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THE DEREK SMITH OMNIBUS
Publisher's Weekly calls Derek Smith's Whistle Up The Devil "one of the most intelligent and crafty impossible murder novels of all time." Frequently cited in Top 10 locked room mystery lists, and nominated to the Masterpiece category in Roland Lacourbe et al's 1001 Chambres Closes (1001 Locked Rooms) 2013 bibliography, Whistle up the Devil (1953) is an indispensable addition to any locked room lover's library. But Derek Smith also wrote two other impossible crime novels, neither of which was published in the USA or the UK: -Come to Paddington Fair (1997) featured the same series detective Algy Lawrence, solving a very clever murder in plain sight on a London stage during a live performance, which no one could have committed. Its Japanese publisher called it a masterpiece. -Model for Murder, written as an addition to the Sexton Blake canon, but probably too cerebral for the audience, it is nevertheless a well-constructed thriller with an ingenious locked room puzzle. This omnibus edition includes all three novels, together with an introduction by noted locked room expert Bob Adey, who knew Derek well, plus an unpublished short story (not an impossible crime.) It also includes a mass of illuminating background material about this little-known Golden Age writer who deserves a much wider audience.
624 pages, Paperback
First published July 2, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 8, 2015
The Derek Smith Omnibus contains 3 novels and a short story.
The first novel Whistle Up The Devil was first published in 1953 but has long been out of print and difficult to obtain. We must be thankful to LRI for publishing this remarkable novel and making it accessible to readers.
Derek Smith wrote 2 other novels Come To Paddington Fair and Model For Murder, but these were refused by publishers though a very limited number of copies (80 copies) of Come To Paddington Fair was published in Japan in 1997 by Derek Smith's Japanese friends. Hence, these 2 novels are virtually being published for the first time in this volume.
The first novel Whistle Up The Devil involves the detective Algy Lawrence, a romantic young person in his 20's. It is a brilliant locked room mystery. I regard it as a masterpiece. A must reading for mystery fans.
Roger Querrin, a business man, locks himself in a supposedly haunted room on the ground floor, as part of a ritual, one month before his marriage. The door is locked from inside and the only other entrance to the room, the French windows are bolted from inside. Algy along with Roger's brother Peter keep a watch outside the passage leading to the room, while Sergeant Hardinge keeps watch on the French windows from outside the house. At midnight, a scream is heard and when the locked door is forced open, Roger is found murdered. There is a second locked room murder later.
Both the locked room murders have really ingenious and highly satisfying solutions. After reading the novel, the reader is advised to reread it. He will note that all the clues are there and this is definitely a fair play mystery.
The novel is unputdownable and the suspense becomes unbearable especially towards the end.
The second novel Come To Paddington Fair also involves Algy Lawrence. It is a very clever murder mystery.
Chief Inspector Castle receives, anonymously, 2 front row tickets for a matinee performance of a play. Intrigued, he takes Algy along with him. At the play's climax, a stage actress is shot dead in presence of the entire audience. Though there is no locked room stuff here, it may be regarded as an impossible crime mystery. The impossibility of the crime is not apparent during the initial stages when it appears to be an open-and-shut case and the suspect is arrested. However, as the investigation progresses, it seems that no one could have committed the murder !
There is a brilliant twist towards the end which will surprise most readers. Like the first novel , this is also suspenseful and a page-turner.
The third novel Model For Murder involves the detective Sexton Blake.
Linda Martin, a model employed by sculptor Garvary comes to the house of Sexton Blake and states that Garvary had been receiving anonymous threatening letters and he needed help at once. Blake's assistant Tinker goes along with Linda to Garvary's flat. While they are approaching the door , Garvary opens the door but on seeing them he closes it. He does not open the door after that. When the door is opened with a duplicate key, Garvary is found murdered.
I regard this novel as mediocre. It is often dull. Though there is a locked room murder, there is no ingenuity in the solution. The several twists, instead of surprising and delighting, only serve to irritate. In my opinion, this novel is not worth reading.
Due to the inclusion of the third novel, I give only 4 stars to the entire book; otherwise, I would have given 5 stars.
In addition to the three novels, there is an amusing short crime story The Imperfect Crime.
The first novel Whistle Up The Devil was first published in 1953 but has long been out of print and difficult to obtain. We must be thankful to LRI for publishing this remarkable novel and making it accessible to readers.
Derek Smith wrote 2 other novels Come To Paddington Fair and Model For Murder, but these were refused by publishers though a very limited number of copies (80 copies) of Come To Paddington Fair was published in Japan in 1997 by Derek Smith's Japanese friends. Hence, these 2 novels are virtually being published for the first time in this volume.
The first novel Whistle Up The Devil involves the detective Algy Lawrence, a romantic young person in his 20's. It is a brilliant locked room mystery. I regard it as a masterpiece. A must reading for mystery fans.
Roger Querrin, a business man, locks himself in a supposedly haunted room on the ground floor, as part of a ritual, one month before his marriage. The door is locked from inside and the only other entrance to the room, the French windows are bolted from inside. Algy along with Roger's brother Peter keep a watch outside the passage leading to the room, while Sergeant Hardinge keeps watch on the French windows from outside the house. At midnight, a scream is heard and when the locked door is forced open, Roger is found murdered. There is a second locked room murder later.
Both the locked room murders have really ingenious and highly satisfying solutions. After reading the novel, the reader is advised to reread it. He will note that all the clues are there and this is definitely a fair play mystery.
The novel is unputdownable and the suspense becomes unbearable especially towards the end.
The second novel Come To Paddington Fair also involves Algy Lawrence. It is a very clever murder mystery.
Chief Inspector Castle receives, anonymously, 2 front row tickets for a matinee performance of a play. Intrigued, he takes Algy along with him. At the play's climax, a stage actress is shot dead in presence of the entire audience. Though there is no locked room stuff here, it may be regarded as an impossible crime mystery. The impossibility of the crime is not apparent during the initial stages when it appears to be an open-and-shut case and the suspect is arrested. However, as the investigation progresses, it seems that no one could have committed the murder !
There is a brilliant twist towards the end which will surprise most readers. Like the first novel , this is also suspenseful and a page-turner.
The third novel Model For Murder involves the detective Sexton Blake.
Linda Martin, a model employed by sculptor Garvary comes to the house of Sexton Blake and states that Garvary had been receiving anonymous threatening letters and he needed help at once. Blake's assistant Tinker goes along with Linda to Garvary's flat. While they are approaching the door , Garvary opens the door but on seeing them he closes it. He does not open the door after that. When the door is opened with a duplicate key, Garvary is found murdered.
I regard this novel as mediocre. It is often dull. Though there is a locked room murder, there is no ingenuity in the solution. The several twists, instead of surprising and delighting, only serve to irritate. In my opinion, this novel is not worth reading.
Due to the inclusion of the third novel, I give only 4 stars to the entire book; otherwise, I would have given 5 stars.
In addition to the three novels, there is an amusing short crime story The Imperfect Crime.
July 10, 2018
Don't Let This One Get By You
I am so glad I didn't pass on this. The first two mysteries are without question among some of the best locked room mysteries I have read. They are plausible and the characters are more than one dimensional. The third mystery is only a notch below the first two. Especially the end. By all means if you like Golden Age mysteries you will want to read this one. I would also recommend buying the omnibus rather than the books individually.
I am so glad I didn't pass on this. The first two mysteries are without question among some of the best locked room mysteries I have read. They are plausible and the characters are more than one dimensional. The third mystery is only a notch below the first two. Especially the end. By all means if you like Golden Age mysteries you will want to read this one. I would also recommend buying the omnibus rather than the books individually.
September 23, 2018
Whistle up the Devil - 4 stars
Come to Paddington Fair-4.5 stars
Model for Murder- 3 stars.
The ingenuity of the plotting in the first two is superb, the third not so good. Overall, the writing does not match this level of excellence. The characterisation is thin and the female characters overdone in their pulchritude. The third story was rather a letdown, as I thought it not difficult to reach the solution-and I am not usually very "on the ball" with locked room mysteries.
This was a great find for me. Although the Kindle edition has its drawbacks, and there are lots of typos, it is excellent value, and fans of locked room mysteries should be grateful that these rarities are now readily available.
Come to Paddington Fair-4.5 stars
Model for Murder- 3 stars.
The ingenuity of the plotting in the first two is superb, the third not so good. Overall, the writing does not match this level of excellence. The characterisation is thin and the female characters overdone in their pulchritude. The third story was rather a letdown, as I thought it not difficult to reach the solution-and I am not usually very "on the ball" with locked room mysteries.
This was a great find for me. Although the Kindle edition has its drawbacks, and there are lots of typos, it is excellent value, and fans of locked room mysteries should be grateful that these rarities are now readily available.
April 1, 2020
I never knew that was a genre called "Locked Room Mysteries". These books were not published in the U.S. and U.K. Really enjoyed it.
October 26, 2014
This is a series of three locked room mysteries. Only the first one, "Whistle up the Devil" has been published previously in US or UK. The 2nd one Come to Paddington Fair is about a murder on stage during a stage show. This one was not quite as good as the first one, but it was intriguing. Model for Murder was the weakest of the bunch. I never really could understand the solution once it was explained.
The focus of these mysteries is mainly how it was done. Hence, characterization, atmospherics and plot receive less attention than they deserve.
The focus of these mysteries is mainly how it was done. Hence, characterization, atmospherics and plot receive less attention than they deserve.
July 27, 2022
Clever puzzles
This omnibus includes 2 mystery novels, Whistle Up The Devil and Come To Paddington Fair. Whistle Up The Devil has 2 classic locked room puzzles and clever solutions, but the writing style and characters are not the most engaging. I preferred Come To Paddington Fair - it's a shame the author didn't go on to write more as there is enough here to think he would have contributed a lot to mystery fiction genre.
This omnibus includes 2 mystery novels, Whistle Up The Devil and Come To Paddington Fair. Whistle Up The Devil has 2 classic locked room puzzles and clever solutions, but the writing style and characters are not the most engaging. I preferred Come To Paddington Fair - it's a shame the author didn't go on to write more as there is enough here to think he would have contributed a lot to mystery fiction genre.
December 10, 2014
Pretty good trio of locked room mysteries, two of which had never been in print in English.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews