From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

Trent's Last Case (Philip Trent, #1)

E.C. Bentley

Start date: June 1, 2017

Finish date: June 30, 2017

Discussion: Group reads

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What Members Thought

Sep 26, 2018 Nancy Oakes rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: history-of-crime-fiction, crime-fiction, crime-fiction-uk, 1910s, 2018

somewhere between a 4 and a 5, so we'll call it a high 4.

In John Curran's introduction to this edition, he refers to Trent's Last Case as "one of the most famous milestones in the genre." He quotes EC Bentley from his autobiography, Those Days (1940) where he writes

"Some time in the year 1910 it occurred to me that it would be a good idea to write a detective story of a new sort..."

and, "among the dozens of detectives" (long dominated by and modeled after Sherlock Holmes) currently filling maga ...more

16 likes · Like · see review

Dec 05, 2017 Maine Colonial rated it really liked it

Shelves: british, mystery, novel

What an entertaining classic mystery. Notable for its plot that keeps twisting back on itself just when you think it's been resolved. But not in a pop-up surprise way, but in a way that addresses issues that might have bothered you a little bit about a prior explanation. That makes the resolution satisfying while still being surprising.

Trent is an engaging main character, with a good sense of humor, a keen mind and integrity.

As is all too often the case in these old mysteries, there are a few th ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Sep 27, 2018 jaadhimalli rated it really liked it

Shelves: top_100_crime_cwa

Aka The woman in black.

Some sections sounded more like romance novels. It appeared folks forgot all about the dead man and were no more keen on bringing up justice. I would have rated this book hardly 3 stars if not for the last few chapters. The last few chapters make up for it. Only in end does one know why its Philip Trents last case.

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Mar 31, 2017 Bhavya Mathur rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-thriller, kindle

That End!!!!! Just what a mystery should be - cozy, full of twists and an utterly unexpected ending.

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Feb 05, 2011 Jan C rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: re-read, mystery, 2015, england

Considered one of the classics of the golden age.

I read this in college. So I thought I knew who the murderer was. Apparently the years (or other substances that may have been used during those years) muddled my brain or my memory of the resolution of the book.

An enjoyable read both times.

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