Bridge in Fiction
By Alex J. Coyne (c) Great Bridge Links
We love the game of bridge so much that we thought we’d take a closer look at bridge in fiction: books where bridge gets a brief mention or even forms part of the entire plot.
Murder at the Bridge Table
Murder at the Bridge Table is written by Matthew Granovetter and its reviews promise that it’s one of the most interesting (if weirdest) books about bridge out there. Murder at the Bridge Table is out of print now, but you’re still able to pick up used copies from Amazon for cheaply. The book blends storytelling and real-life bridge instruction, so it’s even useful to readers who are looking to improve their game!
I Shot My Bridge Partner
I Shot My Bridge Partner is the second novel by author and bridge-player Matthew Granovetter, according to the Amazon description the third book in the Bridge Mystery Trilogy by the same author; again, we’ve got a solid murder mystery that’s worth checking out. Wow, one would think a lot of people die playing cards, then…
The Bridge Team Murders
If you’d like to dive first into Matthew Granovetter’s work, check out the third in the Bridge Mystery series entitled The Bridge Team Murders: Again, you might have to opt for a used paperback from Amazon as this one may or may not be out of print at this point, but it’s worth it!
Cards on the Table
Agatha Christie is an ever-popular author amongst mystery fans – and she was an avid bridge player herself! “Cards on the Table” is centered around a bridge game where, of course, anyone could have been a possible suspect! If you love murder mysteries (especially old-fashioned whodunit tales) and the game of bridge, you should dive right into this one.
The Bridge Club Mysteries
The Bridge Club Mystery series comes to us thanks to author Honor Hartman and there are several books in this series for the really avid readers among us. The first in the series of popular books can be found on Amazon and is entitled On the Slam. The series also includes The Unkindest Cut, the second in the series.
Pemberton Bridge Club Mysteries
Hey, what is it about bridge that most stories turn into a murder mystery? It must be the suspense around the table… The Pemberton Bridge Club Mysteries happen to be well-known and have seen several books in the series including Shades of Grey and Deadly EndPlay, which you can purchase through our Amazon Affiliate Link.
Death in Duplicate
A mysterious illness… two dead bridge players… what’s going on at Kensington College? Okay, okay, we’ll add one more murder mystery just because it caught our eye: Death in Duplicate by author Carole Coplea takes the reader into the middle of the local university’s bridge club to get to the bottom of an unsolved murder.
Sherlock Holmes – Bridge Detective
When I was first learning the game in the 1970s, a series of books called Sherlock Holmes – Bridge Detective by Frank Thomas, were all the rage. I loved how the Holmes mysteries were woven amongst bridge hands and actually taught me intricacies of the game! As Amazon describes it: “Sherlock Holmes stories are intermingled with interesting and instructive bridge hands in matches pitting Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson against Harry Skurry and Betty Castle. ” The link will take you to a reprint, 2007.
Tony Hageman’s Murder At Bridge
Tory Hageman was not a real person. Rather, Hageman was a construction by the Grates River Printing Company. Multiple authors wrote mysteries under the Hageman name between 1899 and 1922. One of whom was Anne Austin, and in particular, Murder at Bridge. Setting a murder during a game of bridge does have logic. It’s a “locked room” mystery in that all the suspects are in one room and seemingly have an alibi provided by one another. Read Margie Pignataro’s recap and review of Murder at Bridge here.
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