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Inspector Hanaud #3
The Prisoner in the Opal
The scene is the south of France. An English lady has been murdered and a beautiful American girl has disappeared. Discovered is a body with a severed hand and an opal bracelet somehow connected to devil worship. Clearly a case for Inspector Hanaud or the Sûreté and his English friend Mr. Ricardo. Can Hanaud solve the two mysteries in time to prevent a second murder? Readers will be kept in a constant state of mystification until the surprising denouement.
434 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1928
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About the author
A.E.W. Mason
156 books50 followersMajor Alfred Edward Woodley Mason (7 May 1865 Dulwich, London - 22 November 1948 London) was a British author and politician. He is best remembered for his 1902 novel The Four Feathers.
He studied at Dulwich College and graduated from Trinity College, Oxford in 1888. He was a contemporary of fellow Liberal Anthony Hope, who went on to write the adventure novel The Prisoner of Zenda.
His first novel, A Romance of Wastdale, was published in 1895. He was the author of more than 20 books, including At The Villa Rose (1910), a mystery novel in which he introduced his French detective, Inspector Hanaud. His best-known book is The Four Feathers, which has been made into several films. Many consider it his masterpiece. Other books are The House of the Arrow (1924), No Other Tiger (1927), The Prisoner in the Opal (1929) and Fire Over England (1937).
He studied at Dulwich College and graduated from Trinity College, Oxford in 1888. He was a contemporary of fellow Liberal Anthony Hope, who went on to write the adventure novel The Prisoner of Zenda.
His first novel, A Romance of Wastdale, was published in 1895. He was the author of more than 20 books, including At The Villa Rose (1910), a mystery novel in which he introduced his French detective, Inspector Hanaud. His best-known book is The Four Feathers, which has been made into several films. Many consider it his masterpiece. Other books are The House of the Arrow (1924), No Other Tiger (1927), The Prisoner in the Opal (1929) and Fire Over England (1937).
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August 23, 2019Detective novel with occult elements. They mystery is good, the occult elements genuinely spooky and some of the plotting very ingenious. Unfortunately, the detectives are high-whimsy--prissy older man wrong about everything and comedy French detective who keeps getting idioms wrong--and the narrative beats the joke to death by about ch3 but *does not stop*. I doubt I'll read another in this series for that reason but this is a good addition if you're after 1920s occult murder mystery.
September 25, 2012
A. E. W. Mason (1865-1948) is best remembered today as the author of the classic adventure novel The Four Feathers. He also wrote five detective novels featuring Inspector Hanuad of the Sûreté. The Prisoner in the Opal was the third in this series, appearing in 1928, and is probably the best-known.
It’s an interesting combination of the golden age detective story and the occult. The occult elements take quite a while to become apparent but the fact that the most widely available paperback edition is part of Dennis Wheatley’s Library of the Occult is a giveaway that the occult will indeed figure in the story.
Mr Julius Ricardo is a middle-aged retired tea-merchant whose great passion in life is wine. Every year he makes a pilgrimage to the Médoc region around Bordeaux at vintage time. Mr Ricardo does have one other unexpected interest - crime. This is a result of his unlikely friendship with the great Inspector Hanuad of the Sûreté. He is in effect Hanau’s Watson.
When Mr Ricardo meets Joyce Whipple, a beautiful and fascinating young American woman, he is both enchanted and intrigued. Joyce has received a latter from her friend Diana Tasborough and has become convinced that Diana is threatened by a great evil. She cannot explain why, since there is nothing in the letter to suggest such an assumption, but she has received an impression that Diana is surrounded by evil forces. Joyce persuades Mr Ricardo to change his plans slightly and to stay at the Château Suvlac during the vintage time. Diana and her friends will also be there.
Mr Ricardo is not a man given to a belief in superstition or the supernatural but Joyce Whipple’s distress is so palpable that he cannot avoid feeling that her instinct may be right. Of course it’s also possible that Mr Ricardo is not inclined to disbelieve any story coming from such a charming young lady.
On his arrival in the Médoc Mr Ricardo runs into his old friend Inspector Hanaud and Hanaud’s presence convinces him that something sinister is indeed afoot. The atmosphere at the Château Suvlac is certainly somewhat odd and strained. The young Mrs Evelyn Devenish seems to feel an extraordinary hatred for Joyce Whipple. Diana Tasborough is behaving in an uncharacteristically distracted manner, and her aunt Mrs Tasborough seems more commanding than usual. The estate manager, Robin Webster, seems to be behaving in a slightly odd manner. The Château’s near neighbour, the Vicomte Cassandre de Mirandol, is most certainly sinister. And the Abbé Fauriel’s behaviour gives rise to suspicious speculations. There is also, in the background, Diana’s young man Bryce Carter, whom she has apparently recently jilted.
So far no crime has occurred but that will soon change. A murder and a disappearance will soon provide a major challenge for Inspector Hanuad. And the dead body has had its right hand hacked off!
The relationship between Mr Ricardo and Inspector Hanuad provides plenty of opportunity for amusement. Hanaud is a brilliant man but he does things to the English language that cause Mr Ricardo a great deal of pain. Mr Ricardo is convinced that although Inspector Hanuad is a good chap and quite capable in his own way he could not possibly solve even the most routine of crimes with his, Mr Ricardo’s, help. This affords Inspector Hanuad with a good deal of good-natured amusement.
The solution to the crime is of course complex and convoluted with lots of sinister but initially very subtle hints of the strange and the occult. A vast occult conspiracy is of course involved, but who are the prime movers and who are the innocent dupes?
French detectives were quite the fashion at the time, with John Dickson Carr’s Inspector Henri Bencolin being a notable example. They afforded crime writers with an opportunity to make use of exotic and fashionable locations. Hanaud belongs to the class of genius detectives who rely on both inspiration and thorough detective work.
Mason’s style is witty and entertaining. There are plenty of colourful touches (mustard gas as a tool in crime-solving for example) and the plot works rather nicely. There are suspects in abundance - just about everybody associated with the Château Suvlac has something to hide. There is no shortage of odd and interesting characters.
It’s all highly enjoyable and is most definitely recommended.
It’s an interesting combination of the golden age detective story and the occult. The occult elements take quite a while to become apparent but the fact that the most widely available paperback edition is part of Dennis Wheatley’s Library of the Occult is a giveaway that the occult will indeed figure in the story.
Mr Julius Ricardo is a middle-aged retired tea-merchant whose great passion in life is wine. Every year he makes a pilgrimage to the Médoc region around Bordeaux at vintage time. Mr Ricardo does have one other unexpected interest - crime. This is a result of his unlikely friendship with the great Inspector Hanuad of the Sûreté. He is in effect Hanau’s Watson.
When Mr Ricardo meets Joyce Whipple, a beautiful and fascinating young American woman, he is both enchanted and intrigued. Joyce has received a latter from her friend Diana Tasborough and has become convinced that Diana is threatened by a great evil. She cannot explain why, since there is nothing in the letter to suggest such an assumption, but she has received an impression that Diana is surrounded by evil forces. Joyce persuades Mr Ricardo to change his plans slightly and to stay at the Château Suvlac during the vintage time. Diana and her friends will also be there.
Mr Ricardo is not a man given to a belief in superstition or the supernatural but Joyce Whipple’s distress is so palpable that he cannot avoid feeling that her instinct may be right. Of course it’s also possible that Mr Ricardo is not inclined to disbelieve any story coming from such a charming young lady.
On his arrival in the Médoc Mr Ricardo runs into his old friend Inspector Hanaud and Hanaud’s presence convinces him that something sinister is indeed afoot. The atmosphere at the Château Suvlac is certainly somewhat odd and strained. The young Mrs Evelyn Devenish seems to feel an extraordinary hatred for Joyce Whipple. Diana Tasborough is behaving in an uncharacteristically distracted manner, and her aunt Mrs Tasborough seems more commanding than usual. The estate manager, Robin Webster, seems to be behaving in a slightly odd manner. The Château’s near neighbour, the Vicomte Cassandre de Mirandol, is most certainly sinister. And the Abbé Fauriel’s behaviour gives rise to suspicious speculations. There is also, in the background, Diana’s young man Bryce Carter, whom she has apparently recently jilted.
So far no crime has occurred but that will soon change. A murder and a disappearance will soon provide a major challenge for Inspector Hanuad. And the dead body has had its right hand hacked off!
The relationship between Mr Ricardo and Inspector Hanuad provides plenty of opportunity for amusement. Hanaud is a brilliant man but he does things to the English language that cause Mr Ricardo a great deal of pain. Mr Ricardo is convinced that although Inspector Hanuad is a good chap and quite capable in his own way he could not possibly solve even the most routine of crimes with his, Mr Ricardo’s, help. This affords Inspector Hanuad with a good deal of good-natured amusement.
The solution to the crime is of course complex and convoluted with lots of sinister but initially very subtle hints of the strange and the occult. A vast occult conspiracy is of course involved, but who are the prime movers and who are the innocent dupes?
French detectives were quite the fashion at the time, with John Dickson Carr’s Inspector Henri Bencolin being a notable example. They afforded crime writers with an opportunity to make use of exotic and fashionable locations. Hanaud belongs to the class of genius detectives who rely on both inspiration and thorough detective work.
Mason’s style is witty and entertaining. There are plenty of colourful touches (mustard gas as a tool in crime-solving for example) and the plot works rather nicely. There are suspects in abundance - just about everybody associated with the Château Suvlac has something to hide. There is no shortage of odd and interesting characters.
It’s all highly enjoyable and is most definitely recommended.
June 17, 2010
Mason at his best. The French detective, Hanaud, is at once eccentric, insightful, and unpredictable. Great twists and turns; everyone seems to be guilty! There is some of the occult, so if you don't like that, this book isn't for you. But I couldn't put it down!
February 24, 2018
The mystery in this book was very good, well-spun, interesting, and wrapped up very nicely.
I didn't like that the author gave the reader only a small amount of the actual evidence visible to the inspector.
Hanaud was at best tiresome, and Mr. Ricardo was downright annoying. The running joke about idioms was brought up seemingly every other page! It was beaten to death and killed more surely than the victim in the story.
The writing of this book is what really killed it. It should have been about a third as long as it was. There was so much extra, so much fluff, that when I think back to the book's whole plot, I wonder what on Earth could have filled all those pages that I guess I just read. I don't know!
It's a good mystery, but skim it.
I didn't like that the author gave the reader only a small amount of the actual evidence visible to the inspector.
Hanaud was at best tiresome, and Mr. Ricardo was downright annoying. The running joke about idioms was brought up seemingly every other page! It was beaten to death and killed more surely than the victim in the story.
The writing of this book is what really killed it. It should have been about a third as long as it was. There was so much extra, so much fluff, that when I think back to the book's whole plot, I wonder what on Earth could have filled all those pages that I guess I just read. I don't know!
It's a good mystery, but skim it.
July 29, 2011
I'll definitely be reading more from this author.
July 1, 2023
Too long, the humour gets too repetitive and the explanation of the motive was silly. .
Hanaud and Ricardo remind me of Poirot and Hastings. Ricardo, like Hastings, imagines that the great detective is losing his touch and needs his help. Hanaud mangles the English language, and has a very high view of himself. But Hanaud and Ricardo got tiresome to a greater extent than Hastings and Poirot. (And I think Poirot is tiresome occassionally as well.)
Still, I would be willing to try another book by the author, there were certainly glimpses of quality.
Hanaud and Ricardo remind me of Poirot and Hastings. Ricardo, like Hastings, imagines that the great detective is losing his touch and needs his help. Hanaud mangles the English language, and has a very high view of himself. But Hanaud and Ricardo got tiresome to a greater extent than Hastings and Poirot. (And I think Poirot is tiresome occassionally as well.)
Still, I would be willing to try another book by the author, there were certainly glimpses of quality.
May 30, 2022
Đọc lâu quá ời không nhớ gì nữa luôn á :)))
August 8, 2025
A good old thriller
November 20, 2015
Didn't think this was as good as the previous books in the series but still enjoyed it. It has a similar formula to the other Hanaud tales but feels like a weaker imitation.
The author uses much more humour than usual, too, mainly in terms of the French inspector annoying his English friend by mixing up idioms.
The author uses much more humour than usual, too, mainly in terms of the French inspector annoying his English friend by mixing up idioms.
June 26, 2013
Whilst the plot was quite good, I find Mason's style overly wordy. The explanation by Hanaud to the others at the end seemed to go on for ever. Despite it being too long, I did enjoy it.
February 13, 2015
A little long but a very good story.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews