What do you think?
Rate this book
Philip Trent #1
Trent's Last Case [annotated]
• One of the CRIME WRITERS ASSOCIATION ‘TOP 100 CRIME NOVELS OF ALL TIME’.
• ‘One of the three best detective stories ever written’ AGATHA CHRISTIE.
• ‘One of the seminal novels of the mystery genre’ NEW YORK TIMES.
When millionaire American financier, Sigsbee Manderson, is found dead in the garden of his English country house on the south-west coast, amateur detective Philip Trent is sent by a London newspaper to investigate. Why did Manderson rise in the middle of the night and venture outside? Why is his young widow seemingly relieved at his death? The newly widowed Mabel Manderson, ‘The Lady in Black’, soon has a disarming effect on the fallible and imaginative gentleman sleuth, who together with Scotland Yard Inspector Murth set about solving this puzzling case.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Edmund Clerihew Bentley was born in London in 1875. He studied at Merton College, Oxford before embarking on a career in journalism working for THE DAILY TELEGRAPH for over twenty years. He wrote several non-fiction books, but is best known for his crime fiction masterpiece, TRENT’S LAST CASE, published to universal acclaim in 1913, and arguably the first modern detective novel. It was adapted for film three times (the 1952 film starring Orson Welles as Sigsbee and Margaret Lockwood as Mabel) and its success eventually persuaded Bentley to write a sequel, TRENT’S OWN CASE, 23 years later in 1936 and a book of Philip Trent short stories in 1938, TRENT INTERVENES. He was president of the DETECTION CLUB from 1936 to 1949 and edited the crime fiction anthology, THE SECOND CENTURY OF DETECTIVE STORIES (1938). He died in 1956.
PRAISE FOR ‘TRENT’S LAST CASE’
‘One of the three best detective stories ever written’ AGATHA CHRISTIE
‘One of the seminal novels of the mystery genre’ NEW YORK TIMES
‘A masterpiece of detective fiction’ EDGAR WALLACE
‘One of the very best detective stories extant’ FREEMAN WILLS CROFTS
‘A tale of unusual brilliance and charm – startlingly original’ DOROTHY L. SAYERS
‘The roots of the modern detective novel… a wildly successful bestseller’ PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
‘The finest detective story of modern times’ G.K. CHESTERTON
• ‘One of the three best detective stories ever written’ AGATHA CHRISTIE.
• ‘One of the seminal novels of the mystery genre’ NEW YORK TIMES.
When millionaire American financier, Sigsbee Manderson, is found dead in the garden of his English country house on the south-west coast, amateur detective Philip Trent is sent by a London newspaper to investigate. Why did Manderson rise in the middle of the night and venture outside? Why is his young widow seemingly relieved at his death? The newly widowed Mabel Manderson, ‘The Lady in Black’, soon has a disarming effect on the fallible and imaginative gentleman sleuth, who together with Scotland Yard Inspector Murth set about solving this puzzling case.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Edmund Clerihew Bentley was born in London in 1875. He studied at Merton College, Oxford before embarking on a career in journalism working for THE DAILY TELEGRAPH for over twenty years. He wrote several non-fiction books, but is best known for his crime fiction masterpiece, TRENT’S LAST CASE, published to universal acclaim in 1913, and arguably the first modern detective novel. It was adapted for film three times (the 1952 film starring Orson Welles as Sigsbee and Margaret Lockwood as Mabel) and its success eventually persuaded Bentley to write a sequel, TRENT’S OWN CASE, 23 years later in 1936 and a book of Philip Trent short stories in 1938, TRENT INTERVENES. He was president of the DETECTION CLUB from 1936 to 1949 and edited the crime fiction anthology, THE SECOND CENTURY OF DETECTIVE STORIES (1938). He died in 1956.
PRAISE FOR ‘TRENT’S LAST CASE’
‘One of the three best detective stories ever written’ AGATHA CHRISTIE
‘One of the seminal novels of the mystery genre’ NEW YORK TIMES
‘A masterpiece of detective fiction’ EDGAR WALLACE
‘One of the very best detective stories extant’ FREEMAN WILLS CROFTS
‘A tale of unusual brilliance and charm – startlingly original’ DOROTHY L. SAYERS
‘The roots of the modern detective novel… a wildly successful bestseller’ PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
‘The finest detective story of modern times’ G.K. CHESTERTON
169 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1913
366 people are currently reading
3620 people want to read
About the author
E.C. Bentley
83 books46 followersE. C. Bentley (full name Edmund Clerihew Bentley; 10 July 1875 – 30 March 1956) was a popular English novelist and humorist of the early twentieth century, and the inventor of the clerihew, an irregular form of humorous verse on biographical topics. One of the best known is this (1905):
Sir Christopher Wren
Said, "I am going to dine with some men.
If anyone calls
Say I am designing St. Paul's."
Bentley was born in London and educated at St Paul's School and Merton College, Oxford. His father, John Edmund Bentley, was professionally a civil servant but was also a rugby union international having played in the first ever international match for England against Scotland in 1871. Bentley worked as a journalist on several newspapers, including the Daily Telegraph.[citation needed] He also worked for the imperialist weekly called The Outlook during the editorship of James Louis Garvin. His first published collection of poetry, titled Biography for Beginners (1905), popularized the clerihew form; it was followed by two other collections, More Biography (1929) and Baseless Biography (1939).[2] His detective novel, Trent's Last Case (1913),[4] was much praised, numbering Dorothy L. Sayers among its admirers, and with its labyrinthine and mystifying plotting can be seen as the first truly modern mystery. It was adapted as a film in 1920, 1929, and 1952. The success of the work inspired him, after 23 years, to write a sequel, Trent's Own Case (1936). There was also a book of Trent short stories, Trent Intervenes. Several of his books were reprinted in the early 2000s by House of Stratus.
From 1936 until 1949 Bentley was president of the Detection Club. He contributed to two crime stories for the club's radio serials broadcast in 1930 and 1931,[5] which were published in 1983 as The Scoop and Behind The Screen. In 1950 he contributed the introduction to a Constable & Co omnibus edition of Damon Runyon's "stories of the bandits of Broadway", which was republished by Penguin Books in 1990 as On Broadway.
He died in 1956 in London at the age of 80. His son Nicolas Bentley was a famous illustrator.
Phonographic recordings of his work "Recordings for the Blind" are heard in the movie Places in the Heart, by the character Mr. Will.
G. K. Chesterton dedicated his popular detective novel on anarchist terrorism, The Man Who Was Thursday, to Edmund Clerihew Bentley, a schoolfriend.
(from Wikipedia)
Sir Christopher Wren
Said, "I am going to dine with some men.
If anyone calls
Say I am designing St. Paul's."
Bentley was born in London and educated at St Paul's School and Merton College, Oxford. His father, John Edmund Bentley, was professionally a civil servant but was also a rugby union international having played in the first ever international match for England against Scotland in 1871. Bentley worked as a journalist on several newspapers, including the Daily Telegraph.[citation needed] He also worked for the imperialist weekly called The Outlook during the editorship of James Louis Garvin. His first published collection of poetry, titled Biography for Beginners (1905), popularized the clerihew form; it was followed by two other collections, More Biography (1929) and Baseless Biography (1939).[2] His detective novel, Trent's Last Case (1913),[4] was much praised, numbering Dorothy L. Sayers among its admirers, and with its labyrinthine and mystifying plotting can be seen as the first truly modern mystery. It was adapted as a film in 1920, 1929, and 1952. The success of the work inspired him, after 23 years, to write a sequel, Trent's Own Case (1936). There was also a book of Trent short stories, Trent Intervenes. Several of his books were reprinted in the early 2000s by House of Stratus.
From 1936 until 1949 Bentley was president of the Detection Club. He contributed to two crime stories for the club's radio serials broadcast in 1930 and 1931,[5] which were published in 1983 as The Scoop and Behind The Screen. In 1950 he contributed the introduction to a Constable & Co omnibus edition of Damon Runyon's "stories of the bandits of Broadway", which was republished by Penguin Books in 1990 as On Broadway.
He died in 1956 in London at the age of 80. His son Nicolas Bentley was a famous illustrator.
Phonographic recordings of his work "Recordings for the Blind" are heard in the movie Places in the Heart, by the character Mr. Will.
G. K. Chesterton dedicated his popular detective novel on anarchist terrorism, The Man Who Was Thursday, to Edmund Clerihew Bentley, a schoolfriend.
(from Wikipedia)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 445 reviews
November 1, 2018
Me ha gustado y recordado en parte a los libros de Agatha Christie, solo que este detective es algo peculiar.
June 27, 2017
4.5★
I loved this book, & only one major plot hole (& a too long finale) stopped me giving it 5★!
I thought this was a thirties mystery and found out half way through my read that it was a groundbreaking novel from 1913!
Journalist E C Bentley originally wrote it as a parody & the tone varies wildly throughout the book - detective, comedy, farce, high tragedy? Bentley never seems quite sure & the bleaker moments often come as a shock. This should wreck my enjoyment, & no one is more surprised than me that it doesn't.
I found the character of the newly widowed Mabel Manderson one of the most compelling I have read in detective fiction. An innocent femme fatale.
& when you think you have read
&, although I thought (as recently as yesterday) that
was a waste of my reading time, it does give some interesting background material to this novel.
I loved this book, & only one major plot hole (& a too long finale) stopped me giving it 5★!
I thought this was a thirties mystery and found out half way through my read that it was a groundbreaking novel from 1913!
Journalist E C Bentley originally wrote it as a parody & the tone varies wildly throughout the book - detective, comedy, farce, high tragedy? Bentley never seems quite sure & the bleaker moments often come as a shock. This should wreck my enjoyment, & no one is more surprised than me that it doesn't.
I found the character of the newly widowed Mabel Manderson one of the most compelling I have read in detective fiction. An innocent femme fatale.
& when you think you have read
&, although I thought (as recently as yesterday) that
was a waste of my reading time, it does give some interesting background material to this novel.
February 11, 2024
This story, about 100 years old, has some interesting facets beyond the plot.
- Agatha Christie was a big fan.
- It was the first, not the last, Trent story written by Bentley
- Other Trent stories followed
- It has been considered a new model for detective fiction
- Almost everything is presented from Trent’s perspective either through dialogue or by third-person description
- Trent, though not a professional detective, is suppose to have solved a series of puzzling cases which put him square in the public eye
- He has been accused of taking an artist’s approach to crime solving….he is a painter and sometime journalist
The plot, which he is asked to investigate by a major London newspaper, involves the death of an American tycoon at a country residence. Is it a suicide? Trent immediately finds some conflicting elements. As he (and we) get to know the mansion’s house staff and the tycoon’s assistants and spouse we are confronted by anomalies and partial versions of the truth. Trent sorts these out and comes to a conclusion which is disquieting to his core.
The style is dated and that may not pose an issue for you. There are two long soliloquies: one by Trent; one by Marlow that may be the least effective parts of Bentlley’s writing. You may be put off by the casual sexism and (minor) racism and antisemitism expressed. If not, there is a lot to enjoy.
3.5
- Agatha Christie was a big fan.
- It was the first, not the last, Trent story written by Bentley
- Other Trent stories followed
- It has been considered a new model for detective fiction
- Almost everything is presented from Trent’s perspective either through dialogue or by third-person description
- Trent, though not a professional detective, is suppose to have solved a series of puzzling cases which put him square in the public eye
- He has been accused of taking an artist’s approach to crime solving….he is a painter and sometime journalist
The plot, which he is asked to investigate by a major London newspaper, involves the death of an American tycoon at a country residence. Is it a suicide? Trent immediately finds some conflicting elements. As he (and we) get to know the mansion’s house staff and the tycoon’s assistants and spouse we are confronted by anomalies and partial versions of the truth. Trent sorts these out and comes to a conclusion which is disquieting to his core.
The style is dated and that may not pose an issue for you. There are two long soliloquies: one by Trent; one by Marlow that may be the least effective parts of Bentlley’s writing. You may be put off by the casual sexism and (minor) racism and antisemitism expressed. If not, there is a lot to enjoy.
3.5
October 6, 2008
Perhaps the first "cosy" detective story. Has the distinction of being lauded by Dorothy Sayers and derided by Raymond Chandler.
The plot is clever, and still works today, even if the setting seems alien to the modern reader.
Extra points from me because E.C. Bentley was my great grandfather.
The plot is clever, and still works today, even if the setting seems alien to the modern reader.
Extra points from me because E.C. Bentley was my great grandfather.
January 5, 2018
No hay nada como comenzar el año con un buen libro.
Desde el punto de vista actual esta novela no tiene nada que sorprenda mucho, pero fue un punto de inflexión en el género cuando se publicó (al menos en el mundo anglosajón). Acostumbrados a detectives racionales y siempre acertados como el Holmes de Conan Doyle, Philip Trent resulta refrescante por simpático (de hecho, casi encantador), pasional y a veces errado. Y ese es precisamente la clave de todo el argumento. Esta novela, de haber sido protagonizada por Sherlock Holmes, hubiera acabado en la página 140. Pero con Philip Trent la cosa no acaba ahí. Oh, no. El libro tiene 226 páginas.
Es entretenido, divertido y muy fácil de leer y el misterio está muy bien planteado e hilado. Y de hecho me sorprendió. No pensé que lo haría, pero lo hizo.
Todos los apasionados del "whodunit" y del "murder mystery" clásico deberían leer esta novela, no solo por su importancia histórica, sino porque es una buena historia.
Desde el punto de vista actual esta novela no tiene nada que sorprenda mucho, pero fue un punto de inflexión en el género cuando se publicó (al menos en el mundo anglosajón). Acostumbrados a detectives racionales y siempre acertados como el Holmes de Conan Doyle, Philip Trent resulta refrescante por simpático (de hecho, casi encantador), pasional y a veces errado. Y ese es precisamente la clave de todo el argumento. Esta novela, de haber sido protagonizada por Sherlock Holmes, hubiera acabado en la página 140. Pero con Philip Trent la cosa no acaba ahí. Oh, no. El libro tiene 226 páginas.
Es entretenido, divertido y muy fácil de leer y el misterio está muy bien planteado e hilado. Y de hecho me sorprendió. No pensé que lo haría, pero lo hizo.
Todos los apasionados del "whodunit" y del "murder mystery" clásico deberían leer esta novela, no solo por su importancia histórica, sino porque es una buena historia.
June 1, 2022
E.C. Bentley nos relata un asesinato y la investigación que el periodista a tiempo parcial, Philip Trent, lleva a cabo.
Trent es listo y perspicaz, pero no es infalible.
En la trama de la novela se intercala una historia de amor.
La caracterización de la personalidad de cada personaje está bien creada.
Es una novela muy amena, de ritmo ágil. La trama es interesante y original. No obstante, a veces, se deja de lado para tratar temas más costumbristas. La resolución final es un tanto estrambótica, pero tiene un punto veraz.
--------------------------------
E.C. Bentley tells the story of a murder and the investigation that part-time journalist Philip Trent undertakes.
Trent is clever and perceptive, but he is not infallible.
Interspersed in the novel's plot is a love story.
The characterisation of each character's personality is well created.
It is a very enjoyable, fast-paced novel. The plot is interesting and original. However, it is sometimes left aside to deal with more traditional themes. The final resolution is a bit outlandish, but it has a truthful point.
Trent es listo y perspicaz, pero no es infalible.
En la trama de la novela se intercala una historia de amor.
La caracterización de la personalidad de cada personaje está bien creada.
Es una novela muy amena, de ritmo ágil. La trama es interesante y original. No obstante, a veces, se deja de lado para tratar temas más costumbristas. La resolución final es un tanto estrambótica, pero tiene un punto veraz.
--------------------------------
E.C. Bentley tells the story of a murder and the investigation that part-time journalist Philip Trent undertakes.
Trent is clever and perceptive, but he is not infallible.
Interspersed in the novel's plot is a love story.
The characterisation of each character's personality is well created.
It is a very enjoyable, fast-paced novel. The plot is interesting and original. However, it is sometimes left aside to deal with more traditional themes. The final resolution is a bit outlandish, but it has a truthful point.
September 27, 2018
somewhere between a 4 and a 5, so we'll call it a high 4.
In John Curran's introduction to this edition, he refers to Trent's Last Case as "one of the most famous milestones in the genre." He quotes EC Bentley from his autobiography, Those Days (1940) where he writes
"Some time in the year 1910 it occurred to me that it would be a good idea to write a detective story of a new sort..."
and, "among the dozens of detectives" (long dominated by and modeled after Sherlock Holmes) currently filling magazine pages in a market that was "thriving," as Curran notes, "the stage was set" for just that. Enter Philip Trent, artist, sometimes journalist and Oxford graduate, who will take on the case of the murder of Wall Street "Napoleon" Sigsbee Manderson. He'll solve the case quickly, but wait.
The twisty plot is the true centerpiece of this book, and as I said to someone recently, I've read so much crime fiction that I feel sometimes like I know every plot possible to the point where I often become bored. However, Trent's Last Case came with a totally unexpected ending that made me say a not-so-quiet "bravo" in appreciation for a job well done.
I can recommend this book with no qualms at all -- just please bear in mind when it was written (just coming out of the Edwardian era) when it comes to some rather objectionable content. It is still a worthy read, even for the most modern mystery and crime fiction lovers.
And one more thing: I LOVE these Harper hardcover reprints!!
much, much more here
http://www.crimesegments.com/2018/09/...
In John Curran's introduction to this edition, he refers to Trent's Last Case as "one of the most famous milestones in the genre." He quotes EC Bentley from his autobiography, Those Days (1940) where he writes
"Some time in the year 1910 it occurred to me that it would be a good idea to write a detective story of a new sort..."
and, "among the dozens of detectives" (long dominated by and modeled after Sherlock Holmes) currently filling magazine pages in a market that was "thriving," as Curran notes, "the stage was set" for just that. Enter Philip Trent, artist, sometimes journalist and Oxford graduate, who will take on the case of the murder of Wall Street "Napoleon" Sigsbee Manderson. He'll solve the case quickly, but wait.
The twisty plot is the true centerpiece of this book, and as I said to someone recently, I've read so much crime fiction that I feel sometimes like I know every plot possible to the point where I often become bored. However, Trent's Last Case came with a totally unexpected ending that made me say a not-so-quiet "bravo" in appreciation for a job well done.
I can recommend this book with no qualms at all -- just please bear in mind when it was written (just coming out of the Edwardian era) when it comes to some rather objectionable content. It is still a worthy read, even for the most modern mystery and crime fiction lovers.
And one more thing: I LOVE these Harper hardcover reprints!!
much, much more here
http://www.crimesegments.com/2018/09/...
June 15, 2017
E. C. Bentley is a British mystery writer of the golden age, though of far less repute than authors like Dorothy Sayers and Margery Allingham. In this novel (published in 1913), an American mogul named Manderson has been murdered and his body discovered under various contradictory circumstances in his own garden. A London newspaper editor calls on a friend, Philip Trent, to go sleuthing around and report back to him on the crime. Trent is neither a detective nor a journalist but an artist with a flair for solving mysteries; conveniently enough, he is friends with a man who is the uncle of Manderson’s wife, a connection that gives him unfettered access to the dead man’s property and associates.
In the early going we see a lot of Trent’s examinations of the evidence and suspects, but we learn little about what he is thinking or why he finds certain things significant. This feels almost like a cheat, though it didn’t last long enough to annoy me. Eventually we start to be let into his thought processes.
Trent is a lively soul, full of literary allusion and play—though the dilemmas that face him are serious enough, including a mad crush he develops at first sight of the victim’s widow. He comes relatively quickly to a point of conviction about who did the crime, how, and why; but a resolution of the mystery at 50% in my Kindle edition obviously cannot stand scrutiny. The second half of the book was more interesting to me, as Trent had to backtrack and rethink.
I found the writing quite uneven, as if the author were trying on the styles of different genres and seeing what suited. But the mystery itself and the path to its resolution absorbed my attention (perhaps until the last two pages, which seemed more of a writerly convenience than a plausible end). I had fun reading this book but probably would not read more of Bentley’s fiction.
In the early going we see a lot of Trent’s examinations of the evidence and suspects, but we learn little about what he is thinking or why he finds certain things significant. This feels almost like a cheat, though it didn’t last long enough to annoy me. Eventually we start to be let into his thought processes.
Trent is a lively soul, full of literary allusion and play—though the dilemmas that face him are serious enough, including a mad crush he develops at first sight of the victim’s widow. He comes relatively quickly to a point of conviction about who did the crime, how, and why; but a resolution of the mystery at 50% in my Kindle edition obviously cannot stand scrutiny. The second half of the book was more interesting to me, as Trent had to backtrack and rethink.
I found the writing quite uneven, as if the author were trying on the styles of different genres and seeing what suited. But the mystery itself and the path to its resolution absorbed my attention (perhaps until the last two pages, which seemed more of a writerly convenience than a plausible end). I had fun reading this book but probably would not read more of Bentley’s fiction.
May 19, 2017
Philip Trent, a fairly successful artist, who also has a remarkable talent for solving the most baffling of murders and writing dispatches on them for the Record, is called in by the paper when the great financial giant, Sigsbee Manderson is found dead in mysterious circumstances. Was it suicide or murder, and even if the latter, what explains all the rather unusual little details associated with the case? With a limited number of suspects (including an unseen possibility that very much reminded me of Sherlock Holmes) and not very many of those with a clear motive, Trent certainly seems to face one of the most complex puzzles that he ever has.
I enjoyed this book which had an interesting plot with plenty of surprises including a twist at the end I certainly didn’t see coming. In addition to the mystery, the title itself was rather intriguing to me since it turned out quite early on that Trent was rather a young man. Why then was this his last case? That too was a surprise I didn’t quite guess right. Though of course, the series does have 3 books, and this probably isn’t Trent’s last case and certainly not the last he appears in! Looking forward to reading the others in the series sometime.
I enjoyed this book which had an interesting plot with plenty of surprises including a twist at the end I certainly didn’t see coming. In addition to the mystery, the title itself was rather intriguing to me since it turned out quite early on that Trent was rather a young man. Why then was this his last case? That too was a surprise I didn’t quite guess right. Though of course, the series does have 3 books, and this probably isn’t Trent’s last case and certainly not the last he appears in! Looking forward to reading the others in the series sometime.
April 19, 2020
I was thoroughly engaged in this very well written, charming mystery from start to finish. Not a wasted word and twists upon twists in the plot to delight any mystery lover. I listened to the audio version narrated by the always excellent Simon Vance.
More important than my enjoyment of this book is it's place in the history of the mystery novel. I'm a lover of golden age mysteries and this book, written in 1913, is considered to be the first of that period. It was considered "startlingly original at the time," according to Dorothy Sayers, who wrote the introduction to my audiobook. Sayers says it "shook the little world of the mystery novel like a revolution and nothing was ever quite the same again. Every mystery writer of today owes something... to it's influence." Sayers goes on to tell us that E.C. Bentley wrote the book on a dare by E. G, Chesterton who was tired of the "infallible sleuths," who came before, like Sherlock Holmes. So, what was special about this book was that it opened the door for "real people"not just a fallible detective but also real and fallible characters. I will have to reread some of my golden age mysteries in order to truly appreciate this distinction.
More important than my enjoyment of this book is it's place in the history of the mystery novel. I'm a lover of golden age mysteries and this book, written in 1913, is considered to be the first of that period. It was considered "startlingly original at the time," according to Dorothy Sayers, who wrote the introduction to my audiobook. Sayers says it "shook the little world of the mystery novel like a revolution and nothing was ever quite the same again. Every mystery writer of today owes something... to it's influence." Sayers goes on to tell us that E.C. Bentley wrote the book on a dare by E. G, Chesterton who was tired of the "infallible sleuths," who came before, like Sherlock Holmes. So, what was special about this book was that it opened the door for "real people"not just a fallible detective but also real and fallible characters. I will have to reread some of my golden age mysteries in order to truly appreciate this distinction.
November 14, 2022
Review of the audiobook narrated by Simon Vance
This 1913 book was said to be Dorothy L. Sayers' favorite mystery; indeed, she wrote the foreword to this edition and calls it "a tale of unusual brilliance and charm." Agatha Christie called it "one of the best detective stories ever written." Supposedly written following a bet with Bentley's friend G.K. Chesterton, the story is a subtle send-up of the "infallible sleuth" of the day.
It features Philip Trent, an all-too-human detective who not only falls in love with the chief suspect but reaches a brilliant conclusion that is totally wrong. Some may say that they saw the final twist coming, but I would not believe them.
The story is great fun, and Simon Vance's narration is perfect. Highly recommended.
This 1913 book was said to be Dorothy L. Sayers' favorite mystery; indeed, she wrote the foreword to this edition and calls it "a tale of unusual brilliance and charm." Agatha Christie called it "one of the best detective stories ever written." Supposedly written following a bet with Bentley's friend G.K. Chesterton, the story is a subtle send-up of the "infallible sleuth" of the day.
It features Philip Trent, an all-too-human detective who not only falls in love with the chief suspect but reaches a brilliant conclusion that is totally wrong. Some may say that they saw the final twist coming, but I would not believe them.
The story is great fun, and Simon Vance's narration is perfect. Highly recommended.
December 31, 2022
When I took the Road Scholar course, "The Art of the English Murder Mystery," TRENT'S LAST CASE was cited as the novel that made the "story twist" popular. It was also famous for another concept that had been explored by other writers before such as Arthur Conan-Doyle in his Sherlock Holmes stories. Still, I will not mention more because it reveals a Huge Spoiler which I wish that I hadn't known going in ... although I also probably wouldn't have read it if the idea hadn't intrigued me so much.
TRENT'S LAST CASE was still a most enjoyable read, even knowing the "concept" beforehand. The amateur detective, Phillip Trent, would much rather spend his time painting. However, his eye for detail and his ability to put clues together to form a cohesive "whole" has made his services in solving mysteries sought after by others. In this case, it is a newspaper that wants him to provide his thoughts about a very high-profile death. Trent reminded me often of the Dorothy L. Sayers character, Lord Peter Wimsey. And, indeed, the mystery has many whimsical aspects that would be appreciated by fans of the two "Knives Out" movies.
Having very recently read THE GOLDEN AGE OF MURDER (a book I highly recommend to fans of classic detective fiction), I learned quite a bit about the writer, E.C. Bentley. He was a fascinating person who I'm certain I would have detested if I met him in person ... a feeling he would have certainly reciprocated. His obsessions, prejudices, and life choices found their way into his works with great regularity. In TRENT'S LAST CASE, these aspects would include his opinion of Sayers' writing and his obsessive love for a married woman. That latter theme would appear time and again.
It really isn't a Spoiler to mention that the book ends with a discussion between two friends condemning capital punishment. The argument is very one-sided, although it did contain considerable "food for thought."
If I'm remembering the details correctly, the title isn't accurate. Bentley would return to Trent in one of his late stories. However, the reception was generally poor, and it was apparent that Bentley's heart just wasn't in it. That doesn't diminish TRENT'S LAST CASE, however. I am very pleased to have read it.
TRENT'S LAST CASE was still a most enjoyable read, even knowing the "concept" beforehand. The amateur detective, Phillip Trent, would much rather spend his time painting. However, his eye for detail and his ability to put clues together to form a cohesive "whole" has made his services in solving mysteries sought after by others. In this case, it is a newspaper that wants him to provide his thoughts about a very high-profile death. Trent reminded me often of the Dorothy L. Sayers character, Lord Peter Wimsey. And, indeed, the mystery has many whimsical aspects that would be appreciated by fans of the two "Knives Out" movies.
Having very recently read THE GOLDEN AGE OF MURDER (a book I highly recommend to fans of classic detective fiction), I learned quite a bit about the writer, E.C. Bentley. He was a fascinating person who I'm certain I would have detested if I met him in person ... a feeling he would have certainly reciprocated. His obsessions, prejudices, and life choices found their way into his works with great regularity. In TRENT'S LAST CASE, these aspects would include his opinion of Sayers' writing and his obsessive love for a married woman. That latter theme would appear time and again.
It really isn't a Spoiler to mention that the book ends with a discussion between two friends condemning capital punishment. The argument is very one-sided, although it did contain considerable "food for thought."
If I'm remembering the details correctly, the title isn't accurate. Bentley would return to Trent in one of his late stories. However, the reception was generally poor, and it was apparent that Bentley's heart just wasn't in it. That doesn't diminish TRENT'S LAST CASE, however. I am very pleased to have read it.
June 3, 2017
A couple of days ago I was writing about the (very good and unjustly neglected) 1952 screen adaptation of this book -- starring Michael Wilding, Margaret Lockwood, Orson Welles and Miles Malleson -- for my Noirish site when it occurred to me that I'd never read the source novel. (To be more accurate, I think that about forty years ago I started but abandoned it.) So, since I was interested to compare the book with the movie, off I trotted to Project Gutenberg.
Ruthless international financier Sigsbee Manderson is discovered, shot through the head, in the grounds of his English pied a terre, White Gables. Alongside the police investigation, monied artist and amateur sleuth Philip Trent probes the case, soon falling head-over-heels for the dead man's widow, Mabel. When he believes he's worked out who was the killer and why, he gives Mabel a manuscript of his reconstruction of what happened, telling her that it's up to her whether she wants to pass it on to the newspaper that commissioned him to investigate and report on the case or, for fear of her reputation, simply destroy the account.
Time goes by and Trent, his relationship with Mabel advancing, with her permission decides to confront the individual he believes killed the tycoon. That individual takes the very same facts that Trent used for his reconstruction and shows that, with the addition of a couple of facts that Trent could not have known, a rather different -- and apparently true -- explanation emerges. Trent is convinced, but that night at dinner he discovers the third and this time real explanation.
In the latter stages of the novel, Bentley makes clear he has something of an agenda. As he has demonstrated, circumstantial evidence is by its very nature unreliable and potentially very misleading, and should never be relied upon exclusively when convicting a suspect, no matter how guilty that suspect might seem. This is of course true, but it may have seemed a mighty novel concept back in 1913 -- as it indeed still does in far too many courts of law today.
I can understand why I abandoned the book way back when. The first half or more is dull as ditchwater, with Trent swanning around like Peter Wimsey with a bad attack of verbal diarrhea. The latter part is far more interesting, as we witness the workings out of the three rival solutions to the case.
There's some gratuitous racism that leaves a very nasty taste in the mouth.
All in all, Trent's Last Case is a novel that's a must-read if you're interested in the history and evolution of detective fiction, in which it has a key role. Otherwise, there are plenty of more entertaining rivals around of similar vintage.
======
UPDATE 6/3/2017 TO ADD:
My discussion of the 1952 movie has now been posted on Noirish here.
Ruthless international financier Sigsbee Manderson is discovered, shot through the head, in the grounds of his English pied a terre, White Gables. Alongside the police investigation, monied artist and amateur sleuth Philip Trent probes the case, soon falling head-over-heels for the dead man's widow, Mabel. When he believes he's worked out who was the killer and why, he gives Mabel a manuscript of his reconstruction of what happened, telling her that it's up to her whether she wants to pass it on to the newspaper that commissioned him to investigate and report on the case or, for fear of her reputation, simply destroy the account.
Time goes by and Trent, his relationship with Mabel advancing, with her permission decides to confront the individual he believes killed the tycoon. That individual takes the very same facts that Trent used for his reconstruction and shows that, with the addition of a couple of facts that Trent could not have known, a rather different -- and apparently true -- explanation emerges. Trent is convinced, but that night at dinner he discovers the third and this time real explanation.
In the latter stages of the novel, Bentley makes clear he has something of an agenda. As he has demonstrated, circumstantial evidence is by its very nature unreliable and potentially very misleading, and should never be relied upon exclusively when convicting a suspect, no matter how guilty that suspect might seem. This is of course true, but it may have seemed a mighty novel concept back in 1913 -- as it indeed still does in far too many courts of law today.
I can understand why I abandoned the book way back when. The first half or more is dull as ditchwater, with Trent swanning around like Peter Wimsey with a bad attack of verbal diarrhea. The latter part is far more interesting, as we witness the workings out of the three rival solutions to the case.
There's some gratuitous racism that leaves a very nasty taste in the mouth.
All in all, Trent's Last Case is a novel that's a must-read if you're interested in the history and evolution of detective fiction, in which it has a key role. Otherwise, there are plenty of more entertaining rivals around of similar vintage.
======
UPDATE 6/3/2017 TO ADD:
My discussion of the 1952 movie has now been posted on Noirish here.
May 5, 2012
Odd to give 5 stars to a mystery whose first half seemed stilted and somewhat formulaic. Yet if it seems formulaic, in part it's because, having been written in 1913, it invents part of the formula.
But then comes the second half. Unfolding one of the most complicated plots ever put down in writing, it ends with a triple switch that, at the same time, takes you full circle back to a suggestion of motive at the first meeting of Trent and another major character.
But what makes it truly sterling is that each plot switch is motivated entirely by character, never by mechanics. These are living, breathing human beings whose reactions to the immediate situation lead to the increasing (and necessary) complication.
Apparently Bentley wrote this novel (which, despite the title, is the first book featuring Trent--there were only three, the other two years later) as a reaction to what he saw as the humorless, almost inhuman qualities in Sherlock Holmes. Trent, an artist, part-time journalist and amateur sleuth, looks at the world with high good humor until the middle-range of this case, which drags him into a love affair that leaves him drained and disillusioned.
Remarkably, too, despite his acute deductive ability and success in getting the basic facts right, he draws a string of wrong conclusions that the last third of the book meticulously unravels in a series of revelations that ring with truth and believable human emotion.
Personal aside: I picked up this book (for Kindle) because of a comment my father made after reading it 60 years ago. Having finished it myself, I realize that I had misunderstood my father's comment in almost exactly the way that Bentley's characters misunderstood each other's motives. It makes for a neat personal package.
But then comes the second half. Unfolding one of the most complicated plots ever put down in writing, it ends with a triple switch that, at the same time, takes you full circle back to a suggestion of motive at the first meeting of Trent and another major character.
But what makes it truly sterling is that each plot switch is motivated entirely by character, never by mechanics. These are living, breathing human beings whose reactions to the immediate situation lead to the increasing (and necessary) complication.
Apparently Bentley wrote this novel (which, despite the title, is the first book featuring Trent--there were only three, the other two years later) as a reaction to what he saw as the humorless, almost inhuman qualities in Sherlock Holmes. Trent, an artist, part-time journalist and amateur sleuth, looks at the world with high good humor until the middle-range of this case, which drags him into a love affair that leaves him drained and disillusioned.
Remarkably, too, despite his acute deductive ability and success in getting the basic facts right, he draws a string of wrong conclusions that the last third of the book meticulously unravels in a series of revelations that ring with truth and believable human emotion.
Personal aside: I picked up this book (for Kindle) because of a comment my father made after reading it 60 years ago. Having finished it myself, I realize that I had misunderstood my father's comment in almost exactly the way that Bentley's characters misunderstood each other's motives. It makes for a neat personal package.
May 30, 2019
Me gustan las novelas de detectives que tienen su historia de amor.
June 10, 2016
Mon dieu, there's a Fr chambermaid named Celestine ! A tycoon frames his personal assistant, a device later used in 1000s of movies. It comes from this 1913 best-seller. It might be interesting if he was pissed off cos of mutual homosex, but such dirtys, we know, didnt exist in 1913 England. Well, it never existed in England at all. The tycoon is just in a vex. I understand The Vex! Friends have oft said I need a Good Vex to get my day going, and -- yes, it's true. It can even start with GR. A vex can be better than sex. This sexless "mystery" will put you off afternoon tea forever. "I shall be at your disposal, sir," sez a footman to handsome detective. Footman, I divine, is dying to get fucked. Book & author are amusing for the background how-it-came-to-be writ. Otherwise: Allez-vous-en, as Celestine might pout.
May 5, 2021
A curiosity at best. I know everyone from Agatha Christie, Chesterton, Dorothy Sayers, to P. D. James laud this to the skies, but I found the writing really boring. The mystery itself is pretty good. The book has been made into films 3 times as well as theatre plays, radio plays and television shows. Hopefully the editing was an improvement over the book.
It must have been something of a sensation when first published. Written in 1913 it’s the “first” golden age mystery and includes very early forensics such as fingerprinting and gunshot residue. Again, for me just a curiosity.
It must have been something of a sensation when first published. Written in 1913 it’s the “first” golden age mystery and includes very early forensics such as fingerprinting and gunshot residue. Again, for me just a curiosity.
July 1, 2011
This book, which was published in 1913, gets three stars for the mystery (and one of those is for the satisfying final twist). It gets 1/2 star for reputedly being the first "golden age" British mystery. It gets another 1/2 star because the great Dorothy L Sayers was a friend (and fan) of the author. All of these factors combined to make me like it a lot.
I had never heard of Bentley or of his detective Phillip Trent until I recently read The Letters of Dorothy L. Sayers: 1899-1936: The Making of a Detective Novelist In April 1936 Sayers wrote to Bentley about his subsequent novel featuring Phillip Trent, Trent's Own Case. She writes:
"Trent himself, I rejoice to see, hasn't altered a scrap, and reappears with all his old humour and charm, and with vigour unimpaired by his long rest on the shelf. He is, you know, the only modern detective of fiction I really ever want to meet (except, possibly [G K Chesterton's] Father Brown, and even he may be too much on the religious tack, taken in large quantities. I am always ashamed of how much my poor Peter owes to Trent, besides his habit of quotation."
Peter Wimsey does indeed owe something to Phillip Trent, although possibly not as much as Sayers suggests. I love Wimsey, so I am pre-disposed to love Trent. He is indeed a very attractive character: an artist, prone to quoting poetry, witty, self-deprecating, keenly observant and inclined to whistle when concentrating. I gather that he only appears in two novels and some short stories. Having read this novel, I rather wish he had had more outings.
Recommended for golden age fans. Possibly not of much interest to anyone else.
February 6, 2014
This book consistently shows up on "greatest mysteries" lists and with good reason. Written in 1913, it is considered the first of the "golden age" mysteries but does not have your typical infallible Holmesian-style detective.
Phillip Trent, an artist, journalist and amateur detective is on the case of a murdered millionaire and he starts out with a bang. All his deductions make perfect sense based on the clues but instead, they are all wrong. The story has more turns than an alpine highway and a triple twist ending. It is a lot of fun and Trent is an appealing, if overly romantic/dramatic, fellow. The story and the historic relevance of the book in the mystery genre makes it a five star read in my opinion.
Phillip Trent, an artist, journalist and amateur detective is on the case of a murdered millionaire and he starts out with a bang. All his deductions make perfect sense based on the clues but instead, they are all wrong. The story has more turns than an alpine highway and a triple twist ending. It is a lot of fun and Trent is an appealing, if overly romantic/dramatic, fellow. The story and the historic relevance of the book in the mystery genre makes it a five star read in my opinion.
March 18, 2025
Frederick Davidson as the narrator gave Trent just the right amount of suaveness, casualness, and debonair manner. And how just by his voice can he let you know that Trent is always dressed for the part?
I enjoyed this a great deal (I also had a slight inkling of the denouement) but in real life there would have been psychological hints of what had happened. And I didn't see any evidence of those hints in the story. I don't want to give anything away here...
I also liked the dedication- what a lovely gift to write a story for someone!
September 21, 2015
A slow opening with huge chunks of twisty prose. But ever so enjoyable afterwards. Reads pretty much like a modern mystery novel, for all that it was written in 1913.
May 3, 2017
Published in 1913, this really has not dated badly at all. Yes, admittedly, there is a point in the book where a character has to explain what the rear mirror on an automobile is for, but otherwise the mystery centres on good old fashioned human failings – greed, jealousy and murder – which are sadly unchanging as motivators, or motives, even today.
The book concerns the suspicious death of American financier, Sigsbee Manderson. His death causes a brief financial panic, but it does not seem to cause any great grief to those close to him. Sir James Mollroy, owner of several newspapers, contacts Philip Trent – an artist who has an interest in crime and journalism – and asks him to look into matters. Providentially, Trent’s old friend, Mr Nathaniel Burton Cupples, is the uncle of Manderson’s wife, Mabel, which allows him access to the house and those within it.
It seems that Manderson had been behaving oddly for some time. Never a demonstrative man, he seemed even more distant with his household; especially his wife. Trent is a wonderful character – engaging, very human and prone – as so many GA detectives were – to quoting poetry constantly. I enjoyed his attempts to unravel the mystery and thought the novel well plotted, with lots of twists and turns. I had not read anything by E.C. Bentley before, but I would certainly read another mystery featuring Philip Trent. Great fun for Golden Age crime lovers.
The book concerns the suspicious death of American financier, Sigsbee Manderson. His death causes a brief financial panic, but it does not seem to cause any great grief to those close to him. Sir James Mollroy, owner of several newspapers, contacts Philip Trent – an artist who has an interest in crime and journalism – and asks him to look into matters. Providentially, Trent’s old friend, Mr Nathaniel Burton Cupples, is the uncle of Manderson’s wife, Mabel, which allows him access to the house and those within it.
It seems that Manderson had been behaving oddly for some time. Never a demonstrative man, he seemed even more distant with his household; especially his wife. Trent is a wonderful character – engaging, very human and prone – as so many GA detectives were – to quoting poetry constantly. I enjoyed his attempts to unravel the mystery and thought the novel well plotted, with lots of twists and turns. I had not read anything by E.C. Bentley before, but I would certainly read another mystery featuring Philip Trent. Great fun for Golden Age crime lovers.
August 12, 2012
This book gets five stars all the way.
I am a big Agatha Christie fan, but this work is better than anything she has written. Including "Plale Horse" which is one of my all time favourites.
The setting of this book is contemporary to today. Two of the main characters are 1%ers and it revolves around what is happening in their world.
The end is utterly amazing. I won't say anymore because I don't want to spoil it.
One more thing though, it is available as an ebook if one can't find it in the library or book shops.
I am a big Agatha Christie fan, but this work is better than anything she has written. Including "Plale Horse" which is one of my all time favourites.
The setting of this book is contemporary to today. Two of the main characters are 1%ers and it revolves around what is happening in their world.
The end is utterly amazing. I won't say anymore because I don't want to spoil it.
One more thing though, it is available as an ebook if one can't find it in the library or book shops.
July 16, 2019
ENGLISH: This is the third time I've read this novel. The mystery and structure of the book are interesting. Halfway through, the "amateur" detective (Trent) thinks he has solved the case. The last two chapters will show that, although the facts were correctly assessed, his interpretation of the facts was wrong. Each of the two final chapters provides an unexpected twist to the solution of the mystery: while keeping the same facts, the interpretation is turned around. That's why Trent decides that this will be his "last case."
It is curious that the first novel published about a fictional detective be precisely his last case.
ESPAÑOL: Esta es la tercera vez que leo esta novela. El misterio y la estructura del libro son interesantes. Hacia la mitad, el detective "aficionado" (Trent) cree haber resuelto el caso. Los dos últimos capítulos nos mostrarán que, aunque los hechos fueron los que él dice, su interpretación de los hechos estaba equivocada. Cada capítulo final proporciona un giro inesperado a la solución del misterio, que manteniendo los hechos da un vuelco a la interpretación. Por eso Trent decide que este será su último caso.
Es original que la primera novela publicada sobre un detective de ficción sea precisamente su último caso.
It is curious that the first novel published about a fictional detective be precisely his last case.
ESPAÑOL: Esta es la tercera vez que leo esta novela. El misterio y la estructura del libro son interesantes. Hacia la mitad, el detective "aficionado" (Trent) cree haber resuelto el caso. Los dos últimos capítulos nos mostrarán que, aunque los hechos fueron los que él dice, su interpretación de los hechos estaba equivocada. Cada capítulo final proporciona un giro inesperado a la solución del misterio, que manteniendo los hechos da un vuelco a la interpretación. Por eso Trent decide que este será su último caso.
Es original que la primera novela publicada sobre un detective de ficción sea precisamente su último caso.
October 13, 2022
Cứ tưởng kiểu twist quay ngoắt trong vài trang cuối chỉ có trong trinh thám hiện đại nhưng hóa ra nó đã tồn tại cách đây cả trăm năm. Truyện tạm ổn, plot khá hay nhưng cách triển khai cộng lối viết đầy triết lý và dramatised khiến việc đọc truyện không enjoyable cho lắm. Nếu vào tay một tác giả hiện đại, đảm bảo sẽ lôi cuốn hơn nhiều. 3⭐️
February 1, 2021
This is one those books that crops up often as you read about crime fiction. Inspirational for many authors, the source for three feature films and then TV, it has always been in my mind as a book not read and as a fan of crime fiction maybe I should. Well, I'm not much of a fan of British crime fiction, particularly the country house mystery and this is definitely that. The writing style is interesting, once you hit the rhythm, but not enjoyable. The characters lack definition or development. The plot is convoluted and owes much to Conan Doyle, but without the fascination that Holmes brings to it. Trent is no Holmes. The Edwardian racism certainly made me jump and was really unnecessary. The central twist makes the book work and the dynamic changes from the mid-point, but much remains predictable. Maybe because so much has been written since and plots become commonplace. Seeing this through the eyes of 1913, as something new and amusing, was beyond me. It is a curiosity and my curiosity is satisfied.
May 28, 2019
Free download available at Project Gutenberg.
From BBC Radio 4 Extra:
Sigsbee Manderson is both renowned and hated throughout the financial world. One day he's found murdered...
Amateur sleuth Philip Trent heads to the country to investigate. It's a case that will prove to be his last, and one he certainly won't forget...
First published in 1913, EC Bentley's detective novel adapted by Alan Downer.
Philip Trent ...... Martin Jarvis
Mabel Manderson ...... Helena Breck
Marlowe ...... Simon Hewitt
Bonner ...... Brian Hewlett
Cupples ...... Manning Wilson
Inspector Murch ...... Alan Downer
Martin ...... Stephen Thorne
Sir James Molloy ...... Sean Barrett
Mrs Morgan ...... Joanna Wake
Figgis ...... Paul Gregory
Eddison ...... David Goodland
Williams ...... Stuart Organ
Dr Stock ...... Simon Cuff
Director: Gerry Jones.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1986.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000...
From BBC Radio 4 Extra:
Sigsbee Manderson is both renowned and hated throughout the financial world. One day he's found murdered...
Amateur sleuth Philip Trent heads to the country to investigate. It's a case that will prove to be his last, and one he certainly won't forget...
First published in 1913, EC Bentley's detective novel adapted by Alan Downer.
Philip Trent ...... Martin Jarvis
Mabel Manderson ...... Helena Breck
Marlowe ...... Simon Hewitt
Bonner ...... Brian Hewlett
Cupples ...... Manning Wilson
Inspector Murch ...... Alan Downer
Martin ...... Stephen Thorne
Sir James Molloy ...... Sean Barrett
Mrs Morgan ...... Joanna Wake
Figgis ...... Paul Gregory
Eddison ...... David Goodland
Williams ...... Stuart Organ
Dr Stock ...... Simon Cuff
Director: Gerry Jones.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1986.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000...
December 5, 2017
What an entertaining classic mystery. Notable for its plot that keeps twisting back on itself just when you think it's been resolved. But not in a pop-up surprise way, but in a way that addresses issues that might have bothered you a little bit about a prior explanation. That makes the resolution satisfying while still being surprising.
Trent is an engaging main character, with a good sense of humor, a keen mind and integrity.
As is all too often the case in these old mysteries, there are a few throwaway lines insulting to Jews and black people.
Trent is an engaging main character, with a good sense of humor, a keen mind and integrity.
As is all too often the case in these old mysteries, there are a few throwaway lines insulting to Jews and black people.
September 28, 2025
#Book_Mortem 255
ট্রেন্ট'স লাস্ট কেস
আমেরিকান ধনকুবের মি. ম্যান্ডারসন খু*ন হয়ে গেলে ইংল্যান্ডে নিজ বাড়িতে। আমেরিকান অর্থনীতি টিকিয়ে রাখার অন্যতম স্তম্ভ এই লোকের মৃত্যুর খবরে আত্মহত্যা করে ফেলল আরো অনেকেই। এমন একজন লোক নিজ বাড়িতে কীভাবে খু*ন হলেন সেই প্রশ্নের উত্তর খোঁজার জন্য দ্য রেকর্ড পত্রিকার হয়ে তদন্ত করতে গেলেন পেশায় চিত্রশিল্পী, তবে শখের গোয়েন্দা ফিলিপ ট্রেন্ট। খু*নী কি ঘরের কেউ নাকি বাইরে থেকে আগত সেটাই খুঁজে বের করতে হবে তাকে।
আমি গোয়েন্দা গল্পের ভক্ত। এর মধ্যে ভিক্টোরিয়ান ধাঁচের গোয়েন্দা গল্প আমাকে আরো বেশি টানে। এ ধরণের গল্প থেকে যা আশা করি, তার থেকে বেশ খানিকটা আলাদা এক্সপেরিয়েন্স দিয়েছে এই বইটি। তবে এই ব্যতিক্রম অভিজ্ঞতা সব মিলিয়ে বেশ ভালো লেগেছে।
খু*ন আর যত সব অসামঞ্জস্যতা
অবশ্যই যেহেতু একটা খু*নের ঘটনা রয়েছে, তাই সেখানে কিছু সূত্র, কিছু সন্দেহভাজন তো থাকবেই। ফিলিপ ট্রেন্ট অকুস্থলে পৌছাবার পরে যথারীতি সেগুলোই খুঁজে পাওয়া যায়। খু*ন হওয়া ব্যক্তির অনেক কিছুর মাঝে অসামঞ্জস্যতা চোখে পড়ে তার। শার্ট, কোট, জুতা, হাতের আঁচড়ের দাগ, পকেট ঘড়ি, বাঁধানো আলগা দাঁতের অবস্থান; এমন অনেক ছোটখাট বিষয় নিয়ে প্রশ্ন জাগে মনে। এরপর সেখানে আরো কনফিউশান তৈরি হয় বাড়ির অন্য সদস্যদের জবানবন্দি নিতে গিয়ে। যুক্ত হয় নতুন আরো কিছু প্রশ্ন, দৃঢ় হয় ইতোমধ্যে তৈরি হওয়া প্রশ্নগুলোর যৌক্তিকতা। এরপর আসে তদন্ত। সেই তদন্তে ট্রেন্ট কী কী করে তার ফিরিস্তি পাঠকরের জানানো হলেও, চিরন্তন ধারা ধরে রেখে গোয়েন্দার কর্মকাণ্ডের পেছনের কারন পাঠককে জানানো হয় না। রহস্য ঘনীভূত হয় আরও। এরপর বইয়ের বেশ খানিকটা অংশ বাকি থাকতেই রহস্যের সমাধান টেনে দেয় গোয়েন্দাপ্রবর। এবার নতুন রহস্য বইয়ের বাকি অংশে কী রয়েছে তাহলে?
প্রেমের আখ্যান
জ্বী না, ভুল কিছু বলি নাই। গোয়েন্দা গল্পে এমন অদ্ভুত প্রেমের দেখা পাব তা ভাবি নাই। মজা লাগলেও এই অংশটুকু নিয়ে একটা আক্ষেপও আছে। ভালোবাসার জন্য একজন গোয়েন্দা কি কখনো সত্যকে আড়াল করতে পারে? করা উচিত কি? যাই হোক, প্রেমের আলাপের পর খুব শীঘ্রই আমরা আবার রহস্যে ফিরে যাই। দেখা যাচ্ছে গোয়েন্দা যে সমাধান টেনেছেন সেখানে হালকা কিছু ফাঁকফোকর রয়ে গেছে। এবার সেগুলো পূরণ করার জন্য আবারও মাঠে নামে ট্রেন্ট। আর এখানেই বইটার সবচেয়ে বড় ধরণের টুইস্ট। এর আগে কে খু*ন করেছে, কীভাবে খু*ন করেছে তা খোলাসা করার পরেও পুরো ঘটনার সম্পূর্ণ ভিন্ন একটা দৃষ্টিকোণ পাঠক হিসাবে ভীষণ আনন্দ দিয়েছে। তবুও খটকা থেকে যাচ্ছিল, কাউকে শাস্তি দিতে গিয়ে নিজের অত বড় ক্ষতি কি আদৌ কারো পক্ষে করা সম্ভব?
অত:পর তাহারা সুখে শান্তিতে বসবাস করিতে লাগিল
এই প্রশ্নেরও উত্তর পাওয়া যাবে বইয়ের একদম শেষ পাতায় এসে। এবং এটাও একটা আলাদা টুইস্ট। যদিও খুব বেশি গোয়েন্দা গল্প পড়া পাঠকেরা হয়তো ততক্ষণে তা অনুমান করে ফেলবেন। তবুও এই যে ট্রেন্টের সমাধান একই সাথে সঠিক আবার একই সাথে ভুল হওয়ার ব্যাপারটা এটা বেশ ভালো লেগেছে। আগের দেয়া সমাধানকে অক্ষুণ্ণ রেখে, অথচ সম্পূর্ণ ঘটনার একেবারে ভিন্ন একটা দৃষ্টিকোণ দিয়ে সমাধানে আসা বেশ দারুণ লেগেছে।
ব্যক্তিগত রেটিং: ০৮/১০ (বইয়ের কিছু জায়গা নিয়ে অবশ্য প্রশ্ন তোলার জায়গা আছে। যেমন স্কটল্যান্ড ইয়ার্ডের গোয়েন্দার ভূমিকা কিংবা ট্রেন্টের এথিক্স আসলে ঠিক থাকল কিনা অথবা একদম শেষ টুইস্টটা আরো ভালোভাবে উপস্থাপন করা যেত কিনা! তবে সবকিছু বাদ দিয়েই এই বইটা আমার বেশ ভালো লেগেছে)
অনুবাদ: প্রথমবারের মতো গোয়েন্দা গল্প অনুবাদ করেছেন লুৎফুল কায়সার। এবং বেশ ভালোভাবেই তাতেই উৎরে গিয়েছেন। শুধু একটা জায়গা বাদে। যেখানে বিচারসভায় মিসেস ম্যান্ডারসন মি. ম্যান্ডারসনের সাথে কথোপকথনের একটা অংশ বলেন সেই জায়গাটায়। দেখুন দুজনের মাঝে দীর্ঘদিন ধরে শীতল সম্পর্ক, কেউ কারো সাথে ঠিকঠাক কথাও বলে না। এমতাবস্থায় নিশ্চয়ই হুট করে কথা বলতে গিয়ে "রাত ক'টা বাজে গো" ধরণের ঢং এর আলাপ করবে না। আরেকটা কথা, ভাই "বেজায়" শব্দটারে একটু ছাড় দেয়া যায় না? এমনও হয়েছে টানা দুই তিন লাইনে এই শব্দটা বারবার এসেছে। এই শব্দের আধিক্য অন্যান্য অনুবাদেও চোখে পড়েছে। কিন্তু এটাতে যেন একেবারে বাড়াবাড়ি পর্যায়ে চলে গেছে। অবস্থা এমন হয়েছে যে আমি নিজেও এখন বেশ, অনেক, ভীষণ, খুব জাতীয় শব্দ ভুলে গিয়ে সব জায়গায় বেজায় দেখতেছি!!
🎲 লেখক: ই. সি. বেন্টলে
🎲 অনুবাদ: লুৎফুল কায়সার
🎲 প্রচ্ছদ: সজল চৌধুরী
🎲 প্রকাশনী: বেনজিন প্রকাশন
🎲 পৃষ্ঠা সংখ্যা: ২০৮
🎲 মূদ্রিত মূল্য: ৪০০ টাকা
ট্রেন্ট'স লাস্ট কেস
আমেরিকান ধনকুবের মি. ম্যান্ডারসন খু*ন হয়ে গেলে ইংল্যান্ডে নিজ বাড়িতে। আমেরিকান অর্থনীতি টিকিয়ে রাখার অন্যতম স্তম্ভ এই লোকের মৃত্যুর খবরে আত্মহত্যা করে ফেলল আরো অনেকেই। এমন একজন লোক নিজ বাড়িতে কীভাবে খু*ন হলেন সেই প্রশ্নের উত্তর খোঁজার জন্য দ্য রেকর্ড পত্রিকার হয়ে তদন্ত করতে গেলেন পেশায় চিত্রশিল্পী, তবে শখের গোয়েন্দা ফিলিপ ট্রেন্ট। খু*নী কি ঘরের কেউ নাকি বাইরে থেকে আগত সেটাই খুঁজে বের করতে হবে তাকে।
আমি গোয়েন্দা গল্পের ভক্ত। এর মধ্যে ভিক্টোরিয়ান ধাঁচের গোয়েন্দা গল্প আমাকে আরো বেশি টানে। এ ধরণের গল্প থেকে যা আশা করি, তার থেকে বেশ খানিকটা আলাদা এক্সপেরিয়েন্স দিয়েছে এই বইটি। তবে এই ব্যতিক্রম অভিজ্ঞতা সব মিলিয়ে বেশ ভালো লেগেছে।
খু*ন আর যত সব অসামঞ্জস্যতা
অবশ্যই যেহেতু একটা খু*নের ঘটনা রয়েছে, তাই সেখানে কিছু সূত্র, কিছু সন্দেহভাজন তো থাকবেই। ফিলিপ ট্রেন্ট অকুস্থলে পৌছাবার পরে যথারীতি সেগুলোই খুঁজে পাওয়া যায়। খু*ন হওয়া ব্যক্তির অনেক কিছুর মাঝে অসামঞ্জস্যতা চোখে পড়ে তার। শার্ট, কোট, জুতা, হাতের আঁচড়ের দাগ, পকেট ঘড়ি, বাঁধানো আলগা দাঁতের অবস্থান; এমন অনেক ছোটখাট বিষয় নিয়ে প্রশ্ন জাগে মনে। এরপর সেখানে আরো কনফিউশান তৈরি হয় বাড়ির অন্য সদস্যদের জবানবন্দি নিতে গিয়ে। যুক্ত হয় নতুন আরো কিছু প্রশ্ন, দৃঢ় হয় ইতোমধ্যে তৈরি হওয়া প্রশ্নগুলোর যৌক্তিকতা। এরপর আসে তদন্ত। সেই তদন্তে ট্রেন্ট কী কী করে তার ফিরিস্তি পাঠকরের জানানো হলেও, চিরন্তন ধারা ধরে রেখে গোয়েন্দার কর্মকাণ্ডের পেছনের কারন পাঠককে জানানো হয় না। রহস্য ঘনীভূত হয় আরও। এরপর বইয়ের বেশ খানিকটা অংশ বাকি থাকতেই রহস্যের সমাধান টেনে দেয় গোয়েন্দাপ্রবর। এবার নতুন রহস্য বইয়ের বাকি অংশে কী রয়েছে তাহলে?
প্রেমের আখ্যান
জ্বী না, ভুল কিছু বলি নাই। গোয়েন্দা গল্পে এমন অদ্ভুত প্রেমের দেখা পাব তা ভাবি নাই। মজা লাগলেও এই অংশটুকু নিয়ে একটা আক্ষেপও আছে। ভালোবাসার জন্য একজন গোয়েন্দা কি কখনো সত্যকে আড়াল করতে পারে? করা উচিত কি? যাই হোক, প্রেমের আলাপের পর খুব শীঘ্রই আমরা আবার রহস্যে ফিরে যাই। দেখা যাচ্ছে গোয়েন্দা যে সমাধান টেনেছেন সেখানে হালকা কিছু ফাঁকফোকর রয়ে গেছে। এবার সেগুলো পূরণ করার জন্য আবারও মাঠে নামে ট্রেন্ট। আর এখানেই বইটার সবচেয়ে বড় ধরণের টুইস্ট। এর আগে কে খু*ন করেছে, কীভাবে খু*ন করেছে তা খোলাসা করার পরেও পুরো ঘটনার সম্পূর্ণ ভিন্ন একটা দৃষ্টিকোণ পাঠক হিসাবে ভীষণ আনন্দ দিয়েছে। তবুও খটকা থেকে যাচ্ছিল, কাউকে শাস্তি দিতে গিয়ে নিজের অত বড় ক্ষতি কি আদৌ কারো পক্ষে করা সম্ভব?
অত:পর তাহারা সুখে শান্তিতে বসবাস করিতে লাগিল
এই প্রশ্নেরও উত্তর পাওয়া যাবে বইয়ের একদম শেষ পাতায় এসে। এবং এটাও একটা আলাদা টুইস্ট। যদিও খুব বেশি গোয়েন্দা গল্প পড়া পাঠকেরা হয়তো ততক্ষণে তা অনুমান করে ফেলবেন। তবুও এই যে ট্রেন্টের সমাধান একই সাথে সঠিক আবার একই সাথে ভুল হওয়ার ব্যাপারটা এটা বেশ ভালো লেগেছে। আগের দেয়া সমাধানকে অক্ষুণ্ণ রেখে, অথচ সম্পূর্ণ ঘটনার একেবারে ভিন্ন একটা দৃষ্টিকোণ দিয়ে সমাধানে আসা বেশ দারুণ লেগেছে।
ব্যক্তিগত রেটিং: ০৮/১০ (বইয়ের কিছু জায়গা নিয়ে অবশ্য প্রশ্ন তোলার জায়গা আছে। যেমন স্কটল্যান্ড ইয়ার্ডের গোয়েন্দার ভূমিকা কিংবা ট্রেন্টের এথিক্স আসলে ঠিক থাকল কিনা অথবা একদম শেষ টুইস্টটা আরো ভালোভাবে উপস্থাপন করা যেত কিনা! তবে সবকিছু বাদ দিয়েই এই বইটা আমার বেশ ভালো লেগেছে)
অনুবাদ: প্রথমবারের মতো গোয়েন্দা গল্প অনুবাদ করেছেন লুৎফুল কায়সার। এবং বেশ ভালোভাবেই তাতেই উৎরে গিয়েছেন। শুধু একটা জায়গা বাদে। যেখানে বিচারসভায় মিসেস ম্যান্ডারসন মি. ম্যান্ডারসনের সাথে কথোপকথনের একটা অংশ বলেন সেই জায়গাটায়। দেখুন দুজনের মাঝে দীর্ঘদিন ধরে শীতল সম্পর্ক, কেউ কারো সাথে ঠিকঠাক কথাও বলে না। এমতাবস্থায় নিশ্চয়ই হুট করে কথা বলতে গিয়ে "রাত ক'টা বাজে গো" ধরণের ঢং এর আলাপ করবে না। আরেকটা কথা, ভাই "বেজায়" শব্দটারে একটু ছাড় দেয়া যায় না? এমনও হয়েছে টানা দুই তিন লাইনে এই শব্দটা বারবার এসেছে। এই শব্দের আধিক্য অন্যান্য অনুবাদেও চোখে পড়েছে। কিন্তু এটাতে যেন একেবারে বাড়াবাড়ি পর্যায়ে চলে গেছে। অবস্থা এমন হয়েছে যে আমি নিজেও এখন বেশ, অনেক, ভীষণ, খুব জাতীয় শব্দ ভুলে গিয়ে সব জায়গায় বেজায় দেখতেছি!!
🎲 লেখক: ই. সি. বেন্টলে
🎲 অনুবাদ: লুৎফুল কায়সার
🎲 প্রচ্ছদ: সজল চৌধুরী
🎲 প্রকাশনী: বেনজিন প্রকাশন
🎲 পৃষ্ঠা সংখ্যা: ২০৮
🎲 মূদ্রিত মূল্য: ৪০০ টাকা
May 28, 2019
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00...Description: Sigsbee Manderson is both renowned and hated throughout the financial world. One day he's found murdered... Amateur sleuth Philip Trent heads to the country to investigate. It's a case that will prove to be his last, and one he certainly won't forget... First published in 1913, EC Bentley's detective novel adapted by Alan Downer.
Philip Trent ...... Martin Jarvis
Mabel Manderson ...... Helena Breck
Marlowe ...... Simon Hewitt
Bonner ...... Brian Hewlett
Cupples ...... Manning Wilson
Inspector Murch ...... Alan Downer
Martin ...... Stephen Thorne
Sir James Molloy ...... Sean Barrett
Mrs Morgan ...... Joanna Wake
Figgis ...... Paul Gregory
Eddison ...... David Goodland
Williams ...... Stuart Organ
Dr Stock ...... Simon Cuff
The word not used: striation (n.)
1849, "a parallel streak," noun of action from striate (v.) - the series of ridges, furrows or linear marks, used in forensics to identify which gun fired a bullet
Displaying 1 - 30 of 445 reviews