Happy Birthday, Charles Dickens

If Charles Dickens had lived, he would have been 200 today! I always think of Charles Dickens as a mystery writer because he gave us such 'suspenseful' books. Yes, he was writing for the serials, so he kept us going, but his novels were filled with crime and intrigue, detectives, and criminals.

Bleak House surely qualifies as a mystery with Inspector Bucket,  the first British literary detective. The Bow Street Runners appear in Oliver Twist. And, of course, there's The Mystery of Edwin Drood, the final--and unfinished- work that has seen the light of day in theatres, as well as in print, and soon to be shown in the US, a new BBC production.

Google even has a Charles Dickens doodle.

Here's a round-up of some Charles Dickens info for the mystery reader:

Charles Dickens, Crime Writer by Terrie Farley Moran at CriminalElement.com

Celebrating the 200th Birthday of Charles Dickens: Worldwide information on exhibits, Film, TV, Radio, Theatre, and special events
celebrations.
  Included: Dickens and London: Museum of London, December 2011-June 10, 2012
  The Mysteries of  Charles Dickens: Museum Strauhof, Zurich

Charles Dickens at 200: Guardian UK Webpage  (links to videos)

Charles Dickens at 200: Still the great British 'Idol' by Bob Minzesheimer in USA Today

Charles Dickens Facebook Page (Friending Charles?)

Contemporary Mysteries featuring Charles Dickens or his works:
Edith Skom's The Charles Dickens Murders
Dan Simmons' Drood
Matthew Pearl's The Last Dickens

So raise a glass to Charles Dickens today!  And, here's a link to a Fiendishly Difficult Birthday Pub Quiz