The Ellery Queen stories will remain among the most remarkable American classic mysteries ever written. And this superbly constructed story, The Greek Coffin Mystery, is among the best of Ellery Queen.
Murder in White! A tragic fall -- an impending operation -- strangulation! When Abigail Doorn was wheeled into the operation room at the Dutch Memorial Hospital, her face was strangely blue and bloated. A wire had been tightly wound around her neck. The strongest suspect, because he stood to benefit by the death of this wealthy old woman, was her protégé, the famous Dr. Janney. Just before her death he received a strange caller -- one whose name he would not divulge.
French's department store was famous for the rare merchandise it offered its elite clientele. But no one there could be proud of its latest exclusive window display: the bloodstained corpse of the owner's wife.
Added by: Kahena | Karma: 11526.37 | Fiction literature | 18 January 2012
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The Roman Hat Mystery established the basic pattern for many of the later Ellery Queen stories. Ellery Queen, a recent college graduate, often assists his father, the highly respected Inspector Richard Queen of the New York City Police Department, with particularly difficult investigations. This arrangement gives Ellery access to crime scenes and confidential information not available to the general public.
City and Shore - The Function of Setting in the British Mystery
Certain settings have long been a common element in British mystery and detective fiction: the quaint village; the country manor; the seaside resort; the streets of London. More than simply providing background, physical setting--in particular the city of London and the British seashore--takes on an added dimension, in a sense becoming a player in the mysteries, one that symbolizes, intensifies, and illuminates aspects of the British mystery novel.
