A review by jacobsanchez
The Roman Hat Mystery by Ellery Queen

4.0

Not my favorite mystery of all time. I did finish it but it did take a little while. On the pros, I did like the setting, some of the character interactions, and some of the deductions. I guessed really early that the murder would be someone who has a bit part in first chapter or early on, and the bulk would be chasing wild geese to make those people seem the most suspicious. I think what some people don't like is just the pace of the author and the investigator. He rambles a lot, and makes a short conversation to see if someone was somewhere or to check up on a clue into a whole long chapter. I think it was fair in that we were given the clues, but all the secret questions, and sending messages back and forth is a little unfair in that the characters know a lot more than we do. Comparing this to Poirot, his stories go by so fast in comparison. Oh also the language was so foreign. I feel like I know how the English speak, and their slang from the 20s more than American or New York slang from the time period. Maybe a little too dated in general. We'll see, I might pick and choose from Ellery Queen from now on, books that are on best of lists.