Unravelled Knots: The Teahouse Detective

Some time back I read the "Old Man in the Corner" by the Baroness, and have been a fan ever since. This book is a follow up on the first and it is just as good and just as clever. Her other books include Lady Molly at the Yard (which I still haven"t got my hand on) and the "Scarlet Pimpernel" which I consider a classic.
This books finds our Old Man, again solving impossible crimes whilst making fancy knots in a cafe and talking to a reporter.
Really clever plots.

This is the third and last collection of Baroness Orczy’s stories featuring the Old Man in the Corner, the classic epitome of the armchair detective, who but rarely stirs from his seat in an ABC Teashop.

The thirteen stories here appeared twenty years after the first two sets, and, despite the intervention of World War One, little has changed in this Edwardian-flavoured world.

Orczy’s detective may have his origin in Mycroft Holmes, but the way he solves the puzzles and problems he encounters foreshadows the reliance on the ”little grey cells" of Poirot, and others of the Golden Age.

The mysteries encompass murder, theft, deception, and disappearance with the detective reading about cases in the newspapers which either baffle the police or are leading to a miscarriage of justice. They are solved by the application of logic and attention to details which others consider of no significance.

I am a great fan of these underrated stories which are eminently readable and highly recommendable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the digital review copy.

More Classic Mysteries.....
More classic mysteries with The Teahouse Detective. The old gentleman in the corner of the ABC Teahouse solves more mysteries with uncanny capability. Atmospheric and enjoyable. Enchanting reading.

Fun old-fashioned mysteries- To put it simply, Unravelled Knots is a nice addition to the three-book series.

Unravelled Knots: The Teahouse Detective is a delightful collection of short mysteries told by a rather inquisitive and eccentric man in a teahouse. In the same vein as Agatha Christie, this book gives you short mysteries that you can plow through in a sitting and then come back to. The perfect accompaniment for a day spent cozied up reading inside.

A set of short stories where "The man in the corner", amidst his intricate string knotting, solves mysteries that defeated the police to, mostly, the frustration of his attentive young journalist listener. Well argued cases, well written and a definite feel of late Edwardian England make these enjoyable reads. Can the reader get there before the rather arrogant yet brilliant old man. Grey cells to the fore. I did like the twist at the end. Thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Unravelled Knots is the third (and final) collection of Teahouse Detective short stories by Baroness Orczy. Originally published in 1926, this edition is due out 2nd June 2020 from Steerforth on their Pushkin Press imprint. It's 320 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats (other editions available in other formats).

The format is much the same as the other collections. They're presented as intellectual exercises, pas de deux between an eccentric old man and reporter Polly Burton, set as conversations in the ABC Teashop, where the old man in the corner sits for the most part alone. His engagement with the crimes is strictly intellectual, he's not out to hand the criminals over to justice. He reminds me a bit of Poirot, with a touch of Mycroft Holmes and a healthy foreshadowing of Nero Wolfe.

These are cleverly constructed mysteries. Some of them are somewhat transparent by modern tastes, but I really think that's because so many of the literary devices she employed have been copied and reused since then that modern readers are familiar with the twists and turns.

This would make a superlative commute read. The 13 stories are short and could be read during free moments here and there. They're all well written and a lot of fun to read.

Four stars. I'm very happy that Pushkin is preserving and presenting these gems to new generations of readers.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I had not read the first two book and I think it would have helped if I had but I still enjoyed this book and plan to read the first two.

Unravelled Knots by Baroness Orczy, originally published in 1925, is the third and final book in The Teahouse Detective series.
There are an ominous 13 mysteries in the book. The narrator is Polly Burton, a journalist, but the stories she relates are as told to her by The Old Man, the teahouse detective himself. But Polly isn’t obsolete – she adds depth to the story. Undeniably astute and intelligent, the detective lacks warmth and is something of a remote, cold figure. Having Polly between us and him makes him less stand-offish, and we can fully and better appreciate just how clever he is.
The mysteries are varied and fascinating, and include murder, robbery and disappearance, and in each case the police are baffled or have got things completely wrong. The teahouse detective’s analytical mind, however, gets through to the truth.
These stories are a delight to read. They challenge you intellectually as well as entertain you. Very enjoyable.

This mystery is a series of short stories by a writer who lived during the turn of the century (1900s) and its awesome. Spent time looking up the author and her other books after I read this because I was so intrigued and enjoyed the book so much. Baroness Orczy lived in Britain and was a great writer during the 'golden age' of crime writers. The Teahouse Detective is full of great stories based on observation and is a wonderful way to learn more about that period of time. The writing is concise and entertaining but also supports the stories, in terms of tone. 'Witty' is the word - the character is reinforced by the writing. Its a great book and so are the authors other novels and characters. Love to read women authors and Baroness Orczy is fantastic. Highly recommend this book.

these were great stories and I've been enjoying the The Teahouse Detective series and I really enjoyed reading this.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Pushkin Press and the author, Baroness Orczy, for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of Unraveled Knots: The Teahouse Detective in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
Such a wonderful, easy read. Perfect for those rainy days snuggled under a warm rug.
Worth a read.

For readers who love the original super hero novel, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Baroness Orczy is a well-loved name. She changed the game for adventure novels, and also tried her hand at mystery novels. In the reprinted book series, The Teahouse Detective. He is a grumpy detective, full of terrible manners and a foul nature. However, he is extremely good at what he does and can unravel some of the most complicated crimes that the police are unable to solve. Much like Watson in Sherlock Holmes, Polly Burton tells the story of bizarre mysteries, such as a missing prince, and shows how our Teahouse detective solves the crime, before retiring to a Fleet Street cafe to complain. 

Baroness Orczy tells a fun story, but like Sherlock Holmes, the Teahouse Detective can occasionally be a bit much. Still, the stories are fun to read and a great peak at British life and crime mystery.

Unraveled Knots: The Tea House Detective is available now from Pushkin Press.

Revisiting the adventures of Polly Burton and The Old Man in the Corner, is like devouring a meal of your favourite comfort food. This edition includes 13 (lucky) short stories. They are filled with the usual sharp observations of the The Old Man in the Corner and Polly's attempts to solve the riddle.

It is also great to revisit old friends and my favourites are The Mystery of the Dog's Tooth Cliff and The Mystery Of The Montmartre Hat.

Enjoy with a cup of tea :)

I love Baroness Orczy's mysteries and these were excellent.
I was happy to read it and I strongly recommend it.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I was very excited to read this book. I have previously heard BBC dramatizations of some of the stories and had always enjoyed them. The book did not disappoint. The Man in the Corner is indeed an original character with a brilliantly analytical mind, especially when it come to crime. The stories he told were very complex for short stories and kept me guessing each time. I enjoyed the short story format as it made a larger number of mysteries accessible and the length was perfect for when I only had an hour or so available. The only thing I missed in these stories was some background about the Man in the Corner and his companion. In every other way, a great collection of classic detective fiction.

Baroness Orczy may not best be described as an overlooked author, but her sterling work with the Teahouse Detective does not always garner the attention it deserves.

A unique voice in detective fiction, ‘The Old Man in the Corner’ enjoys telling his tales, and working through them in front of his journalist audience- he is about as self deprecating as Poirot but no less entertaining. These are ingenious, intricate mysteries, perfectly drawn and well fleshed out. Pleasing to all Golden Age fans, ‘The Teahouse Detective’ shows Orczy at her best.

"Another classic collection of mysteries from the Golden Age of British crime writing, by the author of The Scarlet Pimpernel.

It has been twenty years since Polly Burton last saw the Teahouse Detective, but one foggy afternoon she stumbles into a Fleet Street café and chances upon the cantankerous sleuth again. The years have not softened his manner, nor dulled his appetite for unravelling the most tortuous of conspiracies, shedding light on mysteries that have confounded the finest minds of the police.

How did Prince Orsoff disappear from his railway carriage in-between stations? How could the Ingres masterpiece be seen in two places at once? And what is the truth behind the story of the blood-stained tunic that exonerated its owner?

From the comfort of his seat by the fire, the Teahouse Detective sets his brilliant mind to work once more."

Because Baroness Orczy was about way more than The Scarlet Pimpernel!

I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley for review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
A classic collection of tales that rivaled the intrepid Sherlock. Delightful and insightful crime stories by a classic writer who deserves to be better known. Fun summer reading.