The Plague Court Murders
A Sir Henry Merrivale Mystery
by John Dickson Carr
This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
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Pub Date Feb 02 2021 | Archive Date Jan 31 2021
Penzler Publishers | American Mystery Classics
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Description
When a spiritual medium is murdered in a locked hut on a haunted estate, Sir Henry Merrivale seeks a logical solution to a ghostly crime
Plague Court is old and crumbling, long neglected after its lord, hangman’s assistant Louis Playge, fell victim to the black death hundreds of years before. Famously haunted by Playge’s ghost, the property finally has a new owner and banishing the spirit is the first order of business. And when the medium employed with this task is found stabbed to death in a locked stone hut on the grounds, surrounded by an untouched circle of mud, the other guests at Plague Court have every reason to fear an act of supernatural violence—for who among them would be diabolical and calculating enough to orchestrate such an impossible execution?
Enter Sir Henry Merrivale, an amateur sleuth of many talents with deductive powers strong enough to unspool even the most baffling crimes. But in the creepy, atmospheric setting of Plague Court, where every indication suggests intervention from the afterlife, he encounters a seemingly-illogical murder scene unlike anything he’s ever encountered before...
Reissued for the first time in thirty years, The Plague Court Murders is the first novel in the Sir Henry Merrivale series. Originally published under the name Carter Dickson, it is a masterful example of the “impossible crime” novel for which John Dickson Carr is known.
About the Author:
John Dickson Carr (1906-1977) was one of the greatest writers of the American Golden Age mystery, and one of the only American authors to be included in England's legendary Detection Club. Though he was born and died in the United States, Carr began his writing career while living in England, where he remained for nearly twenty years. Under his own name and various pseudonyms, he wrote more than seventy novels and numerous short stories, and is best known today for his locked-room mysteries. His beloved series character, Dr. Gideon Fell, was based on author G. K. Chesterton and appeared in twenty-four novels.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Hardcover |
| ISBN | 9781613161968 |
| PRICE | $25.95 (USD) |
Featured Reviews
Brenda C, Reviewer
"I know where Elsie Fenwick is buried."
From the dark, damp, drizzly, candle spluttery suffocating atmosphere to a cast of interesting dark characters to the ultimate in an impossible locked room mystery, The Plague Court Murders is one of my favourites written by John Dickson Carr. When I saw the title available on NetGalley I was beyond thrilled! The book is utterly immersive and scintillating and whilst reading it, nothing else mattered. The plot and conclusion are highly memorable, too, as most of Carr's books are.
A group gathers at Plague Court with ghostly intent and a man from the party, a medium with something to prove, is discovered missing. After a search, he is found murdered in a locked little stone house with no way in or out. Sir Henry Merrivale, an amateur sleuth with an abrasive personality but ingenius mind, works along with the authorities to track down the killer. Suspects are interrogated, of course. We are given "clews" but man, I grasped for ideas...and just couldn't figure it out! The twists include a historical unsolved mystery and Carr's trademark cleverness and superb descriptions. His prose takes my breath away and the solution was astonishing in its brilliance. I went to bed mulling it over, again and again, piecing everything together.
This book would be the perfect introduction to the Golden Age writers and to Carr. There is something special about writing from this era...this book is so unique and gripping with a touch of the supernatural but not scary evil. Mystery readers in general will be held captive. Do be sure to read the notes about the author at the beginning.
My sincere thank you to Penzler Publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this enthralling book in exchange for an honest review. I am so happy that this book is being re-published! Kudos to you.
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