Joy Q&A: Day 3

Once again, I am taking part in Joy's tag by picking through the questions.  I am sorry to leave so much out, and once more I direct you to Joy's post to see the fullness of her event.  But I haven't seen much of Sherlock Holmes (although now I feel I should) and so I don't know the answers to several of her questions.  But here I have-a-go at the ones I can:

1. How many Sherlock Holmes "books" have you read?
None!

3. Have you read any of Agatha Christie's novels or watched any of the adaptions of her works? (Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, etc . . . ) If so, which of her books/stories is your favourite?
I haven't read her novels but I have watched a few episodes of Miss Marple.  Not sure about a favorite...

5. What are your general sentiments regarding mystery fiction? Are you an avid reader, do you read it occasionally for fun, or do you try to avoid it? As a Christian, how much do you enjoy and appreciate this genre?

Mystery fiction need not be a horrendous crime, although it often is.  The mystery solving itself is fascinating to me regardless of the crime.  I think it can be distasteful if your entire "diet" revolves around murder mysteries.

6. What are some other books/movies of this genre which you have read/watched and enjoyed?

I read mysteries when I was younger. I loved TCDC (Three Cousins Detective Club). I also read the Mandy books, Encyclopedia Brown, and various other small children's mystery books. 

8. Do you generally prefer the mystery stories that brim over with dozens of suspects, and endless possibilities, or do you rather like it to contain an "unknown" suspect--one you would not have suspected?

I suppose I prefer dozens of suspects.  The "unexpected" one is nice every now and again, but it rather makes you doubt yourself and perhaps all mankind...

9. Is it more important for you to know - who "done 'it", or rather why that person did it?

Who done it is most important...but the why helps add closure and lends an emotional pull to the capture -- either one of pity for the poor criminal pressed into his life of crime or one of indignation and relief that such a criminal will be punished.

10. What would you do if you had committed a crime and knew Sherlock Holmes was hot on your trail?

Impossible...the man doesn't exist.

14. If you are a writer, would you write a mystery/detective story yourself (or maybe you already have; tell us about it!)

Maybe...someday.

16. What do you think of private detectives who take the law into their own hands, (i.e. like when Sherlock Holmes allows a criminal to go free when he feels justice has been served, or the criminal was in the right?)

In the story, you usually feel so much confidence in your beloved detective that you feel he is better than judge and jury and "the system".  But, at the same time, there is a reason that in real life we set up a system of checks and balances.  Sherlock Holmes may be able to do it appropriately, but can the next detective?  What's to keep the weaker detective from letting people go inappropriately if all the detectives are allowed to make their own decisions?