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iceangel9's review
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
A Golden Age mystery by an author not named Christie or Sayers. This story is regarded as the first full length locked room mystery. When a young political organizer is found in his locked room with his throat slit and no way anyone could have gotten in or out, retired Inspector Grodman is called in to solve the case before his rival in Scotland Yard does. Very funny in places, if you are a fan of dry British humor. This book has a very surprise ending. A must read for fans of Golden Age mysteries.
tahlia__nerds_out's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Fascinating brain teaser full of suspense and red herrings, but also a very real life type of humor. I suspected the right man from the start, even if I hadn’t guessed exactly how he had done it. This book is 4.5 stars for me. Even though I didn’t particularly like any of the characters, I enjoyed trying to solve this mystery with (or ahead of) the detectives. I’m glad I read this very first locked room mystery that paved the way for others like it.
mkfreckles's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
danperlman's review
4.0
Generally considered the first ever "locked room mystery", the book is less about the mystery than it is about the characters involved in the investigation. Extremely well written prose. As the readers, we're afforded little in the way of detail - we're not party to the investigation itself, we don't get to see any clues, we aren't privy to any interviews or depositions, such as they may have been at the time (this book was published in 1892, London). Instead, we get to listen in to the thoughts and occasionally the conversations, of the various witnesses and one of the principal investigators, who is outside the police force. As such, most of the enjoyment of the book comes from the intricacies of their observations and musings. The end result may or may not be a surprise, it depends on how close attention you're paying to those various inner monologues, but it's not the result that matters in the last pages anyway.
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