to find
something from the Harlem
Renaissance, from that era, and
never found the right fit.
Because if you think about it,
the image has to relate to the
plot, but not give something
away, not be too graphic or
disturbing, considering it is
murder we're talking about. We
have to be able to get
permission and it also has to
fit the aspect ratio of the
design of the template for the
series. So it's a tall ask for a
single work of art. And this is
actually a photograph by Camilo
Jose Vergara, who's a very
talented documentary
photographer who has done many--
uh, for many decades, has been
photographing urban
neighborhoods and how they've
changed over time in the United
States. So this is a mural in
Harlem that no longer exists,
actually. But we thought that
the abstract use of colors, the
clear infrastructure of the
urban environment, related to
The Conjure Man Dies and its
setting, even though it was a
photo taken in 2010, not 1932.
Thanks.
>> Leslie S. Klinger: By the way, for more
about the series, please visit
the Library of Congress
publishing table down in the, on
the lowest floor where we
actually have free books and a
calendar showing the 12 titles
so far that we have published so
far. Yes?
>> Audience Member: Hi. Yes,
I've got a question for the
amazing actors today.
[Applause] Yeah, give 'em a hand.  They
deserve it.
So I want to ask you guys, each of you
individually, for your characters that you're
playing, that you played in this
short little excerpt, what drew
you to them specifically and how
did you kind of find your way in
to them?
>> Leslie S. Klinger: Come on up.
 Come on up.
[applause]
>> Jonathan Del Palmer: Okay. Okay.
>> Joshua Street: Show
off. [laughter]
>> Jonathan Del Palmer: Hello? Oh, yeah. 
Still miked. Okay.
I love mysteries.
I'm a huge mystery fan.
When we talked about this and we
talked about me being Dr.
Archer, I was like, Yeah, sign
me up. I'm all for it. I was
even willing to just be the
Conjure Man, just lying there.
[laughter]
>> Joshua Street: Dream role.
>> Jonathan Del Palmer: Right.
Right. I was, like, super
psyched about it. But no, I am a
huge, huge mystery novel fan.
I'm into Agatha Christie and
Sherlock Holmes and all those
things. I loved the like Nancy
Drew computer games growing up.
I could talk about mysteries all
day. So, yeah. And this
character is just so cool and so
composed and steady. And I
really wanted to bring that out.
And I hope I did. I hope I did
that for you. [applause].
>> Leslie S. Klinger: And Archer,
 by the way.
Archer is not a detective. I
mean, he's this doctor who finds
himself in the middle of the
mystery and intrigued by it and
really is the deep thinker of the book.
 And Bubber is a real detective.
>> Joshua Street: Uh, I was...
What about Bubber brought me?
Well, I am Bubber Brown,
basically. I talk far too much.
I talk far too fast. When we
were rehearsing, they're like,
Can you just slow down? And I
was like, Oh, right, gotcha,
gotcha. I, I'm a busybody who is
in too many people's business. I
admit it. I'm far too nosey,
too. So I was like, Oh, just be
myself on stage? Cool. Easy.
Done. But yeah, no, fully like
just his both his kind of
ribbing of Jinx, but also, like,
don't you dare get caught or I
will kill you myself. It's very
much how I treat all my friends,
where I'm like, please be safe.
But if you're going to be not
safe, just take a buddy with
you. Please. Something. So,
yeah, again, like you said, it's
a great piece, it's really fun.
Mysteries are always great to
try and solve. I never solve
them. But it's good.
>> Travis Brown: Yeah. Awesome. 
Yeah. For
me, I just, I love the mystery
plays, but I also love like the
Harlem Renaissance in that era,
that time period. I think Jinx
Jenkins, for him, it's so
interesting because these
characters in their time period
where they're living is, can be
very reflective of how we are
now, like how we were learning,
or hearing earlier. And so with
that it was just trying to
connect into the reality of
like, oh wow, I'm in this
situation. I don't even know
what's going on for real. I'm
just trying to figure out why my
handkerchief is in his throat
and trying to solve those
things. So just kind of leaning
into that and just realizing
that these stories really do
reflect like society and how
it's changed over time. And so I
really just enjoy like the
Harlem Renaissance that time
period for that. So,yeah.
>> Audience Member: Thank you.
>>Travis Brown: Thank you.
[applause]
>> Leslie S. Klinger: Yes, sir?
>> Josiah Weaver: Hi. My name is Josiah
Weaver. I am from Connecticut
and I'm 12 years old.
>> Joshua Street: Hey. Hey. 
Alright.
>> Josiah Weaver: I
have a question about for the
actors. Um.
How did you, I have a question,
did you incorporate the feelings
that you had, like, let's say a
happy or, you know, sad or just
feeling real feelings that you
felt deep feelings or like
feelings that you felt?
I don't know how to word it.
>> Joshua Street: I hear what
you're saying. I hear what
you're saying.
>> Josiah Weaver: How did you 
incorporate that in your acting?
And I understand because I attend the
Harlem School of Arts and I'm in Harlem
a lot with that culture. And
it's still going on today, to be
completely honest with you. I
mean, there are festivals all
the time. I mean, street
festivals, people walking up and
down the streets just really
expressing themselves and all
that. So it's, it's really, uh,
I understand the play. It's,
this is really amazing. So how
do you incorporate those deep
feelings that you feel into your
acting?
>> Joshua Street: See,
one of my old acting teachers,
she always said, you find the
Venn diagram of where the
character is and where you are
and you've got to live in that
space in between. So like you
should, like I said, Bubber is
me basically. So you should
never, never not bring your own
feelings into it. It's kind of
like you got to, like you said,
it's still going on today. Even
if this play was written in
1930, the feelings that they
feel are still very real, still
very prescient, still very
human, basically. So you should
never not bring your entire self
to a performance. So it is very
much like just finding that
humanity of the character, in==
finding that humanity of the
character and then injecting
your own humanity into it. Yeah.
>> Travis Brown: Just adding on
to that, first. I like that H.U.
shirt. you got on right there,
you know.  But,
also, like he was just saying
very well, I think too, this,
given the circumstances, like
you said, Harlem is still doing
this now. So you can probably
see yourself in this world as
well. So once you have the
circumstances and this team here
at the Library of Congress, they
gave us a lot of research about
the era and about the time
period and seeing pictures of
the productions when they were
doing it at the Lafayette
Theater in 1936.
You just get that whole
framework and then just be in
that space and then allow
whatever feelings come up to
just live truthfully through
you.
>> Jonathan Del Palmer: Yeah.
And to what they were
saying, I also feel like every
space that you step into has its
own set of emotions and you move
through that as as a human
being, as a character, when,
whenever you take on any role,
you can just feel it, when you
walk into a room or you walk
into a certain spot in the room,
you're like, man, I feel really
happy right here. Or I feel like
really scared right here. So I
try to take that into account.
With every show I do, I'm like,
What is this space given to me?
Like, what is it telling me?
What feedback am I getting that
I can take into myself and put
forward as the character? So, yeah.
>> Leslie S. Klinger: Just
to make sure you get the idea, I
mean, this is an undertaker's
place here. We've got two
corpses and the Conjure Man is
a, is a psychic for hire.
I mean, he basically predicts
people's futures. So you got
this, what's the line about back
to Jordan?
>> Joshua Street: Roll Jordan, roll.
>> Leslie S. Klinger: You got 
an undertaker
on the ground floor. It's a
church on the second floor and
the Conjure Man on the second
floor. It's a-- I love the supernatural
element here, the fright. And by
the way, kudos to Becky Clark
and Hannah Freece, who produced
two corpses for this one.
[Laughter].
>> Josiah Weaver: Thank you.
>> Jonathan Del Palmer: What was
your name? Josiah you said?
>> Josiah Weaver: Yes, my name is
Josiah Weaver. And I forgot, I'm
attending the Harlem School of
Arts for theater.
>> Jonathan Del Palmer: Yeah. Everybody give
it up for Josiah. [Applause] >>
Joshua Street: He's going to be
on this stage soon, right? Look out.
>> Josiah Weaver: Thank
you.
>> Leslie S. Klinger: Other
questions? Come on up to the
microphone here. Yeah.
>>Audience Member: Hi.
So when talking about the
series, I know there was a
difficult decision to decide
which books to include. I was
wondering if there are any that
stick out to you that made it
into the collection or any that
didn't make the cut that you'd
still like to champion?
>>Leslie S. Klinger: Well, we have
a lot more to go. So if they
haven't made the cut yet,
there's still, if you want one
of your favorites that you're
waiting for, don't give up.
We have three more in production
already. And we're going to be
putting out pretty much four a
year.
Forever. [Laughter].
>> Leslie S. Klinger: Or until we 
run out of
steam here. In terms of
favorites, I love the Conjure
Man. It's just, it's one of my
absolute favorites. But there's
so many. We just finished a
terrific book called The Master
of Mysteries, which is just
great stuff.
Interestingly, another psychic
Astro The Seer, is the
detective, and he's a, he admits
he's a fake psychic, but he uses
his powers of observation to
solve very real crimes. One of
the more important books is, as
I said, we spanned from early to
late. The Dead Letter, 1867, the
first American mystery novel by
a woman named Seely Register.
It's an interesting, it's a
longish novel about a letter
that shows up years after it was
sent, providing a vital clue to
the solution of a crime on up to
the most recent in the series in
terms of chronology. Is Case
Pending, by Del Shannon, not the
rock and roller, the other Del
Shannon, who had a very, very
successful career as a mystery
writer. And this is one of her
first. It's about the Hispanic
police detective, Luis Mendoza
in
Los Angeles. And so, sort of
everything in between. Another
one of my favorites is The Rat
Began to Gnaw the Rope by C.W.
Grafton. For those of you who
are mystery readers, this was
Sue's father, who had his own
success as a mystery writer.
He wrote three novels that were
well regarded, and it's set in
the 1940s, and it's one of the
very first sort of humor,
wisecracking detective, private
detective kind of novels. So
there's so many I can't pick out
a favorite. It's like, which of
your children do you like best?
[chuckling]
>> Audience Member: Thank you
for that insight into the
series.
>> Leslie S. Klinger: Thank you.
>> Becky Clark: It's Becky Clark
again. I just want to point out, we've
got three incredibly talented actors up
here who did exactly one
rehearsal for 45 minutes, just
yesterday.
So [Applause] So we should give
them another round.
>> Jonathan Del Palmer: Aww, come on.
>>Leslie S. Klinger: Imagine if he'd had two. [Laughter].
>>Travis Brown: The whole play. >>
Leslie S. Klinger: You want to
ask a question over there?
You're just wandering around.
Other questions?
Comments? Okay.
Well, thank you all for coming.
And as I said, stop by the table
downstairs.
>> Joshua Street:
Thank you so much.
>> Jonathan Del Palmer: Thank you all.
>> Travis Brown: Thank you.