One of my favorite locked room murders, because I am such a Martin Beck fan, is THE LOCKED ROOM. by Maj Sjöwall, Per Wahlöö,
In
one part of town, a woman robs a bank. In another, a corpse is found
shot through the heart in a room locked from within, with no firearm in
sight. Although the two incidents appear unrelated, Detective Inspector
Martin Beck believes otherwise, and solving the mystery acquires the
utmost importance. I am not sure this one would rank with the greats but setting and character rate high with me.
15 comments:
Are we talking strictly locked rooms or impossible crimes in general?
IT WALKS BY NIGHT, Carr
RIM OF THE PIT, Hake Talbot
DEATH FROM A TOP HAT, Clayton Rawson
THE CHINESE ORANGE MYSTERY, Ellery Queen
BLACK AURA and INVISIBLE GREEN, John Sladek
Also, short stories by Joseph Commings (Brooks U. Banner) and Edward D. Hoch (Dr. Sam Hawthorne).
On television, JONATHAN CREEK had several excellent ones.
THE BLACK LIZARD BIG BOOK OF LOCKED-ROOM MYSTERIES has 68 short stories.
Jeff M.
Patti - Here's an interesting article from The Huffington Post about this very topic! Enjoy
I'm reading a Dr. Sam Hawthorne collection of locked room mysteries, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE, right now! Highly recommended!
You know I have never read an Ellery Queen mystery.
Must get the Black Lizard Book.
Thanks, Margot.
Also not familiar with Dr. Sam Hawthorne.
I just read one of these written from the point of view of a robot. It was very cool. Can't think of the title now and the book is at home.
I'm reading the Black Lizard collection now - it's 920 pages or so but has a lot of good stories in it. It starts with the classics - Poe, Doyle, Futrelle, Nelville Davisson Post, etc. - and moves on from there.
Jeff M.
I tend to use the "impossible crime" label rather than locked rom. Below are some of my favorites that do not necessarily involve a locked room but always an impossible crime.
Vintage:
THE DEATH OF LAURENCE VINING - Alan Thomas
TOUR DE FORCE- Christianna Brand
DEATH OF JEZEBEL - Christianna Brand
MR. SPLITFOOT - Helen McCloy
THY ARM ALONE - John Russell Fearn (writing as "John Slate")
THEY CAN'T HANG ME - James Ronald
Contemporary:
THE WEED THAT STRINGS THE HANGMAN'S BAG - Alan Bradley
FATAL GRACE- Louise Penny
THE MEMORY OF BLOOD - Christopher
Fowler
HOODWINK - Bill Pronzini
THE TOKYO ZODIAC MURDERS - Soji Shimada
Charles Gramlich might've read THE CAVES OF STEEL by Isaac Asimov. It's the only impossible crime novel I know of with a robot. But there are probably a lot more. I'm not a big sci-fi fan.
Adrian McKinty's In the Morning I'll Be Gone has a good one.
Been meaning to read McKinty. So many good books on here--that I haven't read.
I cannot recommend the John Sladek books that Jeff mentioned highly enough. Fun, witty, great characters, and each with a genuine mystery. I only wish there had been more of them.
Fowler is a terrific writer and his books are hard to classify. They're sort of police procedural, and sort of traditioinal mystery. I believe TEN SECOND STAIRCASE also had a locked room, and THE VICTORIA VANISHES features a pub that disappears.
We suffer from a surfeit or riches, Patti.
I already picked up the McKinty book although I probably should read the first two first. And I put about four others on reserve. Thanks!
I'd say in order is good but not absolutely essential with the Sean Duffy books. Although I don't know if that will be the case with number 4, which is coming out pretty soon.
Graham, I also wish Sladek had done more of the Thackeray Phin books. They were great! I was told about them at the time by my friend - one of the locked room experts - Bob Adey, who also introduced me to the Jonathan Creek series.
Jeff
Must read this again - I love the beck series and adore Carr - I don;t think it's the best of thei books (probably THE ABOMINABLE MAN would get the vote as my favourite).
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