Obelists En Route

Michael Lord #2

by C. Daly King, Otto Penzler (introduction)

The discovery of a corpse turns a cross-country train journey into a closed-circle hunt for a killer.


The magnificent Transcontinental Express, showcasing the cutting edge of mid-1930s luxury train travel, is making its first trip from New York to San Francisco. For its record-breaking maiden voyage—coast to coast in three days with no passenger stops—the express carries only invited guests, among them renowned businessmen, physicians, psychologists, and even a high-ranking member of the NYPD.



Among refined staterooms, an elegant dining car, and a “recreation room” for bridge, ping-pong, and dancing, the vehicle’s most lauded feature is the swimming pool car—which is precisely where the waterlogged corpse of a prominent banker is discovered just one day into the journey. Uncertain of the cause of death and fearing negative publicity, the conductor drives on for the West Coast, charging a select group of passengers, including the sharp-witted Dr. Pons, with the task of uncovering what has occurred—even as every new piece of evidence seems to suggest more perplexing possibilities.



Hopelessly rare in first edition and never before published in the United States, Obelists en Route is a brilliantly complex Golden Age mystery from one of the greatest American authors of the period. Besides its intriguing whodunit plot, the book’s period detail and locomotive setting make it a welcome rediscovery today.

Genres: Mystery

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1934

About the author

Charles Daly King (1895-1963) was an American psychologist. He was educated at Newark Academy, Yale and Columbia University. After Army service in WW1 he trained in psychology and wrote several textbooks. In the 1930s he wrote seven detective novels while working in psychology. His detective, Michael Lord, is attached to the New York police department. Lord's cases are recounted by a Watson figure, Dr L Rees Pons. King coined the word 'Obelists' to describe suspects, and used it in three of his titles. Another series character, Trevis Tarrant, appears in a book of short stories. After Bermuda Burial (1940) King wrote no further fiction.

Reviews

[Michael Reilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 1934 novel was recently reissued in the American Mystery Classics series. It was originally published in England, even though King was an American. This is its first full American edition.

King was a psychologist. He wrote four Obelist detective stories. "Obelist" is a word he invented that, depending on when he was quoted, meant either "of little or no worth" or "one who views with suspicion". Each story features Michael Lord of the NYC police and a variety of psychologist representing different schools of psychology.

This has a great mystery story premise. Transcontinental Railroad is introducing a new luxury cross country train. The inaugural trip from New York to San Francisco is a special celebrity/VIP crowd.

One of the special features is a swimming pool in a railroad car. A wealthy industrialist passenger, Sabot Hodges, is found dead in the pool early on the first morning of the trip. Lord needs to determine if it was an accident, a suicide or a murder.

Each of the four specialists, a Freudian, an integrative, a Hormic and a Gestalt psychologist, come up with a theory of what happened, consistent with their school of psychology. A second shooting happens on the train and the mystery grows. This is a well-constructed fair-play mystery. One of the features is a "Clue Finder" at the end of the book which gives page and line references for each of the important clues. King also gives us several diagrams of the train and a map.

King adds in chunks of psychology, as each practitioner describes their approach. He footnotes the leading articles and books on each school of thought and provides a bibliography. We get, for example, eight pages explaining "integrative psychology".

This book is written in the shadow of the depression. There are discussions about the economy. There is ten pages on a popular economic theory called "social credit", with references to the important writing and a section on "Technocratic Economics".

Overall, this is an excellent and clever mystery with a certain amount of preaching and lecturing sprinkled in. I enjoyed it.

[Darius Ostrowski · Rating 2 out of 5]

You know, sometimes I see the "American Mystery Classics" cover at my local library and I just get the book, knowing that I will probably be entertained, especially if I have read a previous chapter in a classic series. I picked up "Obelists En Route" by C. Daly King since I had read the first book in the series. It was only after I had to wade through several chapters on economic theory and/or psychological theory that I looked back at my review of the first book and realized I didn't enjoy that one either.

It is the 1930s, and Inspector Lord is invited on a transcontinental train journey of a new prestigious route. Unfortunately one of the special guests, a famous industrial tycoon, is found dead in the swimming pool (yes, it was that type of train) on the second day. But was this an unfortunate accident? Suicide? Or murder? When someone tries to kill both the victim's secretary and his daughter, Inspector Lord (along with the helpful psychologist Dr. Pons from the previous book) have a killer on the loose. Will they be able to stop the murderer before the train reaches San Francisco?

Not a bad example of the classic murder on a train plot, other that the screeching halts of the plot for extensive lectures on economics and psychology. Seriously, there are chapter after chapter of psychologists spouting their theories, or else economic lectures from both passengers and Inspector Lord. These can be (and should be) easily skipped to get back to a classic golden age mystery.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting enough mystery, with treatises on economic policy and psychoanalytical theory thrown in for good measure. Plus I love mysteries that take place on trains. This one has the added bonus of containing a swimming pool. The book ran slightly too long, but otherwise was engaging and entertaining.

[Andréa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first one (Obelists at Sea) was better, but it was still fun to read about a fast cross-country luxury train with a swimming pool on board. I really appreciate the diagrams and the clue finder at the end.

[Martina Sartor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Troppe teorie psicologiche superflue, ma ambientazione e 'camera chiusa' del delitto sono sufficientemente interessanti.

[Ron Kastner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe a 3.5; but the plot is ingenious. the text though is a bit long winded. I do like Detective Lord though.

[Mary]

I received this book as part of my bookclub monthly book from the Mysterious Bookshop. It was very Cid, lots of twists and turns. Every time I thought I figured it out I was wrong.

[Christine Dietzenbach · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the mystery in the book but way way too much on psychology premises,I just kept turning the pages until I got back to the mystery. I did not see the point of it. Spoiled the book for me.

[Graham Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too much of a psychology textbook

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author was a psychologist, so in addition to a fun mystery the book provides insight into the early schools. I now have a list of 1930s psychology books I want to read!