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The John Dickson Carr Treasury
Contains "The Three Coffins" & "The Burning Court".
- GenresMystery
377 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1964
About the author
John Dickson Carr
377 books543 followersAKA Carter Dickson, Carr Dickson and Roger Fairbairn.
John Dickson Carr was an American author best known for his mystery fiction, whose work also reached audiences through radio, film, and television. He wrote extensively for radio, particularly for the American anthology series Suspense and its British counterpart Appointment with Fear, introduced by Valentine Dyall. Carr also contributed numerous dramas to the BBC, writing both mystery stories and propaganda scripts during World War II. His radio career included Cabin B-13, a half-hour mystery play first broadcast in 1943. The story was later expanded into a CBS radio series that ran during 1948 and 1949, with Carr writing all 23 scripts. Some episodes drew on his earlier work, while others reworked devices associated with G. K. Chesterton. Cabin B-13 also became the basis for the screenplay of Dangerous Crossing, a 1953 film directed by Joseph M. Newman and starring Michael Rennie and Jeanne Crain. During the late 1940s, Carr hosted Murder by Experts, a Mutual radio series originating from WOR in New York City. The program featured guest mystery writers, whose work Carr introduced to listeners. Several of his stories and novels were adapted for the cinema. The Man with a Cloak appeared in 1951, followed by Dangerous Crossing in 1953. The Emperor's Snuffbox was adapted as That Woman Opposite in 1957, while The Burning Court was loosely adapted as the French film La Chambre Ardente in 1962. Carr's fiction also provided material for television, especially anthology programs that did not depend on recurring characters. His detective Colonel March was adapted for the television series Colonel March of Scotland Yard, which began in 1954 and starred Boris Karloff as Colonel March. The series ran for 26 episodes in the United States and premiered in Britain the following year. These adaptations brought Carr's distinctive mystery writing to audiences who may not have encountered his novels, while demonstrating the versatility of his plots in different media. His radio scripts, screen work, and television adaptations form an important part of his career as a mystery writer, extending his reputation beyond the printed page. They also show how his carefully constructed mysteries, often centered on unusual crimes and puzzling circumstances, could be reshaped for performance without losing their central appeal. His work for broadcasting was particularly substantial, linking his literary career with the popular entertainment industries of both Britain and the United States. His output in these media complemented rather than replaced his novels.
John Dickson Carr was an American author best known for his mystery fiction, whose work also reached audiences through radio, film, and television. He wrote extensively for radio, particularly for the American anthology series Suspense and its British counterpart Appointment with Fear, introduced by Valentine Dyall. Carr also contributed numerous dramas to the BBC, writing both mystery stories and propaganda scripts during World War II. His radio career included Cabin B-13, a half-hour mystery play first broadcast in 1943. The story was later expanded into a CBS radio series that ran during 1948 and 1949, with Carr writing all 23 scripts. Some episodes drew on his earlier work, while others reworked devices associated with G. K. Chesterton. Cabin B-13 also became the basis for the screenplay of Dangerous Crossing, a 1953 film directed by Joseph M. Newman and starring Michael Rennie and Jeanne Crain. During the late 1940s, Carr hosted Murder by Experts, a Mutual radio series originating from WOR in New York City. The program featured guest mystery writers, whose work Carr introduced to listeners. Several of his stories and novels were adapted for the cinema. The Man with a Cloak appeared in 1951, followed by Dangerous Crossing in 1953. The Emperor's Snuffbox was adapted as That Woman Opposite in 1957, while The Burning Court was loosely adapted as the French film La Chambre Ardente in 1962. Carr's fiction also provided material for television, especially anthology programs that did not depend on recurring characters. His detective Colonel March was adapted for the television series Colonel March of Scotland Yard, which began in 1954 and starred Boris Karloff as Colonel March. The series ran for 26 episodes in the United States and premiered in Britain the following year. These adaptations brought Carr's distinctive mystery writing to audiences who may not have encountered his novels, while demonstrating the versatility of his plots in different media. His radio scripts, screen work, and television adaptations form an important part of his career as a mystery writer, extending his reputation beyond the printed page. They also show how his carefully constructed mysteries, often centered on unusual crimes and puzzling circumstances, could be reshaped for performance without losing their central appeal. His work for broadcasting was particularly substantial, linking his literary career with the popular entertainment industries of both Britain and the United States. His output in these media complemented rather than replaced his novels.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 20, 2020
The John Dickson Carr Treasury (hardcover)
This was a Dr. Gideon Fell locked room mystery.
Professor Charles Grimaud appears to be a self-made man. Intelligent, well-liked, respected, and comfortably in social standing. Then while at the Warwick Tavern an unexpected and very unwanted figure appears. Pierre Fley is the Professor's long lost brother. In the midst of the Professor's discussion, he aims threats about another brother. The other brother who died under strange circumstances holds the key to a door that the Professor never wanted to be opened. Behind that door lies a secret that best remains locked away.
Pierre goes on to inform Grimaud that the other brother will rise from his grave and pay him a visit.
Threatening letters follow and then the night of the visit Grimaud is found shot inside his locked study alone.
I appreciate the old fashioned way Dr. Fell has in uncovering each clue to solve and explain this mystery to his friends: Superindendent Hadley and Ted Rampole with his wife Dorothy from America. Pictures of 2 scenes are included to aid the reader.
This was a Dr. Gideon Fell locked room mystery.
Professor Charles Grimaud appears to be a self-made man. Intelligent, well-liked, respected, and comfortably in social standing. Then while at the Warwick Tavern an unexpected and very unwanted figure appears. Pierre Fley is the Professor's long lost brother. In the midst of the Professor's discussion, he aims threats about another brother. The other brother who died under strange circumstances holds the key to a door that the Professor never wanted to be opened. Behind that door lies a secret that best remains locked away.
Pierre goes on to inform Grimaud that the other brother will rise from his grave and pay him a visit.
Threatening letters follow and then the night of the visit Grimaud is found shot inside his locked study alone.
I appreciate the old fashioned way Dr. Fell has in uncovering each clue to solve and explain this mystery to his friends: Superindendent Hadley and Ted Rampole with his wife Dorothy from America. Pictures of 2 scenes are included to aid the reader.
May 16, 2017
This is a review of The Three Coffins (aka The Hollow Man).
Overall:
Classic ‘Locked Room’ murder mystery involving Dr Gideon Fell. Intense, intriguing, old-fashioned in its style of writing but entertaining and kept my interest.
Plotting:
Clever and complex. Only just believable, mainly because two leading characters both get shot but manage to stay alive long enough to add to the mystery through new activities.
Characterisation:
Some of the characters are very vivid eg Fell, Grimaud, Dumont. Minor characters were well also well-drawn.
Dialogue:
Old-fashioned but adds convincingly to the characterisation
Setting and Description:
Good evocation of a wintry London in the 1930s
Showing/Telling:
Heaps of telling by today’s standards but one expects that in an older book. Includes a couple of diagrams to explain the action.
Readability:
I found I could only read it in snatches due to the intensity and complexity of it.
Sub-plots:
No - but contains an excellent exposition on Locked Room mysteries!
Read another by same author?
Yes - for the mental exercise if nothing else!
www.davidkilner.com
Overall:
Classic ‘Locked Room’ murder mystery involving Dr Gideon Fell. Intense, intriguing, old-fashioned in its style of writing but entertaining and kept my interest.
Plotting:
Clever and complex. Only just believable, mainly because two leading characters both get shot but manage to stay alive long enough to add to the mystery through new activities.
Characterisation:
Some of the characters are very vivid eg Fell, Grimaud, Dumont. Minor characters were well also well-drawn.
Dialogue:
Old-fashioned but adds convincingly to the characterisation
Setting and Description:
Good evocation of a wintry London in the 1930s
Showing/Telling:
Heaps of telling by today’s standards but one expects that in an older book. Includes a couple of diagrams to explain the action.
Readability:
I found I could only read it in snatches due to the intensity and complexity of it.
Sub-plots:
No - but contains an excellent exposition on Locked Room mysteries!
Read another by same author?
Yes - for the mental exercise if nothing else!
www.davidkilner.com
July 14, 2013
Intelligent crime fiction at its best, although necessarily more than a trifle fantastic, given the themes of coffins and the non-dead!
February 22, 2021
It was really cool to read these stories written over 80 years ago. I loved that they knew they were in a book. I preferred The Burning Court over The Three Coffins. I really didn't know how that one was going to end.
February 18, 2024
Both The Three Coffins and The Burning Court are classic, locked-room mysteries in their own right. Must reads for any mystery readers or writers.
May 25, 2016
rating is actually for The Peacock Feather Mystery written under Carr's pen name Carter Dickson to give credit to Carr for that book; this is Sir Henry Merrivale #6
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews