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A review by hannahstohelit
The Emperor's Snuff-Box by John Dickson Carr
fast-paced
4.75
This is, in some ways, the exact opposite of a locked-room story- pretty much anyone in the field of suspects could have done it, in fact to an extent that somewhat strains credulity- and yet I loved that, despite that, it turned out to be something of a locked-room story anyway- byb explaining how someone who we the readers believe could NOT have physically done it actually did not one of Carr's usual technical, spatial puzzle-box methods that always mess with my brain, but instead a very basic psychological trick
The book itself moved fast and was always interesting and fun- and with a fun detective as well, with the ending romance just straddling the line between sweet and gratuitous. If I have a complaint it's that the character of Toby Lawes is just a BIT too much/over the top- but that's countered by the absolutely perfect rendition of Eve and Ned's relationship, the emotions on either side, and what they each deserved. I wouldn't describe Carr, from my reading of his other books (or even other elements of this one), as anything approaching much of a feminist, but his psychological insight here was actually excellent.
Could the character work have, theoretically, been better? Sure, but I don't read Carr for character work. The only people who really needed to feel "real" were Eve and, in a different kind of way, Kinross, and both of those were very well done. In every other way, the mystery chugged along, I figured out just enough to feel smart, then realized just how much I had been fooled and appreciated how it had been done by a master. I've seen some criticisms thatthe lack of any motive for members of the Lawes family besides Toby meant that they were pointless as characters, there wasn't really a motive for Eve either! Clearly this was a physical evidence case and they were going to try to piece together evidence of a motive afterward, which is what they did with Ned- they just assumed what his motive was and while they were probably right, who knows, it doesn't matter
Anyway- 4.75 for me not because it's perfect but because it's so close to perfect AND so freaking enjoyable throughout. Again, it's really only the Toby Lawes stuff that bugged me- otherwise I just had a wholehearted good time.
The book itself moved fast and was always interesting and fun- and with a fun detective as well, with the ending romance just straddling the line between sweet and gratuitous. If I have a complaint it's that the character of Toby Lawes is just a BIT too much/over the top- but that's countered by the absolutely perfect rendition of Eve and Ned's relationship, the emotions on either side, and what they each deserved. I wouldn't describe Carr, from my reading of his other books (or even other elements of this one), as anything approaching much of a feminist, but his psychological insight here was actually excellent.
Could the character work have, theoretically, been better? Sure, but I don't read Carr for character work. The only people who really needed to feel "real" were Eve and, in a different kind of way, Kinross, and both of those were very well done. In every other way, the mystery chugged along, I figured out just enough to feel smart, then realized just how much I had been fooled and appreciated how it had been done by a master. I've seen some criticisms that
Anyway- 4.75 for me not because it's perfect but because it's so close to perfect AND so freaking enjoyable throughout. Again, it's really only the Toby Lawes stuff that bugged me- otherwise I just had a wholehearted good time.