The Sleeping Sphinx

Dr. Gideon Fell #17

by John Dickson Carr

Was the madwoman dead or alive. The two beautiful Devereaux girls came from an old and distinguished family -- with an old and unfortunate streak of madness in it. Now Cecilia was still alive and Margot was dead . . . murdered. And it was up to Dr. Gideon Fell to discover as quickly as possible which of them was (or had been) a sexually twisted, dangerously cunning madwoman.

Genres: Mystery, Classics, Detective, Crime, Fiction, Thriller

199 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1947

About the author

AKA Carter Dickson, Carr Dickson and Roger Fairbairn.

John Dickson Carr was born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, in 1906. It Walks by Night, his first published detective novel, featuring the Frenchman Henri Bencolin, was published in 1930. Apart from Dr Fell, whose first appearance was in Hag's Nook in 1933, Carr's other series detectives (published under the nom de plume of Carter Dickson) were the barrister Sir Henry Merrivale, who debuted in The Plague Court Murders (1934).

Reviews

[Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

For all his reputation as the supreme master of gimmickry in detective novels, Carr, more than any other writer in the golden age tradition, excepting Agatha Christie, strove to fill his stories with fully imagined characters whose dilemmas are an integral part of the mystery. With The Sleeping Sphinx he almost totally succeeds, and the first third of the novel where the intricate clashing of motives stemming from a single encounter are continuously worked out with no jump in time or shift in place, can only be called a tour de force.

I agree with the oft repeated opinion that detective novels aim at a fundamentally different esthetic goal than (for want of a better term) straight novels. The Sleeping Sphinx, however, shows how an integration of the two might be accomplished.

[Jameson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my favorite Carr, by far. The setup was so melodramatic it made me question whether the book was worth my time. This is coming from a great Carr fan. He's very probably my favorite mystery writer. Here, the atmosphere, the ingenuity, and the characters just don't seem to be on par with some of his better--never mind best--work. Even the title let me down (no Egyptology) and Fell annoyed this reader for the first time.

It's not all bad. If you like golden age mysteries and golden age romances, this book's for you.

(That said, this is first fiction book I've entirely read using Spritz. I finished it in a matter of a couple hours. Next time I'll time myself. I did slow down in a few revealing spots, though.)

(Oh, and the moving coffins idea is used better in a much better Carr book.)

*I changed my rating from a 3 to a 2. Is it better than some other writer's 3 star book? Sure. But this guy judges books differently for each author. This is a JDC 2.

[Daniele Palma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Senza infamia e senza lode.
È un giallo "della camera chiusa" che un po' talvolta annoia ma la trama può dirsi interessante.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit dated, but John Dickson Carr writes a good page turny mystery with interesting characters

[Rick Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

Major characters:
Donald Holden, our protagonist, returned from the war
* Celia Devereux, his former love
* Margot Marsh, née Devereux, Celia's older sister, now deceased
* Thorley Marsh, Margot's now former husband
* Sir Danvers Locke, mask collector
* Danvers' wife (unnamed)
* Doris Locke, his daughter
* Ronnie Merrick, friend of Doris
* Derek Hurst-Gore, Member of Parliament
Obey, the Devereux's nurse
Dr. Eric Shepton, a G.P.
Dr. Gideon Fell

Locale: England

Synopsis: Donald Holden returns from the war and wants to look up his former love, Celia Devereux, in hopes she is still single, and wants to rekindle their relationship. A possible wrinkle is that he was in intelligence work, and M.I. 5 publicized the "fact" that he was dead. All he knows is that Celia is living with her sister, Margot, at No. 1 Gloucester Gate. He learns Celia may be involved with a M.P., Derek Hurst-Gore.

He goes to Gloucester Gate and meets Margot's (now former) husband, Thorley Marsh. Thorley tells him that Margot has died, and Celia doesn't want to see him; and that she has psychological problems.

He learns Margot died following a party at the Sir Danvers Locke home, Widestairs. The party (attended by those with an asterisk above), was a Murder Game and the participants wore masks from Locke's collection of death masks. After the party, Thorley, Margot, and Celia returned to the Devereux family home, Caswell Moat. Margot reclined on a lounge in her room and was soon dead.

Celia claims Margot had been poisoned, but no one believes her. The others cite this as indicative of her insanity. If murder, motives abound: Thorley has been in an affair with Sir Danvers' young daughter, Doris Locke; and now plans to marry her. Margot had been in an affair with an unnamed man.

Holden and Celia enlist Dr. Gideon Fell to investigate Margot's death and prove Celia is not insane. First, he inspects the sealed vault where Margot is interred, to find coffins in disarray and the poison bottle. And the bottle has Celia's fingerprints all over it.

Review: This is pretty much two separate stories in one: Margot's murder, and the restless coffins inside a locked mausoleum. They do connect briefly.

I had a bit of trouble figuring out the three venues of the story, but here they are:
> No. 1 Gloucester Gate, London: home of Thorley and Margot Marsh, and Celia
> Caswell Moat: Devereux ancestral home
> Widestairs: home of the Lockes

The character Thorley was the most interesting to follow - is he a good husband or a cad? Or maybe a murderer? His marriage is certainly a shambles as he and Margot each have affairs with others.

The story line of the restless coffins looks clearly inspired by the Chase Vault episode of the 1800's in Barbados, complete with sand spread on the floor to detect footprints (see Wikipedia article). The article notes it was a sensation early in the century, and followed by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as well.

If you enjoy peeking in cemetery mausoleums, you will enjoy this one. The Sleeping Sphinx of the title is the insignia on Fell's ring, which he uses to seal the mausoleum.

For additional reviews indexed by author, please visit The Mystillery Blog and try The Mystillery Reading Challenges!

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid later outing for Dr Fell, but nothing particularly remarkable. The Carr tic of having characters interrupted just as they're about to explain the entire mystery - thus artificially putting off further elucidation for another fifty pages or so - is, sadly, heavily in effect here.

The locked-room gimmick is barely related to the crux of the murder itself, and has been used several times since by later authors (not Carr's fault, of course, and it's a decent effect the first time you see it).

The "is she/isn't she" plot strand is a retread of the author's superior 'Till Death Do Us Part, and is fairly successful - although one aspect in particular is given far greater emphasis than the eventual explanation warrants.

Overall, inferior to the preceding Fell mystery (He Who Whispers, one of Carr's best) and far superior to the following one (the charmless Below Suspicion); Carr's post-WWII decline had begun.

[Lisa Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

decent mystery for some light reading. Misses on the eerie factor which is so often a plus with Carr's mysteries. Rather easy solving,except for some tricky side bits.

[Vasilii Borovkov · Rating 3 out of 5]

Дональд Холден вернулся с войны летом 1946 года. Больше года он выполнял тайное задание разведки по поимке беглого нациста в Италии. Вернувшись в Лондон, Холден обнаруживает, что он был объявлен погибшим весной 1945 года. Он едет к своей невесте, Силии, чтобы обрадовать ее своим «воскрешением». А по приезду Дон выясняет, что в семействе Силии всё очень плохо. Старшая сестра Силии, Марго, умерла полгода назад от аневризмы, а саму Силию вот-вот упрячут в психиатрическую лечебницу из-за того, что она всем постоянно навязчиво твердит об убийстве сестры. К счастью, у Силии есть и козырь в рукаве — старый друг их семьи, доктор Гидеон Фелл, которого она просит расследовать смерть Марго.
Если читать произведения Карра по порядку их написания, то начинает казаться, что писателю в 1940-х попал в руки справочник «Психические болезни женщин». 15-й роман о Фелле, «Пока смерть не разлучит нас» — у главной героини лунатизм. 16-й роман, «Тот, кто шепчет» — у главной героини мощно накренен чердак на почве секса. И вот этот роман, «Спящий сфинкс», сюжет которого основан на сильной истерии покойной Марго.
Ключевой особенностью романа стало «старое убийство» — обычно у Карра убийство случается уже во время повествования, а в «Сфинксе» расследование начинают через полгода после смерти. Впрочем, Карр этот прием придумал и никак им не воспользовался — все свидетели помнят всё в мельчайших подробностях. Этот перерыв был нужен Карру только для создания очередной загадки запертой комнаты — только на этот раз там происходит не убийство, а гробы в запертом снаружи склепе оказываются перемещены.
В остальном, всё стандартно для Карра — Дон и Силия обретают друг друга, а периодически появляющийся Фелл походя раскрывает убийство. И всё было бы ничего, но…
Когда у Карра в романах Фелл «что-то скрывает» — это нормально. В смысле, с точки зрения классического детектива это плохо, но для Карра это привычно. Но когда в романе почти все персонажи «что-то скрывают» — это уже бесит неимоверно. Фелл по капле из себя выдавливает подробности. И Дон тоже. И Силия. И остальные. И у всех, блин, тайны. И каждый десять раз намекнет на эту тайну. Чтобы к концу романа, наконец-то, открытым текстом эту тайну проговорить.
Походу, Карр не знал, как растянуть этот сюжет на большой роман. Поэтому все персонажи у него общаются полунамеками. Чтобы натянуть нужное количество страниц. Тот же Холден 5 раз намекнет, что он «что-то понял». Затем напишет записку об этом Феллу и Фелл подтвердит, что Холден прав. Затем еще 5 раз Холден намекнет, что он «что-то понял и Фелл с ним согласен». И так до последней главы, когда записку таки предъявят читателям. И такая вот белиберда творится со всеми персонажами романа. Плохо.
Итого. Карр придумал неплохой сюжет. Но идя по пути растягивания романа на нужное количество страниц, Карр написал ту еще ерунду, когда все герои изъясняются полунамеками и обрывают друг друга на полуслове. Не то, чтобы совсем не читаемо, но много хуже лучших романов Карра.
5/10
Отзыв полностью - https://cahier.ru/carr-sleeping-sphin...

[Alberto Avanzi · Rating 3 out of 5]

La sfinge dormiente di Carr.

Ambientato nel secondo dopoguerra nella campagna inglese, riunisce alcuni elementi caratteristici del giallo di Carr. In particolare l’atmosfera di tensione, che non è prodotta da vampiri o maledizioni ma più semplicemente (ed efficacemente) da aspetti psicologici e psichiatrici.

Un militare inglese che ha lavorato per i servizi segreti visita una sua vecchia fiamma, Celia, dopo anni, e scopre che la sorella è morta in circostanze misteriose. Malore? Omicidio? Suicidio? A complicare le cose, Celia viene descritta dagli altri abitanti della casa come persona con forti disturbi mentali, e le sue osservazioni sulla morte non naturale della sorella vengono etichettate come “fantasie”, finché entra in scena Fell a fare chiarezza.

Inizio molto accattivante, poi un calo di tensione fino all’arrivo di Fell, e da qui in avanti iniziano colpi di scena a ripetizione e piccoli e grandi misteri, legati al mistero principale, vengono proposti e risolti. Fino al disvelamento del colpevole, che qui avviene abbastanza a ridosso della fine mantenendo quindi la tensione alta fino in fondo.

La pecca secondo me però è proprio nell’identità dell’assassino: mentre la motivazione e la dinamica sono convincenti, la scelta dell’assassino (peraltro in una rosa molto ristretta di possibili indiziati, una volta accettate dinamica e movente) da parte dell’autore appare debole e poco convincente, e gli indizi che eventualmente punterebbero in quella direzione molto labili (e si sarebbero adattati bene, tranne uno, anche all’assassino a cui avevo erroneamente pensato). Manca il colpo di genio dall’alibi impossibile svelato o del meccanismo brillante adottato dall’assassino.

Un bel Carr quindi per ambientazione e atmosfera, ma (mi sia permesso) di seconda fascia a causa della soluzione relativamente debole, romanzo comunque valido e interessante, che vale la pena leggere, ma non all’altezza dei migliori.

[Padmin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Indicazioni editoriali
Donald Holden, ex membro dell'Intelligence, si è immaginato il suo ritorno in tutti i modi possibili. Dopo sette anni di lontananza è naturale che le cose siano cambiate, ma non fino a questo punto. Scoprendo di essere stato creduto morto prova un senso di panico. Forse un oscuro presentimento di ciò che lo aspetta. La moglie del suo più caro amico è morta da qualche mese. E la sorella di lei, una ragazza della quale Donald era ed è ancora innamorato, sembra avere gravi problemi psichici. È impazzita, si è messa in testa idee orribili. Per esempio, che a causare la tragica fine della bellissima Margot non sia stata davvero un'emorragia cerebrale. O certi vaneggiamenti a proposito di una boccetta di veleno e di una "sfinge dormiente". Pane per i denti del dottor Gideon Fell. In una macabra vicenda costellata di fatti inspiegabili, come le bare spostate da qualcuno all'interno di una tomba sigillata, l'esimio criminologo è la persona giusta per risolvere il mistero.
-----------
Parecchio inferiore al precedente libro che ho letto della serie.
Due ** stiracchiate

[Victor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Exasperation & irritation guaranteed due to continuous circumlocution about the bush.
The story is about two females ,one live and one dead....Oh how I wish both were dead !
The mystery is convoluted as usual but almost everyone in this story behaves in absurd manner and all the mystery is basically caused by this .
There is a locked room mystery as a side story and it has an ingenious solution as usual but frankly being thwarted thrice by wordiness or inopportune appearance of other characters on the point of revelation,I basically lost interest .
Dr. Fell is always speaks in elliptical paradoxes but this time it is seriously overdone and almost everyone is evasive and abstract to the point of absurdity.
And the damned heroine is as intelligent as a retarded monkey.
In summary,it is a below par Dr Fell outing dragged down by too much hemming and hawing by every character in the story.Skip it if you have any other Dr. Fell in stock.

[Simona Moschini · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ogni autore ha le sue ossessioni.
Dickson ne ha perlomeno due, il dialogo con la storia (ricorrono castelli, antenati sanguinari, nostalgia di un'aristocrazia che tuttavia ancora vive) e le protagoniste tragiche.
Non femme fatale come nel noir americano, né belle dame sans merci come da tradizione preraffaellita, la donna dicksiana è quasi sempre una figura tragica nel senso di destinata a subire la tragedia dell'aggressività, dell'incomprensione, delle proprie disfunzioni e perversioni. Spesso i suoi romanzi presentano una coppia di donne legate da parentela e/o da rivalità amorosa, tra le quali fino all'ultimo il pendolo crudele dell'autore oscilla nel mostrarci la vincitrice e la perdente, la pazza irrecuperabile e quella che viene creduta tale o fraintesa.
Al di là di queste costanti, è un autore che ama a dismisura la complicazione, l'enigma irrisolvibile, che flirta con il paranormale senza crederci fino in fondo.

[Martina Sartor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un Carr minore, rispetto ad altri titoli più quotati. Buona l'atmosfera che come sempre l'autore riesce a creare, fra suspense psicologica, tratti quasi soprannaturali (qui i fantasmi) e puri e semplici omicidi. Che in realtà semplici non sono mai, sennò non sarebbe Carr!
Qui ciò che mi fa abbassare leggermente il voto è il fatto che l'elemento principale - l'isteria di Margot - viene spiegato alla fine dal dottor Fell, ma non ci sono molti indizi che lo facciano indovinare prima al lettore. Anche perché è un elemento talmente specifico che, se uno non è un medico, difficilmente ci arriva.
Ingegnosa e originale, comunque, la spiegazione di come le bare sono state spostate nella tomba chiusa dei Devereux.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jumping Jehoshaphats! Harumph! Gadzooks! Whopper of a Who Done It with style & substance! Feels like being swept along with the characters. Had to slide my hand down the pages to shield/hide eyes from the sizzling heat of the next popping hot lines.

As this plot fire roars on, Carr's descriptions & dialog engulf you. He gives one an up-close & personal ride with a fast paced, intriguing, intricately designed mystery puzzle. The paragraphs hurtle forward to each chapter's cliff hanger.

Carr builds his reader's passion like well positioned fireplace logs - for a timeless hearty fire of a mystery.

[Lisa Kucharski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Holden returns after the war, after being declared dead to complete a spy’s mission, to find one he loves to only find- a tangled story and possibly a murder mystery. The story gets tangled more and more until- tada! Dr. Fell arrives. Then the mystery sorting can begin.

There is a lot of stuff packed into this mystery, almost too much- which helps the murderer get away for so long. For me the highlight was when Fell arrived. And that is when you have fun detecting. However, if you want to try and beat Fell to the punch- you must pay attention to the part where he is not very closely.

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than I was expecting, as it's post-war Carr. Good characters and lots of intrigue and misdirection, plus the atmosphere that Carr is so good at. And the usual end of book explanation of all the things that didn't make sense earlier on. (It should be noted that the term "hysteria" is used freely in this explanation. It is clearly dated, as this term is only used as a medical diagnosis in primitive and anti-female contexts. But if you substitute "histrionic personality disorder", it all makes sense.) Certainly not on the level of his best work in the 1930's but worthy of a read.

[Carsten Nielsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The old master still knows how to throw a spell, but the cracks and milage is beginning to show. The opening is pure Carr, well-written, engaging, puts you smack in the middle of the action. Unfortunately the story gradually begins to stall, and Carr's usual ability to dazzle is readers with intricate and carefully worked out plot-designs is not up to his usual standards. Apparently it's all downhill from here 😢

[Vintagebooklvr · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 1/2 stars. Carr is a master of the impossible crime/locked room scenario. This isn't quite a locked room or impossible crime murder but there are some parts that qualify as that. So, of course, I didn't guess lots of the twists or turns. I didn't really like so much of the focus on hysteria and madness. Some was necessary for the plot line, but I didn't think all of it was. It left an impression that women tend to be emotionally unstable. At least to me.

[Ian Durham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is undoubtedly one of the best of the Dr. Fell mysteries. It blends the humor of the character of Dr. Fell with the slightly macabre aspects Carr used so effectively in the Bencolin mysteries. Plus it’s got the classic locked-room that Carr was so good at, and the immense detail of just how it all happened. Everything fits together like a finely crafted puzzle.

[Cathy Houston · Rating 4 out of 5]

very cleverly plotted mystery

[Jan Sørensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Less fun more scream, but still a must-read mystery set in post-war London.

[Xkander]

Classico del Giallo 2018

[Naomi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Doesn't play fair. People about to say the name of the murderer aloud are conveniently interrupted for the last *fifty pages*. A writer who has to do that to keep the reader guessing has nothing.

[Nat · Rating 4 out of 5]

The characters are the strength in this one and I enjoyed their interplay. The actual mystery isn't super complex but the reveal is still satisfying.

[Raime · Rating 1 out of 5]

Convoluted and non-engaging mystery novel.

[Christina Baehr · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun golden age detective novel, with some requisite psychologising silliness. (Not that I think current psychologising is any less silly, just less dated. But give us time and we'll best them yet.) The best part? Our sleuth, Dr Gideon Fell is a dead ringer for one of my favourite authors, the immortal G.K. Chesterton - large, caped, forgetful, and spouting jolly paradoxes. I thought it was too close for coincidence and I turned out to be right - Carr admitted that he was the inspiration. I'll definitely be back to this series next time I want a good GAD novel.

[C · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not one of Carr's best,but an entertaining read nonetheless.It is of course complex,convoluted and a little dated in regards to its portrayal of women.But it is of course a product of it's time and unfortunately it is what it is.The locked room element is a little underwhelming,(a similar device was used in Jonathan Creek) and probably nowsuffers from its subsequent use in other novels.
Another for Carr completists probably rather than a random read.

[Nancy Butts · Rating 4 out of 5]

#17 in the Gideon Fell series, and this one is set in 1947 with a narrator who returns from the dead after time as an MI5 officer during the war to find that the woman he loves is suspected either of madness...or of murder...in the death of her sister six months previously. This one is an excellent combination of murder among the gentry with a keen insight into human psychology, a locked tomb, and a touch of the supernatural.

[Wyndslash · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this story in a compilation with two other mysteries, published for the Detective Book Club.

I think, in the end, I was more than a bit annoyed with the characters in this story. Except for Dr. Fell, of course. He's an absolutely entertaining character, and his mannerisms are quite amusing and lend a humorous air to his adventures. :)

[Luís · Rating 4 out of 5]

É um clássico, com a investigação a ser conduzida por Dr. Gideon Fell, uma das personagens mais aclamadas de John Dickson Carr aka Carter Dickson, aka Carr Dickson, aka Roger Fairbairn.
Devo confessar que as explicações do Dr. Fell me chegaram a irritar, mas todo o enredo está muito bem construído.
Gosto muito deste tipo de literatura policial.