The Conjure-Man Dies

Coleção Clube do Crime #1

by Rudolph Fisher

The first known mystery written by an African-American, set in 1930s Harlem. Rudolph Fisher, one of the principal writers of the Harlem Renaissance, weaves an intricate story of a native African king, who, after receiving a degree from Harvard University, settles into Harlem in the 1930s. He becomes a "conjure-man," a fortune-teller, a mysterious figure who remains shrouded in darkness while his clients sit directly across from him, singly bathed in light. It is in this configuration that one of these seekers os the revelation of fate discovers he is speaking to a dead man. Thus a complex mystery begins, involving suspects and characters who are vividly and richly portrayed, and who dramatically illuminate for the reader a time, a place, and a people that have been sadly neglected in American literature.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Classics, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Historical Fiction, African American

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1932

About the author

Born in Washington, DC in the late nineteenth century, Fisher grew up in Providence, Rhode Island graduating from Classical High School and attending Brown University. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from Brown in 1919, where he delivered the valedictory address, and received a Master of Arts a year later.[citation needed] He went on to attend Howard University Medical School and graduated in 1924.

Fisher came to New York City in 1925 to take up a fellowship at College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University, during which time he published two scientific articles of his research on treating bacteriophage viruses with ultraviolet light. Fisher married Jane Ryder in 1925, and they had one son, Hugh, who was born in 1926.

After his fellowship ended, Fisher had a private practice on Long Island. In 1930, he became superintendent of International Hospital, a black-owned private hospital on Seventh Avenue in Harlem, but the hospital went bankrupt in October 1931.

Fisher died after unsuccessful abdominal surgery in 1934 at the age of 37.

Reviews

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Accordingly, the brisk air was tempered a little, and the flocks that flowed out from the innumerable churches could amble along at a more leisurely pace than winter usually permitted. This gave his celestial majesty time to observe with greater relish the colourful variety of this weekly promenade: the women with complexions from cream to black coffee and with costumes, individually and collectively, running the range of the rainbow; the men with derbies, canes, high collars, spats, and a dignity peculiar to doormen, chauffeurs, and headwaiters.”

The author was a doctor/musician/writer who graduated from Brown University and published novels and short stories during and after the Harlem Renaissance. Sadly, he died at the age of 37 two years after this book was published, following exposure to his own X-ray machines. This book, his second, was set in Harlem and was the first detective novel to feature an all Black cast of characters. It brought alive the Harlem of the period.

The book features Dr. John Archer and police detective Perry Dart who are investigating the murder of Frimbo, a fortune teller who died as he was in the process of telling a fortune. There was witty interplay between Archer and Dart. The plotting and structure of the book are very Christie-like. The story includes hidden passageways, multiple suspects and unrevealed motives. I was glad that I was reading this on my kindle with its built in dictionary, otherwise I would have had more trouble with “the lofty hue of his integument” or “it’ll take a little active cerebration“. The author’s medical background turned up in Archer’s explanation of blood testing. There was a sort of slapstick interlude involving one of the suspects about two thirds of the way through the book that didn’t seem to fit with the rest of the book. Otherwise, I really enjoyed this.

The author had planned on writing 2 sequels featuring Archer and Dart but he didn’t have a chance to write them. This new edition includes the short story “John Archer’s Nose” which was published posthumously. Again Archer and Dart solve a murder, this time aided by Archer’s recognition of an odor present at the crime scene. I also enjoyed this story and I’m really sorry that the author didn’t get to write more.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

[Linden · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel was originally published in 1932, and is being reissued. There's a disclaimer in the beginning that terminology which might be considered unacceptable today has been retained for authenticity I've read quite a few books by Harlem Renaissance authors, but was unfamiliar with Fisher's work. This is considered to be the first detective novel written by an African American, and is unique in that all of the characters are Black. Frimbo is a conjure-man in Harlem, an African immigrant who graduated from Harvard. The police and a doctor are called to his home when it appears that he has been murdered. But is he really dead, or does he really have the ability to cheat death as some claim? Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC.

[Nancy Oakes · Rating 4 out of 5]

obviously, playing catch up -- I finished reading this book about two weeks ago.

the full post is here:
http://www.crimesegments.com/2021/02/...

Actually, I ended up reading a different version of this book, the 2017 Collins Detective Club reprint edition with the coolest cover ever. I find it more than sad that the author of this book, Rudolph Fisher, died at such a young age, because after reading The Conjure-Man Dies, my thinking is that had he gone on to write more, I would have probably enjoyed reading everything this man would have produced. An African-American writer of the Harlem Renaissance, Fisher died at the young age of 37; on his death Zora Neale Hurston sent a telegram to Fisher's wife saying that "The world has lost a genius." Langston Hughes would later write that "... Fisher was too brilliant and too talented to stay long on this earth." Written in 1932 and set completely in Harlem, the novel is the first crime novel to feature an all-Black cast of characters; it is also the first non-serialized detective novel written by a person of African-American heritage.

I've read a lot of reader reviews in which most people figured out the "who" pretty quickly, but I did not and it was a case of constant guessing right up until the end. While that made me rather happy, what I found much more interesting was roaming the Harlem streets as two men enlisted by the detective, Bubber and Jinx, go out to round up the suspects. When these people are interviewed, their stories work outside of the mystery to provide a look at Harlem of the time, which is actually the reason I wanted to read this book. As Scott Adlerburg from the LA Review of Books says in his revealing, in-depth article about The Conjure-Man Dies, Fisher adapts the mystery story "to his own concerns as a Harlem Renaissance novelist."

In his 1971 introduction to this edition, Stanley Ellin states that in writing The Conjure-Man Dies, Rudolph Fisher "invests" his story with the "qualities of a social document recording a time and place without seeming to," and that's precisely what he's done. Adlerburg notes that Fisher "paved the way for the Harlem novels of Chester Himes," and that he "wrote something that has lasted" by offering the people of Harlem "as he actually saw them."

It is a bit strange in the telling; on the other hand it is great fun and I laughed out loud more than once, thoroughly enjoying every bit of this book for the crime and much, much more. It won't be for everyone, but for readers who want a bit more in their mysteries or for readers who (like me) are more than interested in the literature of the Harlem Renaissance, it's a great match.

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Harlem, the death of a conjure man mystifies the police detective and doctor working together to solve the case. All the suspects were found within the waiting room of the dead man's business. Their, in some cases, spotty alibis and motives, as well as the contrast between the doctor's scientific approach to the conjure man's "magic", disappearing bodies and mistaken identities, make this an interesting read.

The doctor, Archer, is methodical, and provides the detective with necessary information on blood and fingerprints and has a large role in the solution of the case.

Rudolph Fisher's story feels like a locked room mystery in that it's incredible that Frimbo the conjure man was killed within his consultation room and the small suspect pool, the people in the waiting room, were unsuspecting of the violence happening nearby. The detective and doctor go back and forth and make credible arguments and deductions, based on what evidence they have.

Fisher presents suspects from a wide variety of backgrounds, from the deeply religious housewife to the small time criminal. The colloquialisms and varied life situations lend veracity to the characters, and give a sense of the life in Harlem at the beginning of the Depression.

The pacing is a little slow, as Fisher spends a lot of time providing great character detail, and shows us some of the fascination people had with supernatural practices and beliefs.

I've been gradually expanding my mystery reading to include more classic mysteries, and I'm glad I got a chance to read this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.

[Kurt Reichenbaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable mystery set in Harlem in the 30s. You can see the influence of the British "golden age" mysteries on Fisher's novel. Also books by John Dickson Carr and Ellery Queen on this side of the pond. More so, to me, then the Black Mask pulp writers of the period. This is a "locked room" mystery of sorts with but with an all Black cast of characters including the lead homicide detective Perry Dart and his "sidekick" Dr. Archer. No pastoral English cottages with a proper poisoning going on here. I had to adjust my mid-century and neo-noir crime fiction expectations for Fisher's book, which was published in 1932. I think the strength of the novel is not so much the clever mystery of whodunit but the characters themselves. Fisher, who was a physician, died young so we don't know how many more novels or mysteries he would have written. It's nice to see this one has been republished for readers to discover now, almost 90 years later.

[Hayley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gave up. The book isn't good and I cannot force myself to finish it. DNF at 167 pages.

[Shomeret · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite there being a police detective investigating the case, I felt that the real protagonist of this novel was Dr. John Archer before I knew that author Rudolph Fisher was a physician. I thought that Dr. Archer was the best developed and most sympathetic character. Rudolph Fisher's background also explains why the medical details seemed so authentic.

The Conjure Man, Frimbo, was a highly ambivalent character. This ambivalence caused me to wonder if his background was falsified. Was he really an African king or a graduate of Harvard University? We only have Frimbo's word for it.

The mystery is cleverly constructed with a number of a plot twists that are surprising. The most surprising development had me exclaiming, "What just happened here?" It caused me to entertain the notion that Frimbo could have been a genuine practitioner. Some of the stories told about him sounded like he had real powers of sorcery, but he behaved too much like an illusionist for me to surrender my doubts about him. In the end, I disliked his arrogance and tendency toward duplicity.

The Conjure Man Dies has been criticized for its Amos and Andy type of dialogue that seems so dated today. I confess that I wasn't enamored with that dialogue either. It made most of the characters seem like caricatures.

So there were aspects of the book that I liked, and it certainly held my interest. Yet my feelings about Frimbo and the dialogue lowered it in my estimation.

For the blog version of this review see http://shomeretmasked.blogspot.com/20...

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder in Harlem…

It’s a late evening in Harlem, in the early 1930s, and a little group of people are waiting to see Frimbo, a conjure-man with extraordinary powers to see the future and even to change it, or so the locals believe. But while Jinx Jenkins is sitting in Frimbo’s dark consulting room, Frimbo seems to lose the thread of what he’s saying and then goes silent. Jinx turns the single light on him, only to discover he is dead. But how did he die? And how could anyone have killed him without Jinx seeing it? Sergeant Perry Dart and his friend Dr Archer will have to find their way through a maze of motives and superstition to get to the truth…

Well, this is just fabulous fun! There’s a real Golden Age style mystery at the heart of it, complete with clues, motives, a closed list of suspects, and so on. But the setting makes it entirely unique. Fisher gives a vivid, joyous picture of life in Harlem, bringing to life a cast of exclusively black characters from all walks of life, from the highly educated Dr Archer to the new arrival from Africa, Frimbo, to the local flyboys hustling to survive in a Depression-era America that hasn’t yet moved far from the post-Civil War era. Amid the mystery and the lighthearted elements of comedy, a surprisingly clear picture emerges of this black culture within a culture, where poverty and racism are so normal they are barely remarked upon, and where old superstitious practices sit comfortably alongside traditional religion. Life is hard in Harlem, for sure, but there’s an exuberance about the characters – a kind of live for the moment feeling – that makes them a joy to spend time with.

I don’t want to over-analyse it because ultimately it’s all about entertainment. However, there’s a kind of feeling that the inhabitants of Harlem deal with the inherent disadvantage of being black in America by cutting themselves off from the wider culture, and living their own lives by their own social code as much as they can. There’s also what seems like an early glimpse of what has become a more deliberate thing now – black “owning” of white racist terminology and negative stereotyping, and the conversion of those negatives into a positive, assertive black culture. There is a lot of language in the book we (white people) would now consider racist, but it reminded me of the rap artists of today – the sting taken out of the words because they are being used by black characters.

I loved the voodoo aspects of the plot, with the less educated characters willing to believe that Frimbo really had supernatural powers, and turning to him for help with all kinds of problems – money, love, abusive spouses. But Dr Archer’s scientific knowledge is a counter-balance to this, with him usually able to work out how the conjure-man performed his tricks.

The language is wonderful, both in the descriptive passages and in the dialogue, full of layers of dialect according to the social class of the speaker. The humour mostly comes from the pairing of Bubber Brown and Jinx Jenkins, firm friends though they squabble and insult each other all the time. Bubber in particular is very “suprastitious” and has a fund of lore passed down from his grandmammy.

Rudolph Fisher was considered to be part of the Harlem Renaissance and had the distinction of being the first black American author to write a mystery novel, then remaining the only one to have done so until several decades later. Sadly he died a young man just a few years after publishing this, his only mystery novel, though he had also published a non-mystery novel which apparently features my favourite characters Jinx and Bubber, The Walls of Jericho. Happily I see HarperCollins have re-issued it too this year. As an added bonus, the book contains a substantial short story, John Archer’s Nose, also starring Dart and Archer and also excellent. Give yourself a treat – this one gets my highest recommendation!

NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Collins Crime Club – Harlem.

www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes called the first Black detective novel (and adapted for the stage by no less than Countee Cullen in 1934), The Conjure-Man Dies by Rudolph Fisher has a dazzlingly intricate plot, loaded with twists that will keep you guessing, all leading up to a quite satisfying resolution. There are some deliciously well-written sentences, too, as well as a good-sized serving of daffy comedy. One feature that sets this apart from other books of its genre is that it lacks a singular central master-detective figure who solves the whole case: there is one character who initially seems intended to fill that role, but they ultimately fall short of sussing out the entire solution; in the end, the character who comes closest to wrapping their mind around the whole conundrum is too blinded by their own human failings to fit the final puzzle piece into place. What the strikingly modern and anti-romantic Fisher gives us in this novel, then, is something like a shattered mirror producing multiple broken reflections, or a prism separating a beam of light into its constituent parts: we get to observe a total of four or five different "detective-ish" figures who approach the mystery from all different angles, but none who's the whole package. The mystery does end up getting solved, but there is no infallible Sherlock or Poirot who gets to explain everything to an awestruck audience before triumphantly riding off into the sunset to tackle the next mystery that comes along -- and that's perhaps for the best, since Fisher, who was a radiologist as well as a novelist, tragically died at age 37, possibly owing to a radiation-induced cancer incurred at his job, without writing any sequels or, for that matter, any novels at all after this one.

[Kusaimamekirai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Setting aside the very cool fact that written in 1932, this is widely acclaimed to be the first detective story written by a black writer, it is also just a lot of just weird fun.
An African psychic/fortune teller/conjurer named Frimbo, who has set up shop in Harlem, is found dead during one of his sessions. The problem for Detective Dart and Dr. Archer, who are attempting to solve the killing, is that the clues are as unreliable as the quirky suspects. Between the two buddies Bubber Brown(!) and Jinx Jenkins (!!) taking constant and hilarious swipes at each others looks and intelligence, Frimbo’s mysterious servant, the undertaker and his wife, and the wonderfully (if not improbably) named Spider Webb, everyone seems to have a motive but there can be only one killer. Add to this that bodies constantly disappear, and upon closer inspection ummm…aren’t actually dead, and you have a wild and thoroughly enjoyable romp through Harlem with am eclectic mix of oddballs.
The solution is a bit out of left field and convoluted in the way only a doctor could or would think. Not coincidentally perhaps, Fisher was not only a writer but also a doctor, radiologist, musician, and dramatist. So much more the loss to the world that he would die at the young age of 37 (as a radiologist some speculate that his stomach cancer was perhaps a result of his own experiments with x-rays) with so much more to contribute to the world.
We at least have the short stories and writings he left behind as a reminder of what a talented man he was and what could’ve been.

[Whitney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good book! I saw the ending coming but I blame that on my acquired detective skills from watching too many episodes of Law and Order. :P

[Never Without a Book]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CLj4PY0gi...

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

COUNTDOWN: Mid-Century American Crime Readathon
BOOK/Novella 108 (of 250)
Here titled "John Archer's Nose" as "Dark Harlem" is a foreign language work.
"Mystery fiction by black authors is, not surprisingly, often very different from work in that broadly defined genre written by white authors..[they tend to show) the detective in a rather insular community..." writes editor Otto Penzler. I don't know if this is true, but I do know it's difficult to locate mid-century American black crime writers, almost as difficult to find mid-century female crime writers. But anyway, here is a novella from Rudolph Fisher. (This title, "Dark Harlem", is the closest I could find to the title of the novella which I found published within Penzler's edited "Black Noir" volume.
HOOK=3 stars: This opens with a discussion of the friendship between Detective Sargent Perry Dart and Dr. John Archer, of whom a reader may have no acquaintance with in the world of crime fiction.
PACE=3 stars: This one stumbles a bit at first then rockets forward after a baby dies perhaps because a father will not allow X-Rays to be performed and moves quickly to a young man stabbed to death.
PLOT=4: The resolution of the death of the young man follows basic and familiar detective patterns. However, certain superstitions of Harlem residents come into play, all new and interesting to me.
PEOPLE=3: The characters may be further developed in other Fisher works, but here, they fade from memory upon finishing the story.
PLACE=4: How often is it that American Crime stories of the 1930s takes us into Harlem, and then into an apartment where a family and friends live? This story truly comes to life with this nicely done description found hardly anywhere else in this genre by me (outside of writer Chester Himes).
SUMMARY: I enjoyed this as the detective work is solid and a bit unusual as it takes into consideration certain superstitions. And the atmosphere is unique. My overall rating is 3.4.

[Mostly on Storygraph · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first known mystery novel written by an African-American, this was a decent crime novel published in 1932. Other than the time period and technology, it has pretty much every element of a good CSI-type crime show - interesting (and some crazy) characters, great humor, a prevalent setting (Harlem), and a nice twist at the end.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I learned this book was originally printed in 1932, I was intrigued. I did some homework on the author, Rudolph Fisher, and was amazed at how much he accomplished in the few short years of his life. He died at the age of 37 from abdominal surgery; I don’t discount that this type of surgery was high risk in the ’30s, but would he have had a greater chance at survival if he had been a white man? He certainly didn’t get the accolades he deserved for his various writing talents, so it’s a gift to us in this century to get our hands on this reprinting.
As if that isn’t enough to make one want to read this uncanny mystery, then reading the introduction written by Stanley Ellin will push you over the edge. I really like his perception of the treatment of Black Americans, “It was ironic and inevitable that neither the racist nor the sentimentalist knew how nicely they were cooperating in the destruction of a people’s identity and individuality by barring the way to the honest exploration and discovery of them.” He wrote this in 1971. Fifty years later, the destruction of Black Americans’ identity continues, but at a slower rate. Hopefully, we can look back, look forward, and realize with open eyes and heart that we still have a long, long way to go for an equitable opportunity for development.
Now to the book- what a hoot! I was laughing out loud at the characters’ personalities. The honest and open dialogue is so refreshing, yet at times completely startling. The plot consists of numerous suspects, and as Detective Perry Dart moves through his off-the-cuff yet well-thought-out interviews, the bright light of guilt shines on one and then the other. I’ve never been quick to figure out “who-done-it” in Agatha Christie's books, and this plot seems so much more multi-layered. I gave up on trying figuring who the guilty party was and lost myself in the laid-back environment, dialect, and colorful stories behind each character. It was like watching a fast-paced New York play: enjoyable, shocking, suspenseful, and wildly hilarious at the oddest moments.
An added bonus at the end of the novel is a short story by Fisher printed in Metropolitan Magazine a month after the author died. This short story brings us back to Detective Dart and Dr. Archer, whose keen sense of smell comes into play.
What a sad loss to mystery writers and readers was the death of Rudolph Fisher. Not just because of its untimeliness but also because this talented author never stood a chance of national recognition and honor in the 30’s simply because of the color of his skin.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper 360/Collins Crime Club for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. The release date is January 7, 2021.

[Kate Vane · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Conjure-Man Dies is believed to be the first detective novel by an African-American author, published in 1932. Rudolph Fisher was part of the Harlem Renaissance and the characters are all black Harlemites.

The novel centres around an African ‘conjure-man’ (psychic/fortune teller), N’Gana Frimbo, who offers consultations in his apartment above an undertaker’s, in a room cloaked in darkness, and spookily illuminated.

When one of his clients, dazzled by the effect, realises belatedly that he is talking to a corpse, he calls local physician Dr Archer. Perry Dart, one of New York’s few black detectives, works with the doctor to solve the crime.

The Conjure-Man Dies is interesting in that it follows the classic golden age template, but has a hardboiled setting. There is a fixed group of suspects (the people who had contact with Frimbo that night) and most of the detection revolves around solving a puzzle and following clues. After a number of twists and turns, the novel ends with a set-piece denouement.

This isn’t my favourite kind of crime fiction – I’m more drawn to psychological realism – and some of the descriptions of the house and the precise layout of the rooms was a bit slow for me. What I enjoyed, though, was the descriptions of Harlem and the people living there. There is some very beautiful, atmospheric writing, conveying the energy and drama of a fast-changing part of the city.

Fisher also highlights the distinctions drawn within the black community in Harlem. Frimbo is seen as separate because he is African, the cerebral Dr Archer is immediately accepted as an authority figure. The two young men who discover the body berate each other with racially charged language based on the relative darkness of their skin, to the extent that the publisher warns in a note that this will be offensive to many readers. In the context of the novel, it is shown as paradoxically highlighting the intimacy of their friendship, the “bantz” of its day.

The Conjure-Man Dies is interesting if you like classic mysteries with a strong sense of place, are interested in the Harlem Renaissance or in the history of the crime fiction genre.
*
I received a copy of The Conjure-Man Dies from the publisher via Netgalley.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This hit the spot for me far more than I anticipated it would.

I wanted to read The Conjure-Man Dies because I'm trying to read more mysteries, I'm trying to read more classics, I'm interested in it being the first crime novel by an African-American, and the story sounded interesting enough. I eventually listened to the audiobook as part of my personal Black History Month reading list. I was expecting to enjoy it well enough, but I honestly ended up loving it.

I honestly enjoy the classic mystery writing style that is used here, in the vein of Christie et al, especially in audiobook format. It leads to interesting and vivid descriptions, and delightful twists and turns in the story. I was genuinely very surprised at some of the twists, absolutely did not see them coming, but once they were revealed you could see where the clues had been laid out. I also enjoyed how the story shared a Depression-era Harlem in all its ups and downs.

I quite enjoyed the characters as well. Archer and Dart were both compelling protagonists, and I especially enjoyed how Fisher used his own knowledge as a doctor to explore the medical side of things through Archer. I also really enjoyed Bubber Brown as a side character a lot, and Frimbo was interesting all around.

This edition also includes the short story "John Archer's Nose," a sequel that continues to follow mysteries solved by Detective Dart and Dr Archer. The novel and short story were intended to be the beginnings of a series with more novels planned, but Fisher died tragically young before he could write them--another tragedy in and of itself. The short story has some interesting twists and turns as well. I did have more correct guesses here, but there was definitely still stuff I missed. I wasn't quite as invested in the side characters, but that was likely due to its length. I still enjoyed it very much.

I listened to the audiobook edition narrated by JD Jackson who gave a fantastic performance here. The character voices all felt unique and the narrative portions were easy to follow.

Overall, this really hit the spot for me. I enjoyed The Conjure-Man Dies, and I only wish Fisher had been able to continue his series as intended. A new favourite classic mystery for me!

[Jamie Canaves · Rating 4 out of 5]

This classic detective novel, written in the 1930s, should have been the start to a great crime writing career but was sadly cut short by the author’s death at age 37.

This is worth reading just for the fact that it’s a novel set in the 1930s written by Rudolph Fisher, an African American doctor, musician, and writer–making it the first-known detective novel written by an African American author. It’s also worth reading for the actual story. I find a lot of times when reading classic mystery books that they aren’t “surprising” through today’s eyes because of the amount of books that have since done the same thing. In this case, I found that the twist still held up even today.

The story starts with Frimbo, an African immigrant mystic living and working in Harlem, being found dead by two local friends, Bubber Brown and Jinx Jenkins. They call Dr. John Archer who later ends up assisting the Harlem detective, Perry Dart, on the case. I won’t give away anything in the plot so instead I’ll say the time and setting are brought to life through many of the characters’ conversations, and you’ll get an interesting look at where things stood with forensics (fingerprints!) and medicine at the time.

If you’re a listener, I highly recommend the audiobook which is narrated by J. D. Jackson, who you may know from his excellent voice work on Bluebird, Bluebird and Three-Fifths.

(TW: brief mentions of domestic abuse/ colorism and ableism in banter between 2 characters throughout)

--from Book Riot's Unusual Suspects newsletter: https://link.bookriot.com/view/56a820...

[Deb Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I choose The Conjure-Man Dies: A Harlem Mystery for its historical significance, namely being the first mystery/crime novel written by a Black author in the United States. I enjoyed the story from beginning to end, not because of this significance, but because Rudolph Fisher penned a well-plotted, character-driven novel in the style of his day, namely the 1930s.

Also unique about this book is that all of the characters within its pages are Black, from the list of suspects to the detective investigating the crime. The detective is aided in his investigation by the physician who was first called to render assistance to the victim, and whose curiosity and intellect were challenged by the unusual nature of the situation.

I don't know that Fisher fashioned the physician in the story after himself, but did let my imagination run with that idea as I read along; Fisher himself being a doctor of medicine.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read "The Conjure-Man Dies: A Harlem Mystery" by Rudolph Fisher. I really enjoyed the book. I particularly like the chemistry and camaraderie of Detective Dash and Dr. Archer. It is a classic mystery story coupled with the richness of the culture of Harlem in the 1930's. I recommend the book!

[AGMaynard · Rating 4 out of 5]

On my radar for a number of years. Thanks to a buddy read, I now have! A puzzler, involving sleight of hand of sorts, science, and detective work by a doctor, a cop, and a budding private eye. Colorful characters and settings. First detective novel by a Black author that featured an all-Black cast of characters. This needs to be filmed, stat!

[tortoise dreams · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Harlem Renaissance brought notable achievements in African American poetry, music, art, dance, theater, and … a murder mystery novel. Rudolph Fisher (1897-1934), a medical doctor, hung with the likes of Langston Hughes and Paul Robeson (Hughes said Fisher had "the wittiest and sharpest humor"). His varied and creative biography is worthy of a book despite his short life. In The Conjure-Man Dies a Harlem psychic is murdered and a police detective and local doctor join forces to solve the mystery. If Agatha Christie and Dashiell Hammett co-wrote a book it would look a lot like this as Fisher seamlessly combines their disparate styles into his own. As might be expected with a doctor for a protagonist, medical and scientific techniques play a major role in resolving the case. Even more intriguing, the victim becomes a suspect. The conclusion was somewhat overdone and convoluted, but didn't detract from my enjoyment. As did Zora Neale Hurston, Fisher presents both the good and bad of the black community, painting an honest, realistic, and colorful portrait. As far as I could tell there was only one white character in the book (a walk-on part, and not a villain). The Conjure-Man Dies features numerous humorous moments similar to what Chester Himes later did in his Harlem Detectives series featuring black detectives Coffin Ed Johnson and Grave Digger Jones, but considerably less violent. I can't help but think that Himes must've read this book. I read the Library of Congress Crime Classics edition which has helpful and interesting annotations, as well as an Introduction, bibliography, biographical chapter, and a reminiscence by his granddaughter. There are about a dozen novels so far in the series putting the spotlight on a widely diverse range of mystery authors from 1860 to 1960. The Conjure-Man Dies is also available in a Collins Crime Club edition, which isn't annotated but includes an introduction by Stanley Ellin and adds an excellent short story reuniting the detectives from this novel, "John Archer's Nose," in which an odor plays a key part. Rudolph Fisher also wrote one other novel, The Walls of Jericho (1928), and several short stories. [4★]

[Jan Priddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I "liked it" by the end. I "really liked" some bits. Not sure I ever quite felt it was "amazing." It seemed slow to start and maybe that isn't fair, but I was put off by language. Then complications got more and more interesting, with possible suspects all over the place. I predicted the killer early on, but almost none of what went on in the middle. Fisher was an MD and so the science was compelling.

Unfortunately, even in dialogue coming from a Black author and in the mouths of an all-Black cast of characters, the language comes across as racist and offensive. I tried to let it go, but it was hard. I am familiar with plenty of novels from this genre and period, however, so even after I thought I would quit reading, I went back and finished the novel. More difficult is Fisher's unlikely and invented African kingdom. That was really hard to swallow—like a Tarzan movie of the period. (The reason for just three stars.)

Ultimately, a complex and good, if flawed, historical procedural.

[L Y N N · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This was an amazing read for me! I adored the way Fisher incorporated African tribal beliefs/culture into the 'modern-day' 1930s U.S. culture! And the solution proved to be a fascinating combination of these two cultures! I must say I never really trusted her from the beginning! 😉

This is recognized as the first novel with a black detective as well as the first detective novel with only black characters, and (according to Wikipedia) he was the second African American to write a detective novel in the United States. (I have seen him credited elsewhere as having been the first.)

I appreciate the dialectic dialogue, reflecting authenticity of the setting in Harlem as well as the time period of the 1930s.

[Marcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 - This crime novel written in 1932 by an African American author, the first to have all African American characters, fascinated me. The way the narrator switches from beautiful mastery of the English language to dialogue in authentic Harlemese with ease was impressive. The characters are a hoot and the atmosphere and twisted plot are thoroughly entertaining. The footnotes add to the richness of this book, reminding us this was written in 1932, In Harlem, during depression years. Bogged down in a few places along the way, but not a deal breaker.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Admirable. Chock full of info [read the numerous factoids!]. Quite a cast of characters. But my interest waxed and waned. 3.5, couldn't round up.

[Lisa Kucharski · Rating 5 out of 5]

So glad that this work was reprinted! A lively and richly told mystery that takes place in 1932 Harlem NYC. One notable item about this piece of Golden Age of Detection work is that it is the only one I know of, written by a black author and featuring all black people.

This reprint has biographical info about the author who was an MD and had written one previous book that was not a mystery. In this novel, there is an additional short story "John Archer's Nose," that was published a month after Fisher died in 1934. The cause of Fisher's death was probably due to his work with x-ray machines. And if you wondered if Fisher was planning to write more with this mystery's team- the answer is yes.

In this story a conjure-man dies during a "consult" with a young man. Dr. Archer is brought to see if he can help but alas - it is too late. In this story Dr. Archer and Officer Dart investigate the crime using what they have at hand: Dr. Archer's medical skills and knowledge of people, and Dart's ability to get some finger printing and background and tailing done. The two together try and work out as much as they can many times disagreeing with each other.

There is one other character who we follow - Bubber Brown who knows where most of the suspects can be found- and through him we see more of Harlem in the 1930's. There is a caveat at the beginning that says the book "contains writing of the time, which may seem offensive..." Basically, there is no use of the "n-word." There are references to different darknesses of individuals and some insults but I would say that yes, they are of the time - and certainly not more offensive than what is heard in various tv shows or movies.

If you would love to dive into this piece of history and mystery- do seek this out. The reprinting of this and release this year make it the ideal time to find it at a library (as I did.)

[J. Rubino · Rating 5 out of 5]

The body of Frimbo, a Harlem conjure-man, or psychic, is found murdered in his darkened consulting room, the case brings together one of the area's first African-American police detectives, Perry Dart, with the local physician, Dr. John Archer, whose investigation takes a number of surprising turns.
Published in 1932, the novel was the first detective novel written by an African American author, (and medical doctor, dramatist and musician) Doctor Rudolph Fisher, featuring a pair of African-American sleuths and set in a very well-drawn 1930s Harlem. The publisher does have an introductory note stating that the language and some characterizations may be stereotypical and even offensive by today's standards, and while this is true, the brilliant Doctor Archer and the pragmatic Perry Dart hold their own in the Golden Age of detective fiction. Before his untimely death at age 37, Fisher had planned at least two Archer and Dart sequels to "The Conjure Man Dies".
While to novel does do one thing that I tend to dislike - authors, who create protagonists in their own profession and then have that character pontificate on specifics of that profession - Doctor Archer's scientific explanations are so well incorporated into the plot, and the plot itself is so well constructed, that I wouldn't deduct a star for that. Fisher also had a gift for giving dimension to his supporting cast; they come off as flesh and blood people, not just props for the plot.
This edition was published with a Dart and Archer novella, "Doctor Archer's Nose", a well-written locked room mystery. Definitely worth checking out.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a really mixed book-- the first half or so is a kind of boring slog through questioning of some suspects, in kind of a locked room mystery form. But then in the second half, it really takes off-- we get into the case of somewhat bumbling detective Bubber, we get some really odd diversions into contemporary (for the novel) science of blood typing, etc, and then there's a couple odd tangents on Africa and African heritage. And then it all comes together in a pretty surprising way.

So, a kind of hard to get into mystery that really picks up in the second half. The range of black characters here is cheering, and on paper I really like the team-up here of the doctor and the detective to solve the case, even if I don't think it always works here. I enjoyed the way Fischer integrated the resistance some folks in Harlem might have to the police, especially Jinx Jenkins. It's a really nicely developed world, though I don't think the narrative mechanics are quite as smooth as they could be.

[Sagheer Afzal · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's a shame that Rudolph Fisher never wrote any more books after because 'The Conjure man dies' is a fantastic showcase of his talent. Had he honed it the novel would I believe, be one of the classics. As it is there are some obvious flaws. For one, you are never really sure who the protagonist is. Is it the Doctor or the Detective Hart? Because of this you feel distanced from the rapidly unfolding events. And despite the engaging Harlem patios you never feel as though you have really got to know the characters.

Like a lot of novice Crime writers Maurice falls into the trap creating fantastical events to add that thrill seeking factor. This doesn't come off but by then sufficiently amused enough to enjoy the novel.