Der Teufel von Tidal Basin

Detective Sgt. (Insp.) Elk #6

by Edgar Wallace

Tidal Basin was the toughest, poorest, lowest section of London, and somewhere in it's dark alleys lurked the Devil of Tidal Basin, terrifying the inhabitants , puzzling the police. What connection had the Devil with White Face, the lone bandit who roamed London unmolested? Superintendent Mason, one of the Yard's Big Five wanted to know, and what Superintendent Mason wanted to know he generally found out. Criminals knew him as "Sympathetic" Mason, because of his curious methods of cross-examination.
But not until Janice Harmon fell in love with a man who had written her from South Africa did the tangled skeins of international crime, murder and mystery begin to sort themselves out - and the strange story of a cold blooded killer come out into the light at last.
This is Edgar Wallace at his best - and Edgar Wallace is known the world over as "the KING of mystery writers.

Genres: Crime, Fiction, Classics, Detective, Mystery

Perfect Paperback

First published January 1, 1930

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

[Thomas E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

How anyone would give this book a rating of less than five stars is beyond me. The discovery of who White Face is came as a complete surprise. Outstanding finish! Woman across the street who saw White Face leave Mrs. Weston's apt said he limped decidedly as does old man Gregory Wicks, but this is misleading as White Face does not indeed limp. Perhaps this is to mislead anyone who sees him, but runs the risk of indicting his friend Gregory which surely he would realize, so this seems odd and is never resolved by Wallace at the end. It seems baffling that Gregory seemingly never actually saw his lodger that Dr. Marford installed for him. It stretches credibility that he would accept this ex-convict w/o any evidence he actually existed. My only two criticisms. This is one of Wallace's best stories, and he wrote many good ones in spite of what some critics might claim. The man was an undoubted genius and it's a shame he was never elected for membership in The Detection Club.

[Carey · Rating 2 out of 5]

It got better by the end as I liked the denouement. Clever... although will not be rushing to listen / read anymore.

[Rick Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

Major characters:

White Face, an anonymous criminal
Michael Quigley, crime reporter
Janice Harman, volunteer nurse
Dr. Thomas Mardorf, clinic doctor
Donald Bateman, of South Africa
Harry Lamborn, a thief
Louis and Inez Landor
Dr. Rudd, police surgeon
Gregory Wicks, taxi driver
Detective Sergeant Elk
Inspector "Sympathetic" Mason
Lorna Weston,

Locale: The Tidal Basin, London

Synopsis: Dr. Mardorf runs a charity children's clinic in the run-down Tidal Basin area of London, and Janice Harman has been his volunteer nurse. Janice is comfortably wealthy from an inheritance, and is the girlfriend of crime reporter Michael Quigley.

Quigley has been following the story of White Face, a thief operating in London. So called due to the white mask over his face, he enters night clubs and steals valuable necklaces right off society ladies.

Janice has been corresponding with Donald Bateman, supposedly a farmer in South Africa. He has written to her hinting for money with which to buy an adjoining property. She intends to marry him, but finds he is an ex-convict confidence man.

Bateman is accosted on the street, and stabbed. After he falls, thief Harry Lamborn goes through his pockets, taking his money and watch; but throwing them over a fence as the law approaches. A knife scabbard (but not the knife) is found under the body, it is traced to Louis Landor, and it found that his wife Inez Landor was married to Bateman - and as she believed he was dead, now finds herself in a bigamous marriage.

Review: This is a fun title by Edgar Wallace. It paints a clear picture of the seamy side of London, a sketchy alley called Gallows Court - where policemen dare not walk alone. It is the perfect setting for Dr. Mardorf's charity clinic.

The taxi driver Gregory Wicks is an interesting character with several things to hide. As a matter of fact, pretty much everyone - with the exception of the police - has things to hide. But all is revealed.

The ending in the remote deserted farmhouse comes as a big surprise, when the identity of White Face is revealed to the reader.

I did expect some romantic closure with reporter Quigley and Janice Harman, but, sadly, nothing was said. The story ends abruptly with the capture of White Face.

[Larry Piper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty much a classic Edagar Wallace thingie. The plot is convoluted, the characters come and go. We have some kind of criminal who shows up at restaurants with a white mask covering his face. He robs people and disappears. We have a medical doctor who takes care of poor people. We have a lovely young woman who has a bit of money who helps the doctor. She has a suitor, of sorts, who is a journalist. Then, there are some people who seem to have had some shady interactions back in South Africa and Australia.

Sadly, I didn't write about this when the story was fresh in my mind, so I can't provide much by way of details. It hardly matters. Edgar Wallace was once wildly popular, and I don't see why that still isn't the case. He plots very interesting, and garish, story lines.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me encanta este hombre como escribe! Me gusta como desarrolla la relación dama/caballero, el misterio y como se va despellejando el problema. Esta historia si me mantuvo súper enganchada, tenía a un sospecho para luego tirarlo y agarrar otro, luego pensaba que era éste para decidirme con aquel, hasta llegue a pensar que era yo JAJAJAJ okno.

Una historia muy interesante, nada fantasiosa que puede hasta suceder en la vida real. Edgar Wallace te hace pender de un hilo y cuando llegas al final, hace que tu mente por si sola una puntos: diálogos, miradas. Y dices: ¡Si era este el asesino! ¿Como no lo vi?

¡BRUTAL!

[Lianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Een ouderwetse detective, met een heel slimme detective, die uiteindelijk alles oplost.
Heel veel draadjes, waarvan ik niet zo goed weet of ik ze allemaal aan het eind van het verhaal nog wel weet. Het is wel prettig om in het ouderwetse taalgebruik op te gaan.

[monie · Rating 5 out of 5]

what the actual hell. this one blew my brains out. 1000/5 starssss

i love mistery books that are classics of the genre. love how wallace wrote his stories. i actually think that bateman freaking deserved it... i'm so sad madford died :(

[Julie Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Standard Edgar Wallace and, for him, run of the mill. Readable and good enough, just not a standout.

[Mojca · Rating 1 out of 5]

A man ends up stabbed to death on a street in London's Tidal Basin, victim of the almost mythical murderer roaming the streets of London, the Devil of Tidal Basin. But why is another bandit (this one not of the killing, but of the robbing kind) suddenly sighted in Tidal Basin as well?


Unfortunately the mystery wasn't as engrossing as in its predecessors, the pace was also rather stutter-y, there were too many side-stories (that ended up somehow connected), and even more seemingly random characters thrown into the mix.

I lost interest before chapter six, and never regained it.

[Bettie · Rating 2 out of 5]

A crime reporter's evening is ruined by the latest escapade of a master criminal. Featuring Sargeant Elk

[Neil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite having all the familiar ingredients this Edgar Wallace yarn is oddly uninvolving, the characters never really coming to life. The finish or rather the explanation isn't bad though and makes up a bit for what has gone before.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crime thriller from the co-creator of King Kong.

[Pithee · Rating 2 out of 5]

BBC recording

[Amber]

A.L. Burt, 1930

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Confusing. The plot was all over the place. Not Wallace's best.

[Janine Fenton · Rating 4 out of 5]

a good who dunnit