42nd out of 117 books
—
29 voters
The Mystery of the Yellow Room (Joseph Rouletabille #1)
How could a crime take place in a locked room which shows no sign of being entered? Nearly a century after its initial publication, Leroux's landmark tale of foul play, deception, and unbridled ambition remains a blueprint for the detective novel genre. This atmospheric thriller is still a favorite of whodunit fans everywhere.
Paperback, 192 pages
Published
April 7th 2006
by Dover Publications
(first published 1907)
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Impressive book from a historical point of view, as it's considered one of the great 'locked room' mysteries, and was written by the same guy that gave us the 'Phantom of the Opera.
It's just not a very fun read. It's very dry and slightly dreary.
Aside from the main detective, the characters are either very flat or at most, mopey.
The idea of having two detectives 'competing' to crack the case was interesting, but all the good ideas don't seem to fit together to make an en...more
It's just not a very fun read. It's very dry and slightly dreary.
Aside from the main detective, the characters are either very flat or at most, mopey.
The idea of having two detectives 'competing' to crack the case was interesting, but all the good ideas don't seem to fit together to make an en...more
Gaston Leroux is of course best known as the author of Phantom of the Opera but he was actually quite prolific. He write quite a few mysteries, the most famous being The Mystery of the Yellow Room.
This is the book that introduces his detective Rouletabille, and an interesting sleuth he is too. He is in fact a newspaper reporter rather than a detective as such but as a crime-solver he is second to none. The most interesting thing about him though is that he is just 18 years old. He’s a...more
This is the book that introduces his detective Rouletabille, and an interesting sleuth he is too. He is in fact a newspaper reporter rather than a detective as such but as a crime-solver he is second to none. The most interesting thing about him though is that he is just 18 years old. He’s a...more
Sandwiched between Edgar Allan Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie, John Dickson Carr is a locked room mystery from the author best known for "Phantom of the Opera." This first book of the series features late teen reporter Joseph Routleabille. The mystery, especially the detailed crime scene description, is fascinating. The resolution is exhaustively explained. As a mystery, it is first-rate. That said, it is easy to see why this character is obscure. Sherlock Holmes was...more
Seems everyone knows that Gaston Leroux wrote The Phantom of the Opera; even those who haven't heard the author's name recognizes the title of the book thanks to the growing popularity over the years, the constant stage presence, etc. Unfortunately Andrew Lloyd Weber didn't adapt Leroux's detective fiction into a musical so they're not as common.
The first of his mysteries was this one published serially in 1907. Arthur Conan Doyle had Sherlock Holmes - Gaston Leroux had Joseph Roul...more
The first of his mysteries was this one published serially in 1907. Arthur Conan Doyle had Sherlock Holmes - Gaston Leroux had Joseph Roul...more
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First book downloaded on to my new Kindle. Apparently the author also wrote "The Phantom of the Opera" but don't let that put you off. There is no singing or Lloyd-Webber kitsch here.
Leroux was a journalist and this book reads like a Sunday paper's examination of a popular sensational mystery. It owes much to Conan-Doyle and the later Agatha Christie in having a slightly bumbling narrator enthralled by the genius of the hero who seems to be the only person with any idea as to...more
Leroux was a journalist and this book reads like a Sunday paper's examination of a popular sensational mystery. It owes much to Conan-Doyle and the later Agatha Christie in having a slightly bumbling narrator enthralled by the genius of the hero who seems to be the only person with any idea as to...more
This book was entertaining. I'm not a huge fan of mysteries, but I did enjoy this one.
The characters where very well thought out and have a very 3 deminsional feel to them, especially the reporter Rouletabille. I also like the hint of the supernatural, which really added to the erieness for me (I realize that avid mystery readers would have seen right through that aspect, but for me it was fun).
There are two reasons that this book didn't get a higher score from me. Fi...more
The characters where very well thought out and have a very 3 deminsional feel to them, especially the reporter Rouletabille. I also like the hint of the supernatural, which really added to the erieness for me (I realize that avid mystery readers would have seen right through that aspect, but for me it was fun).
There are two reasons that this book didn't get a higher score from me. Fi...more
First written in 1908, The Mystery of the Yellow Room is considered one of the classics of the "locked-room"/impossible crime genre. Believe me, by the time you finish reading about the crime (never mind the rest of the book), you'll be scratching your head saying "how on earth did this just happen?"
It seems that one Mathilde Stangerson goes off to her room (called The Yellow Room) in a pavilion where she and her father work at scientific experiments. The door ...more
It seems that one Mathilde Stangerson goes off to her room (called The Yellow Room) in a pavilion where she and her father work at scientific experiments. The door ...more
A mind-boggling denouement redeems an otherwise tedious locked-room mystery. If Leroux had scrunched the whole book into 150 pages, he would have had a masterpiece. But it seems certain that he was being paid by the word ... and he must have made a fortune.
Eighteen-year-old cub reporter Joseph Rouletabille insinuates himself into the investigation of an attack on Mlle Stangerson, the lovely daughter of a renowned French-American scientist. The attempted murder takes place in her room...more
Eighteen-year-old cub reporter Joseph Rouletabille insinuates himself into the investigation of an attack on Mlle Stangerson, the lovely daughter of a renowned French-American scientist. The attempted murder takes place in her room...more
While I not generally a mystery reader, this French novel is one of the classics and I really enjoyed it. Written in 1907, this is the first story about the French detective Joseph Rouletabille a clever young journalist. In this case Rouletabille is investigating the attack on a prominent scientist's daughter, occuring in her locked bedroom with no clear way for the villian to escape. It reminded me a lot of Sherlock Holmes stories because Rouletabille is a bit eccentric and also uses logic to m...more
I read this book a few years ago in French but I was told that the English translation is pretty bad which would explain why it didn't get many great reviews on this site. It is truly one of those mystery books that get under your skin and haunt you when you are not reading anymore. Inspector Rouletabille is nothing short of a genius and the ending that the reader awaits to find out how an attack took place inside an impenetrable room and how the attacker escaped, doesn't disappoint. It is an ...more
Excellent classic written in 1907. The book has a well-constructed plot and interesting character development. One of the first, if not the first, "locked room" mysteries. The crime is investigated by Mon. Rouletabill, a journalist, not a detective, who is 18 years old. Using his powers of observation and deduction, he is able to solve the mystery of how the crime was committed in a locked room.
I picked this up at Half Priced books and was intrigued by the introduction. ...more
I picked this up at Half Priced books and was intrigued by the introduction. ...more
Gaston Leroux started his career as a journalist in Paris before turning his hand to novels. The Mystery of the Yellow Room is deservedly reputed to be one of the finest "locked room" mysteries ever written.
In this tale, young newspaper reporter Joseph Rouletabille (perhaps a character based on Leroux himself) assists in solving the mystery surrounding an assault on a female scientist who had locked herself in her chambers for the night.
Some of the prose is a l...more
In this tale, young newspaper reporter Joseph Rouletabille (perhaps a character based on Leroux himself) assists in solving the mystery surrounding an assault on a female scientist who had locked herself in her chambers for the night.
Some of the prose is a l...more
This is the second book I’ve read by Gaston Leroux, the first being The Phantom of the Opera. What recommends Leroux most is his unique style. He was a journalist before becoming an author and he writes his books in the style of a turn of the century press release. There is very little moralizing and few philosophical asides. Instead he mainly sticks to the facts.
My issue with this story is that I found it uninteresting. I really didn’t care to try to figure out the mystery, or f...more
My issue with this story is that I found it uninteresting. I really didn’t care to try to figure out the mystery, or f...more
This was fun. It's one of the first instances of the "locked-door mysteries," in which a victim is murdered or near-murdered in a room locked from the inside, with no clue to indicate who the murderer was or how he escaped the room. Any of you who've read novels in French will understand what I mean when I say that, even though this is a translation, it's incredibly French, specifically in its characters. An enjoyable, if not vital read.
I loooved Phantom of the Opera, so I was expecting something a little more engrossing. It wasn't bad; I haven't read much if any mystery besides this so I don't know what to really expect. A lot of things got repeated over and over but then at the end, during the big reveal, a lot of things came out all at once and didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Also there wasn't much character development at all; I didn't care about any of these characters.
One of the most well-known mystery novels in the world. The book is about the search for the case of murder which had happened under the condition of locked room. Since this book is a founder of locked room mystery, the tricks that had been used is being a base of all famous mystery books in nowadays, and so I am sure all mystery fan can enjoy this book. From this point of view, I would like to recommend this book for you.
One of the first locked room mystery novels, The Mystery of the Yellow room tells the tale of Mademoiselle Stangerson found severely injured in a locked room at her home, Chateau du Glandier, and the varying occurance surrounding such. Joseph Rouletabille, a journalist/amateau detective and the novel's protagonist decides to solve the crime first by establishing the reason for the locked room. The plot develops with an introduction of key characters, history of such existing and previous relatio...more
A French classic from the beginning of the XXth century. Mystery at its most enjoyable: this novel is impossible to put down, and the imagination of the writer is fantastic. I defy anyone to find out what's going on until the resolution gives away the solution to the whole intricate affair. It's a pure delight, made even more charming by its old-fashioned setting and characters. The sequel to this book -and all the other novels with the same character, Rouletabille- are also major fun. Escapism ...more
I liked this book for the unusual (archaic/historical/ experimental?) style, but at the same time it wasn't really a fun read and I found it dry, too long and slightly boring with one-dimensional characters. He should have cut it down (didn't need the extra murder attempts) and although I did enjoy the denouement it was in the end something of a disappointment.
4.0 Muy bueno, aunque con un final un tanto decepcionante.
El libro comienza muy bien, el misterio del intento de asesinato en la habitación en la que no hay forma de entrar, salir o esconderse; la forma en que el periodista se va abriendo camino en el castillo, haciendo que los demás le ayuden, y encontrando pistas; la rivalidad periodista/policía.. El punto de inflexión en la galería es de lo mejorcito porque el autor sin decir mucho te sirve en bandeja al asesino (aunque aún sin de...more
El libro comienza muy bien, el misterio del intento de asesinato en la habitación en la que no hay forma de entrar, salir o esconderse; la forma en que el periodista se va abriendo camino en el castillo, haciendo que los demás le ayuden, y encontrando pistas; la rivalidad periodista/policía.. El punto de inflexión en la galería es de lo mejorcito porque el autor sin decir mucho te sirve en bandeja al asesino (aunque aún sin de...more
J'aime ce livre, l'intrigue est passionnante, et l'histoire n'est pas abracadabrante comme dans beaucoup de roman policier. Et Rouletabille est un merveilleux personnage, trop sympa!!!!! Mais je le prefere dans le tome 2 Le Parfum de la Dame en Noir, on apprend bcp plus sur lui, il parait moins mysterieux, plus humain!
J'ai passé un bon moment en relisant "Le mystère de la chambre jaune". L'intrigue est passionnante et le dénouement n'est ni décevant, ni abracadabrantesque. Le personnage de Rouletabille, bien que peut-être un peu trop mystérieux, reste un personnage très sympathique et il me donne envie de poursuivre mon immersion dans l'univers de Gaston Leroux en lisant "Le parfum de la dame en noir" très prochainement!
Not much of a fan of "locked room" mysteries, but this was one of the earliest of such "murder" mysteries and the best I have read thus far. Especially annoying, and the reason I write "murder" in quotations, is though the English translation throughout refers to a murder, the victim never dies.
I loved this book. I read it in two days. Couldn't stop reading it. I love a good mystery and Leroux, as usual, comes through with a head-scratching mystery. I thought I had most of it figured out but then at the end I was completely surprised. A great book.
One of the most famous locked room mysteries, this book has the reader completely baffled for practically the entire time. The case is solved by Joseph Rouletabille, a reporter with a keen mind and proven detective skills. You cannot guess the ending.
A locked room mystery. I found it engaging enough. The mysteries were quite perplexing and the solutions pretty reasonable for the most part. On the other hand I did find the writing style to be a little cheesy. I enjoyed it less than Wilkie Collins.
I really liked this book. It gives you a puzzle and then dares you to figure it out. How did someone nearly get killed inside of this little yellow room with one entrance/exit. I found it to be fascinating.
This mystery has an ingenious plot, even if certain elements are slightly implausible. The writing style is rather dry, but the story is very interesting—it reminds me of Poe's Dupin mysteries. 3 1/2 stars.
Being an avid Gaston Leroux fan, when I found that he was a mystery writer as well, needless to say I NEEDED to read some of them!
The mystery of the Yellow Room is a very well-written, carefully planned plot that I thought I could guess, but in the end I found that I was really the whole time in the dark. The Yellow Room is the first book to a trilogy. The next book being The pefume of Lady in Black, (or something like that) but I have not yet been able to get my hands on a copy.
...more
The mystery of the Yellow Room is a very well-written, carefully planned plot that I thought I could guess, but in the end I found that I was really the whole time in the dark. The Yellow Room is the first book to a trilogy. The next book being The pefume of Lady in Black, (or something like that) but I have not yet been able to get my hands on a copy.
...more
Una inchiesta complessa, una scrittura scorrevole e molto gradevole, un mistero che si infittisce ad ogni riga una arguzia infinita nella risoluzione dell'enigma. Un classico da leggere.
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Gaston Louis Alfred Leroux (6 May 1868, Paris, France – 15 April 1927) was a French journalist and author of detective fiction.
In the English-speaking world, he is best known for writing the novel The Phantom of the Opera (Le Fantôme de l'Opéra, 1910), which has been made into several film and stage productions of the same name, such as the 1925 film starring Lon Chaney, and Andrew Llo...more
More about Gaston Leroux...
In the English-speaking world, he is best known for writing the novel The Phantom of the Opera (Le Fantôme de l'Opéra, 1910), which has been made into several film and stage productions of the same name, such as the 1925 film starring Lon Chaney, and Andrew Llo...more
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