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Philo Vance #8
The Casino Murder Case
Philo Vance, gourmet and amateur detective in 1930s Manhattan, investigates three mysterious poisonings at a fashionable gambling club
283 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1934
45 people are currently reading
240 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
March 18, 2024
Poisoned by H2H2O*?
Review of the Felony & Mayhem Kindle eBook edition (March 7, 2020) of the Scribner’s hardcover original (1934).
It is unfortunate that the Philo Vance novels become increasingly self-parodies in the long run. I'm finishing out the binge read as they are still reasonably entertaining but also very predictable. It is also wild to read them with the knowledge of present day forensics and CSI style crime investigation. Philo Vance picks up objects at crime scenes, often even pocketing them, with hardly a care and with no objection by the criminal authorities. Everyone in the books smokes constantly, cigarettes for Vance and mostly cigars for District Attorney Markham and Sergeant Heath. This is even throughout the crime scenes.
Anyway, The Casino Murder Case is par for the course, with the usual misdirection from the obvious suspect. There is a subplot of the possible use of heavy water as a poison, which is also a distraction from the real method of poisoning. Vance pontificates about methods of betting along with the science of heavy water extraction. In the end we have the now standard Unsatisfactory Ending Alert™ where the criminal meets an end which doesn't satisfy standard criminal justice.
The front cover of the original Scribner’s first edition (1934). Image sourced from Wikipedia.
There is some confusion about the chronology of the Philo Vance books, with The Casino Murder Case assigned the No. 7 in the canon. Some editions say that is No. 8 though, as can be seen on the cover of this Felony & Mayhem edition from 2020.
Footnote
* This is the formula given in the book for heavy water. It is now commonly given as D2O. Heavy water was a recent discovery in the early 1930s and its possible toxic effects were unknown.
Trivia and Links
The Casino Murder Case was adapted as the same-titled film The Casino Murder Case (1935) directed by Edwin L. Marin and starring Paul Lukas as Philo Vance. You can see the original trailer for the film on YouTube here. Both the trailer and a clip from the film give the impression that it is played mostly as a comedy.
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 Kindle eBook edition (March 7, 2020) of the Scribner’s hardcover original (1934).
“Oh, it’s far worse than that,” Vance interjected. “What I was tryin’ to say is that this case is a crime within a crime: we are supposed to commit the final horror. The ultimate chord in this macabre symphony is to be our conviction of an innocent person. The entire technique is based on a colossal deception. We are supposed to follow the specious and apparent truth—and it will not be the truth at all, but the worst and most diabolical lie of the whole subtle business.”
It is unfortunate that the Philo Vance novels become increasingly self-parodies in the long run. I'm finishing out the binge read as they are still reasonably entertaining but also very predictable. It is also wild to read them with the knowledge of present day forensics and CSI style crime investigation. Philo Vance picks up objects at crime scenes, often even pocketing them, with hardly a care and with no objection by the criminal authorities. Everyone in the books smokes constantly, cigarettes for Vance and mostly cigars for District Attorney Markham and Sergeant Heath. This is even throughout the crime scenes.
Anyway, The Casino Murder Case is par for the course, with the usual misdirection from the obvious suspect. There is a subplot of the possible use of heavy water as a poison, which is also a distraction from the real method of poisoning. Vance pontificates about methods of betting along with the science of heavy water extraction. In the end we have the now standard Unsatisfactory Ending Alert™ where the criminal meets an end which doesn't satisfy standard criminal justice.
The front cover of the original Scribner’s first edition (1934). Image sourced from Wikipedia.
There is some confusion about the chronology of the Philo Vance books, with The Casino Murder Case assigned the No. 7 in the canon. Some editions say that is No. 8 though, as can be seen on the cover of this Felony & Mayhem edition from 2020.
Footnote
* This is the formula given in the book for heavy water. It is now commonly given as D2O. Heavy water was a recent discovery in the early 1930s and its possible toxic effects were unknown.
Trivia and Links
The Casino Murder Case was adapted as the same-titled film The Casino Murder Case (1935) directed by Edwin L. Marin and starring Paul Lukas as Philo Vance. You can see the original trailer for the film on YouTube here. Both the trailer and a clip from the film give the impression that it is played mostly as a comedy.
Willard Huntington Wright aka S.S. Van Dine is also the author of the Twenty Rules for Writing Detective Stories.
December 29, 2018
One of the best Van Dine thrillers I have read, the plot is dense with mystery and the characters memorable. Loved it!
Maria Carmo,
Lisbon, 29 12 2018.
Maria Carmo,
Lisbon, 29 12 2018.
August 18, 2023
Un giallo classico, per questo un po’ mi dispiace lasciare solo tre stelle perché sicuramente appena uscito questo libro era un must, però nel tempo odierno lascia a mio parere il tempo che trova. Sembra più un manuale su come uccidere con i veleni e sono state queste lunghe spiegazioni a renderlo un po’ pesante, ma rimane comunque un bel giallo con cui iniziare
July 7, 2015
Woaaah. A perfect mix of mystery and action! Really short, tho.
October 27, 2023
By the eighth installment, the Philo Vance mysteries had fallen into a distinct pattern. Which is fine for those of us who enjoy the pattern, but the novels were no longer cutting edge. To his credit Van Dine (author, not the character in the book), introduces deuterium into the needlessly convoluted plot (which had been discovered only three years before and won its discoverer the Nobel Prize) and a presents a "hard boiled" ending that should have sent Vance to jail (tho not the first time).
November 13, 2018
Estava a começar a zangar-me com este autor, mas este está novamente na linha que adoro.
Noir Americano com uma trama interessante, onde nada é o que parece. Philo Vance vence novamente.
Noir Americano com uma trama interessante, onde nada é o que parece. Philo Vance vence novamente.
February 18, 2023
Avalio com 3,5 estrelas.
Interessante, de fácil leitura e até de certa forma imprevisível. Uma leitura rápida mas que fica aquém dos melhores exemplos de livros de mistério.
Interessante, de fácil leitura e até de certa forma imprevisível. Uma leitura rápida mas que fica aquém dos melhores exemplos de livros de mistério.
August 4, 2019
Philo is a pompous ass, but the mystery is pretty decent.
December 3, 2010
Warning--although the murderer is not identified by name in this review it does spoil aspects of the book.
My short review of this book:
By this point in the Philo Vance series S. S. Van Dine’s writing and plotting has degenerated in something that resembles self-caricature. The “subtle” “diabolical” and “ingenious” murder plot is laughably and unnecessarily convoluted. Vance is allowed free rein at the crime scene and with suspects in a way that would make any defense lawyer ecstatic. Members of the police force do little other than appeal to Vance for direction and he searches crime scenes, pockets evidence and interrogates witnesses without legal or police officials present. The person who any competent police officer would have suspected as having done the crime did indeed commit it. Vance’s supposed insights and knowledge never advance to two simple questions: who had the opportunity to commit the crime and who would benefit from it. The rawest of police officers would have cut through the nonsense in the first 24 hours and actually been able to arrest the culprit. Since Vance spent most of the book interfering with any credible evidentiary chain of custody the only way to “catch” the criminal was to have him explain “what and why” like a bad Bond villain and even then Vance had to arrange that someone else could justifiably shoot the murderer to be sure he didn’t get away with it. Indeed, given the way in which Vance described his preparations for that last showdown I wonder if Vance himself could have been charged with reckless endangerment.
A longer review:
I know that one is supposed to suspend disbelief when reading books such as these but Vance’s behaviour at crime scenes is beyond ignoring. Yes, he often arrives at the scene of the crime with the DA; yes, the books are set long before the birth of modern forensic science; yet I still find it beyond belief that the police would not complain at Vance (with his writer friend) searching a crime victim’s rooms without any form of supervision and pocketing potential evidence to later present to the police. Again, I am aware that the modern concept of ‘chain of evidence’ was not yet fully developed when this book was written however I still believe that any competent defense attorney (and since the characters in these books are almost all from wealth or society they will have legal representation) would tear apart any case based on evidence supposed found by a ‘friend’ of the DA.
Neither do I find the portrait of Vance as a super detective to be convincing. Vance appears to be more competent than the police because generally the police either do nothing or behave in patently incompetent ways. For example, the police are called to the house of woman who may have been murdered or may have committed suicide. The suicide note was typewritten. The police do not get a typing sample from the machine in the house let alone secure the machine. Matters of police routine are routinely not carried out and thus obvious clues and pieces of evidence lie waiting for Vance to find them hours, and sometimes days, after the initial discovery of the crime.
As often happens in the Vance series, Van Dine begins by “instructing” the reader how she/he is to understand the nature of the story they are about to read. This case, the reader is told, “was probably the subtlest and most diabolical criminal problem of his career.” This cues the reader to interpret the inability of the police and Vance to immediately solve the crime as evidence of the ingenious nature of the murderer rather than incompetence of the investigators. Without those instructions what the reader might note is that Vance is not particularly good at his job and it is no surprise that the DA, who used his power to interject Vance into police investigations, served only one term in office.
My short review of this book:
By this point in the Philo Vance series S. S. Van Dine’s writing and plotting has degenerated in something that resembles self-caricature. The “subtle” “diabolical” and “ingenious” murder plot is laughably and unnecessarily convoluted. Vance is allowed free rein at the crime scene and with suspects in a way that would make any defense lawyer ecstatic. Members of the police force do little other than appeal to Vance for direction and he searches crime scenes, pockets evidence and interrogates witnesses without legal or police officials present. The person who any competent police officer would have suspected as having done the crime did indeed commit it. Vance’s supposed insights and knowledge never advance to two simple questions: who had the opportunity to commit the crime and who would benefit from it. The rawest of police officers would have cut through the nonsense in the first 24 hours and actually been able to arrest the culprit. Since Vance spent most of the book interfering with any credible evidentiary chain of custody the only way to “catch” the criminal was to have him explain “what and why” like a bad Bond villain and even then Vance had to arrange that someone else could justifiably shoot the murderer to be sure he didn’t get away with it. Indeed, given the way in which Vance described his preparations for that last showdown I wonder if Vance himself could have been charged with reckless endangerment.
A longer review:
I know that one is supposed to suspend disbelief when reading books such as these but Vance’s behaviour at crime scenes is beyond ignoring. Yes, he often arrives at the scene of the crime with the DA; yes, the books are set long before the birth of modern forensic science; yet I still find it beyond belief that the police would not complain at Vance (with his writer friend) searching a crime victim’s rooms without any form of supervision and pocketing potential evidence to later present to the police. Again, I am aware that the modern concept of ‘chain of evidence’ was not yet fully developed when this book was written however I still believe that any competent defense attorney (and since the characters in these books are almost all from wealth or society they will have legal representation) would tear apart any case based on evidence supposed found by a ‘friend’ of the DA.
Neither do I find the portrait of Vance as a super detective to be convincing. Vance appears to be more competent than the police because generally the police either do nothing or behave in patently incompetent ways. For example, the police are called to the house of woman who may have been murdered or may have committed suicide. The suicide note was typewritten. The police do not get a typing sample from the machine in the house let alone secure the machine. Matters of police routine are routinely not carried out and thus obvious clues and pieces of evidence lie waiting for Vance to find them hours, and sometimes days, after the initial discovery of the crime.
As often happens in the Vance series, Van Dine begins by “instructing” the reader how she/he is to understand the nature of the story they are about to read. This case, the reader is told, “was probably the subtlest and most diabolical criminal problem of his career.” This cues the reader to interpret the inability of the police and Vance to immediately solve the crime as evidence of the ingenious nature of the murderer rather than incompetence of the investigators. Without those instructions what the reader might note is that Vance is not particularly good at his job and it is no surprise that the DA, who used his power to interject Vance into police investigations, served only one term in office.
March 7, 2015
A lot of people dislike Philo Vance because he is a foppish snob, but I can get past that and read these on their own merits.
I can't say this is one of the best of the series, but I enjoyed it.
When Vance is sent a letter claiming something terrible is going to happen to a family that has too much money and too little sense, he witnesses the man get poisoned.
Instead of a complicated locked room mystery, we get a time alibi novel. Not bad with some then current facts about the state of science on poisons and on heavy water are interesting.
I can't say this is one of the best of the series, but I enjoyed it.
When Vance is sent a letter claiming something terrible is going to happen to a family that has too much money and too little sense, he witnesses the man get poisoned.
Instead of a complicated locked room mystery, we get a time alibi novel. Not bad with some then current facts about the state of science on poisons and on heavy water are interesting.
Read
January 6, 20168th in the Philo Vance mystery series set during October 15 - 18, 1934. Vance, an independently wealthy college educated, amateur detective, uses his deductive skills and psychological knowledge to help his New York City District Attorney friend to unravel a murder and the attempted poisoning of others. The murderer has laid a convoluted plot which Vance is unable to unravel. As usual, the action is set in New York City. Vance’s methods are unconventional and go against the more rigid police investigative methods and lawyer legal requirements.
August 22, 2023
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The most convenient e-wallets for UK customers are , PayPal, Skrill and Neteller. But be careful with the last two. In general, most online casinos in the UK do not offer an initial bonus to customers who deposit via Skrill and Neteller.
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You can withdraw money from an online casino for free using most valid deposit methods. This is the case when withdrawing money from a Biwin account. Earnings can be received via debit/credit cards, e-wallets, cryptocurrencies and bank transfers.
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The situation is similar with the Paysafecard payment method. This service is based on prepaid cards that can be used for different types of payments. This means that the option can only be used for deposits, but not for free online withdrawals from the casino.
Payment processing time varies between 2 and 48 hours depending on the method chosen. If your account is not verified and/or has unclaimed bonuses, your request will not be approved.
UK online casino bank account deposits are usually the slowest. They may take up to 5 business days to finalize.
If you use a credit card to make a free online casino deposit, you must verify your card before requesting a withdrawal. Some sites do not pay out profit if the card has not been used for transactions in the last 3-6 months.
Online casino security
Licensed online casinos work hard to ensure optimal casino security. This is because they need to work with personal data to make and process online payments. For this purpose, these casino sites work with an SSL certificate. It encrypts the connection between the client and the server and prevents third parties from accessing the provided data.
Regarding the security of the documents provided during the verification and the data provided when filling out the registration form, you should not be afraid of possible abuses. They are verified by authorized staff of Online Casino Hungary who sign a confidentiality agreement. In addition, the completed data is under the protection of the commission for the protection of personal data.
In addition, all UK-licensed online casinos use the so-called HTTPS protocol. Unlike its predecessor, HTTP, it is much more secure. This is due to the fact that it uses additional layers to encrypt the connection, which makes the connection to the site even more secure.
When creating an online casino account, you must make a deposit immediately after registration and verification. To take advantage of the available online casino services for free and start betting with real money, you need to deposit money into your casino account. Visit us to find out everything you need to know about choosing the best slot casino for UK gamblers in 2023!
Thanks to the innovative technology, the process is done in minutes. You can also choose from different payment systems.
Online casino deposit
Bank cards ( Visa, Maestro and MasterCard) are the most widely used payment methods in online casinos. This is because they offer an option to instantly fund the account. For the first transfer, you must enter information such as name, card expiration date, card number, and security code. But once you have successfully paid with your card, you can use it unlimitedly with just one click.
Electronic wallets (e-Wallets) are becoming more and more popular. With them, payment is made by entering an e-mail or an identification code. You will be redirected to the relevant online wallet. From there you must accept the terms of use of the payment service. You can then release funds from your micro account at the selected online casino.
The most convenient e-wallets for UK customers are , PayPal, Skrill and Neteller. But be careful with the last two. In general, most online casinos in the UK do not offer an initial bonus to customers who deposit via Skrill and Neteller.
Bank transfers, vouchers and even cryptocurrencies (Ethereum, Ripple, Litecoin, Bitcoin) are used in the world of most casino sites. Some online casinos also accept deposits to SMS and phone bills, which are added to your monthly mobile service fee.
Exiting the casino sites
The goal of every bettor at an online casino UK is to generate and increase their gambling winnings. If the amount accumulated in the balance satisfies the player, it can be withdrawn.
You can withdraw money from an online casino for free using most valid deposit methods. This is the case when withdrawing money from a Biwin account. Earnings can be received via debit/credit cards, e-wallets, cryptocurrencies and bank transfers.
It is also important to know that you cannot withdraw money from an online casino UK with the CashTerminal service. Only supports deposits. This also applies to the online services offered by Cashterminal in the country.
The situation is similar with the Paysafecard payment method. This service is based on prepaid cards that can be used for different types of payments. This means that the option can only be used for deposits, but not for free online withdrawals from the casino.
Payment processing time varies between 2 and 48 hours depending on the method chosen. If your account is not verified and/or has unclaimed bonuses, your request will not be approved.
UK online casino bank account deposits are usually the slowest. They may take up to 5 business days to finalize.
If you use a credit card to make a free online casino deposit, you must verify your card before requesting a withdrawal. Some sites do not pay out profit if the card has not been used for transactions in the last 3-6 months.
Online casino security
Licensed online casinos work hard to ensure optimal casino security. This is because they need to work with personal data to make and process online payments. For this purpose, these casino sites work with an SSL certificate. It encrypts the connection between the client and the server and prevents third parties from accessing the provided data.
Regarding the security of the documents provided during the verification and the data provided when filling out the registration form, you should not be afraid of possible abuses. They are verified by authorized staff of Online Casino Hungary who sign a confidentiality agreement. In addition, the completed data is under the protection of the commission for the protection of personal data.
In addition, all UK-licensed online casinos use the so-called HTTPS protocol. Unlike its predecessor, HTTP, it is much more secure. This is due to the fact that it uses additional layers to encrypt the connection, which makes the connection to the site even more secure.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 8, 2021
"Durante el frío otoño que, siguió al espectacular caso de" El dragón del estanque ", Philo Vance tropezó con el más diabólico y sutil problema criminológico de su carrera. A diferencia de los otros casos en que había intervenido, en este misterio desempeñaba un papel principal el veneno. Pero no se trataba de un caso vulgar de envenenamiento, había sido ejecutado con demasiada habilidad técnica, y planeado con demasiada maestría para poder parangonarse con otros crímenes, aún siendo tan famosos como los, de Cordelia Birkin, Molineux, Maybrick, Bowers y Carlyle Harris "
Asesinato en el casino
The casino murder case, 1934
S. S. Van Dine
Traducción de Salvador Bordoy
@ciudaddelibros 2014
Un nuevo caso para el sofisticado detective Philo Vance, cuando antes sus mismos ojos, cae envenenado Lynn Llewellyn, jugador empedernido y heredero de una gran fortuna. Él conseguirá salvarse, pero su esposa Virginia morirá casi al mismo tiempo y por la misma causa, dejando una cuestionable nota de suicidio en la gran mansión familiar.
Vance conseguirá desenredar la complicada madeja en la que se encuentra envuelta la familia Llewellyn, gracias a la ayuda del sargento Heath, el fiscal Markham y su inseparable amigo S. S. Van Dine.
Otra impecable muestra del talento de Willard Huntington Wright, más conocido como S. S Van Dine , para trazar una intriga clásica y absorbente
Segunda parada de la vuelta al mundo de novela negra : Norteamérica @bloglaestant
#asesinatoenelcasino #ssvandine #philovance #thecasinomurdercase #leoclásicos #leeresvivir #leermola #goldenageofcrimefiction #murdermistery #readcrimefiction
Asesinato en el casino
The casino murder case, 1934
S. S. Van Dine
Traducción de Salvador Bordoy
@ciudaddelibros 2014
Un nuevo caso para el sofisticado detective Philo Vance, cuando antes sus mismos ojos, cae envenenado Lynn Llewellyn, jugador empedernido y heredero de una gran fortuna. Él conseguirá salvarse, pero su esposa Virginia morirá casi al mismo tiempo y por la misma causa, dejando una cuestionable nota de suicidio en la gran mansión familiar.
Vance conseguirá desenredar la complicada madeja en la que se encuentra envuelta la familia Llewellyn, gracias a la ayuda del sargento Heath, el fiscal Markham y su inseparable amigo S. S. Van Dine.
Otra impecable muestra del talento de Willard Huntington Wright, más conocido como S. S Van Dine , para trazar una intriga clásica y absorbente
Segunda parada de la vuelta al mundo de novela negra : Norteamérica @bloglaestant
#asesinatoenelcasino #ssvandine #philovance #thecasinomurdercase #leoclásicos #leeresvivir #leermola #goldenageofcrimefiction #murdermistery #readcrimefiction
July 14, 2021
Un bel romanzo che parla di veleni. Come spesso accade, Van Dine si dimostra in molti romanzi pioniere di tematiche poi usate da altri autori classici, in questo caso del sottogenere "giallo psicologico". Come succederà spesso a Hercule Poirot e a Jane Marple più avanti , infatti, più che gli indizi materiali sono quelli psicologici a guidare Vance alla soluzione. Soluzione per una volta abbastanza realisica sia dal punto di vista materiale (il veleno, si sa, offre molte più possibilità di altri mezzi) sia da quello psicologico, con i sentimenti e le motivazioni dell'assassino che vengono descritte in mod piuttosto verosimile. Anche il finale non è il solito show down con tutti i sospettati riuniti un una sala, ma (come in molti thriller contemporanei) assistiamo a un Philo Vance insolitamente uomo d'azione, che ricorda (o meglio prefigura) quasi Cormoran Strike. Unico punto debole che ho trovato, n certo salto logico che avviene grazie alla sola erudizione di Philo, che ho trovato davvero irreale. Ma si sa, il personaggio è così. Tignil o masal (tenerlo o ammazzarlo, come diceva la mia nonnina, che poi concludeva "masal, saria gnan pcà", ad ammazzarlo non si commetterebbe nemmeno peccato)
January 29, 2021
🔸️ A convalescer de uma tuberculose, S. S. Van Dine passa esse tempo nas leituras de romances policiais e é aqui que o mesmo se fascina pela género. Passado 3 anos, lança o seu primeiro romance policial e depois não para. Eis que se enquadra este livro!!
.
🔶️ A leitura deste livro fez-se em meros dias. A escrita é muito acessível e a intriga é simples e fácil de acompanhar. Temos alguém que sofre um "suposto" envenenamento e, misteriosamente, os membros da família também sofrem do mesmo fatídico destino. O detetive Vance tenta desvendar o caso através do que vai acontecendo e com as pistas que são deixas pelo suposto "assassino" que é isso que nos deixa intrigados enquanto leitores.
.
🔸️ Ora o mistério está presente nos primeiros capítulos, mas vai se desvanecendo até ao final. Algumas personagens são bem previsíveis e deixam aquém esta narrativa e a investigação pelo detetive Vance. Porém podem crer que será uma narrativa bem interessante para quem está a iniciar este tipo de género literário.
.
Este livro será perfeito para quem aprecia:
🔸️mistério
🔸️detetive amador
🔸️intrigas familiares
🔸️narrativa curta
🔸️investigação científica
.
🔶️ A leitura deste livro fez-se em meros dias. A escrita é muito acessível e a intriga é simples e fácil de acompanhar. Temos alguém que sofre um "suposto" envenenamento e, misteriosamente, os membros da família também sofrem do mesmo fatídico destino. O detetive Vance tenta desvendar o caso através do que vai acontecendo e com as pistas que são deixas pelo suposto "assassino" que é isso que nos deixa intrigados enquanto leitores.
.
🔸️ Ora o mistério está presente nos primeiros capítulos, mas vai se desvanecendo até ao final. Algumas personagens são bem previsíveis e deixam aquém esta narrativa e a investigação pelo detetive Vance. Porém podem crer que será uma narrativa bem interessante para quem está a iniciar este tipo de género literário.
.
Este livro será perfeito para quem aprecia:
🔸️mistério
🔸️detetive amador
🔸️intrigas familiares
🔸️narrativa curta
🔸️investigação científica
January 26, 2022
S.S. van Dine wrote 12 detective novels in the late 1920s and 1930s centered on private detective Philo Vance, a wealthy aesthete and connoisseur of the arts. The first six are very good: The Benson Murder Case (1926), The Canary Murder Case (1927), The Greene Murder Case (1928), The Bishop Murder Case (1929), The Scarab Murder Case (1930) and The Kennel Murder Case (1933). Less good but still interesting enough (although in declining order) are four more novels: The Dragon Murder Case (1933), The Casino Murder Case (1934), The Garden Murder Case (1935) and The Kidnap Murder Case (1936). Forgettable are the last two novels, both based on film scripts: The Gracie Allen Murder Case (1938) and The Winter Murder Case (1939).
S.S. van Dine was enormously popular between 1926 and 1936, something which is also demonstrated by how quickly Hollywood adapted his novels to the screen with such famous actors as William Powell. But in the 1930s Hammett and Chandler started the hard-boiled genre with violent detectives who would make Van Dine’s intellectual sleuth seem insignificant and a bit preposterous.
S.S. van Dine was enormously popular between 1926 and 1936, something which is also demonstrated by how quickly Hollywood adapted his novels to the screen with such famous actors as William Powell. But in the 1930s Hammett and Chandler started the hard-boiled genre with violent detectives who would make Van Dine’s intellectual sleuth seem insignificant and a bit preposterous.
September 21, 2017
Venti regole per scrivere romanzi polizieschi
«Il romanzo poliziesco è un gioco intellettuale; anzi uno sport addirittura. Per scrivere romanzi del genere ci sono leggi molto precise: non scritte, forse, ma non per questo meno rigorose, e ogni scrittore poliziesco, rispettabile e che si rispetti, le deve seguire.»
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Nel 1928, sul numero di settembre di "The American Magazine", S.S.Van Dine, che da un paio d'anni stazionava permanentemente nelle liste dei best seller con due romanzi gialli di straordinario successo di pubblico e di critica, pubblicava un articolo intitolato "Venti regole per chi scrive romanzi polizieschi" intendendo così fissare una specie di griglia comportamentale per tutti coloro che intendevano divenire validi autori di romanzi gialli.
Eccolo qua
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venti_re...
«Il romanzo poliziesco è un gioco intellettuale; anzi uno sport addirittura. Per scrivere romanzi del genere ci sono leggi molto precise: non scritte, forse, ma non per questo meno rigorose, e ogni scrittore poliziesco, rispettabile e che si rispetti, le deve seguire.»
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Nel 1928, sul numero di settembre di "The American Magazine", S.S.Van Dine, che da un paio d'anni stazionava permanentemente nelle liste dei best seller con due romanzi gialli di straordinario successo di pubblico e di critica, pubblicava un articolo intitolato "Venti regole per chi scrive romanzi polizieschi" intendendo così fissare una specie di griglia comportamentale per tutti coloro che intendevano divenire validi autori di romanzi gialli.
Eccolo qua
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venti_re...
May 26, 2018
This mystery is quite enjoyable for a S. S. Van Dine story. Philo Vance is more human and less pedantic than we have seen him in previous books, with none of the long, diversionary sermons on antiquities or other unrelated topics. As this is the eighth book in the series, perhaps the writer had taken some contemporary reviews (did they review books in 1934?) into consideration by this point.
The plot takes on an interesting twist as suspicion is placed in one direction, and it appears the solution is at hand - but at the last moment it turns out to be a false trail. The final scene contains high tension and an alarming development as Vance unmasks the killer.
The plot takes on an interesting twist as suspicion is placed in one direction, and it appears the solution is at hand - but at the last moment it turns out to be a false trail. The final scene contains high tension and an alarming development as Vance unmasks the killer.
June 20, 2019
S.S. Van Dine è un grande giallista, che ha dato l'avvio al topos di un investigatore colto e raffinato e di un indagine basata sulla deduzione e sulla logica pura. "The casino murder case" è un romanzo decisamente minore dell'autore. Sebbene la trama sia intrigante e lo stile molto scorrevole, il libro difetta di indizi. Philo Vance, una volta tanto, non ha prove e basa le sue deduzioni sull'intuizione, per cui alla fine si tratta più di un giallo psicologico che altro. Un romanzo piacevole ma non eccellente.
April 18, 2025
La verdad, no he leido ninguna novela policiaca con un protagonista tan cargante, pagado de sí mismo, pedante y latoso como Philo Vance, aparte racista de cuidado. Es además muy rico. Y son novelas largas, incluida esta. El caso es que me parece que en el cine se hicieron algunas películas que eran entretenidas.
December 28, 2020
You can't really read it for the characters. You can't really read for it any existential or metaphysical insight. You can't really read it for the puzzle. It is an odd and sometimes annoying entertainment, but it goes down as easy as popcorn.
January 5, 2022
The main character was too dang full of himself. The mechanics of the kindle book was broken and I had to attempt to read the story over a dozen times. Finally, my perseverance got the story read and frankly I didn't care for it. Read it for yourself though. Make your own decision.
August 23, 2022
A short mystery novel with good puzzle but lacks in depth. The characters were not that well developed but in this genre and at the time the novel was written, there were more emphasis on the murder mystery than character development.
January 21, 2020
Muy previsible final en el estilo de S.S. Van Dine. Quizás una de las más flojas novelas de este autor, aunque a pesar de ello resulta de entretenida lectura.
November 25, 2021
A good Golden Age mystery
This is book 8 in the series. It is another complex story with Phillips Vance figuring out what did it, how, and why. I am enjoying reading this series.
This is book 8 in the series. It is another complex story with Phillips Vance figuring out what did it, how, and why. I am enjoying reading this series.
March 12, 2022
A crackerjack mystery.
May 30, 2023
So True to the Philo Philosophy
Enjoy this style, the times, the characters-all the details of dress, the decor & locations. Science & technical not so much.
Enjoy this style, the times, the characters-all the details of dress, the decor & locations. Science & technical not so much.
October 15, 2023
Troppo inverosimile, sia come crimine che come soluzione.
Il più debole tra quelli letti.
Personaggi agiscono come cretini e non si spiegano diversi comportamenti.
Doveva capitare prima o poi.
Il più debole tra quelli letti.
Personaggi agiscono come cretini e non si spiegano diversi comportamenti.
Doveva capitare prima o poi.
November 11, 2023
Solito giallo alla Van Dine. Finale un po' frettolso.
November 23, 2024
Apesar deste livro ser mais curto em relação ao "os crimes do bispo", não deixa de me surpreender no final. O assassino ser o Llewing continua a chocar-me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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