The Tea Leaf

by Robert Eustace, Edgar Jepson

A famous Golden Age locked-room detective story.

Genres: Mystery, Short Stories

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1925

About the author

One of several pseudonyms used by Eustace Robert Barton.

Reviews

[Anjan Das · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good one.I like the procces

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Tea-Leaf is a famous locked-room mystery short story by Robert Eustace (a pseudonym for Eustace Robert Barton) and Edgar Jepson. It was first published in 1925 and is considered a classic of the Golden Age of detective fiction.

The story revolves around two former friends who have a heated argument in the hottest room of a Turkish bath. Shortly after, one of them is found stabbed to death in the same room, with no murder weapon in sight1. The mystery is eventually solved by the genius of the murdered man's daughter. An excellent locked room mystery.

[Teemu Öhman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This “impossible” murder mystery was originally published in The Strand Magazine in October 1925. The version I listened to was read by Caroline Crampton as an episode of her quite entertaining Shedunnit podcast. She did an OK job, but although she’s a fine podcast host, she’s not a voice actor (as far as I know). However, if she decides to read more of the golden age murder mysteries on her show, I’ll certainly be listening.

I liked the structure of the story, with the denouement taking place at the court room. The anonymous narrator being a friend of everyone involved also worked just fine and made it more believable. And given how short the story is, the characters were developed enough. The only real problem was that the solution to the “impossible” murder was so very predictable. Maybe not in 1925, but since then we’ve seen this a number of times.

Overall, this made my kitchen chores much less annoying, so it served its purpose.

3.5/5

[Vintagebooklvr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very clever though I think impossible murders are not in favor today. Today, people expect to be able to figure things out from the information they are given and it really isn't here. I had a general idea of what happened but was far off about the specifics. They are fun to read sometimes.

[Dayna Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

The classic short story that was the forerunner of the locked room mystery. Two former friends, who now hate each other, meet in a Turkish bath. One exits and goes to the shampoo room and the other is found dead. No weapon is found, the living man is charged with murder and it takes the genius of the victim's daughter to prove him innocent.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun quick classic locked room mystery.
Unusual solution and the character well developed for the short amount of time you get to spend with them in the story.

[Jack Heath]

Synopsis: a murder mystery involving a locked-room. The case is taken on by a female detective.