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 The manuscript is alleged to be a valuable unpublished story by Edgar Allan Poe, and Sir William's right to it is a bit shaky - having paid some workmen - who didn't realize its value - only $20 for it.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!

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The Mystery of Marie Rogêt by Edgar Allan Poe (1842)

 

photo: Mysteries Ahoy!

Major characters:

• Mlle. Marie Roget, the victim
• M. Jacques St. Eustache, her fiancée
• M. Beauvois, believed to be her formersuitor
• M. LeBlanc, perfumer
• Mme. Dulac, innkeeper
• C. Auguste Dupin, investigator

Locale: Paris

Synopsis: This story is based upon the real-life murder of Mary Cecelia Rogers in New York City. Poe has taken newspaper accounts of this crime, and transplanted the details into a fictional parallel story set in Paris. Each person and news source is carefully cited in footnotes, for example "Rue Pavée Saint Andrée" is footnoted as "Nassau Street" (in Manhattan, from the original accounts).

Mlle. Marie Roget goes missing from her job in M. LeBlanc's perfumer's shop, and after a few days her body is found floating in the Seine. Although there is some doubt as to the identity of the body, it is identified by her former suitor, M. Beauvais. Her fiancée, M. Jacques St. Eustache, is overcome by grief and takes poison. Later, a group of boys discover some of her clothing, possessions, and evidence of a struggle in a thicket near the inn of Mme. Dulac. 

Dupin's unnamed narrator collects five newspaper accounts of the crime, full of assertions and guesswork, but little in the way of facts. Dupin analyzes the five accounts, and without leaving his apartment, determines how the murder was done, and narrows down the suspects.

Review: This is an intriguing short story, best read slowly and carefully. It is billed as the "sequel to The Murders in the Rue Morgue", but only in the sense that it is the second story by Poe featuring C. Auguste Dupin. There are no orangutans. 

It is fascinating to observe Dupin as he carefully compares the newspaper accounts - some contradictory - and uses logic to discard false assumptions and build the true story of events. Dupin stops short of naming the murderer, but does pinpoint his occupation and whereabouts.

The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe (1841)

This short story, considered the first modern detective story, features detective C. Auguste Dupin. The story begins with an introduction in which the narrator, roommate of Dupin, discusses the process of Analysis; drawing comparisons between the differences in playing draughts (checkers) and chess. Then they read a newspaper account of a baffling murder.

In the account, residents of a street in Paris were alarmed to hear a commotion and screams from an apartment building. The residents - and the police - forced their way in. Two women - mother and daughter - were found murdered in their room, which is locked from the inside. The daughter was found strangled and stuffed up the chimney - feet first - and the mother found thrown out the window with her head almost severed from the body. No one else was present. An amount of gold coins remained, eliminating robbery as a motive.

All the witnesses - and there are a few - reported hearing two other voices during the melée. One voice was unanimously described as a Frenchman shouting. No one agreed on the second voice, other than it was of a foreigner and in a language and speech pattern no one could recognize.

Dupin goes to the scene and first uses his techiques of analysis to determine how the two attackers entered and exited the rooms. Once determined, he is able to track down how the murders were done and find those responsible.

This story is a quick read, and was an inspiration for many detective stories to follow.

For more, see this Wikipedia article.