The Eight of Swords by John Dickson Carr, 1934

 

 

Series: This is Dr. Gideon Fell #3

About the author: John Dickson Carr (1906 – 1977) was an American author, who also published using the pseudonyms Carter Dickson, Carr Dickson, and Roger Fairbairn. He lived in England for a number of years, and is often grouped among "British-style" mystery writers. Most (though not all) of his novels had English settings, especially country villages and estates, and English characters. His two best-known fictional detectives (Dr. Gideon Fell and Sir Henry Merrivale) were both English. (excerpt from this Wikipedia article.)

Major characters:

Residents of The Grange:

Colonel  --- Standish, publisher, county constable, owner  

Morley Standish, his son*

Hilda Doffit, the housemaid

Septimus Depping, tenant of the guest house

Patricia Depping, his daughter*

Raymond Storer, the valet

Achille Georges, the cook

Henry Morgan, writer of detective stories

Louis Spinelli, the local crook

Hugh Donovan, Sr., bishop of Mappleham, amateur criminologist

Hugh Donovan, Jr., his son

Rev. George Primley, the vicar

Chief Inspector Hadley

Dr. Gideon Fell

*engaged

 

The Skeleton in the Clock by Carter Dickson (John Dickson Carr), 1948

 

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About the author: Carter Dickson is a pseudonym of John Dickson Carr, known for his locked room mysteries. 

Major characters:

• John Stannard, a lawyer
• Ruth Callice, bookshop owner
• Martin Drake, artist
• Jennifer "Jenny" West
• Richard Fleet, Jennifer's fiancé
• Sophia, Dowager Countess of Brayle; Jennifer's grandmother
• Aunt Cecily, Lady Fleet (Jennifer's "aunt" by courtesy only - no relation)
• Enid Puckston, innkeeper's daughter
• Dr. Hugh Laurier
• Sir Henry Merrivale

Locale: Fleet House, rural England

Synopsis: In a late night confab, lawyer John Stannard, bookshop owner Ruth Challice, and artist Martin Drake discuss the idea of earthbound spirits lurking about after a sudden death. They come up with the idea of looking for some - and the most likely place being a prison's execution shed. Stannard has connections with the keepers of Pentecost Prison, and as it has been closed for years, manages to get the keys for an overnight stay.

Drake has been diligently searching for a lost love, only known to him as Jenny, since they got separated after a brief romance during the war three years earlier. Drake attends an auction with his friend Sir Henry Merrivale, and runs into Jenny - learning her name is Jennifer West - and to his dismay learns she is engaged to Richard Fleet.

Drake seeks out Fleet, to try to dissuade him from the marriage. To his surprise, Fleet is happy to back out of it (he actually prefers Susan Harwood). Drake learns that Richard's father, Sir George Fleet had fallen to his death from Fleet House, near the prison, twenty years ago. The police receive a series of anonymous postcards claiming his death was murder. Sir Henry Merrivale investigates.

Review: This story has several parallel mysteries occuring:

1. What happened to Jenny during the war, and can Martin find her again?

2. Why is there a skeleton in the clock case?

3. Was Sir George Fleet's death a murder? How was it done?

4. Will Martin and Stannard survive a night in the execution shed?

5. Who is sending the postcards?

6. Who is responsible for the murder of another character I won't name?

There is a lot going on in the story, and as usual, I had a bit of trouble following some of it - mostly due to the excessive use of pronouns instead of names, which caused me to lose track of who was speaking or acting at any given moment.

There is lots of humorous relief whenever H.M. is around, and his adventures - especially the bristly relationship with the Dowager and his misadventures at the auction house and the traveling carnival - are quite funny.

 

Also see this review by Bev Hankins on My Reader's Block.

The Problem of the Wire Cage by John Dickson Carr, 1939

 

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About the author: John Dickson Carr (1906 – 1977) was an American author, who also published using the pseudonyms Carter Dickson, Carr Dickson, and Roger Fairbairn. He lived in England for a number of years, and is often grouped among "British-style" mystery writers. Most (though not all) of his novels had English settings, especially country villages and estates, and English characters. His two best-known fictional detectives (Dr. Gideon Fell and Sir Henry Merrivale) were both English. (excerpt from this Wikipedia article.)

Major characters:

• Hugh Rowland, a young solicitor
• Frank Dorrance, 22, a cocky ne'er-d-well
• Brenda White, 27, fiancée of Dorrance
• Kitty Bancroft, a widow, neighbor to Dr. Young
• Dr. Nicholas Young
• Madge Sturgess. former girlfriend of Dorrance
• --- Chandler, Madge's boyfiend, a music hall performer
• Superintendent Hadley, Scotland Yard C.I.D.

Locale: England

Synopsis: Two couples - Hugh Rowland/Kitty Bancroft and Frank Dorrance/Brenda White meet at the home of Dr. Nicholas Young to play a mixed doubles tennis game. Brenda and Frank are engaged. Brenda doesn't love Frank, but plans to marry anyway so they will inherit a pile from Jerry Noakes (Frank's adoptive uncle - now deceased). Noakes left a will with the condition the two must marry in order to inherit, otherwise it goes to charity. Meanwhile, Hugh is in love with Brenda; and urges her to give up on Dorrance and marry him instead - but she is cool to that idea. 

Dr. Young, injured in a recent car accident resulting in limited mobility, is inside the home while the couples play. He is entertaining his friend Superintendent Hadley, C.I.D., who is cautioning him about Dorrance's character. Dorrance had broken up with his former girlfriend, Madge Sturgess, causing her to attempt - but fail - suicide.

The couples hurry through their match due to expected rain. The storm arrives quickly, and they take shelter in a small supply shed adjacent to the court. When the rain stops, Dorrance is found dead in the middle of the tennis court - with only one set of footprints (his own) leading to his body. 

Review:

I just finished writing my rant about the lack of a sketch map of the tennis court, as it is a bit complex and described in the text in great detail, when I turned the page and found one on page 66! (first page of Chapter VI: Incredulity):

The Case of the Constant Suicides by John Dickson Carr, 1941

 

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No review, cover image only. 

The Curse of the Bronze Lamp by Carter Dickson, 1945

 

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About the author: Carter Dickson is a pseudonym of John Dickson Carr, known for his locked room mysteries. 

Major characters:

• Professor Gilray, scorpion bite victim
• John Loring (Lord Severn)
• Lady Helen Loring, Lord Severn's daughter
• Christopher "Kit" Farrell, a lawyer, Helen's boyfriend
• Sandy Robertson
• Audrey Vane, Sandy's girlfriend
• Alim Bey, Egyptian fortune teller
• Leo Beaumont, American fortune teller
• Benson, the butler
• Elizabeth Pomfret, housekeeper
• Sir Henry Merrivale, "H.M."

Locale: Egypt (briefly), then England

Synopsis: Professor Gilray, John Loring (Lord Severn), his daughter Lady Helen Loring, and Sandy Robertson are on an archeological expedition to Egypt, and retrieve many artifacts from a tomb. The locals believe they are cursed for doing so, and Gilray is bitten by a scorpion and dies. Lady Helen is given a small bronze lamp as a gift by the Egyptian government, which she announces she is taking back to Severn Hall in England. While travelling, she meets up with Sir Henry Merrivale. As they depart, Egyptian fortune teller Alim Bey prophesies that if she takes the lamp there, she will never reach her room at the hall.

Severn Hall has been closed for years, but is put into shape quickly under the direction of butler Benson and housekeeper Elizabeth Pomfret. The travelers arrive and Lady Helen, carrying the lamp, is the first in the door. When the others follow, they find the lamp on the floor, and Lady Helen missing.

The house is searched and she is not found. Benson shows an architect's book which testifies the house has no hidden rooms or secret passages. The house was surrounded by various workers who swear she did not leave the house. Then Lord Severn disappears in the same manner, again leaving the bronze lamp in his place.

Review:  This starts out with some comedy as H.M. has an unruly encounter with a taxi driver, which.   is enjoyable and not so long it detracts from the story. H.M is in the action right from the start. The search of the manor is well done, with workers staged around the outside who testify no one left the building.

I liked how the  secret room/passage possibility is ruled out right away by the architect's book which so testifies. That was a clever way to dismiss that possibility right from the start.

I had my own idea where Helen was, but of course, I was wrong. There are some red herrings dangled for possible hiding places. Her actual location was quite a surprise.

You may also enjoy this review by Bev Hankins on My Reader's Block. 

The Emperor's Snuff Box by John Dickson Carr, 1942

 

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About the author: John Dickson Carr (1906 – 1977) was an American author, who also published using the pseudonyms Carter Dickson, Carr Dickson, and Roger Fairbairn. He lived in England for a number of years, and is often grouped among "British-style" mystery writers. Most (though not all) of his novels had English settings, especially country villages and estates, and English characters. His two best-known fictional detectives (Dr. Gideon Fell and Sir Henry Merrivale) were both English. (excerpt from this Wikipedia article.)

Major characters:

At the scene of the crime - the Lawes home, Villa Bonheur:

• Sir Maurice Lawes, deceased collector with the snuff box
• Helena Lawes, his wife
• Horatio "Toby" Lawes, their son
• Janice Lawes, their daughter
• "Uncle Ben" Phillips, Helena's brother

Across the street at Eve Neill's home, Villa Miramar:

• Eve Neill, accused of murder
• Ned Atwood, Eve's ex (but not supposed to be there)
• Yvette Latour, Eve's maid
• Célestine Bouchére, Eve's cook

and

• Mme. Prue Latour, Yvette's sister
• M. Aristide Goron, prefect of police
• Dr. Dermot Kinross

Locale: Two houses straddling the rue des Anges, in La Bandelette, France

Synopsis: Eve Neill is freshly divorced from her flashy cheat of a husband, Ned Atwood. She has since taken up with her neighbor, practical Toby Lawes. One night Atwood, using a key improperly retained, enters her house (Villa Miramar), goes up to her bedroom, and begs for reconciliation. Nothing doing.  While there, they look out the window across to the Lawes home (Villa Bonheur). They observe Toby's father, Sir Maurice Lawes, examining items in his collection; in particular a snuff box once owned by Emperor Napoleon. Then another person is seen in the room, and Sir Maurice is struck and killed; the snuff box being shattered in the process.

The tension between Eve and Ned escalates. Eve takes her key back, pushes him, he falls downstairs; suffering a bang on his head and a nosebleed. Some of the blood gets on Eve's nightgown. Exit Atwood to his hotel. Eve wants to go to the Lawes' home, steps out the back door, and the door locks behind her. The police are now arriving, so she decides to stay put. She has the key she took from Atwood, so she just runs around to her front door and uses the key to get back in.

The prefect of police M. Aristide Goron, suspects Eve of the murder. She was seen outside her house in her nightgown - which has blood on it - and was in possession of a key which was found to (also) fit the Lawes' door. She also has a piece of the broken snuff box stuck in her nightgown. Goron is convinced of her guilt, but his friend Dr. Dermot Kinross is convinced of her innocence.

Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this one. The writing is clear and straight-forward, unlike some of Carr's which I have trouble following. All the action takes place in the two houses, with a brief episode elsewhere. 

I enjoyed the catch-22 that Eve and Atwood got themselves into: He being her alibi, but claiming it also means revealing he was in her bedroom at 1 AM. What to do?

There are many statements that Eve's account of the murder contains some small fact which proves her innocence. When that fact is revealed at the end, I (figuratively) slapped myself and wondered why I did not see it before. 

I thought I had the killer ID'd all along - but of course, I was wrong. 

The Sleeping Sphinx by John Dickson Carr, 1947

 

About the author: John Dickson Carr (1906 – 1977) was an American author, who also published using the pseudonyms Carter Dickson, Carr Dickson, and Roger Fairbairn. He lived in England for a number of years, and is often grouped among "British-style" mystery writers. Most (though not all) of his novels had English settings, especially country villages and estates, and English characters. His two best-known fictional detectives (Dr. Gideon Fell and Sir Henry Merrivale) were both English. (excerpt from this Wikipedia article.)

Major characters:

• Donald Holden, our protagonist, returned from the war
• * Celia Devereux, his former love
• * Margot Marsh, née Devereux, Celia's older sister, now deceased
• * Thorley Marsh, Margot's now former husband
• * Sir Danvers Locke, mask collector
• * Danvers' wife (unnamed)
• * Doris Locke, his daughter
• * Ronnie Merrick, friend of Doris
• * Derek Hurst-Gore, Member of Parliament
• Obey, the Devereux's nurse
• Dr. Eric Shepton, a G.P.
• Dr. Gideon Fell

Locale: England

Synopsis: Donald Holden returns from the war and wants to look up his former love, Celia Devereux, in hopes she is still single, and wants to rekindle their relationship. A possible wrinkle is that he was in intelligence work, and M.I. 5 publicized the "fact" that he was dead. All he knows is that Celia is living with her sister, Margot, at No. 1 Gloucester Gate. He learns Celia may be involved with a M.P., Derek Hurst-Gore.

He goes to Gloucester Gate and meets Margot's (now former) husband, Thorley Marsh. Thorley tells him that Margot has died, and Celia doesn't want to see him; and that she has psychological problems.

He learns Margot died following a party at the Sir Danvers Locke home, Widestairs. The party (attended by those with an asterisk above), was a Murder Game and the participants wore masks from Locke's collection of death masks. After the party, Thorley, Margot, and Celia returned to the Devereux family home, Caswell Moat. Margot reclined on a lounge in her room and was soon dead.

Celia claims Margot had been poisoned, but no one believes her. The others cite this as indicative of her insanity. If murder, motives abound:  Thorley has been in an affair with Sir Danvers' young daughter, Doris Locke; and now plans to marry her. Margot had been in an affair with an unnamed man.

Holden and Celia enlist Dr. Gideon Fell to investigate Margot's death and prove Celia is not insane. First, he inspects the sealed vault where Margot is interred, to find coffins in disarray and the poison bottle. And the bottle has Celia's fingerprints all over it.

Review:

This is pretty much two separate stories in one: Margot's murder, and the restless coffins inside a locked mausoleum. They do connect briefly.

I had a bit of trouble figuring out the three venues of the story, but here they are:

• No. 1 Gloucester Gate, London: home of Thorley and Margot Marsh, and Celia
• Caswell Moat:  Devereux ancestral home
• Widestairs: home of the Lockes

The character Thorley was the most interesting to follow - is he a good husband or a cad? Or maybe a murderer? His marriage is certainly a shambles as he and Margot each have affairs with others.

The story line of the restless coffins looks to me like a verbatim copy of the Chase Vault episode of the 1800's in Barbados, complete with sand spread on the floor to detect footprints (see Wikipedia article). Perhaps that was the inspiration for this story line - the story notes it was a sensation early in the century, and followed by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as well.

If you enjoy peeking in cemetery mausoleums, you will enjoy this one. The Sleeping Sphinx of the title is the insignia on Fell's ring, which he uses to seal the mausoleum.

The Man Who Could Not Shudder by John Dickson Carr, 1940

 

About the author: John Dickson Carr (1906 – 1977) was an American author, who also published using the pseudonyms Carter Dickson, Carr Dickson, and Roger Fairbairn. He lived in England for a number of years, and is often grouped among "British-style" mystery writers. Most (though not all) of his novels had English settings, especially country villages and estates, and English characters. His two best-known fictional detectives (Dr. Gideon Fell and Sir Henry Merrivale) were both English. (excerpt from this Wikipedia article.)

Major characters:

• Martin Clarke, new owner of Longwood, and host
• * Bob Morrison, our narrator, a writer
• * Tess Fraser, his fiancée
• * Andrew Hunter, architect
• * Archibald Bentley Logan, grocery wholesaler, "the man who couldn't shudder"
• * Mrs. Gwyneth Logan, a "packet of super-femininity"
• * Julian Enderby, a solicitor
• "Eric the Hand" name given to the ghostly hand
• Detective-Inspector Elliot, Scotland Yard
• Dr. Gideon Fell, Scotland Yard

Locale: England

Synopsis: Martin Clarke is somewhat of an adventurer, and has purchased Longwood, a mansion house with a shady past and a reputation for being haunted. It is said an elderly butler (William Polson) once lost his life by jumping up and swinging on the dining room chandelier, which then fell on him. A chair in the study moves about on its own. Clarke tells his friend, our narrator Bob Morrison, he intends to invite some friends (the six marked * above) to stay for a few days in hopes of seeing for themselves. 

As they arrive at Longwood, sexy Gwyneth Logan feels an invisible hand snatch at her ankles, but nothing can be seen. The guests settle in for a four day stay,  along with maids Mrs. Winch and her niece Sonia. Clarke proudly displays his collection of antique firearms mounted on the wall of the study, one of two rooms reputed to be haunted (the other is the dining room). Bob Morrison hears a thud in the night, goes downstairs to find Gwyneth in a revealing black nightgown, holding a small key.  Jealous husband Bentley Logan finds them, and accuses Morrison - at gunpoint - of being her lover. 

Longwood is described in detail, but the book lacks a sketch map. Here is my interpretation:

click to enlarge

The next day, Bentley Logan is trying to keep up with his correspondence by typing in the study. As he adjusts the typewriter position, Gwyneth is shocked to see a pistol jump from the wall display and discharge, killing Bentley instantly. How could this happen? It is found it was Bentlet's own pistol, which had been substituted for one of the antiques. 

click to enlarge

Detective Inspector Elliot and Dr. Gideon Fell are on the scene. No one doubts Gwyneth's account, as there were several others who support her story: The gardener MacCarly was looking in a window, Julian Enderby looking in the opposite window, and the maid Sonia in the doorway. The guests speculate on a ghostly hand doing the deed, whom they name "Eric".

While the investigation progresses, a crash is heard, and the chandelier has claimed another victim. 

Review: There are bits of Gaston Leroux's Phantom of the Opera recycled here - both have a killer chandelier, and both have a phantom named Erik (here spelled Eric). Not quite a locked room mystery - but an impossible murder. Carr sets the scene nicely in a simple setup (albeit lacking the obligatory map) with a concise description and plenty of witnesses. The upstairs is not described, but is irrelevant to the story.

I find some of Carr's books to be hard to follow, but not this one. There are no distracting side stories - just a steady progression of the plot.

[Spoiler clue ahead] The reader may get wind of the explanation when it is revealed the moving chair in the study was not one of the study's wooden ones, but a metal patio chair which had been brought inside. 

Collier's Uniform Binding Mysteries

 P. F. Collier & Son Corporation certainly had a soft spot for mystery reprints, churning out a pile of them between 1928 and 1947 in attractive uniform binding sets. Generally sold in lots of six, they certainly made these titles more accessible to the public at an economical price. They are still widely available on the secondary market - check eBay and Biblio.com especially. This page provides some notes on the various series. It is likely I have not identified all the titles in each series - if you are aware of additional titles, please let me know at rickmills9@gmail.com. Thank you!

S. S. Van Dine (6 titles)

Certainly the most recognizable cover in a striking spiderweb pattern. Only six titles were released in this series:

1. The "Canary" Murder Case
2. The Greene Murder Case
3. The Bishop Murder Case
4. The Garden Murder Case
5. The Kidnap Murder Case
6. The Gracie Allen Murder Case

It is a puzzle why Collier stopped there, as there are only 12 S. S. Van Dine novels in all! Why didn't they issue the other six and complete the job? Another odd note - these titles were not sequential, but rather random from among the twelve.

John Dickson Carr (7? titles)

This is the creepist series, featuring a red-eyed skull on the spine, and the skull surrounded by eight question marks on the cover.

Issued: 

1. Death Turns the Tables
2. The Man Who Could Not Shudder
3. The Emperor's Snuff Box
4. 'Till Deth Do Us Part
5. The Case of the Constant Suicides
6. The Sleeping Sphinx
7. The Problem of the Wire Cage

There may be more.

Valentine Williams (16? titles)

This British Secret Service series is set in the period between the two World Wars. The front cover has a simple diagonal band with "Secret Service Series" embossed.

Issued:

Titles:

1. The Clock Ticks On 
2. Clubfoot the Avenger 
3. The Clue of the Rising Moon 
4. The Crouching Beast 
5. Dead Man Manor 
6. Death Answers the Bell 
7. The Eye in Attendance 
8. The Fox Prowls 
9. The Key Man (a.p.a. Pigeon House)
10. The Man With the Clubfoot 
11. Masks Off at Midnight 
12. Mysterious Miss Morrisot (a.p.a. Mannequin)
13. The Mystery of the Gold Box (a.p.a. The Gold Comfit Box)
14. The Portcullis Room 
15. The Spider's Touch 
16. The Three of Clubs 

Agatha Christie (? titles)

Front Page Mysteries (red cover)(33 titles)

detail

This series has a small man caught in a spiderweb embossed on the front cover.

Issued: 1920's - 1931
Titles:

1. Berkeley, Anthony The Silk Stocking Murders , 1929
2. Brock, Lynn Murder on the Bridge 1930
3. Buck, Neville Marked Men 1929
4. Campbell, Alice Juggernaut 1929
5. Carr, John Dickson It Walks by Night 1930
6. Carr, John Dickson The Lost Gallows 1931
7. Christie, Agatha The Seven Dials Mystery, 1929
8. Clevely, Hugh Call the Yard! 1931
9. Dalton, Moray The Body in the Road 1930
10. Dutton, Charles Streaked with Crimson 1929
11. Ferguson, John The Man in the Dark, 1928
12. Fletcher, J. S. The Diamond Murders, 1929
13. Footner, Hulbert The Under Dogs 1929
14. Footner, Hulbert The Mystery of the Folded Paper 1930
15. Freeman, R. Austin The Eye of Osiris 1911 copyright, printing date likely 1929
16. Gluck, Sinclair The Shadow in the House, 1929
17. Hart, Frances Noyes The Bellamy Trial 1929
18. Holden, Raymond The Penthouse Murders 1931
19. Hughes, Rupert The Ladies' Man 1930
20. King, Rufus Murder in the Willett Family 1931
21. Loban, Ethyl The Calloused Eye 1931
22. MacDonald, Philip The Crime Conductor 1931
23. Martin, Stuart The Trial of Scotland Yard 1930
24. Morris, W. F. "G.B." 1929
25. Packard, Frank The Adventures of Jimmy Dale 1929
26. Packard, Frank The Big Shot 1929
27. Plum, Mary The Killing of Judge MacFarlane 1930
28. Propper, Milton The Boudoir Murder 1931
29. Propper, Milton The Ticker-Tape Murders 1930
30. Rhode, John The Murder at Bratton Grange 1929
31. Rinehart, Mary Roberts The Man in Lower Ten 1929
32. Wallace, Edgar The Girl from Scotland Yard 1929
33. Wells, Carolyn Deep Lake Mystery 1928

Front Page Mysteries (black and red 'weapons' cover)(19 titles)

Issued: 1942-1947
Titles:

1. Blau, Ernest Queen's Falcon 1947 
2. Eberhart, Mignon Wings of Fear 1946
3. Ford, Leslie Murder in the OPM 1942
4. Ford, Leslie Siren in the Night 1943
5. Gardner, Erle Stanley Case of the Drowning Duck 1942
6. Hughes, Dorothy The Delicate Ape 1944
7. Hughes, Dorothy Ride the Pink Horse 1946
8. Irish, William Phantom Lady 1942
9. Lockridge, Frances & Richard Death on the Aisle 1942
10. Lockridge, Frances & Richard Killing the Goose 1944
11. Lockridge, Frances & Richard Murder Within Murder 1946
12. McCloy, Helen The Goblin Market 1943
13. Reilly, Helen Murder on Angler's Island 1945
14. Saunders, Clare Design for Treachery 1947
15. Starrett, Vincent Murder in Peking 1946
16. Stout, Rex Black Orchids 1942
17. Treat, Lawrence H as in Hunted 1946
18. Walling, R.A.J. The Corpse with the Eerie Eye 1942
19. Walling, R.A.J. A Corpse by Any Other Name 1943

Crime Club (blue and black cover)(16 titles)

Issued: 1941-1946
Titles:

1. Coles, Manning: The Fifth Man, 1946
2. Davis, Frederick C.: Deep Lay the Dead, 1942
3. Dean, Amber: Wrap It Up, 1946
4. Disney, Doris Miles: Who Rides a Tiger, 1946
5. Kelsey, Vera: Whisper Murder, 1946
6. Knight, Kathleen Moore: Terror by Twilight, 1942
7. Knight, Kathleen Moore: Trademark of a Traitor, 1943
8. Millar, Margaret: The Devil Loves Me, 1942
9. Roberts, Katharine: Center of the Web, 1942
10. Seeley, Mabel: The Chuckling Fingers, 1941
11. Seeley, Mabel: Eleven Came Back, 1943
12. Stagge, Jonathan: Death's Old Sweet Song, 1946
13. Strange, John Stephen: Look Your Last, 1943
14. Strange, John Stephen: Murder Gives a Lovely Light, 1941
15. Weston, Garnet: The Hidden Portal, 1946
16. Woolrich, Cornell: Black Angel, 1943

The Mad Hatter Mystery by John Dickson Carr (1933)

 

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About the author: John Dickson Carr (1906 – 1977) was an American author, who also published using the pseudonyms Carter Dickson, Carr Dickson, and Roger Fairbairn. He lived in England for a number of years, and is often grouped among "British-style" mystery writers. Most (though not all) of his novels had English settings, especially country villages and estates, and English characters. His two best-known fictional detectives (Dr. Gideon Fell and Sir Henry Merrivale) were both English. (excerpt from this Wikipedia article.)

Major characters:

Sir William Bitton, book and document collector

Philip C. Driscoll, his nephew, a newspaper reporter (the victim)

Lester & Laura Bitton, his brother and sister-in-law

Sheila Bitton, his daughter 
Robert Dalrye, Sheila's fiancé
Julius Arbor, American document colletor 

Mrs. Amanda Georgette Larkin, a witness

General Mason, Deputy Governor of the Tower of London 

Dr. Gideon Fell

Tad Rampole, Fell's American associate

Chief Inspector Hadley

Locale: London

Synopsis: Dr. Gideon Fell is called in by Scotland Yard to investigate a theft. A manuscript has been stolen from the desk of Sir William Britton. The manuscript is alleged to be a valuable unpublished story by Edgar Allan Poe, and Sir William's right to it is a bit shaky - having paid some workmen - who didn't realize its value - only $20 for it.

Meanwhile, a strange series of thefts is in the news. Someone, dubbed 'The Mad Hatter',  has been stealing expensive hats, and placing them in odd locations: on statues, on a horse, etc. A story appeared in the press about it, written by Philip C. Driscoll, Sir William's nephew. And Sir Williams had his hat stolen, as well.

General Mason, Deputy Governor of the Tower of London, finds a body on the steps of the gate. It turns out to be Driscoll - shot with a crossbow bolt (similar to an arrow). Not only is wearing an incongruous golfing outfit, but also has Sir William's stolen hat on his head. A witness to the murder, Mrs. Amanda Georgette Larkin, is a bit huffy with the authorities, but describes what she saw exactly. However, she seems to be more than she appears; especially when it is found she occupies the flat adjacent to Driscoll's. 

Review: This story consists of two plot lines running in parallel: the hat thefts and the Driscoll murder. The only thing connecting them is that Driscoll wrote a news story about the thefts, but that was not enough to justify a murder. Something else connects the two plots, and it takes most of the book to unveil it. 

I liked the pacing of the story - it went along very quickly until eventually bogging down with the minute examinations of who was exactly where at the murder, with several of the characters in the immediate vicinity. It took wayyyyyyy too long. The episode where Dr. Fell pretends to be Inspector Hadley while interviewing a witness is hilarious - especially as Hadley stands by observing quietly. 

I also enjoyed learning about the various locations at the Tower of London. A map and detailed explanations are provided. This would be a good book to read prior to an actual visit.

As is common in some of Carr's novels, a complete explanation is provided as to how A committed the murder. Of course, this is at the 3/4 point of the book, so you know that theory is not correct. Then an explanation of how B committed the murder. Still lots of pages left, so you know there is more to come. Ah, yes, C walks in and confesses. Moral: Don't believe early dénouements if there are more than ten pages remaining!

Please visit me on Goodreads and check out The Mystillery Reading Challenges!

The Corpse in the Wax Works by John Dickson Carr (1932)

 

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About the author: John Dickson Carr (1906 – 1977) was an American author, who also published using the pseudonyms Carter Dickson, Carr Dickson, and Roger Fairbairn. He lived in England for a number of years, and is often grouped among "British-style" mystery writers. Most (though not all) of his novels had English settings, especially country villages and estates, and English characters. His two best-known fictional detectives (Dr. Gideon Fell and Sir Henry Merrivale) were both English. (excerpt from this Wikipedia article.)

Major characters:

• Jeff Marle, narrator
• M. -- Augustin, owner of the wax museum
• Mlle. Marie Augustin, his daughter
• Mlle. Odette Duchêne, deceased
• Mlle. Claudine Martel, her friend
• Mlle. Gina Prêvost, a.k.a. Estelle, a singer
• M. Etienne Galant, wealthy underworld man-about-town
• Captain Robert Chaumont
• Inspector Henri Bencolin

Locale: Paris

Synopsis: Inspector Henri Bencolin, along with narrator Jeff Marle, investigate the death of Mlle. Odette Duchêne. She was found in the Seine, and had last been seen entering the Musée Augustin, a wax museum. The museum is operated by M. Augustin and his daughter Mlle. Marie Augustin. 

Accompanied by Captain Robert Chaumont, who had been Odette's fiancé, they investigate the museum. They find another woman, Claudine Martel, dead in the display area. There is evidence she was killed just outside a rear door of the museum, in a passageway which is shared with the adjacent building.

Odette and Claudine had been good friends with Gina Prêvost, working as a singer under the name Estelle. She had also been seen in the museum. Bencolin finds the adjacent building hosts The Club of the Silver Key (a.k.a. The Club of the Colored Masks), where men and women wear masks to meet for clandestine trysts. The club is entered by a door in the passageway, which may also be accessed through passing through the museum for those who do not wish to be observed. Members have numbered keys to enter, which correspond to individual private rooms within. 

Bencolin wishes to infiltrate the club. He finds Gina has set up a tryst with wealthy underworld figure Etienne Galant, obtains a key to the club, and sends Jeff Marle in to spy.

Review:

This one is a twist on the usual Carr locked-room mystery. In this case, instead of a locked room, all the action focuses on a narrow passageway running between two buildings. The passageway has three doors - the museum's rear door, the club entrance, and a door out to the street. All have locks, of course. The key to tracking down the murderer(s) is to find who used which door in what order.

The wax museum is a creepy setting, and it sounds just like one I remembered visiting once. Waxy smells, dim lighting, staring figures in various poses.

The club was interesting, with the color-coded masks indicating whether an individual was looking for a partner, had a partner already, just looking, or one of the staff. It was quite an establishment with all the numbered rooms, a bar, and even an orchestra.

I have a hard time following the action in some of Carr's books, but not this one. Everything was clear and progressed right along. A good way to spend a creepy evening, it takes you back to the days when wearing a mask was for fun!