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Byt č. 2
Zaľúbené dievča. Odmietnutý snúbenec. Záhadný drobný človiečik. Známy lekár. Neznámi a neviditeľný ktosi. Tí všetci sa náhodou stretnú na tmavej, hmlistej londýnskej ulici. A v byte nad nimi leží mŕtvola človeka, ktorého každý z nich poznal. Až pridobre.
- GenresCrime
196 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 1968
3 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
Edgar Wallace
2,122 books260 followersRichard Horatio Edgar Wallace (1875-1932) was a prolific British crime writer, journalist and playwright, who wrote 175 novels, 24 plays, and countless articles in newspapers and journals.
Over 160 films have been made of his novels, more than any other author. In the 1920s, one of Wallace's publishers claimed that a quarter of all books read in England were written by him.
He is most famous today as the co-creator of "King Kong", writing the early screenplay and story for the movie, as well as a short story "King Kong" (1933) credited to him and Draycott Dell. He was known for the J. G. Reeder detective stories, The Four Just Men, the Ringer, and for creating the Green Archer character during his lifetime.
Over 160 films have been made of his novels, more than any other author. In the 1920s, one of Wallace's publishers claimed that a quarter of all books read in England were written by him.
He is most famous today as the co-creator of "King Kong", writing the early screenplay and story for the movie, as well as a short story "King Kong" (1933) credited to him and Draycott Dell. He was known for the J. G. Reeder detective stories, The Four Just Men, the Ringer, and for creating the Green Archer character during his lifetime.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 3, 2026
Emil Louba has more enemies than one can count on the fingers of one hand. With his credo of "I must get what I want."* and "In my own world, I am God, only answering to myself."*, it's no big wonder he ends up as the victim of this current murder case. I was more surprised he survived for longer than a couple of chapters into the story.
The beginning of the book actually managed to confuse me for a moment. The story jumped from one place to another, the people (other than Louba) were changing by location, and somehow, he just lived on and on. Moving the players into their starting positions took longer than usual. But I did have faith in the Author. I believed those jumps had to be vital for the real story to take off, and to somehow tie back into the final resolution. Wallace did not disappoint.
As always, Wallace plays with his cards close to his chest. I have to admit, I was misled many times by the red herrings he had put in place in more than one direction. The final solution, with an explanation of how all the puzzle pieces connect is only revealed in the very last chapter.
Wallace as an author, for me, is nostalgic. I don't think I've ever been actually disappointed when reading one of his books. While yes, as a reader, I would love to be handed more information over the course of the investigation, enough to draw the correct conclusion myself, I am happy as long as I can look back at the crime and sat the explanation fits and there's a logic to it. Because I just enjoy his writing style and I know there will be a happy ending waiting for someone at the end of his books. As it also does in this one.
* I read the Estonian translation of the book and did not find the English version over at Gutenberg Project, so these quotes are me trying to translate the translated text back into English and may differ from the original English wording.
The beginning of the book actually managed to confuse me for a moment. The story jumped from one place to another, the people (other than Louba) were changing by location, and somehow, he just lived on and on. Moving the players into their starting positions took longer than usual. But I did have faith in the Author. I believed those jumps had to be vital for the real story to take off, and to somehow tie back into the final resolution. Wallace did not disappoint.
As always, Wallace plays with his cards close to his chest. I have to admit, I was misled many times by the red herrings he had put in place in more than one direction. The final solution, with an explanation of how all the puzzle pieces connect is only revealed in the very last chapter.
Wallace as an author, for me, is nostalgic. I don't think I've ever been actually disappointed when reading one of his books. While yes, as a reader, I would love to be handed more information over the course of the investigation, enough to draw the correct conclusion myself, I am happy as long as I can look back at the crime and sat the explanation fits and there's a logic to it. Because I just enjoy his writing style and I know there will be a happy ending waiting for someone at the end of his books. As it also does in this one.
* I read the Estonian translation of the book and did not find the English version over at Gutenberg Project, so these quotes are me trying to translate the translated text back into English and may differ from the original English wording.
February 5, 2014
I read this in the old John Long edition, which is the one owned by the Passaic County Libraries; alas, this is one of only two Edgar Wallace novels possessed by the libraries of this entire, large northern NJ county (the other being Room 13, which I've already noted on GR). A shame.
This one's a fairly standard murder mystery in the Agatha Christie mold, except that the murder is never in fact solved: we, the reader, have it explained to us, but the cops are left floundering . . . all except one cop, who has reasons of his own for keeping quiet. The murder is that of the nasty Louba, who's made and lost a fortune by whoremongering and running (implicitly crooked) gambling dens. He's also made lots of enemies over the years so, when he's bumped off with the candlestick in his swanky London apartment, there's no shortage of suspects -- in fact, even people who aren't suspects are offering to help the folk they think might have done it, on the basis that no one deserves to swing for ridding the world of a swine like Louba.
It's odd that John Long chose this novel as one of the first in their 1960s set of reissues (the book was originally published in 1927), since it's far from a distinguished outing. It's perfectly readable (although I could have done without the faint suggestion, typical I guess for the 1920s, that one of Louba's despicable crimes was being black) but also, I suspect, almost as perfectly forgettable.
This one's a fairly standard murder mystery in the Agatha Christie mold, except that the murder is never in fact solved: we, the reader, have it explained to us, but the cops are left floundering . . . all except one cop, who has reasons of his own for keeping quiet. The murder is that of the nasty Louba, who's made and lost a fortune by whoremongering and running (implicitly crooked) gambling dens. He's also made lots of enemies over the years so, when he's bumped off with the candlestick in his swanky London apartment, there's no shortage of suspects -- in fact, even people who aren't suspects are offering to help the folk they think might have done it, on the basis that no one deserves to swing for ridding the world of a swine like Louba.
It's odd that John Long chose this novel as one of the first in their 1960s set of reissues (the book was originally published in 1927), since it's far from a distinguished outing. It's perfectly readable (although I could have done without the faint suggestion, typical I guess for the 1920s, that one of Louba's despicable crimes was being black) but also, I suspect, almost as perfectly forgettable.
December 15, 2016
"Flat 2" is your run-of-the-mill potboiler, with a death, lots of suspects, and little character development. It is all very simple and easy to follow. However, lots of dialogues, fun (even if predictable in general) plot developments and a frantic pace make for a very entertaining novel.
Louba is your typical shady character, that will do anything to get some cash and have as easy a life as possible. He has many enemies, because he is the type that doesn't care if he crosses someone. So, when he is killed, no one is surprised. On the contrary, Trainor, the detective that investigates the case, has so many suspects that he doesn't know what to do with all of them: a business rival, Louba's butler, the father of a soldier who killed himself because of his debts to Louba..., even Trainor's superior is a suspect.
Wallace does not really care for character development or anything. He lets his characters speak and develop themselves. It is all very simple, the writing style as uncomplicated as possible. But it does for a lot of fun, with constant plot developments, easy (very easy) to read, and good banter between all involved. And the end brings the action up a notch.
A perfect read for a rainy day.
6.5/10
(Review of the original English version)
Louba is your typical shady character, that will do anything to get some cash and have as easy a life as possible. He has many enemies, because he is the type that doesn't care if he crosses someone. So, when he is killed, no one is surprised. On the contrary, Trainor, the detective that investigates the case, has so many suspects that he doesn't know what to do with all of them: a business rival, Louba's butler, the father of a soldier who killed himself because of his debts to Louba..., even Trainor's superior is a suspect.
Wallace does not really care for character development or anything. He lets his characters speak and develop themselves. It is all very simple, the writing style as uncomplicated as possible. But it does for a lot of fun, with constant plot developments, easy (very easy) to read, and good banter between all involved. And the end brings the action up a notch.
A perfect read for a rainy day.
6.5/10
(Review of the original English version)
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews