A classic "locked room" mystery that was hard to put down. The writing moves the reader into the atmosphere of the mystery "I watched the pipe smoke slide around the candle flames, and the whole room whispered with unpleasant suggestions..." and allows the reader to envision the characters "The most curious study was the self assured old lady breaking to pieces like the wax-flower placidness of her face...hand pressed to her pouched and smeary eyes, her breast heaving, and would not speak...". I look forward to reading more of John Dickson Carr's (aka Carter Dickson) books featuring Henry Merrivale (10 books) and Gideon Fell (11 books). If you like mysteries, you will enjoy these.