The Evidence of the Sword and Other Mysteries

by Rafael Sabatini, Jesse Knight (Editor)

SWORDPLAY AND MYSTERY!!!

Rafael Sabatini (1875-1950) is best-known for his swashbuckling historical tales of adventure and derring-do. Captain Blood, The Sea Hawk, and Scaramouche made his name world-famous. However, not as well-known is that Sabatini wrote a number of first-rate mystery stories, too.

Unlike today with its forensic evidence, DNA testing and other high-tech gadgetry, mysteries of past eras relied on logic and deduction to be solved. While this didn't make the crime-solver's job any easier, it makes the reader's fun all the more enjoyable.

Included in this volume are thirteen short stories and two novelettes; only one of the stories has been reprinted since their early magazine appearances. The narrative skill, the color and drama, the twists and turns in the plot, the sheer ingenuity that Sabatini lavished on his historical fiction are equally evident in these suspenseful stories of spies, mysteries, murder, and morality; blackmail, justice, and revenge.

Match wits, then, with one of the great plotters of 20th century literature. Perhaps you will figure out the outcome of some of these tales; but you will be surprised more than once by others.

The Evidence of the Sword is the 19th in Crippen & Landru's series of Lost Classics. The cover design is by Tom Roberts.

Contents:
Introduction: An audible click by Jesse Knight --
Wirgman's theory --
The face of the clock --
The red mask --
The evidence of the sword --
The valet mystery --
His last chance --
The spiritualist --
Monsieur Delamort --
Judge Foscaro's crime --
The dream --
Duroc --
The mask --
Shrinkage --
The pretender --
Ambs-ace.

Genres: Historical Fiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published April 18, 2006

About the author

Rafael Sabatini (1875 - 1950) was an Italian/British writer of novels of romance and adventure. At a young age, Rafael was exposed to many languages. By the time he was seventeen, he was the master of five languages. He quickly added a sixth language - English - to his linguistic collection. After a brief stint in the business world, Sabatini went to work as a writer. He wrote short stories in the 1890s, and his first novel came out in 1902. Sabatini was a prolific writer; he produced a new book approximately every year. He consciously chose to write in his adopted language, because, he said, "all the best stories are written in English. " In all, he produced thirty one novels, eight short story collections, six nonfiction books, numerous uncollected short stories, and a play. He is best known for his world-wide bestsellers: The Sea Hawk (1915), Scaramouche (1921), Captain Blood (1922) and Bellarion the Fortunate (1926). Other famous works by Sabatini are The Lion's Skin (1911), The Strolling Saint (1913) and The Snare (1917).

Reviews

[Tony · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've always really enjoyed Sabatini's historical adventures, the most famous of which are Captain Blood and The Sea Hawk. But I also quite enjoy the mystery genre -- so when I stumbled across this collection of fifteen Sabatini short stories collected under the "mystery" banner, I had to check it out. They were published between 1898-1916 in a variety of British and American periodicals -- most are 10-12 pages, with two being closer to 40 pages or so.

The settings are often the same historical ones he favored for many of his novels: France under Cardinals Richelieu and Mazarin, or England during the time of the Jacobites, although several stories are more contemporary to the time they were written. They tend to revolve around the same general elements: romantic rivalry, political intrigue, or financial woe as catalyst, hidden or disguised identities with masks both literal and figurative, and sharp turns of comeuppance or cosmic justice in the denouement.

For this reason, the stories are best read one at a time, spaced out a bit, or the characters and settings will start to run together. To the modern reader, some of the con games and plot twists will feel rather old-fashioned and more quaint than anything else, but the writing has a certain charm to it. While there are murders and swindles and crimes, I'm not sure pure mystery readers will enjoy it. But those who enjoy historical adventures, and devotees of Sabatini should definitely give it a try, as most of the stories have not been collected since their original publication.

[Pandora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished the Evidence of the Sword. Great book that can best be described as O.Henry stories written in Dumas' world. With collections one would expect that a few stories might not be very good. With this collection I found all the stories to be entertaining and enjoyable. I would say they range from three stars to five stars.

The book managed to make a hard test. I was in the middle of it when I had to put one of my cats down. I metioned this because the book became a wonderful place to escape to when my feelings were overwhleming me. Can't ask more from a book. I will be defintely passing this one on.