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Commissario De Vincenzi #15
Il mistero delle tre orchidee
The notorious Inspector Di Vincenzi returns in this cryptic murder mystery teeming with blackmail, deceit, and revenge
Death is in the air at one of Milan's great fashion houses. As a new collection is unveiled, and the wealthy rub shoulders with the glamorous, owner Cristiana O'Brian escapes upstairs to discover the strangled body of her servant slumped on her bed--a single orchid by his side.
When Inspector Di Vincenzi is called in to investigate, the brilliant detective is puzzled. Why is Cristiana behaving so suspiciously? And what is her estranged ex-husband doing there? As two additional corpses appear, each accompanied by an orchid, Di Vincenzi must see through dirty tricks and slippery clues in order to uncover the real killer.
Death is in the air at one of Milan's great fashion houses. As a new collection is unveiled, and the wealthy rub shoulders with the glamorous, owner Cristiana O'Brian escapes upstairs to discover the strangled body of her servant slumped on her bed--a single orchid by his side.
When Inspector Di Vincenzi is called in to investigate, the brilliant detective is puzzled. Why is Cristiana behaving so suspiciously? And what is her estranged ex-husband doing there? As two additional corpses appear, each accompanied by an orchid, Di Vincenzi must see through dirty tricks and slippery clues in order to uncover the real killer.
160 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1942
About the author
Augusto De Angelis
100 books11 followersAugusto De Angelis (1888-1944) was an Italian novelist and journalist, most famous for his series of detective novels featuring Commissario Carlo De Vincenzi. His cultured protagonist was enormously popular in Italy, but the Fascist government of the time considered him an enemy, and during the Second World War he was imprisoned by the authorities. Shortly after his release he was beaten up by a Fascist activist and died from his injuries.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
September 10, 2016
Inspector Di Vicenzi investiagates a death in one of Italy's most glamorous fashion houses. A man is found strangled in Cristiana O'Brian's bed.. with an orchid by his side.
Di Vicenzi is puzzled by the reaction of Christiana .. she seems very secretive. Her ex-husband is also on the premises .... was he also hiding something?
As two more bodies are found, both with orchids in close proximity, Di Vicenzi is going to work relentlessly to uncover the lies, the secrets.
Because this was written in 1942, there are no forensics ... no DNA profiles ... no CSI effect. Detectives of that time had only to use their senses, their experience in dealing with those who lie, who have secrets.
While I prefer more contemporary mysteries, this was an entertaining look at how books were written before I was born. And because this was first written in Italian, I immensely enjoyed the Italian culture of the day.
Augusto De Angelis (1888-1944) was an Italian novelist and journalist, most famous for his series of detective novels featuring Commissario Carlo De Vincenzi. His cultured protagonist was enormously popular in Italy, but the Fascist government of the time considered him an enemy, and during the Second World War he was imprisoned by the authorities. Shortly after his release he was beaten up by a Fascist activist and died from his injuries.
Trivia: In Italy people commonly call a story about detectives or crimes giallo (English: yellow), because books of crime fiction have usually had a yellow cover since the 1930s.
My thanks to Pushkin Press / Pushkin Vertigo and NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Di Vicenzi is puzzled by the reaction of Christiana .. she seems very secretive. Her ex-husband is also on the premises .... was he also hiding something?
As two more bodies are found, both with orchids in close proximity, Di Vicenzi is going to work relentlessly to uncover the lies, the secrets.
Because this was written in 1942, there are no forensics ... no DNA profiles ... no CSI effect. Detectives of that time had only to use their senses, their experience in dealing with those who lie, who have secrets.
While I prefer more contemporary mysteries, this was an entertaining look at how books were written before I was born. And because this was first written in Italian, I immensely enjoyed the Italian culture of the day.
Augusto De Angelis (1888-1944) was an Italian novelist and journalist, most famous for his series of detective novels featuring Commissario Carlo De Vincenzi. His cultured protagonist was enormously popular in Italy, but the Fascist government of the time considered him an enemy, and during the Second World War he was imprisoned by the authorities. Shortly after his release he was beaten up by a Fascist activist and died from his injuries.
Trivia: In Italy people commonly call a story about detectives or crimes giallo (English: yellow), because books of crime fiction have usually had a yellow cover since the 1930s.
My thanks to Pushkin Press / Pushkin Vertigo and NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
February 4, 2018
Death in a Milanese fashion house - beside the body, an orchid. A mysterious American couple, long-kept secrets, another murder - will Inspector de Vincenzi get to the bottom of these crimes and solve the puzzle of the orchids?
This is the third novel by Augusto de Angelis that I have read - I will be clearly seeking out more. Highly recommended reading!
This is the third novel by Augusto de Angelis that I have read - I will be clearly seeking out more. Highly recommended reading!
January 4, 2024
Very disappointing. As per the endnote Pushkin so helpfully included, De Angelis was agitated by the claim that there was no Italian crime novel, but one can only hope The Mystery of the Three Orchids is not representative of his consummate efforts to rebut that claim. For a mystery set in a Milanese fashion house, it is thoroughly unglamorous – there are very few details of dress, design, or haute couture, even though it is total immersion in an exotic setting that often makes a crime novel memorable. There is, however, a lot of running up and down the stairs and from one room to another, by a somewhat dim detective who lets a THIRD person get murdered so he can make an educated guess at who the perpetrator is (???) A smug refrain of the book is, “This is not how we solve crimes in Italy, signor,” repeated liberally to the uncomprehending and boorish Americans, but it seems to me that Italian police procedure is/was just plain deficient and not much else.
The story was constrained from the start by the limited pool of suspects – rule out the unimportant dresswomen, and it obviously comes down to two characters. In De Angelis’s defence, he revelatorily concocts a motive, but I found myself rolling my eyes at the contrived execution, which was covered up very poorly by the detective saying over and over what a good plan it was - I can’t tell if the book is un-self-aware or too self-aware. The ending is equally eye-roll-worthy – the same old hackneyed parade to the crime scene, followed by an elaborate explanation of the events – the perpetrator even makes an unsuccessful dash to freedom. It’s bewildering how a mystery where the murderer is Among Us and bumping off people under the police's nose (an inherently interesting proposition) is lacking in suspense or intrigue to this degree. I know this is the fifteenth installment in the De Vincenzi series, but that only makes it more of a letdown – a seasoned crime-writer is expected to produce something a little better than these <200 pages of unsatisfying meandering. The translation is also laughably prosaic. Che peccato.
The story was constrained from the start by the limited pool of suspects – rule out the unimportant dresswomen, and it obviously comes down to two characters. In De Angelis’s defence, he revelatorily concocts a motive, but I found myself rolling my eyes at the contrived execution, which was covered up very poorly by the detective saying over and over what a good plan it was - I can’t tell if the book is un-self-aware or too self-aware. The ending is equally eye-roll-worthy – the same old hackneyed parade to the crime scene, followed by an elaborate explanation of the events – the perpetrator even makes an unsuccessful dash to freedom. It’s bewildering how a mystery where the murderer is Among Us and bumping off people under the police's nose (an inherently interesting proposition) is lacking in suspense or intrigue to this degree. I know this is the fifteenth installment in the De Vincenzi series, but that only makes it more of a letdown – a seasoned crime-writer is expected to produce something a little better than these <200 pages of unsatisfying meandering. The translation is also laughably prosaic. Che peccato.
September 20, 2016
I always enjoy classic mysteries, especially ones that are unusual. The Mystery of the Three Orchids has the feel of a 1940s film complete with gangsters, a femme fatale and an eccentric but brilliant detective.
Everything begins when Cristiana O'Brian discovers a body in her bed, strangled, an orchid placed nearby. Downstairs, her new fashion collection is being unveiled, the event attended by the wealthy and influential of Milan. Is it more than a coincidence that Cristiana's ex husband and his sister have arrived in Milan? Inspector DI Vicenzi is known for his brilliance and reliance on psychology, but O'Brian's fashion house poses a unique puzzle. So many secrets but which ones are related to the murders?
The Mystery of the Three Orchids is ingeniously conceived. Though the killer's motive was simple, the plot and execution were complex, easily concealing his/her identity amongst a multitude of red herrings. Inspector DI Vicenzi is an amiable lead, not easily distracted by the trappings of wealth and prestige. Justice is his foremost goal, as opposed to a tidy or convenient solution. (It is no surprise that while Angelis was a popular author, his writing was not appreciated by the fascists leading Italy at the time)
Like many mysteries of its time, The Mystery of the Three Orchids is "civilized" with any hint of violence left curtained off from view. The Mystery of the Three Orchids is also intriguing as its setting is one dominated by women, and only a small handful of the characters are male. In a sense, Inspector DI Vicenzi has to navigate an unfamiliar world, as well as uncover a killer. Remember this is a reprint of a novel released prior to 1940. In The Mystery of the Three Orchids, Angelis gave his readers a stunning puzzle and an innovative setting.
It is a pleasure to see this classic translated and released in ebook form for the enjoyment of a new generation of mystery lovers. If you enjoy classic mysteries, The Mystery of the Three Orchids will delight you.
4/5
I received a copy of The Mystery of the Three Orchids from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
Everything begins when Cristiana O'Brian discovers a body in her bed, strangled, an orchid placed nearby. Downstairs, her new fashion collection is being unveiled, the event attended by the wealthy and influential of Milan. Is it more than a coincidence that Cristiana's ex husband and his sister have arrived in Milan? Inspector DI Vicenzi is known for his brilliance and reliance on psychology, but O'Brian's fashion house poses a unique puzzle. So many secrets but which ones are related to the murders?
The Mystery of the Three Orchids is ingeniously conceived. Though the killer's motive was simple, the plot and execution were complex, easily concealing his/her identity amongst a multitude of red herrings. Inspector DI Vicenzi is an amiable lead, not easily distracted by the trappings of wealth and prestige. Justice is his foremost goal, as opposed to a tidy or convenient solution. (It is no surprise that while Angelis was a popular author, his writing was not appreciated by the fascists leading Italy at the time)
Like many mysteries of its time, The Mystery of the Three Orchids is "civilized" with any hint of violence left curtained off from view. The Mystery of the Three Orchids is also intriguing as its setting is one dominated by women, and only a small handful of the characters are male. In a sense, Inspector DI Vicenzi has to navigate an unfamiliar world, as well as uncover a killer. Remember this is a reprint of a novel released prior to 1940. In The Mystery of the Three Orchids, Angelis gave his readers a stunning puzzle and an innovative setting.
It is a pleasure to see this classic translated and released in ebook form for the enjoyment of a new generation of mystery lovers. If you enjoy classic mysteries, The Mystery of the Three Orchids will delight you.
4/5
I received a copy of The Mystery of the Three Orchids from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
May 10, 2013
Un bel giallo proveniente dagli inizi del '900 scoperto per caso guardando una registrazione di una serie televisiva degli anni '70 interpretata magistralmente da Paolo Stoppa. Nulla da invidiare ai giallisti contemporanei europei e americani. Riferimenti di De Angelis sono Dupin e Poe.
Imperdibile!
Imperdibile!
May 13, 2017
Stella McCartney recently said that “Fashion is really getting away with murder”. But I doubt she’s read The Mystery of The Three Orchids, an Italian Golden Age murder mystery set in a fashion house in Milan. Will someone in the industry get away with murder??
This is the second novel by the late Augusto De Angelis I’ve read and it won’t be the last. The author’s writing despite originating in Italian is similar to the Queen of Golden Age Crime, Dame Agatha Christie. In The Murdered Banker, the previous one I’ve read, there were a number of nods to Ms Christie in the story and dialogue. The Mystery of the Three Orchids pays less of a homage to De Angelis’ British contemporary but the style is of the time and the main sleuth De Vicenza has a similar detection style to Christie’s Poirot, saying little and mulling things over.
One of the things that attracts me to this type of murder mystery is the grand reveal at the end with the unveiling of the culprit and the reasons why. I have loved this since I was a child watching the TV adaptations of Poirot with Albert Finney and Peter Ustinov. The whole concept keeps you guessing throughout and then as the sleuth, De Vicenza in this case, talks through the how, all the pieces of the puzzle slot together and you go “oh yeah, why didn’t I see that”.
If you like reading the novels of Agatha Christie, I highly recommend you give Augusto De Angelis a try.
A big thank you to Pushkin Vertigo for sending me a copy of The Mystery of Three Orchids
This is the second novel by the late Augusto De Angelis I’ve read and it won’t be the last. The author’s writing despite originating in Italian is similar to the Queen of Golden Age Crime, Dame Agatha Christie. In The Murdered Banker, the previous one I’ve read, there were a number of nods to Ms Christie in the story and dialogue. The Mystery of the Three Orchids pays less of a homage to De Angelis’ British contemporary but the style is of the time and the main sleuth De Vicenza has a similar detection style to Christie’s Poirot, saying little and mulling things over.
One of the things that attracts me to this type of murder mystery is the grand reveal at the end with the unveiling of the culprit and the reasons why. I have loved this since I was a child watching the TV adaptations of Poirot with Albert Finney and Peter Ustinov. The whole concept keeps you guessing throughout and then as the sleuth, De Vicenza in this case, talks through the how, all the pieces of the puzzle slot together and you go “oh yeah, why didn’t I see that”.
If you like reading the novels of Agatha Christie, I highly recommend you give Augusto De Angelis a try.
A big thank you to Pushkin Vertigo for sending me a copy of The Mystery of Three Orchids
October 16, 2016
Inspector De Vincenzi arrives at Cristiana O’Brian’s fashion house to find a fashion show in full swing and the body of Cristiana’s assistant on her bed with an orchid carefully placed on a nearby chest of drawers. Now he has to pick his way through the building and work out what has happened. But it does not help that the potential suspects are being less than truthful.
There is a certain poignancy to reading any of Augusto De Angelis’s books because he did not live in one of Italy’s easiest times. Under suspicion of being an Anti-fascist, he was eventually imprisoned because of this. His eventually freedom did not last long because he died, at the age of 56, as a result of being beaten up by a fascist.
You get no real insight into the crime from the perpetrator’s viewpoint, although you do see the reactions of the potential suspects to various situations when the detective is not present. The writing is clean, but paints a clear picture of the fashion house and its inhabitants.
Vincenzi has been likened to Maigret, which is a fair comparison, because both men are meticulous in their observations and thoughtful in their process of deduction. Yet despite an analytical approach, they both possess compassion and a relative delicacy in their investigation, until someone attempts to cross them or conceal the truth.
The Mystery of the Three Orchids should interest readers who yearn for a good old-fashioned whodunit crime novel, where the clues are laid out, with the inevitable red herrings for the detective to work through. For readers who expect to see the crime scene carefully preserved and meticulous forensic work being undertaken, this book is not for them, because Vincenzi methods are of a less than rigorous era. But this doesn’t get in the way of what is an enjoyable crime novel.
The Mystery of the Three Orchids was courtesy of Pushkin Press via NetGalley
There is a certain poignancy to reading any of Augusto De Angelis’s books because he did not live in one of Italy’s easiest times. Under suspicion of being an Anti-fascist, he was eventually imprisoned because of this. His eventually freedom did not last long because he died, at the age of 56, as a result of being beaten up by a fascist.
You get no real insight into the crime from the perpetrator’s viewpoint, although you do see the reactions of the potential suspects to various situations when the detective is not present. The writing is clean, but paints a clear picture of the fashion house and its inhabitants.
Vincenzi has been likened to Maigret, which is a fair comparison, because both men are meticulous in their observations and thoughtful in their process of deduction. Yet despite an analytical approach, they both possess compassion and a relative delicacy in their investigation, until someone attempts to cross them or conceal the truth.
The Mystery of the Three Orchids should interest readers who yearn for a good old-fashioned whodunit crime novel, where the clues are laid out, with the inevitable red herrings for the detective to work through. For readers who expect to see the crime scene carefully preserved and meticulous forensic work being undertaken, this book is not for them, because Vincenzi methods are of a less than rigorous era. But this doesn’t get in the way of what is an enjoyable crime novel.
The Mystery of the Three Orchids was courtesy of Pushkin Press via NetGalley
October 9, 2020
"Il mistero delle tre orchidee" è un romanzo poliziesco del 1940 dello scrittore italiano Augusto De Angelis, della serie dedicata alle indagini del commissario De Vincenzi della squadra mobile di Milano.
Poco conosciuta la storia personale dell’autore:
Augusto De Angelis (Roma 1888 – Bellagio 1944) è stato uno scrittore e giornalista italiano. Scrisse poco meno di una ventina di romanzi polizieschi, nella maggior parte dei quali è protagonista il commissario De Vincenzi, capo della squadra mobile di Milano, un personaggio arguto ma molto umano, creando una sorta di Maigret italiano ante litteram. Nonostante il buon successo dei suoi romanzi, tuttavia, De Angelis non poté goderne a lungo: la censura del regime fascista infatti impose il sequestro del romanzi noir nonché la chiusura dei gialli Mondadori, perché, per motivi propagandistici e di ordine pubblico, tendeva a far scomparire il crimine dalle cronache e dalla letteratura. Fu arrestato con l'accusa di antifascismo ed uscito di prigione nel 1944 ebbe la sfortuna d'incontrarsi con un "repubblichino" che lo aggredì con pugni e calci, tanto da causarne la morte.
Gradevole, interessante per le atmosfere rarefatte dell’epoca, essendo “antico”, lo trovate gratis su molti siti. ( liber-liber ad esempio)
Poco conosciuta la storia personale dell’autore:
Augusto De Angelis (Roma 1888 – Bellagio 1944) è stato uno scrittore e giornalista italiano. Scrisse poco meno di una ventina di romanzi polizieschi, nella maggior parte dei quali è protagonista il commissario De Vincenzi, capo della squadra mobile di Milano, un personaggio arguto ma molto umano, creando una sorta di Maigret italiano ante litteram. Nonostante il buon successo dei suoi romanzi, tuttavia, De Angelis non poté goderne a lungo: la censura del regime fascista infatti impose il sequestro del romanzi noir nonché la chiusura dei gialli Mondadori, perché, per motivi propagandistici e di ordine pubblico, tendeva a far scomparire il crimine dalle cronache e dalla letteratura. Fu arrestato con l'accusa di antifascismo ed uscito di prigione nel 1944 ebbe la sfortuna d'incontrarsi con un "repubblichino" che lo aggredì con pugni e calci, tanto da causarne la morte.
Gradevole, interessante per le atmosfere rarefatte dell’epoca, essendo “antico”, lo trovate gratis su molti siti. ( liber-liber ad esempio)
April 3, 2021
I love a good murder mystery, and this is undoubtedly one of them. The events of The Mystery of the Three Orchids take place in an Italian fashion house, where a designer's assistant is found dead with an orchid nearby. Soon, Inspector De Vincenzi is on the scene and thus begins the game of slowly revealing the true identities of the people who work at this famous fashion house. What I like about the story is that it unfolds gradually. The book isn't a thriller, but it has classic ingredients like deception and suspense, making it a good mystery. Very Agatha Christie-like, but Inspector De Vincenzi is no Poirot.
July 16, 2017
I'll blame this on the translation, which is graceless and awkwardly written throughout, but I'm at a loss to remember the last time a book irritated me this badly. Boring mystery, nothing characters (you know the murderer is one of two people because nobody else even registers), uninteresting detective who makes grand sexist generalizations that the author seems to share. I have two other books by the same author in my queue and he certainly had a compelling life story, but I doubt I will sample a second.
August 16, 2020
Fa uno strano effetto leggere questo giallo senza sapere nulla dell'autore. Ci si trova sospesi quasi in un "non-tempo" del passato con degli strani personaggi dai nomi stranieri ma senza alcun problema di lingua, tutti sembrano parlare tranquillamente l'italiano.
Le atmosfere sono alla Hercule Poirot ed il commissario De Vincenzi, silenzioso e quieto, ha capito tutto e raccoglie tutti i protagonisti per lo spiegone finale. Interessante dal punto di vista storico, questa indagine in particolare non fornisce emozioni o suspence.
Le atmosfere sono alla Hercule Poirot ed il commissario De Vincenzi, silenzioso e quieto, ha capito tutto e raccoglie tutti i protagonisti per lo spiegone finale. Interessante dal punto di vista storico, questa indagine in particolare non fornisce emozioni o suspence.
March 29, 2024
Stilted, dated, and just plain weird. It's a psychological mystery but you never understand anyone's motives.
The characters are so arch it just becomes campy. Charles Busch should adapt it and play "Christiana O'Brien."
Also it's so mysterious to me why all the aliases in Italian fashion are Irish. Were the Irish the purveyors of glamour in the '30s?
Interesting for historical reasons but really more of a curiosity of a novel.
The characters are so arch it just becomes campy. Charles Busch should adapt it and play "Christiana O'Brien."
Also it's so mysterious to me why all the aliases in Italian fashion are Irish. Were the Irish the purveyors of glamour in the '30s?
Interesting for historical reasons but really more of a curiosity of a novel.
November 30, 2024
3 rose, 3 orchidee... insomma, abbiamo capito che De Angelis amava le ambientazioni in cui c'è un ambiente chiuso o quasi (alberghi, case di moda) e personaggi che tra di loro non vanno particolarmente d'accordo ;) Dovrebbe essere l'ultimo scritto dall'autore, diciamo che dopo un po' sono tutti simili ma capisco perchè all'epoca ebbero un loro successo (e rimangono una sorta di documento sui costumi dell'epoca).
May 30, 2023
Noir-ish criminal mystery set in a Milan, Italy couture fashion house in the early 1930’s. Some interesting twists with good character depictions. My first “Commissario De Vincenzi” novel (15th in the series) and it will not be my last. (3 - 4 stars)
July 16, 2018
Really enjoyed this clever mystery.
August 15, 2018
Perhaps it was the translation, perhaps the original writing style but I did not enjoy this particularly.
June 24, 2019
Just was not interesting. The end of the book was a surprise but the reader is not likely to care too much.
August 8, 2020
A genre entry from the thirties is an enjoyable little mystery that ticks all the boxes. It is an easy read, while remaining intriguing at the same time, and the reveal is satisfactory.
October 3, 2021
Un giallo leggero, adatto per chi non cerca letture impegnative, veloci e vuole spezzare letture più impegnative.
E.
E.
March 2, 2017
I'm loving that Pushkin have released these lovely new editions of classic crime fiction. Introduced me to Inspector de Vincenzi from this Italian writer I'd otherwise never have come across.
Reminded me a little of Sherlock Holmes, an intriguing murder mystery that I read in a day! I've added another de Vincenzi 'The Hotel of the Three Roses' to my TBR pile.
Reminded me a little of Sherlock Holmes, an intriguing murder mystery that I read in a day! I've added another de Vincenzi 'The Hotel of the Three Roses' to my TBR pile.
November 7, 2016
This is the third book in the ‘Inspector De Vincenzi’ series that I’ve read (the others were The Murdered Banker and The Hotel of Three Roses). As with those other books, The Mystery of the Three Orchids is a fast paced crime thriller, with a plethora of potential killers and not a lot of character building; what we do learn about the characters is the bare minimum to enable us to determine whether or not they’re the perpetrator of the crime. If you like your detective novels to be a slow burn, then this isn’t the series for you. The reader is immediately thrown into the action – there is no slow build up – the detective arrives within pages and immediately gets to work with very little rest.
The Mystery of the Three Orchids has probably been my least favourite of the series so far. That’s not to say it was bad or unenjoyable, but in comparison to the others I’ve read, I just had a less good time reading it. In the last two books, I’ve been stumped on who the killer was almost to the last pages; the clues that De Angelis left strewn throughout them weren’t overly obvious, and neither were the motives for the respective crimes. The opposite was true this time around, and I pieced it all together quite easily.
I also felt this instalment was a bit negative towards women, there being several instances in which women were portrayed as being little more than devious liars. It’s not something that I’ve noticed in the previous books and while it made me laugh more than anything else, it seemed strange to me to repeat the same thing over and over again. I came to the conclusion that maybe the author was having love troubles at the time, and allowed some of that to creep into his work.
Although I believe there are better books in this series, in the end I got what I expected: a fast paced crime novel that reaches its conclusion in a fairly short space of time (you could easily sit and devour one of these books in an afternoon). While I do enjoy taking my time with crime novels, sometimes I just need to know who the killer is and I don’t want to have to wade through pages of superfluous plot to find out and these books meet that need perfectly.
The Mystery of the Three Orchids has probably been my least favourite of the series so far. That’s not to say it was bad or unenjoyable, but in comparison to the others I’ve read, I just had a less good time reading it. In the last two books, I’ve been stumped on who the killer was almost to the last pages; the clues that De Angelis left strewn throughout them weren’t overly obvious, and neither were the motives for the respective crimes. The opposite was true this time around, and I pieced it all together quite easily.
I also felt this instalment was a bit negative towards women, there being several instances in which women were portrayed as being little more than devious liars. It’s not something that I’ve noticed in the previous books and while it made me laugh more than anything else, it seemed strange to me to repeat the same thing over and over again. I came to the conclusion that maybe the author was having love troubles at the time, and allowed some of that to creep into his work.
Although I believe there are better books in this series, in the end I got what I expected: a fast paced crime novel that reaches its conclusion in a fairly short space of time (you could easily sit and devour one of these books in an afternoon). While I do enjoy taking my time with crime novels, sometimes I just need to know who the killer is and I don’t want to have to wade through pages of superfluous plot to find out and these books meet that need perfectly.
August 20, 2016
I would like to thank Netgalley and Pushkin Vertigo for an advance copy of The Mystery Of The Three Orchids, an Italian police procedural originally published in 1942.
Inspector De Vincenzi is called to the Cristiana O'Brian fashion house when Cristiana's assistant Valerio has been killed in her bed, an orchid placed beside him. When more people are killed, again with orchids placed near the bodies De Vincenzi has his work cut out sorting through the lies, deceptions and misdirections to reach the truth.
This is the second novel I have read by Mr De Angelis and it is easy to see why he is known as the father of Italian crime fiction as his books are a great read. The Mystery Of The Three Orchids is written in a traditional manner where the killer is not revealed until the denouement and it is up to the reader to puzzle out whodunit. It is a real puzzle and even after multiple secrets had been revealed I still had no idea of the perpetrator, I had a possibility in mind but no idea of how or why. It's clever stuff.
I also like the writing style which is clear and unemotional. In the time of little or no forensics and a distinct lack of clues De Vincenzi has to work out the psychology behind the crimes. He does this clinically and there is little mention of his thoughts about or reaction to the crime. Until the denouement we know nothing of the killer's thoughts or reasons either, unlike many modern novels.
If you like a good, old fashioned mystery then I heartily recommend The Mystery Of The Three Orchids.
Inspector De Vincenzi is called to the Cristiana O'Brian fashion house when Cristiana's assistant Valerio has been killed in her bed, an orchid placed beside him. When more people are killed, again with orchids placed near the bodies De Vincenzi has his work cut out sorting through the lies, deceptions and misdirections to reach the truth.
This is the second novel I have read by Mr De Angelis and it is easy to see why he is known as the father of Italian crime fiction as his books are a great read. The Mystery Of The Three Orchids is written in a traditional manner where the killer is not revealed until the denouement and it is up to the reader to puzzle out whodunit. It is a real puzzle and even after multiple secrets had been revealed I still had no idea of the perpetrator, I had a possibility in mind but no idea of how or why. It's clever stuff.
I also like the writing style which is clear and unemotional. In the time of little or no forensics and a distinct lack of clues De Vincenzi has to work out the psychology behind the crimes. He does this clinically and there is little mention of his thoughts about or reaction to the crime. Until the denouement we know nothing of the killer's thoughts or reasons either, unlike many modern novels.
If you like a good, old fashioned mystery then I heartily recommend The Mystery Of The Three Orchids.
November 12, 2016
This is another Pushkin Vertigo reissue of a classic whodunnit translated into English. It concerns an American woman with a mysterious background who starts a fashion house in Italy. She finds the corpse of her dogsbody assistant strangled and laid out on her bed -- and an orchid in a vase nearby. Inspector De Vincenzi is surprised to find that the orchid terrifies the woman more than the dead body and sets out to learn the reason as he works on solving the case.
The story propels the reader forward even though the identity of the perp seems obvious much too soon and the characters are not fleshed out. I did like De Vincenzi's ruse to trap the murderer.
So far now I've read four of these foreign-language reissues, two about De Vincenzi, and am detecting a publisher preference for the puzzle mystery, what you might call a locked-box mystery. The books are OK but not great. I think I need something more substantive. Or maybe the tastes of this lifelong mystery lover are changing. Lately, the books that I have loved have all been nonfiction. Please check out my four- and five-star reviews to discover something worth reading.
The story propels the reader forward even though the identity of the perp seems obvious much too soon and the characters are not fleshed out. I did like De Vincenzi's ruse to trap the murderer.
So far now I've read four of these foreign-language reissues, two about De Vincenzi, and am detecting a publisher preference for the puzzle mystery, what you might call a locked-box mystery. The books are OK but not great. I think I need something more substantive. Or maybe the tastes of this lifelong mystery lover are changing. Lately, the books that I have loved have all been nonfiction. Please check out my four- and five-star reviews to discover something worth reading.
August 24, 2016
All the ladies of O'Brian Fashion House are trying to do is to present their works in the best of lights to the best of Milanese and European society, but they're not going to find a dead person on their premises much help. Cristiana lives in Casa O'Brian, on the top floor of the building where everything key to her company happens, and it's on her bed that she finds the corpse – resplendent with an orchid perched nearby, an orchid that bizarrely means a lot to her. What could it signify? Was she correct in thinking she'd seen some people she really didn't want to see back in her life, in the audience below? And who here might not actually be who they first appear? It'll be a tough case for Inspector de Vincenzi, that's for sure.
For the rest of my review, please look to the only place it should be at:-
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For the rest of my review, please look to the only place it should be at:-
http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/i...
July 27, 2017
Inspector De Vincenzi investigates a murder in a Milan fashion house. The victim is found sprawled on a bed with an orchid by his side.
This is a classic noir story of blackmail, murder and revenge. As one might expect from the genre, the plot is rather far fetched, and the characters quite superficial, but this is an atmospheric thriller with an engaging period setting, and Inspector De Vicenzi is an impressive protagonist. The dialogue is sometimes stilted - this may be attributable to the cumulative effect of a translator rendering into English an Italian author's representation of the style of the American detective.
Nice easy classic crime read, and I have also been interested to read about the life and tragic death of the author, Augusto De Angelis, 'father of Italian crime fiction'.
This is a classic noir story of blackmail, murder and revenge. As one might expect from the genre, the plot is rather far fetched, and the characters quite superficial, but this is an atmospheric thriller with an engaging period setting, and Inspector De Vicenzi is an impressive protagonist. The dialogue is sometimes stilted - this may be attributable to the cumulative effect of a translator rendering into English an Italian author's representation of the style of the American detective.
Nice easy classic crime read, and I have also been interested to read about the life and tragic death of the author, Augusto De Angelis, 'father of Italian crime fiction'.
January 3, 2017
Another fine Milan set novel featuring Inspector de Vincenzi.
de Vincenzi is called in to investigate a body found in the bedroom of a fashion designer Christiana O'Brian.
Before long more bodies turn up and de Vincenzi has his work cut out to solve the mystery.
This is a good old fashioned police story with many twists and turns to the end when the murderer is finally discovered.
Very highly recommended.
I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher Pushkin via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review.
de Vincenzi is called in to investigate a body found in the bedroom of a fashion designer Christiana O'Brian.
Before long more bodies turn up and de Vincenzi has his work cut out to solve the mystery.
This is a good old fashioned police story with many twists and turns to the end when the murderer is finally discovered.
Very highly recommended.
I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher Pushkin via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review.
August 19, 2016
I found this book hard to get into, but once in, I found it a really good story. Written in the style of the Golden age and capturing the feeling of the era. It is not your typical English mystery but a mixture of pulp and mystery. The story has twist and turns everywhere, as when you think you've sorted it - it surprises and doubles back and moves out. It really as worth preserving with the start.
This book was provided to me in return for an honest and unbiased review
This book was provided to me in return for an honest and unbiased review
November 17, 2016
A gripping Milanese murder mystery
A clever and complicated murder plot in a Milan fashion house. It is the 1930's and Inspector di Vincenzi has a difficult crime to solve. A young man is found strangled in the bedroom of the fashion house owner. But that's just the beginning.
June Finnigan - Writer
A clever and complicated murder plot in a Milan fashion house. It is the 1930's and Inspector di Vincenzi has a difficult crime to solve. A young man is found strangled in the bedroom of the fashion house owner. But that's just the beginning.
June Finnigan - Writer
October 21, 2016
A classic mystery from the early 1940s that includes all the ingredients a reader may want from that era - gangsters, molls, double crossing, etc. Good stuff.
My thanks to the publishers and NetGalley who provided an ecopy in exchange for an honest review.
My thanks to the publishers and NetGalley who provided an ecopy in exchange for an honest review.
June 13, 2017
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