Bayport Noir

Something that a lot of people do not know about me is that I love graphic novels. I was never into comic books as a kid. It wasn't because I didn't like the concept, I just didn't have access to the kind of stories I enjoyed – as the whole superhero thing just wasn't for me. But today, some of my favorite books are in fact of the drawn variety as the graphic novel section in the bookstore is one of the best places to find interesting detective stories – and you all know how much I love detectives stories.

Now imagine my joy when I spotted my favorite teenage detectives on the cover of a new comic book series – The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew have gone noir.

I am a bit of a purist when it comes to the Hardys and Nancy. While I do love the 1970s TV show for all it's campy glory, I could never get into any of the book series that put them together. But I guess there's always an exception, and that exception is:

"Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys: The Big Lie"

    

In true noir fashion, this new series starts on a very dark note when the Hardys find themselves in the middle of a corruption scandal that hits its peak when the boys are accused of murdering their own father. And when the whole town of Bayport turns against them they team up with an old friend to clear their names and find the real culprit.

What I love about this series is that even though it is a very modern and gritty take on the books, the characters are still recognizable and none of the conflicts feel forced. There is for example a rift between Nancy and her father — something that would usually be unimaginable — that is handled really well, and feels completely natural. Writer Anthony Del Col (Assassin’s Creed, Kill Shakespeare) and artist Werther Dell’edera (Batman: Detective Comics, House of Mystery) did not just throw these beloved characters into a noir universe, they found an organic way to make them a part of that universe — and I cannot wait to see more of it!

Get the first 3 issues on Amazon

And grab issue #4 this Wednesday (June 21)

For fans of:

The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, 

Veronica Mars, Riverdale

…and fans of Stratemeyer's mystery books will also appreciate a couple of fun cameos (those Bobbseys sure like to party). 

Peace, Love, and Lobsters

Laura 

Pumpkin Parade

A bit earlier than usually but I had to take advantage of the free weekend, so here are this year's creations (and yes it took me this long to finally make a Nancy Drew pumpkin):

Are you carving pumpkins this year? Tweet me your pics! 

Peace, Love, and Haunted Hayrides
Laura

O.O.T.D: Elementary part 2

I didn't post a proper outfit of the day in a while, and surprise surprise I went for something detectivy today.  So channeling my inner Sherlock, Nancy Drew and obviously Pretty Little Liars' Spencer Hastings  I came up with this ensemble:

Click on the picture to see where to get everything

This isn't an exact representation of my outfit, as my Burberry flats are brown, and my shirt was all horses instead of birds. But I simply like the bird shirt better, and really really really want it, but it's still sold out in my size, but being the fashion detective that I am I'm sure there's a way...

Peace, Love, and Sunshine
Laura

Fashion(able) Police

I was five years old when I found my first style idol. But instead of wanting to dress like the girls on 90210, my idol was an old detective in a wrinkled trench...yes I'm talking about Columbo (and yes I did have a very mature taste in TV lol).

Watching reruns, bundled up in one of my dad's coats, I had decided that detectives have the coolest style in the world. Five short years later I was ten and wanted to wear nothing but penny loafers, knee socks, and preppy plaid...I had discovered Nancy Drew. Fast forward another seven years and I was idolizing a badass blond teen sleuth with tough yet sometimes girly style, Veronica Mars. 

The point of this story is that I spent most of my life idolizing famous detectives and their style, but not one of those detectives was as classy, cool and simply gorgeous as my current crime fighting fashion idol: Castle's Det. Kate Beckett, played by the wonderful Stana Katic.

I could go on for hours about how much I adore every single one of her outfits, but I'm gonna let the pictures speak for themselves:

No matter how crazy or hard the case, Beckett always looks perfect. In fact, I love her style so much that I often find myself browsing the internet to find the pieces she wears. This used to be a sometimes frustrating experience, until I discovered that the genius behind the show's amazing wardrobe is on Twitter. Costume Designer Luke Reichle tweets during the episodes, and answers every fashion related question – gone are the days of browsing through website after website to find a scarf or shirt. Thanks Luke!  

Luke Reichle (RedCarpetLuke) on Twitter

Stana Katic (Stana_Katic) on Twitter

Check out Castle on ABC 

Got any crime fighting fashion idols yourself? Comment below!