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Philo Vance #4
Злой гений Нью-Йорка
В центре города какой-то маньяк играючи совершает изощрённые убийства, оставляя на месте преступления послания с детскими стишками. Он умён, расчётлив, безжалостен и... неуловим. Газеты, пестреющие чудовищными заголовками, нагнетают страх. Горожане в панике. И лишь сыщик Фило Вэнс, вооружившись логикой и хладнокровием, кажется, знает, как остановить злого гения...
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1928
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 124 reviews
June 23, 2020
Entretenidísimo "murder mystery" donde el diletante detective Philo Vance se enfrenta a una mente criminal sin parangón que usa como excusa una canción infantil para cometer sus asesinatos.
Un grupo cerrado de sospechosos, una rima infantil que guia los asesinatos, las personas que van muriendo una a una... Digamos que si os suena es porque años más tarde Agatha Christie tomaría la misma idea y escribiría "Diez negritos". No quiero decir que plagiara este libro ni nada de eso, solo que el argumento ya venía de antes. Sin embargo, donde "Diez negritos" es atmosférico y más tirando a thriller psicológico, "El caso de los asesinatos del Obispo" es un "quién lo hizo" clasicote, que no se complica la vida, y que tira del carisma de su protagonista y de un tono ligero para contarte lo que, en puridad, son una serie de asesinatos horribles. Si en la primera novela del detective ("El caso del asesinato de Benson") Philo Vance se me hizo un poco insoportable, aquí el personaje está más matizado y como que se toma más en serio la búsqueda del asesino, y aunque su pedantería sigue ahí, ha bajado varios enteros.
Los personajes son funcionales y ya: bastante esquematizados y con aire sospechoso todos, para que el misterio dure hasta el final. Por cierto, este está bien llevado, con buen ritmo y una serie de pistas que permiten seguir el razonamiento del detective. ¿Hay pantallas y trampas? Por supuesto, como en toda obra de este género, pero no se hacen molestas ni me han parecido lo más tramposo del mundo.
Es la novela de Van Dine que más me ha gustado hasta la fecha. Es un entretenimiento sin más pretensiones, pero tiene un puzle lo suficiéntemente entretenido y te engaña de un modo astuto sin llegar a pasarse, y yo personalmente lo he disfrutado. Es un "murder mystery" de la vieja escuela y siempre gusta leer algo así para desatrancar el cerebro.
Un grupo cerrado de sospechosos, una rima infantil que guia los asesinatos, las personas que van muriendo una a una... Digamos que si os suena es porque años más tarde Agatha Christie tomaría la misma idea y escribiría "Diez negritos". No quiero decir que plagiara este libro ni nada de eso, solo que el argumento ya venía de antes. Sin embargo, donde "Diez negritos" es atmosférico y más tirando a thriller psicológico, "El caso de los asesinatos del Obispo" es un "quién lo hizo" clasicote, que no se complica la vida, y que tira del carisma de su protagonista y de un tono ligero para contarte lo que, en puridad, son una serie de asesinatos horribles. Si en la primera novela del detective ("El caso del asesinato de Benson") Philo Vance se me hizo un poco insoportable, aquí el personaje está más matizado y como que se toma más en serio la búsqueda del asesino, y aunque su pedantería sigue ahí, ha bajado varios enteros.
Los personajes son funcionales y ya: bastante esquematizados y con aire sospechoso todos, para que el misterio dure hasta el final. Por cierto, este está bien llevado, con buen ritmo y una serie de pistas que permiten seguir el razonamiento del detective. ¿Hay pantallas y trampas? Por supuesto, como en toda obra de este género, pero no se hacen molestas ni me han parecido lo más tramposo del mundo.
Es la novela de Van Dine que más me ha gustado hasta la fecha. Es un entretenimiento sin más pretensiones, pero tiene un puzle lo suficiéntemente entretenido y te engaña de un modo astuto sin llegar a pasarse, y yo personalmente lo he disfrutado. Es un "murder mystery" de la vieja escuela y siempre gusta leer algo así para desatrancar el cerebro.
October 26, 2025
The Bishop Murders could be called The Mother Goose Murders but both are equally bizarre. In fact the entire story is bizarre.
Philo Vance and sidekick Markham are called in to find the killer of Cock Robin (a man called Joseph Cochrane Robin. There then follows a series of murders with the names of the deceased tortuosly turned into something from Mother Goose. And just to hammer home that another clue, a note signed by The Bishop is either left at the scene or sent to the newspapers. It was excruciating waiting to see how melodramatic all the remaining players could be on hearing of the next murder.
When Vance finally decides he has the culprit we are down to two survivors. So our brilliant detective has a 50% chance of getting it right.
There are pages and pages of mathematical formula, of chess conundrums and lots of irrelevancies that just felt like Van Dine (who is the pseudonym of Willard Huntington Wright) showing off his interests rather than adding to the mystery.
This was my first Van Dine and it will, most likely, be my last. I found Vance's homespun Southern drawl and the bizarre way the whole book was written truly irritating. I confess to skim reading quite a lot of it when it became irrelevant to the crimes.
I had always been under the impression that Van Dine was a master of the detective novel but I disagree after reading this novel.
Thankyou to Netgalley for the advance review copy.
Philo Vance and sidekick Markham are called in to find the killer of Cock Robin (a man called Joseph Cochrane Robin. There then follows a series of murders with the names of the deceased tortuosly turned into something from Mother Goose. And just to hammer home that another clue, a note signed by The Bishop is either left at the scene or sent to the newspapers. It was excruciating waiting to see how melodramatic all the remaining players could be on hearing of the next murder.
When Vance finally decides he has the culprit we are down to two survivors. So our brilliant detective has a 50% chance of getting it right.
There are pages and pages of mathematical formula, of chess conundrums and lots of irrelevancies that just felt like Van Dine (who is the pseudonym of Willard Huntington Wright) showing off his interests rather than adding to the mystery.
This was my first Van Dine and it will, most likely, be my last. I found Vance's homespun Southern drawl and the bizarre way the whole book was written truly irritating. I confess to skim reading quite a lot of it when it became irrelevant to the crimes.
I had always been under the impression that Van Dine was a master of the detective novel but I disagree after reading this novel.
Thankyou to Netgalley for the advance review copy.
August 15, 2023
This is the fourth adventure of Philo Vance and the fourth I’ve read - yeah I’m one of those guys. I’ve had some difficulty embracing Philo as a protagonist - to call him an eccentric fop is a vast understatement - and this entry didn’t make him any the more huggable for me.
(For the record Vance is a well-to-do amateur sleuth with interests/hobbies such as psychology, ancient history, dog breeding, chess, golf, art, Egyptology - he was in the midst of translating “the principal fragments of Menander found in the Egyptian papyri” when interrupted to solve this one - and much much more. When the case calls for a strong foundation/knowledge of some topic - any topic - Philo is your man.)
Philo is called by his good friend - the NY DA - to assist in the Bishop Murder case which involves a serial killer following a “script” - in this case Nursery Rhymes. It’s a mystery/puzzle for the ages which Philo reminds us of constantly. (Considering this book was published close to 100 years ago it’s almost “current” in its plot.) Unfortunately I found the story/writing very uneven. For instance while the reader is getting to know the victims/suspects Philo - as he is wont to do - frequently pontificates on topics as varied as mathematical theory to the righteousness of suicide. These digressions becoming more than a little aggravating - impeding the story-line for this reader.
(I also have an issue with the way the author portrays women - even taking into account when these books were written. But that’s a discussion for another time.)
Finally the conclusion/solution although “logical” is over the top.
A grudging three star rating.
(For the record Vance is a well-to-do amateur sleuth with interests/hobbies such as psychology, ancient history, dog breeding, chess, golf, art, Egyptology - he was in the midst of translating “the principal fragments of Menander found in the Egyptian papyri” when interrupted to solve this one - and much much more. When the case calls for a strong foundation/knowledge of some topic - any topic - Philo is your man.)
Philo is called by his good friend - the NY DA - to assist in the Bishop Murder case which involves a serial killer following a “script” - in this case Nursery Rhymes. It’s a mystery/puzzle for the ages which Philo reminds us of constantly. (Considering this book was published close to 100 years ago it’s almost “current” in its plot.) Unfortunately I found the story/writing very uneven. For instance while the reader is getting to know the victims/suspects Philo - as he is wont to do - frequently pontificates on topics as varied as mathematical theory to the righteousness of suicide. These digressions becoming more than a little aggravating - impeding the story-line for this reader.
(I also have an issue with the way the author portrays women - even taking into account when these books were written. But that’s a discussion for another time.)
Finally the conclusion/solution although “logical” is over the top.
A grudging three star rating.
June 4, 2021
ENGLISH: First I will state what I did not like in this novel:
1. In a mystery novel where most of the suspects are mathematicians, Philo Vance asserts that mathematicians, working on astronomy or microscopic physics cannot help embracing the materialistic atheistic philosophy. This is a well-known fallacy which I cannot help taking issue at. Being a person with a mathematical mind, who has worked on cosmology and does not comply with this cliché, with many acquaintances and friends who are mathematicians and don't comply with it, I must state my disagreement with this theory, signalling that trying to present science as incompatible with religion is a well-known discredited atheistic sophism.
2. Philo Vance's theoretical defense of materialism and his scorn towards the value of human life find a practical application in the amoral ending of the novel. In this sense, it fits with the materialistic world view of the detective. It does not fit, however, with Vance's anguished reaction when a pretty little girl is in danger of becoming the next victim of the murderer. This is one of those typical contradictions of atheists, who cannot be totally faithful to their convictions when normal human feelings are in question. I've gone on this in more detail here: http://populscience.blogspot.com/2015....
3. When reading a mystery novel I usually feel a little cheated if I am able to discover who the guilty person is at the same time or before the detective. This has happened to me in this novel, where I discovered the plot exactly at the same time as Philo Vance. In fact, I was aided by the parallels between this novel and the next one in the series, The scarab murder case, which I had read before.
In any case, the plot is original and I have enjoyed it enough to give it 3 stars.
ESPAÑOL: Primero diré lo que no me ha gustado de esta novela:
1. En una novela de misterio en la que la mayoría de los sospechosos son matemáticos, Philo Vance afirma que los matemáticos que trabajan en astronomía o física microscópica no pueden evitar abrazar la filosofía materialista atea. Se trata de una falacia bien conocida que no puedo dejar de rebatir. Soy una persona con mente matemática, que ha trabajado en cosmología y no cumple con este tópico. Tengo muchos conocidos y amigos que son matemáticos y tampoco lo cumplen. Debo, por tanto, manifestar mi desacuerdo con esta teoría, señalando que tratar de presentar la ciencia como incompatible con la religión es un conocido sofisma ateo desacreditado.
2. La defensa teórica del materialismo por Philo Vance y su desprecio hacia el valor de la vida humana encuentran aplicación práctica en el final amoral de la novela. En este sentido, encaja con la visión materialista del mundo del detective. No encaja, sin embargo, con la angustiosa reacción de Vance cuando una niña bonita corre el peligro de convertirse en la próxima víctima del asesino. Esta es una de esas contradicciones típicas de los ateos, que no pueden ser totalmente fieles a sus convicciones cuando están en cuestión los sentimientos humanos normales. He hablado de esto con más detalle aquí: http://divulciencia.blogspot.com/2015....
3. Cuando leo una novela de misterio suelo sentirme algo engañado si soy capaz de descubrir quién es el culpable al mismo tiempo o antes que el detective. Esto me ha ocurrido con esta novela, en la que descubrí la trama exactamente al mismo tiempo que Philo Vance. De hecho, me ayudaron los paralelismos entre esta novela y la siguiente de la serie, The scarab murder case, que ya había leído antes.
En cualquier caso, la trama es original y la he disfrutado lo suficiente como para darle 3 estrellas.
1. In a mystery novel where most of the suspects are mathematicians, Philo Vance asserts that mathematicians, working on astronomy or microscopic physics cannot help embracing the materialistic atheistic philosophy. This is a well-known fallacy which I cannot help taking issue at. Being a person with a mathematical mind, who has worked on cosmology and does not comply with this cliché, with many acquaintances and friends who are mathematicians and don't comply with it, I must state my disagreement with this theory, signalling that trying to present science as incompatible with religion is a well-known discredited atheistic sophism.
2. Philo Vance's theoretical defense of materialism and his scorn towards the value of human life find a practical application in the amoral ending of the novel. In this sense, it fits with the materialistic world view of the detective. It does not fit, however, with Vance's anguished reaction when a pretty little girl is in danger of becoming the next victim of the murderer. This is one of those typical contradictions of atheists, who cannot be totally faithful to their convictions when normal human feelings are in question. I've gone on this in more detail here: http://populscience.blogspot.com/2015....
3. When reading a mystery novel I usually feel a little cheated if I am able to discover who the guilty person is at the same time or before the detective. This has happened to me in this novel, where I discovered the plot exactly at the same time as Philo Vance. In fact, I was aided by the parallels between this novel and the next one in the series, The scarab murder case, which I had read before.
In any case, the plot is original and I have enjoyed it enough to give it 3 stars.
ESPAÑOL: Primero diré lo que no me ha gustado de esta novela:
1. En una novela de misterio en la que la mayoría de los sospechosos son matemáticos, Philo Vance afirma que los matemáticos que trabajan en astronomía o física microscópica no pueden evitar abrazar la filosofía materialista atea. Se trata de una falacia bien conocida que no puedo dejar de rebatir. Soy una persona con mente matemática, que ha trabajado en cosmología y no cumple con este tópico. Tengo muchos conocidos y amigos que son matemáticos y tampoco lo cumplen. Debo, por tanto, manifestar mi desacuerdo con esta teoría, señalando que tratar de presentar la ciencia como incompatible con la religión es un conocido sofisma ateo desacreditado.
2. La defensa teórica del materialismo por Philo Vance y su desprecio hacia el valor de la vida humana encuentran aplicación práctica en el final amoral de la novela. En este sentido, encaja con la visión materialista del mundo del detective. No encaja, sin embargo, con la angustiosa reacción de Vance cuando una niña bonita corre el peligro de convertirse en la próxima víctima del asesino. Esta es una de esas contradicciones típicas de los ateos, que no pueden ser totalmente fieles a sus convicciones cuando están en cuestión los sentimientos humanos normales. He hablado de esto con más detalle aquí: http://divulciencia.blogspot.com/2015....
3. Cuando leo una novela de misterio suelo sentirme algo engañado si soy capaz de descubrir quién es el culpable al mismo tiempo o antes que el detective. Esto me ha ocurrido con esta novela, en la que descubrí la trama exactamente al mismo tiempo que Philo Vance. De hecho, me ayudaron los paralelismos entre esta novela y la siguiente de la serie, The scarab murder case, que ya había leído antes.
En cualquier caso, la trama es original y la he disfrutado lo suficiente como para darle 3 estrellas.
July 10, 2010
The more I read Philo Vance the more the mystery lies not in the plots of the books but in the fact of their success. In this particular book, once again New York is gripped by fear as a series of blood tingling deaths sweep the public imagination. It is at this point that my ability to suspend disbelief becomes rather frayed. I doubt much that the general population of New York would be gripped by fear at the deaths of a number of well off mathematicians. Not the sort of thing that makes the average person lock their doors in fear at night.
Much of the books is, as is common in murder mysteries, smoke and mirrors used in order to distract the reader from the identity of the culprit. As is increasingly true in Vance stories the need for much smoke and many mirrors is exacerbated by the fact that little detection is carried out by the police. We hear little of the fundamental aspects of the solutions of crimes and so much of the book consists of effete characters bridling, bristling or breaking down when asked straight-forward questions and the investigators acceding to the requests/demands of potential murderers/witnesses to be allowed to delay answering questions. As is emerging as a pattern in these Vance stories the field of possible murderers is slimmed not by the efforts of Vance or the police but rather by their being successively murdered themselves.
Many of the details of the crimes/police responses are ludicrous such as the ME not feeling that the existence of a large blow on the back of man's head might have some relevance to the question as to whether he committed suicide -- indeed it is a fact only mentioned in passing. The motivation for the crime is frankly unbelievable and Vance's filibustering (as that is what it seems to be) sounds more and more like a man trying desperately to have others think him highly educated rather than a man who is actually comfortable in the worlds of mathematics, art, chess and anything else Vance runs into.
Much of the books is, as is common in murder mysteries, smoke and mirrors used in order to distract the reader from the identity of the culprit. As is increasingly true in Vance stories the need for much smoke and many mirrors is exacerbated by the fact that little detection is carried out by the police. We hear little of the fundamental aspects of the solutions of crimes and so much of the book consists of effete characters bridling, bristling or breaking down when asked straight-forward questions and the investigators acceding to the requests/demands of potential murderers/witnesses to be allowed to delay answering questions. As is emerging as a pattern in these Vance stories the field of possible murderers is slimmed not by the efforts of Vance or the police but rather by their being successively murdered themselves.
Many of the details of the crimes/police responses are ludicrous such as the ME not feeling that the existence of a large blow on the back of man's head might have some relevance to the question as to whether he committed suicide -- indeed it is a fact only mentioned in passing. The motivation for the crime is frankly unbelievable and Vance's filibustering (as that is what it seems to be) sounds more and more like a man trying desperately to have others think him highly educated rather than a man who is actually comfortable in the worlds of mathematics, art, chess and anything else Vance runs into.
August 14, 2008
The Bishop Murder Case is my first Philo Vance mystery. He must be the only fictional detective who is more pompous than Lord Peter Wimsey, and more conceited than Sherlock Holmes. And I adore him! I’m now a total Philo Vance fanboy.
The plot is fiendishly complicated even by the standards of Golden Age mysteries, involving a killer who is basing his murders on nursery rhymes! He starts with Cock Robin, and we find a man named Joseph Cochrane Robin dead, with an arrow through his heart. And a suspect whose name means Sparrow in German. Van Dine also manages to tie in mathematics and the latest (by 1928 standards) advances in physics, as well as chess. It should end up collapsing under the weight of its own complexity, but he carries it off superbly.
I also found it intriguing that even though it conforms to most of the accepted rules for a Golden Age mystery it also manages to be a psychological mystery, something that was pretty unusual in 1928.
The plot is fiendishly complicated even by the standards of Golden Age mysteries, involving a killer who is basing his murders on nursery rhymes! He starts with Cock Robin, and we find a man named Joseph Cochrane Robin dead, with an arrow through his heart. And a suspect whose name means Sparrow in German. Van Dine also manages to tie in mathematics and the latest (by 1928 standards) advances in physics, as well as chess. It should end up collapsing under the weight of its own complexity, but he carries it off superbly.
I also found it intriguing that even though it conforms to most of the accepted rules for a Golden Age mystery it also manages to be a psychological mystery, something that was pretty unusual in 1928.
June 16, 2016
Este é o primeiro livro que leio de S. S. Van Dine, apesar de ter na estante um outro livro por ler do autor (O caso do colar desaparecido). Confesso que não me encheu as medidas, apesar de ter criado empatia com o detective amador Philo Vance, personagem que, pelo que percebo, praticamente presente em todas as obras do autor.
Philo Vance é chamado pelo procurador do distrito judicial logo que o corpo com uma flecha cravada no peito de Cock Robin aparece. Vance estabelece logo a referência a uma conhecida lengalenga infantil da Mãe Gansa e começa a investigar o crime a partir daí.
No entanto, o assassino revela ter uma mente perversa e mata desenfreadamente. A par de as vítimas estarem relacionadas com as lengalengas, manda cartas para os jornais locais e assina como "Bispo".
Opinião completa aqui: http://marcadordelivros.blogspot.pt/2...
Philo Vance é chamado pelo procurador do distrito judicial logo que o corpo com uma flecha cravada no peito de Cock Robin aparece. Vance estabelece logo a referência a uma conhecida lengalenga infantil da Mãe Gansa e começa a investigar o crime a partir daí.
No entanto, o assassino revela ter uma mente perversa e mata desenfreadamente. A par de as vítimas estarem relacionadas com as lengalengas, manda cartas para os jornais locais e assina como "Bispo".
Opinião completa aqui: http://marcadordelivros.blogspot.pt/2...
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July 15, 2023Philo Vance Serisi’nin dördüncü kitabı ama Türkçe’de yayımlanmamış sanırım. Seri çok kötü yayımlanıyor. Tekil olarak okunsa da böyle ikonik bir seri daha iyi yayıncılığı hak ediyor. Van Dine kendi yazdığı polisiye kurallarına uygun bir roman yazmış yine. Antipatik dedektifimiz çeşitli kelime oyunlarıyla dolu soruşturmayı çözerken çok eğlendim. Şimdilerde oldfashioned bulunup pek de sevilmeyen bu kurguları çok seviyorum. Roman üst sınıf New Yorkluların kültürel yaşamını epey iyi anlatıyor. Oldukça karmaşık görünen olayı Vance yine zekasıyla çözüyor. Altın Çağ polisiyeleri sevenler kesinlikle okumalı.
May 3, 2022
Bella storia, pur se teribile.
Finalmente qui Vance non è l'unico strambo, anzi, a confronto con glialtri personaggi della storia lui sembra quasi umano :)
La storia davvero si segue con passione e parecchio orrore per l'efferatezza e "giocosità" degli omicidi e, soprattutto, per il movente.
Il miglior Vance letto finora.
Finalmente qui Vance non è l'unico strambo, anzi, a confronto con glialtri personaggi della storia lui sembra quasi umano :)
La storia davvero si segue con passione e parecchio orrore per l'efferatezza e "giocosità" degli omicidi e, soprattutto, per il movente.
Il miglior Vance letto finora.
July 7, 2021
Major characters:
Philo Vance, dilettante detective
John F. X. Markham, district attorney
Professor Bertrand Dillard, physicist
Belle Dillard, his niece
Sigurd Arnesson. his adopted son, professor of mathematics
Adolph Drukker, scientist, author, and hunchback
Mrs. Otto Drukker, his mother
John Pardee, mathematician and chess expert
J. C. Robin, archer
Raymond Sperling, civil engineer
John E. Sprigg, college student
Madeleine Moffat, a little girl
Synopsis: Philo Vance and D. A. Markham are called out to a report of murder on a long narrow archery range, sandwiched between the Dillard home and the Drukker home. The deceased is J. Cochrane "Cock" Robin, and immediate suspicion falls on Raymond Sperling who was present. It is noted that "Sperling" means "sparrow", and the murder follows the nursery rhyme of "Who killed Cock Robin?"
The Dillard house and the Drukker house back up to one another. Professor Dillard lives with his daughter Belle (here is a love triangle, both Sigurd Arnesson and John Pardee enamored of her). Adolph Drukker is a strange sort who prefers to spend his days playing games with the neighborhood kids, and lives with his mother who may have seen the murder.
Other murders follow, with nursery rhyme tie-ins. After each, a note is sent to the newspapers signed "The Bishop".
Review: This is my third read, and each time I like it better. There is a small cast of characters, so it is easy to keep track of the players.
The description of the houses/archery range plan in Chapter 2 cries out for the customary S. S. Van Dine crime scene map. It is even mentioned as being "attached" on p. 28 but it is not there. In my hardcover Collier spiderweb edition it finally appears in Chapter 18 (p. 241). So if you are just starting the book, check ahead to Chapter 18 to see if you have a crime scene map.
The book is heavy with higher mathematics and chess references, but still understandable even if you are neither a mathematician nor a chess player. You can skip the mathematics/chess/footnotes and not lose any of the story; in fact, eliminate them and this could be an Agatha Christie or Ellery Queen plot, with the murder-by-nursery-rhyme theme.
As usual, plenty of irrelevant footnotes take up valuable space. Several times while reading Van Dine I have thought "this footnote can't be real", and looked up some of his references; to find they are factual. If he had left these additional research bits out, he likely could have written several more books!
Chapter XXI ("Mathematics and Murder") can be skipped entirely if you are not into space-time continuums, as it is a lecture on that subject. The only relevant piece is the last sentence.
The dénouement is enjoyable, fooling the reader by seeming to point at one person after another, with a surprise twist on each.
Vance's method of dealing with the killer at the end is an eyebrow-raiser, certainly out of bounds today; but S. S. Van Dine readers are used to the killer never making it to an arrest.
Philo Vance, dilettante detective
John F. X. Markham, district attorney
Professor Bertrand Dillard, physicist
Belle Dillard, his niece
Sigurd Arnesson. his adopted son, professor of mathematics
Adolph Drukker, scientist, author, and hunchback
Mrs. Otto Drukker, his mother
John Pardee, mathematician and chess expert
J. C. Robin, archer
Raymond Sperling, civil engineer
John E. Sprigg, college student
Madeleine Moffat, a little girl
Synopsis: Philo Vance and D. A. Markham are called out to a report of murder on a long narrow archery range, sandwiched between the Dillard home and the Drukker home. The deceased is J. Cochrane "Cock" Robin, and immediate suspicion falls on Raymond Sperling who was present. It is noted that "Sperling" means "sparrow", and the murder follows the nursery rhyme of "Who killed Cock Robin?"
The Dillard house and the Drukker house back up to one another. Professor Dillard lives with his daughter Belle (here is a love triangle, both Sigurd Arnesson and John Pardee enamored of her). Adolph Drukker is a strange sort who prefers to spend his days playing games with the neighborhood kids, and lives with his mother who may have seen the murder.
Other murders follow, with nursery rhyme tie-ins. After each, a note is sent to the newspapers signed "The Bishop".
Review: This is my third read, and each time I like it better. There is a small cast of characters, so it is easy to keep track of the players.
The description of the houses/archery range plan in Chapter 2 cries out for the customary S. S. Van Dine crime scene map. It is even mentioned as being "attached" on p. 28 but it is not there. In my hardcover Collier spiderweb edition it finally appears in Chapter 18 (p. 241). So if you are just starting the book, check ahead to Chapter 18 to see if you have a crime scene map.
The book is heavy with higher mathematics and chess references, but still understandable even if you are neither a mathematician nor a chess player. You can skip the mathematics/chess/footnotes and not lose any of the story; in fact, eliminate them and this could be an Agatha Christie or Ellery Queen plot, with the murder-by-nursery-rhyme theme.
As usual, plenty of irrelevant footnotes take up valuable space. Several times while reading Van Dine I have thought "this footnote can't be real", and looked up some of his references; to find they are factual. If he had left these additional research bits out, he likely could have written several more books!
Chapter XXI ("Mathematics and Murder") can be skipped entirely if you are not into space-time continuums, as it is a lecture on that subject. The only relevant piece is the last sentence.
The dénouement is enjoyable, fooling the reader by seeming to point at one person after another, with a surprise twist on each.
Vance's method of dealing with the killer at the end is an eyebrow-raiser, certainly out of bounds today; but S. S. Van Dine readers are used to the killer never making it to an arrest.
August 4, 2015
Nice book. Well written. I like the story. It is quite interesting.
March 6, 2024
Nursery Rhyme Crime Spree
Review of the Felony & Mayhem Press Kindle eBook edition (April 25, 2019) of the Scribners Press hardcover original (1929).
I might be reading too many of the Philo Vance novels. Initially it was a joy to discover these previously unknown gems from the Golden Age of Crime writing. The Bishop Murder Case however started to tip into unrealistic and unsatisfactory territory in various ways. Earlier books in the series had more believable scenarios even if they used the often unlikely 'locked room' trope. This case has the villain reenacting Mother Goose nursery rhymes in a series of murders. There is the further absurd enhancement of them sending taunting letters to the authorities and to the press. The ending even flirted with an Unsatisfactory Ending Alert™.
Front cover of the original Scribners Press first edition (1929). Image sourced from Wikipedia.
Vance is a delightful character though and his verbal jousting with District Attorney Markham and the often stolid Police Sergeant Heath as documented by his personal 'Watson', the fictional S.S. Van Dine is a pleasure to read.
Trivia and Links
The Bishop Murder Case was adapted as the same-titled film The Bishop Murder Case (1930) directed by David Burton & Nick Grinde and starring Basil Rathbone as Philo Vance. You can see the opening credits and the conclusion of the film on YouTube here.
Willard Huntington Wright aka S.S. Van Dine is also the author of the Twenty Rules for Writing Detective Stories.
Review of the Felony & Mayhem Press Kindle eBook edition (April 25, 2019) of the Scribners Press hardcover original (1929).
“We’re going to search the house, Pyne. You lead the way.”
Markham came forward. “But, Vance, we can’t do that!”
Vance wheeled round. “I’m not interested in what you can do or can’t do. I’m going to search this house… Sergeant, are you with me?” There was a strange look on his face.
“You bet your sweet life!” (I never liked Heath as much as at that moment.)
I might be reading too many of the Philo Vance novels. Initially it was a joy to discover these previously unknown gems from the Golden Age of Crime writing. The Bishop Murder Case however started to tip into unrealistic and unsatisfactory territory in various ways. Earlier books in the series had more believable scenarios even if they used the often unlikely 'locked room' trope. This case has the villain reenacting Mother Goose nursery rhymes in a series of murders. There is the further absurd enhancement of them sending taunting letters to the authorities and to the press. The ending even flirted with an Unsatisfactory Ending Alert™.
Front cover of the original Scribners Press first edition (1929). Image sourced from Wikipedia.
Vance is a delightful character though and his verbal jousting with District Attorney Markham and the often stolid Police Sergeant Heath as documented by his personal 'Watson', the fictional S.S. Van Dine is a pleasure to read.
Trivia and Links
The Bishop Murder Case was adapted as the same-titled film The Bishop Murder Case (1930) directed by David Burton & Nick Grinde and starring Basil Rathbone as Philo Vance. You can see the opening credits and the conclusion of the film on YouTube here.
Willard Huntington Wright aka S.S. Van Dine is also the author of the Twenty Rules for Writing Detective Stories.
November 25, 2010
S.S. Van Dine's "Philo Vance" detective books are a weird love of mine. The books were written in the late 1920s/early 1930s and are quite stylized in their way. Philo Vance is a wealthy dilletante and bon vivant who wanders around New York City smoking regie cigarettes and adjusting his monocle. Vance spends pages opining on ancient Chinese ceramics. Vance is BFFs with the attorney general, and involves himself in murder mysteries mostly as an intellectual exercise. The books are notable for including fold out maps of murder locations, diagrams of murder rooms, and Vance's affected "quaint" language.
Despite the dated language and style, despite the improbability of various elaborate murder scenarios, and multi-page intellectual showboating, I still love these books. IDK.
"The Bishop Murder" revolves around a series of murders that relate to nursery rhymes. The murders begin when a man named "Cock Robin" is killed with a bow and arrow. The suspects are all independently wealthy, and spend their time in archery clubs and elaborate chess tournements. Everyone lives in palatial buildings in Manhattan, which given current NYC real estate can be a bit startling.
If you're a fan of early Agatha Christie or pulp fiction from the 30s you will probably enjoy this.
Despite the dated language and style, despite the improbability of various elaborate murder scenarios, and multi-page intellectual showboating, I still love these books. IDK.
"The Bishop Murder" revolves around a series of murders that relate to nursery rhymes. The murders begin when a man named "Cock Robin" is killed with a bow and arrow. The suspects are all independently wealthy, and spend their time in archery clubs and elaborate chess tournements. Everyone lives in palatial buildings in Manhattan, which given current NYC real estate can be a bit startling.
If you're a fan of early Agatha Christie or pulp fiction from the 30s you will probably enjoy this.
February 14, 2011
S S van Dine's Philo Vance is one of the heroes of my youth. I remember stumbling on him in the tiny library in my home town, published in a heavy leather binding and one whole summer I immersed myself in his urbane and witty sleuthery.
The endings are -- after a while -- predictable. The plots always interesting. Van Dine has a set of rules for all mystery writers that he believes need to be respected. You can find them easily enough.
I got this volume from a 12 book set of van Dine's work from the Kindle store for $6.99. Set in the 30s these are the precursors to much of American mystery. The cultural references alone are worth the price.
Highly recommended for mystery readers and writers.
The endings are -- after a while -- predictable. The plots always interesting. Van Dine has a set of rules for all mystery writers that he believes need to be respected. You can find them easily enough.
I got this volume from a 12 book set of van Dine's work from the Kindle store for $6.99. Set in the 30s these are the precursors to much of American mystery. The cultural references alone are worth the price.
Highly recommended for mystery readers and writers.
January 26, 2021
I DID NOT READ THIS BOOK IN SPANISH. I WAS UNABLE TO FIND THE ACTUAL KINDLE VERSION IN ENGLISH - IN FACT EVERY TIME I TRIED A DIFFERENT EDITION, I CAME BACK TO SPANISH
I have ambivalent feelings about this book.
I was surprised at the actual villain. So, I admired the mystery and the fact that it was not an evident solution.
I liked the character development. I think that every character was introduced well and then drawn completely. Everyone was shown warts and all. No one was perfect. Vance is not an easy person to like, but he has a heck of a brain. The secondary characters all had a purpose and each of them played their parts well and completely.
There was no time when the reader was not a part of the investigation. All the facts were introduced except for Vance’s inner thoughts. And even though I saw the same facts, I did not recognize the villain when I met him. In a mystery, that is a good thing.
Now for what I did not admire.
This book, for me, was too wordy. I got to the point where I was being buried under facts that neither interested me, nor did I care to spend time reading all about them.
I have seen one of the Philo Vance films from the 1930’s. In the film, Vance is brilliant, but he does not appear to be someone so in love with his own voice.
In this book, at times I felt that Vance was on a stage of his own making, presenting a program only he could admire.
I understand that the author was writing these books for the money. He did not respect the idea of mystery stories. Maybe the overpowering wordiness was his way of making up for slumming writing a mystery book.
This is a good book. The mystery is very well done. The characters are interesting and the plot moves along fairly well.
I just wish it had been pared down a little bit. But, maybe I am just not bright enough to get all the mathematical theorems.
I have ambivalent feelings about this book.
I was surprised at the actual villain. So, I admired the mystery and the fact that it was not an evident solution.
I liked the character development. I think that every character was introduced well and then drawn completely. Everyone was shown warts and all. No one was perfect. Vance is not an easy person to like, but he has a heck of a brain. The secondary characters all had a purpose and each of them played their parts well and completely.
There was no time when the reader was not a part of the investigation. All the facts were introduced except for Vance’s inner thoughts. And even though I saw the same facts, I did not recognize the villain when I met him. In a mystery, that is a good thing.
Now for what I did not admire.
This book, for me, was too wordy. I got to the point where I was being buried under facts that neither interested me, nor did I care to spend time reading all about them.
I have seen one of the Philo Vance films from the 1930’s. In the film, Vance is brilliant, but he does not appear to be someone so in love with his own voice.
In this book, at times I felt that Vance was on a stage of his own making, presenting a program only he could admire.
I understand that the author was writing these books for the money. He did not respect the idea of mystery stories. Maybe the overpowering wordiness was his way of making up for slumming writing a mystery book.
This is a good book. The mystery is very well done. The characters are interesting and the plot moves along fairly well.
I just wish it had been pared down a little bit. But, maybe I am just not bright enough to get all the mathematical theorems.
October 3, 2018
This book bears the feature of these 2: a Golden Age thriller mix with H.G.Wells' work (e.g. The time machine). Most of the time the details in the book was about the crime or the scientific fact (Math's equations, Physics' theories, etc.) which may somewhat make the readers tired and sleepy (not to me, though). Another good point: the book refered to many famous, real-life figures, from every field of mind-related talent (art, science, etc.) in the characters' conversations and made it like they are still alive, which brought the book some of the based-on-a-real-life-event effect.
The was no evidence, not much investigation for the murders, since there was not much to investigate. One can only guess which of the suspects was the culprit, and by elimination (I mean it literarily), one can find the Bishop easily. I say easily because even though there was a twist at the end, anyone who is familiar with the Golden Age's works can identify what was really hidden behind the pages that the author created.
The culprit I won't say anything (since it was not very convincing to me), but the detective is another deal. He was describe as not only "Sherlock Holmes" type, from the narrator which was obviously mimic Dr. Watson, but also have a vast knowledge, from psychology, art, plays, and even advanced science (Math and Physic). Still, he can not decipher the case quick enough to save most of the victims. That was kind of a thumb down to me, after all this "buff".
Last but not least, the characters from this Age seemed to used foreign languages frequently in their dialogue, sometimes insert some Latin, German or France words in a completed English, which was the thing that annoyed me the most.
The was no evidence, not much investigation for the murders, since there was not much to investigate. One can only guess which of the suspects was the culprit, and by elimination (I mean it literarily), one can find the Bishop easily. I say easily because even though there was a twist at the end, anyone who is familiar with the Golden Age's works can identify what was really hidden behind the pages that the author created.
The culprit I won't say anything (since it was not very convincing to me), but the detective is another deal. He was describe as not only "Sherlock Holmes" type, from the narrator which was obviously mimic Dr. Watson, but also have a vast knowledge, from psychology, art, plays, and even advanced science (Math and Physic). Still, he can not decipher the case quick enough to save most of the victims. That was kind of a thumb down to me, after all this "buff".
Last but not least, the characters from this Age seemed to used foreign languages frequently in their dialogue, sometimes insert some Latin, German or France words in a completed English, which was the thing that annoyed me the most.
April 22, 2022
Furious. Fuming. Frumious. What the hell was that?
I'm increasingly annoyed at W. H. Auden for lumping Philo Vance and Peter Wimsey into the same category. Peter and his books are flawed in many ways, of course, but to suggest that he and Vance are even remotely comparable in terms of psychological depth, or charm, or moral soundness, or how much I want to punch them in the face, is a grotesque insult.
I'm increasingly annoyed at W. H. Auden for lumping Philo Vance and Peter Wimsey into the same category. Peter and his books are flawed in many ways, of course, but to suggest that he and Vance are even remotely comparable in terms of psychological depth, or charm, or moral soundness, or how much I want to punch them in the face, is a grotesque insult.
July 21, 2022
2👎🏿
Não gostei!
Não gostei!
July 26, 2023
When everyone complains about your obnoxious, arrogant lead character, introduce an even more obnoxious, arrogant character.
October 27, 2025
A truly psychological mystery, with a brilliantly twisting plot.
February 19, 2023
Fourth in the series of Philo Vance mysteries. This time there are a series of murders tied in to nursery rhymes
June 5, 2021
Much like the work of his contemporary Lovecraft, S.S. van Dine (pseudonym of art critic Willard Wright) reflects on the heavy burden Nietzschean philosophy and the dawn of modern Physics leaves on Mankind, filtered through the shape of a detective novel ("The Bishop Murder Case").
The fear of modern civilization plunging in an amoral chaos, which would lead to the extinction of Humanity was an acute one in the beginning of the last century. In a matter of a few decades, the building of knowledge we had been working on for so many centuries was shaken to its core, from our view of the Universe to the very moral values which ruled our existence, which still leaned so much on religious dogmas.
"The Bishop Murder Case" is a grim, gruesome novel of sadistic killings set in Jazz Age Manhattan, following a set of cynic physics and mathematicians. The stereotypical portrayal of the modern scientist as an amoral psycho, who has lost his sense of reality through realizing the relative insignificance of human History and existence, compared to the incommensurably bigger Cosmos, is perhaps the biggest fault of the novel (sublimated in the long, encyclopedic monologue of Philo Vance in chapter 21). In spite of that, it's a curious document of the deep-set worries of the interwar period, cast in the form of detective fiction.
The fear of modern civilization plunging in an amoral chaos, which would lead to the extinction of Humanity was an acute one in the beginning of the last century. In a matter of a few decades, the building of knowledge we had been working on for so many centuries was shaken to its core, from our view of the Universe to the very moral values which ruled our existence, which still leaned so much on religious dogmas.
"The Bishop Murder Case" is a grim, gruesome novel of sadistic killings set in Jazz Age Manhattan, following a set of cynic physics and mathematicians. The stereotypical portrayal of the modern scientist as an amoral psycho, who has lost his sense of reality through realizing the relative insignificance of human History and existence, compared to the incommensurably bigger Cosmos, is perhaps the biggest fault of the novel (sublimated in the long, encyclopedic monologue of Philo Vance in chapter 21). In spite of that, it's a curious document of the deep-set worries of the interwar period, cast in the form of detective fiction.
March 17, 2020
Puoi trovare questa recensione anche sul mio blog, La siepe di more
Avete presente il meme di Annalise Keating (Le regole del delitto perfetto) che dice, Non deve avere senso, deve solo sembrare un casino? Ecco, riassume perfettamente la mia opinione de L’enigma dell’alfiere.
La trama di questo giallo è una delle più inverosimili che abbia mai letto e sembra intricata solo per cercare di confondere a tal punto lu lettere per distrarlu dal fatto che la storia non ha un senso. Davvero, alla fine il caso viene risolto in maniera molto azzardata e in maniera così poco logico che Philo Vance pare quasi aver tirato a caso e messo una spiegazione che giustificasse il suo averci dato.
E poi troppo lungo. Mamma mia, L’enigma dell’alfiere sembrava non finire più. Philo Vance con me funziona solo al di sotto di un certo numero di pagine!
Avete presente il meme di Annalise Keating (Le regole del delitto perfetto) che dice, Non deve avere senso, deve solo sembrare un casino? Ecco, riassume perfettamente la mia opinione de L’enigma dell’alfiere.
La trama di questo giallo è una delle più inverosimili che abbia mai letto e sembra intricata solo per cercare di confondere a tal punto lu lettere per distrarlu dal fatto che la storia non ha un senso. Davvero, alla fine il caso viene risolto in maniera molto azzardata e in maniera così poco logico che Philo Vance pare quasi aver tirato a caso e messo una spiegazione che giustificasse il suo averci dato.
E poi troppo lungo. Mamma mia, L’enigma dell’alfiere sembrava non finire più. Philo Vance con me funziona solo al di sotto di un certo numero di pagine!
July 19, 2020
This is a detective novel, supposedly for intellectual types, built around crimes committed in a neighborhood that is liberally populated with renowned mathematical physicists/mathematicians and chess enthusiasts. Naturally, there is a lot of words about mathematics like infinities and infinitesimals and even a piece of paper with scraps of Riemann curvature tensor. Plus a lot of psychobabble about mathematicians and others dealing with higher level of abstraction. But the murders themselves have nothing to do with mathematics. The mathematical babble is overdone and is so obviously pretentious (and wrong as well) that it detracts from the crime/detective mystery tale. And even as a simple detective story, it's bad.
I picked up this book on recommendation. Well friend, it was a bad recommendation.
Very disappointing!
I picked up this book on recommendation. Well friend, it was a bad recommendation.
Very disappointing!
May 17, 2022
Este é um livro e um autor de policiais clássicos sendo que este livro foi escrito em 1928 com todos o seus clichês e virtudes.
Philo Vance é chamado pelo procurador do distrito quando Cock Robin aparece com uma flecha cravada. Vance tenta estabelece logo relações com as personagens em redor à vitima e quais os possíveis motivos para o assassinato.
No entanto, o assassino revela ter uma mente perversa e mata desenfreadamente, manda cartas para os jornais locais e assina como "Bispo", sendo que é o que faz o mistério neste livro, sempre que Vance está perto de pensar que uma personagem pode ser o assassino este mata e provoca Vance, deixando-o mais confuso.
Este é um livro que se lê bem mas sem grande surpresas ou algo que nos entusiasme para descobrir o verdadeiro assassino, sendo que se trata do jogo clássico do gato e do rato até o gato apanhar o rato.
Philo Vance é chamado pelo procurador do distrito quando Cock Robin aparece com uma flecha cravada. Vance tenta estabelece logo relações com as personagens em redor à vitima e quais os possíveis motivos para o assassinato.
No entanto, o assassino revela ter uma mente perversa e mata desenfreadamente, manda cartas para os jornais locais e assina como "Bispo", sendo que é o que faz o mistério neste livro, sempre que Vance está perto de pensar que uma personagem pode ser o assassino este mata e provoca Vance, deixando-o mais confuso.
Este é um livro que se lê bem mas sem grande surpresas ou algo que nos entusiasme para descobrir o verdadeiro assassino, sendo que se trata do jogo clássico do gato e do rato até o gato apanhar o rato.
January 13, 2017
I loved the plot but I felt terrible about the translation... It felt as if it was either very poorly done from the English original, or sometimes it even read as if the translator had used a Spanish translation... Not the good, clear Portuguese that I would have enjoyed reading... In facrt, if I had it, I would better have read the original English version.
The plot has a lot to do with Mother Goose children's rhymes, which adds to the horrific factor of the successive murders. Very interesting, the first book by S.S. Van Dine that I read!
maria Carmo,
Lisbon 13 January 2017
The plot has a lot to do with Mother Goose children's rhymes, which adds to the horrific factor of the successive murders. Very interesting, the first book by S.S. Van Dine that I read!
maria Carmo,
Lisbon 13 January 2017
February 9, 2011
Solid 5 - major SSVan Dine fan so not much he could do wrong for me. Vance the ultimate detective - enlightened, intelligent & witty diletttant. van Dine was the golden age of detection and to this day he tops my list of detective work sans amour. Current detective stories seem to miss the overall allure & appeal Vance possessed Yes, times have passed yet I find comfort in Vance and his side kick - VanDine for solving a crime and dinner at the club.
July 6, 2015
I did see the plot twist coming, otherwise the story wouldn't make sense. A really good one. Vance is just hilarious.
December 7, 2021
Aunque me ha gustado más que "El caso del asesinato del escarabajo" (que, aunque se trata de una entrega posterior a esta, yo leí antes), siguen sin volverme loca estas novelas protagonizadas por Philo Vance, y eso que soy una enamorada de los "murder misteries".
El principal problema es el protagonista, que me sigue pareciendo insoportable (pedante, repelente, redicho...), aunque no me ha parecido tan cansino como en la otra novela. Pero es que, de verdad, todo lo sabe y de todo opina, ya sea ópera, el teatro de Ibsen, los poemas clásicos de Menandro, ajedrez, matemáticas o física. El problema es que no está diseñado para parecerte pedante o repelente, sino que se nota que S.S. Van Dine lo adora e idolatra (tanto como autor, como el personaje, ya que siempre aparece en las novelas como su acompañante, al estilo Watson para Sherlock... es tal el nivel de adoración por su personaje, un Gary Stue de manual (ha habido una frase en un momento dado de la obra que me ha desternillado: "si no lo conociera tan bien, pensaría que estaba asustado"), que creo que el autor lo ve como su alter ego.
Y en cambio a mí me desesperaba, y en más de una ocasión me han dado ganas de darle un rebozado de h***, por inaguantable. (Como muestra un botón: en esta novela hay una escena en la que se pone a explicarle a una cocinera la receta que ella está haciendo, y haciéndole sugerencias sobre cómo cocinarla mejor; soy yo, y le tiro la cacerola y toda la salsa por la cabeza. Que el tío ni cocina un huevo frito, pero como es una gran gourmet, pues sabe más que los propios cocineros).
Por lo demás, el misterio es muy original... tan original que sirvió para que diez años después la reina del género escribiera una novela con un planteamiento inicial parecido: un asesino que se dedica a matar según la letra de una conocida "nursery rhyme", esas cancioncillas infantiles inglesas, (aunque en la novela de S.S. Van Dine son varias las canciones que sirven de inspiración) y en la que hay un listado cerrado de sospechosos (para mayor complicación de la trama en la novela de Agatha Christie se encuentran en una isla sin contacto exterior, en cambio en este libro no: se trata de una mera reducción de posibilidades).
Solo que "Diez negritos" le dan cien millones de vueltas a esta novela, y Agatha Christie era mejor escritora y mucho mejor construyendo "puzzles" que S.S. Van Dine.
Pese a todo, es una novela muy entretenida, y aunque la solución del caso (bastante previsible, por cierto, creo que es bastante fácil adivinar al responsable, pese a los intentos del autor de desviar la atención) es bastante decepcionante e inverosímil, se pasa un buen rato leyéndola.
En definitiva, una lectura correcta que, sin llegar a entusiasmarme, me ha gustado. Y ciertamente mejoraría mucho más si no tuviera un protagonista tan sumamente insufrible.
El principal problema es el protagonista, que me sigue pareciendo insoportable (pedante, repelente, redicho...), aunque no me ha parecido tan cansino como en la otra novela. Pero es que, de verdad, todo lo sabe y de todo opina, ya sea ópera, el teatro de Ibsen, los poemas clásicos de Menandro, ajedrez, matemáticas o física. El problema es que no está diseñado para parecerte pedante o repelente, sino que se nota que S.S. Van Dine lo adora e idolatra (tanto como autor, como el personaje, ya que siempre aparece en las novelas como su acompañante, al estilo Watson para Sherlock... es tal el nivel de adoración por su personaje, un Gary Stue de manual (ha habido una frase en un momento dado de la obra que me ha desternillado: "si no lo conociera tan bien, pensaría que estaba asustado"), que creo que el autor lo ve como su alter ego.
Y en cambio a mí me desesperaba, y en más de una ocasión me han dado ganas de darle un rebozado de h***, por inaguantable. (Como muestra un botón: en esta novela hay una escena en la que se pone a explicarle a una cocinera la receta que ella está haciendo, y haciéndole sugerencias sobre cómo cocinarla mejor; soy yo, y le tiro la cacerola y toda la salsa por la cabeza. Que el tío ni cocina un huevo frito, pero como es una gran gourmet, pues sabe más que los propios cocineros).
Por lo demás, el misterio es muy original... tan original que sirvió para que diez años después la reina del género escribiera una novela con un planteamiento inicial parecido: un asesino que se dedica a matar según la letra de una conocida "nursery rhyme", esas cancioncillas infantiles inglesas, (aunque en la novela de S.S. Van Dine son varias las canciones que sirven de inspiración) y en la que hay un listado cerrado de sospechosos (para mayor complicación de la trama en la novela de Agatha Christie se encuentran en una isla sin contacto exterior, en cambio en este libro no: se trata de una mera reducción de posibilidades).
Solo que "Diez negritos" le dan cien millones de vueltas a esta novela, y Agatha Christie era mejor escritora y mucho mejor construyendo "puzzles" que S.S. Van Dine.
Pese a todo, es una novela muy entretenida, y aunque la solución del caso (bastante previsible, por cierto, creo que es bastante fácil adivinar al responsable, pese a los intentos del autor de desviar la atención) es bastante decepcionante e inverosímil, se pasa un buen rato leyéndola.
En definitiva, una lectura correcta que, sin llegar a entusiasmarme, me ha gustado. Y ciertamente mejoraría mucho más si no tuviera un protagonista tan sumamente insufrible.
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