Last Read of 2020: The Man Who Could Not Shudder by John Dickson Carr (1940)

But most of all you were conscious of the atmosphere you breathed: an odor peculiar to such houses. The story begins, as they often do, in a bar. The story is about a haunted house, up for sale. More than a decade back, an octogenarian butler had leapt up at a chandelier, which fell off …

Two Books by John Dickson Carr: It Walks by Night (1930) and The Mad Hatter Mystery (1933)

Sometimes you read books which are so popular and talked about that it is difficult to write anything on them. In the past couple of months I read two of Carr's novels: His debut, It Walks by Night featuring his (not-so-popular) series character Henri Bencolin, and The Mad Hatter Mystery, the second in his Dr. …

Slavery and Satanism: John Dickson Carr’s Papa La-Bas (1968)

The thing that stuck me forcefully after finishing John Dickson Carr's Papa La-Bas was how politically incorrect it was: Black people are frequently sold, they are lost or won in games of poker; Women of mixed race are taken up as unacknowledged wives by the highest bidding White man; Men are free to spank their …

Hag’s Nook by John Dickson Carr

Hag's Nook by John Dickson CarrMy rating: 3 of 5 stars The first Dr. Fell. An atmospheric tale with a decent mystery. However, it also revealed to me the problems that I have with Carr. Except for The Burning Court, which I loved, and He Who Whispers, which I hated, I find it difficult to …

Forgotten Book: The Third Bullet and Other Stories by J.D. Carr

Since my new-found admiration for John Dickson Carr, I have been trying to read as many of his books as possible. Unfortunately, the library that I frequent has only a few of his books. Recently, I borrowed Carr's short story collection The Third Bullet and Other Stories.The title story is actually a novella. Justice Mortlake …

Forgotten Books: The Burning Court and The Black Spectacles by John Dickson Carr

You know how it is: You read about a book somewhere, it might be just a passing reference and  not a full-fledged review but it intrigues you so much that you want to read the book. So it was that I read a line from The Burning Court @ Classic Mystery Hunt ...and I simply …

For the fans of John Dickson Carr

I have read only three books of John Dickson Carr till date. The high-on-expectations-low-on-delivery The Three Coffins, and He Who Whispers, and the rollickingly-funny-madcap-of-a-mystery The Eight of Swords. However, there are many books of his that I want to read esp. the enigmatically titled The Reader is Warned which he wrote under the pseudonym of Carter …

Crime Fiction Pick of June

Crime Fiction Pick of the Month is a monthly meme hosted @ Mysteries in Paradise where one cites one's favourite crime read(s) of that particular month. Well, my vote goes to John Dickson Carr's The Eight of Swords which not only has a decent mystery but plenty of humour too.

E is for Eight of Swords by John Dickson Carr

Chief Inspector Hadley reaches his office in a content state of mind. About to retire in a month's time, his thoughts are on the book that he is writing chronicling his experiences in the Police force. A call from his superior soon takes away his cheer, however. A Vicar, it seems had gone visiting a …

Satanic Sibilants: John Dickson Carr’s He Who Whispers

'Prof. Rigaud!' called Miles. He lifted up his voice powerfully. 'Prof. Rigaud!'Again as when the absent one had himself called for a waiter, only the rain gurgled and splashed in the darkness. There was no reply.I had heard a lot about John Dickson Carr's The Three Coffins and so borrowed it from a friend and …