Nove Volte Nove

Sister Ursula #1

by Anthony Boucher

The man in the yellow robe had put a curse on Wolfe Harrigan—the ancient curse called the Nine Times Nine. And when Matt Duncan looked up from the croquet lawn that afternoon, he saw the man in the yellow robe in Wolfe Harrigan’s study.

When Matt got there, all the doors were locked and all the windows too; all locked from the inside. Harrigan’s sister sat outside the room. She had seen no one come out. But when the door was broken down, there was no man in a yellow robe in the room, and the body of Wolfe Harrigan lay murdered on the floor.

Later the police discovered that at the time of the murder the man in the yellow robe was lecturing to a group of his followers miles away!

A man who could be in two places at once? An astral body? A miracle, perhaps?

Then who better to explain miracles than Sister Ursula, a nun, whose childhood ambition was to become a policewoman.

(Publisher’s description)

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Golden Age Mystery, Classics, Crime

239 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1940

About the author

William Anthony Parker White, better known by his pen name Anthony Boucher, was an American author, critic, and editor who wrote several classic mystery novels, short stories, science fiction, and radio dramas. Between 1942 and 1947, he acted as reviewer of mostly mystery fiction for the San Francisco Chronicle. In addition to "Anthony Boucher", White also employed the pseudonym "H. H. Holmes", which was the pseudonym of a late-19th-century American serial killer; Boucher would also write light verse and sign it " Herman W. Mudgett" (the murderer's real name).
In a 1981 poll of 17 detective story writers and reviewers, his novel Nine Times Nine was voted as the ninth best locked room mystery of all time.

Reviews

[Manon (mysterymanon) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Puzzling! Definitely needed more Sister Urusula (sorry, Matt) but it was surprisingly meta and delightfully plotted.

Did someone say BOOK CLUB?! 👀

Impress your friends by reading the ninth best locked room mystery of all time—a book that has somehow, so far, escaped republication. (The ebook is easy to find, however.)

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel, the first of Boucher's two featuring amateur detective Sister Ursula, both written as by H.H. Holmes (a moniker of a prolific 19th-century serial killer), is quite openly an homage to the work of John Dickson Carr: it's dedicated to Carr and the best part of one of its chapters is devoted to an analysis of Carr's famous "locked-room lecture" in The Hollow Man (1935; vt The Three Coffins). It reads rather like a Carr novel too, although it lacks some of the sprightliness, the sense of the Gothic and the constantly threatened iconoclasm -- in fact, it's percolated with a heavy dash of Catholicism.

Wolfe Harrigan makes a profession out of exposing religious charlatans and cultists. His principal current targets are the flamboyant Ahasver, who claims to be the immortal Wandering Jew and heads the increasingly influential Temple of Light, and the less successful Swami Mahopadhyaya Virasenanda, aka Hermann Sussmaul. Circumstances drag broke, jobless writer Matt Duncan into the ambit of the wealthy Catholic Harrigan family, and before he knows it Wolfe has offered him the post of ghostwriter and popularizer.

But then Wolfe is murdered in his study by, apparently, a tall man dressed in Ahasver's characteristic yellow robe. Ahasver confesses that he committed the crime himself -- or, at least, his astral projection did, because he himself has an uncrackable alibi. Besides, wasn't the study almost hermetically sealed, with every possible exit locked or otherwise secured except one, which led to a small chapel where the most devout of all the Harrigans was praying?

So we have a locked-room "impossible" murder with a vengeance, and Matt himself is the witness to how impossible it all is! Enter Lieutenant Terence Marshall of the LAPD and family friend Sister Ursula, who just happens to be rather good at solving mysteries and has the advantage over Marshall of being able to bring her theological knowledge to bear . . .

There are two reveals in the denouement: the identity of the murderer and the way the locked-room trick was done. The first puzzle has been solved by Sister Ursula quite some while beforehand, and by the reader too, assuming s/he has some basic knowledge of English history. The second is far more complicated, fiendishly so -- in fact, so fiendishly so that it exemplifies a problem I often have with locked-room mysteries: the mechanics of the trick are so improbably baroque that I don't believe for one moment they'd work in real life.

No one expects classic detective stories to be realistic, but for me they shouldn't be so implausible that the reader's suspended disbelief comes crashing down. I could happily accept all the other artificialities of Boucher's tale -- the deliberately and humorously stereotyped characters, the caricature of Ahasver and his cult teachings, etc. -- but the untanglement of the locked-room mystery had my eyes rolling almost out of their sockets.

The same's true, though, when I've read the explanations at the end of some of Carr's novels, so this characteristic doesn't disqualify Nine Times Nine as a pretty damn' fine read, at least in my opinion. A few of its attitudes are a bit dated, shall we say, but far less so than in many US novels of this era (Nine Times Nine was first published in 1940), and they're countered by other comments that are pleasingly liberal for their day.

I read this in one of those jolly little International Polygonics paperback editions, as rebound by Boston Public Library in hardback so tightly that my wrists began to throb from the effort of holding the pages apart -- try laying the book flat open and you'd be likely to get your fingers caught as in a mousetrap.

[John Yeoman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is said to be the ultimate Locked Room mystery. The story is elegantly written and larded with craft skills. A joy to read! Alas, its ingenious solution is byzantine, silly and totally implausible. That arch analyst of Locked Room mysteries, Gideon Fell, would have laughed. I'd loved to have given this story 5 stars, if only for its finesse and playful misdirections. But as it sets out - purposefully - to convey the Ultimate Locked Room puzzle, I can't. It fails. Alas.

[Les Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard to follow

Afraid it must be me. Although I enjoyed the book I found it very difficult to follow the story line.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wolfe Harrigan exposes religious frauds in Southern California. As a wealthy man, he can afford to spend his time like this; as a devout Catholic, he feels it is his duty to expose heresy. A chance meeting brings him in contact with stony-broke writer Matt Duncan, whom he hires as an assistant. When Wolfe is cursed by a target for his investigations and then dies in a mysteriously locked room, the police are more than puzzled. Fortunately, Sister Ursula is on hand, and reads both the dying clue that Harrigan has left, and the way out of his locked study. The clue is a dilly; the solution to the locked room a little less so, but the colorful characters and fast action will distract most readers from any skepticism they may have.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard to find in print. Sister Ursula is the detective. Very interesting locked-room mystery; summarizes the info on locked-room puzzles from John Dickson Carr's Three Corpses. Worth a read if you can find it.

[Puzzle Doctor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic locked room mystery. Full review at classicmystery.blog

[Adam Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent locked-room mystery featuring a detective nun. Full review at https://murderatthemanse.substack.com...

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Nine Times Nine] –Anthony Boucher (California)
3★
I was attracted to this book because it said that it contained a “locked room mystery” which sounded interesting and I had participated in a “locked room” mystery party once and found it fun. I liked some of the story but I found that parts of it were very hard to follow. I believe part of the problem may have been due to the fact that the book was written 81 years ago, (1940). Neither the police nor Sister Ursula had any of the conveniences available at that period to help the reader solve the crime. I couldn’t even think in terms of what was available then. I also found that I was liking the characters less and less and had almost no patience with them I read on. The mystery was worked out in the end… but not by me. I’m giving the book a 3 but I’m sure that it was more me than it was the story that lost it a higher rating.

[Josh Hitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe closer to a 3.5, but I did enjoy this locked room mystery. A man is killed in his study that is locked up tight, witnesses see a man in a yellow robe in the window right before they find the dead body. It just so happens that a cult leader who is known for his yellow robe wanted the man dead for interfering with his cult. Overall, it's well written, maybe a tad long. There is a chapter where he is basically going through a John Dickson Carr novel and using it as a guide to locked room mysteries that could have been cut totally. I've seen reviews that complained about the solution, but to me, I thought it was fine and that overall, it worked.

Recommended if you are into 1930-40s locked room mysteries. Most of them are alike, and this one isn't worse than most other than again a tad long.

[Calum Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

A–:

Amazing locked room solution. Valuable insight into religion and politics. L-O-V-E Sister Ursula as a sleuth. Top novel!

[Whistler's Mom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never play cards for money with a nun. They know too much about human nature.

Californian Anthony Boucher is best known as a critic, editor, and anthologist, but he wrote science fiction and a few mysteries. This one is considered to be one of the top ten "locked room" mysteries and is dedicated to John Dickson Carr. One entire chapter is devoted to one of Carr's books, as two of the three detectives attempt to use Carr's expertise to solve their own locked room murder.

Very good for lovers of locked room mysteries, but I'm not a Carr fan. I AM a Sister Ursula fan. I read a Sister Ursula story in an anthology and was hooked like a large-mouth bass. I loved the two Sister Ursula stories in the Kindle collection of Boucher's mystery stories and was thrilled to find this one on sale. And it's every bit as good as I expected, locked doors notwithstanding.

It's set in L.A. in 1940. The Harrigans are an old family, wealthy due to the rapacious business tactics of Rufus Harrigan. He left two sons and a daughter and one son has a grown son and daughter. So not a huge family to keep track of, thank God.

Journalist Matt Duncan was fired when the government grant that funded his job ended. He's pulled into the Harrigan's circle by an old fraternity brother who claims to be engaged to Concha Harrigan. She says he's not, but he's reluctant to take no for an answer.

The Harrigans are devout Catholics. Concha is threatening to leave college and join a convent. Everyone is horrified, then astonished when Sister Ursula is the one who talks her out of it. Why? The sisters pray for girls with vocations, but they don't want ones who are running away from unhappy homes. The nuns in charge of the novitiate have enough trouble without dealing with teen angst. And poor Concha has enough teen angst for herself and some left over.

Her mother is dead and Concha senses a mystery about her death and jumps to the worse possible conclusion. Her brother Arthur is a lazy bum with an eye to the main chance. Aunt Ellen is a spinster who spends most of her time in the family chapel. She's spending her inheritance supporting the work of Sister Ursula's religious order. Uncle Joseph is a pompous lawyer with designs on a political career.

Concha's father Wolfe has devoted his life to researching and exposing the religious scams so common in L.A. Not only do they offend his Catholic sensibilities, they take money from gullible people who can't afford it, and they can be used as political weapons. A local Swami has been tried for obtaining money under false pretenses and is determined to take revenge on Wolfe Harrigan. For a man of God, the Swami is damned handy with a revolver.

Now Wolfe has turned his sights on the Temple of Light and its high priest Ahasver, who claims to be one of the Ancients, sent to L.A. to correct the misconceptions spread by modern Christian churches. He has a large following, all enthralled by his charismatic messages. When he condemns Wolfe Harrigan for persecuting him and puts the "Nine Times Nine" curse on him, his followers are convinced that Wolfe's life span is limited. They're right, but Ahasver has an air-tight alibi.

Wolfe has hired Matt Duncan to help him write up his material on Ahasver, but hints that he knows the real power behind the Temple. Unfortunately, it looks like he took that information to the grave with him. LAPD Detective Lieutenant Terrance Marshall enlists Duncan's help to find it and Sister Ursula has some ideas, too.

Marshall and Duncan are both likable characters and Sister Ursula is a oner. Turns out she belongs to an unsanctioned order that sets its own rules. Convenient for the author since she can leave the convent once a year and do anything she wants. Josephine Tey used this device very effectively in one of her mysteries ("A Shilling for Candles".) Are there really that many convents and monasteries that operate outside the laws of the church or is it just handy for authors to invent them?

Boucher was a fine writer and this book makes me wish he'd spent more time writing mysteries. He uses his characters and his setting effectively, giving the reader a feel for the complex society in the City of Angels, which started as a Catholic mission and attracted a wide variety of people from all over America. The Harrigans are Irish Catholics, but Concha's mother was a member of an old Spanish-American family. Her mixed heritage complicates her life, but adds richness to her character.

And it's 1940, a pivotal year in world history. Europe is in flames, but the U.S. is still taking a wait-and-see attitude toward WWII. Ambitious politicians on both sides are lining up to take advantage of the turmoil. A priest with a popular radio program preaches hatred of Jews and other minorities. The greatest threat (according to him) is communism and the U.S. should be supporting Fascist and Nazi leaders, not opposing them. Is it coincidence that Ahaver is preaching the same message?

This is an outstanding mystery and a good novel. Don't skip it because you don't like locked-room mysteries, because there's much more to it.

[Diletta Nicastro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bello, bello, bello.
'Nove volte nove' mi è stato prestato da un’amica (a cui a sua volta era stato prestato dalla mamma) e devo ammettere che io, sebbene ami il genere giallo (e ancor di più il giallo di inizio Novecento), non avevo mai sentito nominare Anthony Boucher e ancor meno la sua Sorella Ursula (a cui ha dedicato anche un secondo romanzo, 'Sorella Ursula indaga' nel 1942).
Prima ancora di iniziare la lettura mi informo su Boucher e scopro che si tratta dello pseudonimo di William Anthony Parker White (1911-1968), considerato il più famoso recensore di romanzi gialli della storia e che il suo 'Nove volte nove' nel 1981 è stato inserito al nono posto (quale altro posto potevano assegnargli ;) ) tra le migliori storie mystery nella categoria camera chiusa.
Con queste informazioni ho iniziato a leggere e devo ammettere che non sono rimasta delusa dalle aspettative. L’inizio è un po’ complesso (credo dovuto soprattutto alla traduzione in italiano) perché non si capiscono i cambi temporali (il romanzo si immagina che sia tutto un ricordo di Matt dopo qualche mese che i fatti sono accaduti ma non si comprende quando la narrazione del presente si trasforma nel ricordo del passato).
Detto questo devo ammettere che la scrittura è decisamente moderna e la storia appassiona fin dall’inizio (catturando definitivamente nel momento in cui Matt varca la soglia di casa Harrigan), ed ha un ritmo quasi familiare, inducendo il lettore a sentire i personaggi come degli amici. Ogni giorno mi accingevo a leggere uno o due capitoli della storia e mi sembrava di ritrovarmi in un mondo caldo ed accogliente (nonostante i delitti commessi…!).
Il giallo si basa molto sull’essenza della religione cattolica, il che mi ha fatto piacere, anche perché devo ammettere di aver compreso alcuni elementi fondamentali del giallo quasi solo ‘a pelle’, perché alcuni eventi li reputavo dissonanti o non dissonanti proprio perché mi immedesimavo in questi personaggi così devoti (mentre per i protestanti, che alcuni elementi non li hanno nella loro religione, non li captano alla prima lettura, o almeno così spiega Matt Duncan).
Altro elemento interessante è la camera chiusa, tipo di giallo che ha affascinato tutti i più famosi giallisti della storia, a partire da John Dickson Carr che al riguardo ha redatto un vero e proprio vademecum; vademecum che l’ispettore di polizia studia assieme a Matt per scartare ogni possibile ipotesi. Il libro è dedicato infatti al celebre scrittore per mostrargli, con classe e rispetto, che esiste anche un’altra possibilità di camera chiusa…

Complessivamente il libro è un piccolo capolavoro, consigliatissimo a tutti coloro che amano il giallo e vogliono conoscere qualche perla meno nota.

Per la recensione completa visita il mio blog: https://dilettanicastro.blogspot.com/...

[Alberto Avanzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

“«Cos'hai fatto di bello?»
«Ho letto finché non mi è venuto sonno.»
«Un altro giallo?» C'era solo una traccia di disprezzo professionale nella sua voce.
«Sì, ed era meraviglioso. Su un delitto in una stanza chiusa. Sono la mia passione questi. Hai una sigaretta? Le ho finite.»
«Non...!» tuonò Marshall.
«Sveglierai Terry.»
Lui riprese a voce più bassa: «Non parlarmi di stanze chiuse».
«I calzini vanno nel sacco della roba sporca, non nel cestino della carta straccia. Ma questo è eccezionale. C'è un intero capitolo intitolato "Conferenza sulla stanza chiusa."»
«Ti ho detto di non...»
«Sccc...» Leona sbadigliò. «Prende in esame tutte le possibilità, ed elenca ogni soluzione immaginabile al problema della stanza chiusa. È eccezionale.»
Il tenente Marshall rimase un momento fermo, seminudo e ciondolante per il sonno. Poi si diede una scossa e sbatté vigorosamente le palpebre per liberarle dal sonno. «Dov'è quel libro?»”

Un libro che gioca col lettore e la sua passione per il giallo, rompendo la quarta parete e introducendo un personaggio, la moglie del poliziotto incaricato delle indagini su un delitto di camera chiusa, che è appassionato di gialli e sta leggendo proprio Le tre bare di Carr, costruendo così un contrasto piacevole fra letteratura gialla e veri casi criminali, e facendo da personaggio mediatore nei confronti del lettore.
Qui la camera chiusa è relativamente semplice, senza i trucchi a cui alcuni scrittori ci hanno abituati, quindi con una sensazione generale di piacevolezza, mitigata però dal fatto che, proprio per la sua semplicità, il lettore esperto può capire abbastanza facilmente il meccanismo, il trick usato, e quindi restare parzialmente deluso, aspettandosi magari il colpo di scena finale che invece non arriva.
Un altro punto debole è aver diviso l’indagine fra troppi detective, il tenente Marshall, suor Ursula, Matt e se vogliamo anche la moglie di Marshall, perdendo in efficacia, per quanto ognuno dei personaggi di per sé sia simpatico e ben caratterizzato. Poi non amo molto l’indizio in punto di morte, che qui è piuttosto importante. Interessante invece l’ambientazione, datata e attuale al tempo stesso, nel mondo delle sette religiose.
Un bel libro in complesso, che consiglio agli amanti del giallo classico in particolare e delle camere chiuse in particolare, che forse dirà poco a chi predilige schemi narrativi ed enigmi più moderni.

[Ron Kerrigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boucher could write 'em as well as pick 'em.

I was introduced to the name "Anthony Boucher' when I happened upon a group of five mystery paperbacks in the mid 1960's grouped as "The World's Great Novels of Detection." Boucher wrote the intro to each book, and since three of the books in that series are among my favorite all-time reads ("Rim of the Pit" by Hake Talbot, "Cue for Murder" by Helen McCloy and "Green For Danger" by Christianna Brand), I gained respect for Boucher's ability to choose mysteries for me. When I happened on this and a few of his other mysteries, I was naturally anxious to read them. They don't disappoint (although they don't soar to the heights of the three books mentioned above.) This one, involving a cult, is fun to read and has some impossible crimes to solve, in keeping with the Golden Age.

(By the way, the other two books in that series were "A Blunt Instrument" by Georgette heyer, and "Cat of Many Tails" by Ellery Queen.)

[Anne Tigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Boucheron is an annual gathering of mystery fans and writers held at different locales. This year The Boucheron 2025 is in New Orleans. Anthony Boucheron's Nine Times Nine, published in 1940, is a locked-room classic. Set in Los Angeles it is in many ways a step back in time when a memorial marked the entrance to Olvera Street, "a little Mexican street in the midst of the city, keep flourishing the traditions of our native minority...overridden with tourism and artiness." The dialogue is sharp, modern life is observed with good humor, scenes are well-drawn. The Temple of Light, a very California cult, is a front for a political movement, even called 'fascism.' Many aspects of the mystery resonate with current day, while a few--especially attitudes toward women--are cringe. Nine Times Nine is A Sister Ursula Mystery, and the nuns and convent life are portrayed as if the author was truly familiar with them. Enjoyable read; I will read more of Boucher's mysteries.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

While familiar with Anthony Boucher as a mystery writer for whom the mystery conference Bouchercon is named and the Anthony Awards given, I had not read any of his books. Published in 1940 this is a classic locked room mystery and features nun sleuth Sister Ursula. From our 21st century perspective some of it seems outdated but within the plot and characters there are some surprisingly relevant observations.

[Umer Abbas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This appeared on Ed hochs list of 15 best impossible crime books coincidentally at no.9 does it deserve it's place? Well

I figured out the significance of the yellow robe and how and why it should be there as soon as it was mentioned overall though I would not put it at no. 9 but all in all a plausible solution if not astounding.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic closed door mystery

Fun characters in classic vintage murder mystery.
Impossible to suss out solution , and a bit tedious in some detailed “ what if’s” , but a great summer read.

[Dogsandbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable locked room mystery with bit of political commentary. Could definitely read more. Dpl ebook via freading

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good solid locked-room mystery with a clever solution.

[Antonella Sacco]

carino
un mio commento a questo link

https://antsacco.com/2025/08/13/nove-...

[Jessi · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Classic Mystery podcast again describes this better than I ever could. The biggest drawback was the fact that this book was written in a time where political correctness didn't exist so there are some discordant notes and the mystery is a little out there.
Sister Ursula's first mystery doesn't have her in it very much. Instead, a lot of the story is focused on Matt Duncan. Through a series of odd events, he ends up the protege of Wolfe Harrigan, a journalist who thrives on exposing cults. When the latest cult he's researching heaps the curse of nine times nine on his head, Wolfe is not worried. But then he is killed behind locked doors with Matt as one of the witnesses. The leader of the cult was distinctive in his yellow robes but was also on stage at the same time.

[Lisa Kucharski · Rating 3 out of 5]

What an odd quirky book this is. While it is labeled at Sister Ursula mystery she doesn't get featured in it as a main detective, but as someone who has information and knows who the killer is etc... but the information needs to be coaxed from her. (Which as someone who knows who a killer is and is religious - she doesn't tell what she knows? Hmm)

Anyway the author has other things to deal with, humor, the set up of a locked room mystery, the discussion of a fave author, and commentary about religious hokum etc.... When you approach this book it would help greatly to be a mystery fan. The book is dedicated to John Dickson Carr and with good reason. He did come up with some "how the heck did the murder happen" situations. He also had a great deal of odd characters in his books. This book is a homage to Carr. But it is also a look at the currents of the time it was written.

So, if you're a mystery buff reading this will be fun especially if you go in to it realizing this. If you're not a buff but read this you'll get some insight as to how to solve locked room mysteries per Carr (and many ways are gone over.)

Also, one chapter may from a couple pages to the next - jump from place to place, so you'll need to catch on to that writing format... you are warned. Enjoy.

[Graham Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A yellow-robed mystic says that noted skeptic and debunker Wolfe Harriman shall die; the next evening, a man in a yellow robe is seen in his study. When the door to the securely locked room of broken in, Harriman lies dead on the floor. But how?

Nine Times Nine is a pretty good locked room mystery by noted critic Anthony Boucher. Originally published as by H. H. Holmes (the name taken from a 19th century serial killer), this is one of the best examples of an American* attempt at a classic locked room mystery. Boucher even takes the opportunity of discussing locked room mysteries, as the detectives read John Dickson Carr's THE THREE COFFINS in an attempt to figure out how the murder was done.

I felt that the matter-of-fact American tone detracted just a little; I prefer the shivers and gooseflesh of the English locked room. But this is still a very good mystery and worth reading, especially if you can track down the omnibus edition with three of Boucher's other novels.

* For the purposes of this review, we'll consider John Dickson Carr an Englishman.

[Michael Ritchie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good classic-era (1940) locked-room mystery which even references John Dickson Carr, master of the locked-room story. A religious cult, run by a strange person who claims to be the Wandering Jew, is implicated when the author of a book which exposed such cults is murdered, in a locked room with a window and in full view of several people. The tone is light and even flippant, and it's advertised as a "Sister Ursula" mystery even though Sister Ursula is really a minor character--though she does figure things out before the police.

[Alessandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Questo libro è stato un altalenarsi di momenti di noia e altri di lettura furiosa.
I personaggi sono quasi tutti insopportabili, il migliore è quello di Suor Ursula che purtroppo è presente in pochissime pagine. Anche la soluzione mi ha destabilizzato, ci sono elementi convincenti e altri gratuiti e inverosimili che avrebbe potuto tranquillamente evitare.
Metto comunque tre stelle perché è fresco e innovativo: nonostante sia del 37, ha le vibes dei film gialli anni 70.

[John Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mere two novels with Sister Ursula is not nearly enough. This is her first appearance, and I love it.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best locked room murder mystery I have read

[Ludditus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice and entertaining for those who love the genre (I wouldn't use the term fans), although a bit misleading: I was expecting a cleaner explanation and it certainly isn't a twisted solution à la Agatha Christie, but still I was wrong in my deductions. However, one thing was clear: they failed to give the proper consideration to one item that was missing: the gloves. (A few other questionable things could be found in the book by the nit-pickers, but overall it's just fine.)

"I don’t care about terrific alibis that take a two-page timetable to explain, or brilliant murder-devices that need machine-shop diagrams or involve the latest scientific developments in the use of insulin; but give me a locked room and I’m happy."