Фантома на Лондон

The Ringer #1

by Edgar Wallace, Димитър Стайков (Translator), Едгар Уолъс

The chief protagonist a typical Wallace anti-hero vigilante, one Henry Arthur Milton, aka The Ringer, a legendary assassin who killed for personal vengeance. The main character Inspector Wembury of Scotland Yard, who is having a very bad day. It is his first day as the new commander of Deptford Division; his immediate superior, the brutish, inappropriately named Chief Inspector Bliss, is back from America full of ideas like Tommy guns on the streets of London and a British FBI: his fiancée has just taken a job as secretary to a local lawyer Maurice Meister, an outwardly respectable but actually murderous criminal who Wembury knows - but cannot prove - was responsible for his fiancee's impressionable younger brother ending up doing a 4-year jail term for a robbery.

Wembury's day is made miserably complete when the news is received that The Ringer, having been "confirmed" dead in Australia, is back in London and desiring vengeance against Maurice Meister, for Henry Milton left his only sibling, a much younger sister, in Meister's wardship when he left London and after Milton was supposedly confirmed dead her body was found floating in the River Thames.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Detective, British Literature, Classics, Thriller

160 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1925

About the author

Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace (1875-1932) was a prolific British crime writer, journalist and playwright, who wrote 175 novels, 24 plays, and countless articles in newspapers and journals.

Over 160 films have been made of his novels, more than any other author. In the 1920s, one of Wallace's publishers claimed that a quarter of all books read in England were written by him.

He is most famous today as the co-creator of "King Kong", writing the early screenplay and story for the movie, as well as a short story "King Kong" (1933) credited to him and Draycott Dell. He was known for the J. G. Reeder detective stories, The Four Just Men, the Ringer, and for creating the Green Archer character during his lifetime.

Reviews

[Manuel Alfonseca · Rating 2 out of 5]

ENGLISH: This title has been translated to other languages in very different ways. In German, for instance, it's called "Der Hexer" (The Wizard); in Spanish "El campanero," which I don't think appropriate; I'd have titled it "El Transformista."

Among the many characters in this novel, I'll mention the following: two siblings ruined by their tutor, one of whom has gone astray; the tutor, a lawyer famous for setting criminals free, who now acts as a fence for his clients; a quick-change assassin who wants to take revenge on the previous one; the wife of the murderer; and several police officers and officials, including one in love with the sister of the couple of siblings.

The novel is a nice thriller, but at the end leaves too many untied knots and unresolved questions, such as the following: How could Mary Lenley enter Meister's house? Whose was the cold hand that touched Hackitt while he was burglarizing Meister's house? We never know.

ESPAÑOL: Este título se ha traducido a otros idiomas de forma muy varia. En alemán, por ejemplo, se llama "Der Hexer" (El brujo); en español "El campanero", que no me parece muy oportuno. Yo lo habría titulado "El Transformista".

Entre los muchos personajes de la novela, mencionaré los siguientes: dos hermanos arruinados por su tutor, uno de los cuales se ha ido por mal camino; el tutor, un abogado famoso por sacar libres a los delincuentes, que ahora actúa como perista de sus clientes; un asesino transformista que quiere vengarse del anterior; la esposa del asesino; y varios policías y funcionarios policiales, entre ellos uno que está enamorado de la hermana de la primera pareja mencionada.

La novela es un thriller interesante, pero al final deja demasiados cabos sueltos y preguntas sin resolver, como estas: ¿Cómo entró Mary Lenley en casa de Meister? ¿De quién era la mano fría que tocó a Hackitt mientras robaba en casa de Meister? No nos enteramos.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written in 1925 the story is at times confusing as the author got the timeline wrong with several episodes. The Ringer was a legend and seemed to wait a long time before making his move. I liked the twist at the end of his identity.

Goodness courtship was riddled with class angst in those days. Poor Mary and Alan Wembley. Mary’s brother Johnny was a bit slow and it’s a wonder he could dress himself. Master Meister the crooked lawyer with from what I can gather a legal cocaine habit was not the mastermind he thought he was.

Still entertaining.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

From TIA:
A BBC Radio adaptation by Hugh Stewart and Archie Campbell of Edgar Wallace's classic mystery novel.

Detective Inspector Bliss ... Stanley groome
Divisional Detective Inspector Wembury ... Wensley Pilney
Assistant Commissioner of Police Colonel Walford, C.B. ... Donald Gray
Maurice Meister ... Keneth Kent
Dr. Lomond ... Moultrie Kelsail
Cora Ann Milton ... Mavis Villers
Mary Lenley ... Joan Hart
John Lenley ... Leslie Heritage
Sam Hackett ... Victor Maddern
Sergeant Carter ... Harry Hutchinson
PC Field ... Sam Kydd
Detective ... Duncan McIntyre

Originally Broadcast on the BBC Light Programme on 14 February 1951

https://archive.org/details/theringer...

[Suresh Ramaswamy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is ages since I picked an Edgar Wallace crime thriller. During my high school and undergrad days, I was an avid fan of Wallace. Maybe I have read this book earlier, but I don’t seem to recall the plot. And so, cooped up at home – nationwide lockdown – I picked up this e-book to peruse.

Amongst the Edgar Wallace crime thrillers, I recall a few titles even today which I read about five decades ago – ‘Those Terrible People’, ‘Sanders’, ‘Four Just Men’, ‘Just Men of Cordova’, ‘Three Just Men’, ‘The Mind of J.G. Reeder’ – yes there sure were other books too, which I would recall only if and when I read them.

Edgar Wallace has a thrilling, racy narrative style, which results in his mysteries being page turner thrillers, and often, one gets so engrossed in the plot that you cannot put down the book till you have finished the book.

‘The Ringer’ is the story of an assassin who killed for personal vengeance, a master of disguises, who has never been seen clearly by the authorities – no description / profile / photo exists – and he is wanted by authorities in three continents.

Henry Arthur Milton a.k.a. the Ringer, had to flee England after murdering an important personage, tried in absentia he is sentenced to be hanged to death, but that is in the past and not detailed in the book. He leaves his only sibling, his younger sister Gwenda Milton, under the guardianship of his local lawyer Maurice Meister, an outwardly respectable but actually murderous double-crossing criminal, who acts as a ‘fence’ to his client’s booty and betrays them to the authorities.

News comes back to England, that the Ringer’s drowned body was recovered from the Sydney Harbour. Shortly, thereafter, Gwenda Milton’s body is found floating in Thames. It transpires, as revealed later in the book, that she was admitted to a maternity nursing home and all expenses were borne by Meister.

Unfortunately for Meister, the Ringer is not actually dead, and now he returns to England to avenge his sister’s death. Ringer used to stay in Deptford, London and shortly before the news of his being alive and likely to be in England, Inspector Alan Wembury is posted as the divisional inspector. Renowned anthropologist Dr. Lomond is at the same time posted to Deptford as the Police Surgeon. At the same time
Scotland Yard recalls Chief Inspector Bliss, attached to the Washington Embassy, to head the investigations to capture the Ringer. In the end, bliss does capture the Ringer, but once again Ringer escapes the clutches of law, with the assistance of his wife Cora-Ann Milton and the last passage of the book states ““Clever – clever; aren’t you clever, Mister Bliss!” Cora’s voice was shrill and triumphant. “But The Ringer’s got you where he wants you.” “You think so –” said Bliss, between his teeth, and shouted for the officer on duty in the hall below. “There’s a car waiting for him outside,” taunted Cora, “and a new disguise which he kept in the little room downstairs. And an aeroplane ten miles out, and he’s not afraid to go up in the fog.” “I’ve got you, my lady!” howled Bliss. “And where you are, he’ll be. I know The Ringer! Officer!” he shouted. A policeman came through the door. “I’m Inspector Bliss from the Yard. Don’t let her out of your sight, or I’ll have the coat off your back.” He ran out, stopping only to lock the door. Cora flew after him, but he had taken the key, and she turned, to see the policeman opening the long panel by the door. Then in a flash off came helmet and cape, and she was locked in the arms of this strange man. “This way, Cora,” he said, and pointed to the panel. “La Via Amorosa.” He kissed her and lifted her through the panel. Presently it closed upon them. No man saw The Ringer again that night or for the many nights which followed.”

In the introduction to the plot, the following is stated:

“Who is the Ringer? It will be a clever reader who can spot him before the very end of the story. An exciting page tuner full of intrigue and mystery,”

A book review should not be a spoiler, so I will not reveal who the Ringer is, but obviously I am not one of the clever readers and was confident that Inspector Bliss was the Ringer in disguise, but I was very wrong. So those of you who have read this review do not make the same mistake, and look for Ringer amongst the various other characters.

“The Ringer” is a must-read for all fans of thrilling crime fiction.

[Franziska Nyffenegger · Rating 1 out of 5]

(gelesen in der Ausgabe „Kult Krimi“ des Zeitverlags aus dem Nachlass des Vaters)

In seinem Nachwort schreibt Georg Seesslen: „Edgar Wallace war ein lausiger Schriftsteller (…).“ Dem habe ich nichts anzufügen.

[Mimi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ganz nette Geschichte für zwischendurch. Leider fand ich einige Szenen etwas verwirrend und unnötig für den Fortlauf der Geschichte.

[PostMortem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Първият ми сблъсък с Едгар Уолъс. Не е зле, но също така няма нищо особено, нищо запомнящо се.

[Marina Di Clemente · Rating 5 out of 5]

Non il solito Giallo! una storia che cattura pagina dopo pagina, la lettura non è mai appesantita ed è ricca di colpi di scena ma cosa che rende questo libro favoloso è la figura del 'Mago' del mistero del suo operato e specie il finale che lascia il lettore entusiasta e senza fiato. Questa lettura è una carica di energia e la consiglio a tutti anche a chi non è amante del genere per ricredersi!

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

so the dog is sleeping in my bedroom tonight because I'm slightly scared by the ringer and his deceitfulness. needless to say - 4 stars. more and more often I realise how much better I find old crime stories because they are the ones that get stuck in my head and surprise me the most.

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent Wallace whodunit based on one his own plays, but it doesn't show. Fast moving, unlikely and great fun.

[Ann-Cathrin Klöckner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boring and hysterical. It dragged on and the characters were are all exceptionally stupid. Well written though. Only the last like 5 pages were actually suspenseful.

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Auch dieser Krimi ist gut geschrieben und mit einer Länge von 190 Seiten (in meiner uralten Ausgabe) nicht zu lang und nicht zu kurz. Die Charaktere werden gut genug aufgebaut und der Fall an sich ist recht komplex. Die Auflösung am Ende war auch ganz gut, obwohl ich diese fast zu kurz finde mit knapp 4 Seiten. Der Unterschied zu Der Frosch mit der Maske für mich war hier, dass einerseits weniger Leute sterben und andererseits dass ich dieses Mal wenigstens einen Verdacht hatte, wer der Mörder ist und sogar damit Recht hatte. Im Gegenzug zu den wenigen Toten werden die, die Opfer des Mörders werden gut aufgebaut. Schließlich werden wir vom ersten Kapitel an darauf vorbereitet, dass der Hexer den Herr Meister töten will. Zu Beginn hatte ich auch noch etwas Mitleid mit ihm, aber die Sympathie verliert er schnell, da er Mary so eklig behandelt.

This crime novel is also well written and with a length of 190 pages (in my very old edition) not too long and not too short. The characters are built up well enough and the case itself is quite complex. The resolution at the end was also quite good, although I find it almost too short at just under 4 pages. The difference to The Fellowship of the Frog for me was that on the one hand less people die and on the other hand that this time I at least had a suspicion who the murderer was and was even right about it. In contrast to the few deaths, those who become victims of the killer are well built up. After all, we are prepared from the very first chapter for the fact that the ringer wants to kill Mr. Master. At the beginning I also had some sympathy for him, but he quickly loses that sympathy as he treats Mary so disgustingly.

[Maria Borghini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ho riletto questo romanzo che giudico uno dei migliori di un caposaldo indiscusso del genere giallo. Leggendo Wallace non solo si viene coinvolti, incuriositi, emozionati dalla vicenda narrata ma ci si stupisce di come le sue ambientazioni si rivelino vere e proprie sceneggiature cinematografiche:
... "Improvvisamente la stanza piombò nel buio. Nessuno dei presenti aveva toccato gli interruttori. ... Comparve la luce rossa sopra la porta. Clic! Qualcuno era entrato. ... Chiunque fosse, ora era nella stanza"...
Wallace è stato un autore immenso, eclettico, mai simile neppure a se stesso: ogni storia, ogni romanzo, vedeva dei protagonisti nuovi, diversi, con caratteristiche ben precise e originalissime. In questo romanzo però il vero protagonista è il Mago, ossia un assassino camaleontico, creduto più volte morto per poi tornare a terrorizzare la vittima designata dalla sua inappellabile vendetta. Il Mago riesce a interpretare svariati personaggi, camuffandosi, travestendosi con rapidità sorprendente. Wallace è l'autore giallista che più si presta a farci scoprire che un romanzo giallo non è solo una vicenda coinvolgente per arrivare a scoprire il colpevole, o come riesca a portare a termine il suo piano assassino. Dietro il lavoro di un giallista c'è molto altro: la condanna dell'attività criminale, lo studio di poliedriche materie, la medicina, l'economia, le tecniche di furto, le armi e non ultima, la fisiognomica. Insomma, Il mago è un romanzo da leggere non una volta soltanto e ogni volta, scoprirete un particolare, una descrizione, una frase che vi era sfuggita che vi farà emozionare in maniera differente. Buona letture e ri-lettura!

[John Peel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ringer is a rather typical Wallace protagonist in that he's a vigilante who is willing to kill for the sake of justice. He's also a master of disguise, so the problem for the police is that they don't know what he looks like, and they don't know who he is disguised as. But he's set his sights on a very shady lawyer who is responsible for his sister's death. Entertaining, amusing and fast-paced, this is one of Wallace's best.

[Meakuel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Die Geschichte hat einen gewissen nostalgischen Charme. Wahrscheinlich auch, da ich Filme kenne, die nach diesem hier inspiriert sind bzw. ähnlichen. Ich habe durchaus mit gerätselt und die Figuren sind auch interessant.

[Splashy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gut geschriebener Krimi, der das typische Edgar Wallace Flair verströmt. Leider ist die Story nur mäßig spannend, da man viel zu früh ahnt, wer sich hinter dem Hexer verbirgt und wie sich die Geschichte weiterentwickelt. FAZIT: Eher einer der schlechteren Wallace Krimis.

[Abdo · Rating 4 out of 5]

a good and an exiting book that i like , but i didn't like the mystery ending

[HediBähren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ein historischer Krimi, etwas altmodisch in seinen Ermittlungen und Handlungen.

[Daniela Bräutigam · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Селина Йонкова · Rating 2 out of 5]

ами… чете се, но си е доста старомодно и предвидимо.

[charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Avvincente, scorrevole, e, come ogni giallo che si rispetti, con gran colpo di scena finale. Una piacevole scoperta di questo autore, di cui leggerò sicuramente altri romanzi

[Rob Thompson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dated tale from "the man who wrote too much". Listened via the BBC Sounds app.

[Pavla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bohužel jsem věděla, kdo je Maska skoro na začátku.

[Arianna De Ceglia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟
Storia scorrevole. Lettura passatempo, non il libro della vita ma piacevole per qualcosa di leggero!

[Dorotea Cerra · Rating 1 out of 5]

Una serie infinita di incongruenze combinate a una traduzione che lascia spesso a desiderare.

[Hanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has a problem - that problem is the characters. They are so likable, and yet they are the stupidest creatures to adorn a book page. Especially the pathetic heroine of the story. If ever there was a literary picture of a dumb blond, this girl is it. Wallace can't have had much faith in the female mind when he wrote her. I can tell this book was written almost a century ago. It provokes me.
The mystery itself was a nice and soft one, which I enjoyed. But the development was leaping and sometimes very frustrating. I still got the murderer wrong, which was good, but the characters were unnecessarily naive. And here, as in many other older books, I miss the afterword which has become so common in modern writing. Even though I thought they were highly lacking in brain activity, I still wanted to know how they all did afterwards. And yet I appreciate the short books of older days... Some people just can't be pleased. :p

[Batool Alsaeed · Rating 2 out of 5]

حسناً بما أنني قرأتها مترجمة ، سأكتب رأيي عنها بالعربي أيضاً.
قرأتها وأنا صغيرة لا أكاد أبلغ الثانية عشر أو من هذا القبيل ، وأتذكر بأنني أحببتها كثيرًا
فلقد كنت مولعةً بقصص الغموض ، وأهداني إياها أخي لعلها تنال أعجابي .
أتذكر كيف أحببتها وقبل أن أعيد قرأتها تذكرت بأنني أعتقد بأن نهايتها مدهشة رغم أنها أصبحت مبهمة بعد كل هذه السنين .
كانت قراءة سريعة ، فلقد كانت لا تتجاوز 152 صفحة .
أحببت الترجمة وكرهتها في ذات الوقت ، ولم أعلم إن كان هذا الحال ذاته للكتاب بلغته الأصلية ، لأنني حين قرأتها للمرة الثانية بعقلي الأكبر سناً . وجدت فراغاتٍ كثيرة لم يملئها الكاتب أو المترجم لا أعلم .
الترجمة كانت غالبيتها جميلة ولو أنني لم أحبذ أموراً فيها كثيرًا

القصة تتناول عن قاتلٍ يلقب بالدقاق ، وكان ضابط طيران سابق ولكن حدث شيئاً ما وبدأ يقتل أعداءه
والقصة هنا تتمحور عن حياة عدة أشخاص في لندن ومعرفتهم بالدقاق سواء كانت مباشرة أو لا.
أحببت فكرة القصة وكنت أتمنى لو أخبرونا كيف بدأ الدقاق بالقتل ، وسرد لنا الكاتب جرائمه وتخفياته وأسباب قتل أعداءه . لكنه لم يطرح كل ذلك
شعرت وكأنني اقرأ الجزء الثاني لسلسلةٍ ما ، وبأن كل الجرائم التي ارتكبها الدقاق ولت ومضى عليه زمن وعاد من جديد لينتقم من الشخص الذي دفع بأخته للأنتحار .

وددت لو لم اقرأها من جديد ، لو أنني احتفظت بتلك الفكرة الجميلة عنها فقط .

[Maya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Das erste Buch von Edgar Wallace, das ich je gelesen habe, und ich bin nicht enttäuscht worden. Jemand hat ihn mit Agatha Christie verglichen, von der ich schon einiges kenne, und ich würde sagen, die Ähnlichkeit ist auf jeden Fall vorhanden. Ich fand die Geschichte angenehm zu lesen, spannend um mitzuraten, und an einigen Stellen zwar etwas offensichtlich, aber im großen und ganzen Nicht so, dass ich an irgendeiner Stelle meine Freude am Lesen verloren hätte. Es ist eine eher ruhige Geschichte, oder auf jeden Fall fand ich sie sehr ruhig und entspannt zu lesen, und das Tempo war in meinen Augen ein sehr angenehmes. Die Auflösung am Ende kommt vielleicht ein wenig kurz, im Vergleich zu allem, das vorher gewesen ist, aber im großen und ganzen hat mir die Geschichte und der Schreibstil trotzdem gut gefallen, und es wird ganz sicher nicht das letzte Buch sein, das ich von ihm lesen werde.

[Esma T · Rating 2 out of 5]

Parmak İzi, Altınpost Yayınlarının ortaya koyduğu facia dışında genel olarak iyiydi, okumazsanız hiçbir şey kaybetmeyeceğiniz kitaplardan. Ben puanımı yayınevinin bask��sından bağımsız veriyorum, sonuçta bu yazarın suçu değil. Bir daha da bu yayınevinden kitap okumak istemiyorum, her kitapta hatalar olur ancak bu kitaptaki hata değil özensizlikti.
Ayrıntılı yorum için; http://yorumatolyesi.blogspot.com/201...

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me, there was too much rather corny love interest and not enough Ringer. It got a bit more interesting towards the end but overall rather disappointing.

I would have given it two and a half stars if I could but It's better than two.