Till Death Do Us Part

Dr. Gideon Fell #15

by John Dickson Carr

Crime author Dick Markham is in love again; his fiancée the mysterious newcomer to the village, Lesley Grant. When Grant accidentally shoots the fortune teller through the side of his tent at the local fair – following a very strange reaction to his predictions – Markham is reluctantly brought into a scheme to expose his betrothed as a suspected serial husband-poisoner.

That night the enigmatic fortune teller – and chief accuser – is found dead in an impossible locked-room setup, casting suspicion onto Grant and striking doubt into the heart of her lover. Lured by the scent of the impossible case, Dr Gideon Fell arrives from London to examine the perplexing evidence and match wits with a meticulous killer at large.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Detective, Audiobook, British Literature, Golden Age Mystery

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1944

About the author

AKA Carter Dickson, Carr Dickson and Roger Fairbairn.

John Dickson Carr was born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, in 1906. It Walks by Night, his first published detective novel, featuring the Frenchman Henri Bencolin, was published in 1930. Apart from Dr Fell, whose first appearance was in Hag's Nook in 1933, Carr's other series detectives (published under the nom de plume of Carter Dickson) were the barrister Sir Henry Merrivale, who debuted in The Plague Court Murders (1934).

Reviews

[Metodi Markov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Официално добавям Джон Диксън Кар към другите ми любими автори на криминална проза!

В тази кратичка книга, той ни предлага поредната завъртяна и интересна история, като води читателите си в различни посоки през цялото време, с малък шанс да отгатнат, кой точно е престъпника.

P.S. Намирам за много забавен факта, че романите на този американски автор се развиват предимно във Великобритания.

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

This is the second book by John Dickson Carr that I've read, the first being The Hollow Man; of the two, I preferred this one. He was apparently particularly good at locked room mysteries.

Dick Markham, a playwright, has just become engaged to Leslie Grant, a relative newcomer to the village of Six Ashhes. At the village fete, she becomes distressed by something the fortune teller has told her so Dick goes to confront him, handing Leslie the rifle he was holding from the shooting range, where upon she accidentally (or was it)?, shoots the fortune teller.

We later learn that the fortune teller is celebrated Home Office pathologist Sir Harvey Gilman, who has a tale to tell Dick when he goes around to check how he is after the shooting. It seems Leslie has been married twice before and both times, her husband has been found dead in a locked room from prussic acid poisoning, also, her previous fiance was found dead in the same circumstances, however, they have never been able to prove that she had a hand in it, so Dick is asked to help set a trap. Things take a turn when Gilman turns up dead in the same circumstances as Leslie's previous victims, and so Gideon Fell is called in.

I really enjoyed the first half of the book, and found it pretty atmospheric. I loved the setting. There were plenty of twists and turns and I certainly didn't guess the solution. I did find the motive a little disappointing and it felt that the puzzle was the most important aspect of the story and the why didn't really matter. Gideon Fell still hasn't really come to life as a distinct detective, but I do plan on reading more and hopefully getting to know him a bit better.

*Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a review copy in exchange for an honest opinion*

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just appreciate these over the top 1920's-1935 between the wars set in England. Especially when they were written in a time when standards, formalities or even manners of interchange were more observable as structured. And double that for caped detectives or any flamboyant particularities.

Because the plot is so outrageous, I think it is a full 4. Coming upon Dr. Fell only within #15? Well, I will definitely be reading more of John Dickson Carr despite these being 65 or 75 years old at this point. Not only the Fell ones either but the other series fare or standalones.

Here the people are very much of the age and in dozens of ways owning more innocence. No one is hooking up and no one swears consistently as "normal". But impossible tasks are evident. And the murderer is indeed a difficult pick in a series of locked room murders?

Reminds me almost entirely of an early Agatha when she had too many complicated twisty sidetracks or a later Sherlock- when his actions got rather duplicitous. But not as crisp as either.

I doubt modern readers will groove on the mechanics or the reasonings in this one though. I could be wrong, but I doubt it. Lesley and Dick were excellent characters- I could picture them easily talking over each other.

[Alisha Trenalone · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a gripping locked room mystery that keeps you barreling along through fast-paced scenes of action and puzzlement. There are very few slow sections, which makes it a compelling case for finishing in one sitting, or at least one day (which is what I did!).
At the heart of the story are whisperings about a femme fatale – Lesley, the lovely new fiancée of Dick Markham. Why should Dick care that he knows absolutely nothing about her prior to the last six months? What could possibly be of concern? But when a neighbor masquerading as a fortune teller at a fair confides in Dick that he recognizes Lesley as a serial but unproven husband-poisoner, Dick's world is shaken. Especially when the fortune teller is immediately shot in the back by Leslie firing a gun, ahem, accidentally. What is happening?
The rest of the novel is a masterful kaleidoscope that leads you to believe first one thing, then another, then back again, then on to something else, and so on and so forth until a breathless finale.
This was my first book by John Dickson Carr, and I was impressed. Although his sleuth, Dr. Gideon Fell, is somewhat Poirot-adjacent but less appealing, the mystery itself and the core cast of characters are very good! I look forward to checking out more titles from this Golden Age author.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this digital review copy!

[eyes.2c · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read!

There’s a jolly good reason why this is part of British Library Crime Classics. It’s fascinating, although in this day and age, slightly fussy with the crime maven keeping all the information stored in his head and occasionally forgetting to tell his satellites what he’s doing, or has done.
The murder is a mess of rumor, false starts and a needless death but most satisfying in it’s solving and execution. Atmospheric!
Martin Edward’s Introduction is insightful, placing Carr’s works and centrality to the genre firmly in orbit. The last sentence a fitting tribute to Carr.
“Till Death Do Us Part is a dazzling showcase for the great man’s detective skills and a reminder of Carr’s gift for constructing a fiendish mystery plot.”

A Poisoned Pen ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the publisher.

[JacquiWine · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5 Stars)

A very ingenious locked-room mystery with a tantalising premise, I enjoyed this one a lot, particularly the initial set-up.

Till Death Do Us Part was initially published in 1944; but the story, which is set in the close-knit village of Six Ashes, actually takes place some years earlier during the run-up to the Second World War. Dick Markham, a moderately successful playwright specialising in psychological thrillers, has just got engaged to Lesley Grant, a relative newcomer to the area. While Lesley has only been living in Six Ashes for the last six months, she has made quite an impact since her arrival, attracting the interest of several local men.

The action really gets going at the village fete when Lesley appears to receive some bad news during her consultation with a fortune teller, the star attraction at the event. While Lesley makes light of the discussion, Dick is somewhat puzzled, having clearly seen her reaction to the mystic’s predictions from the shadows visible through the tent. Shortly after the encounter, Lesley shoots the fortune teller with a rifle from one of the stalls, claiming the incident to be an accident due to her lack of familiarity with guns. Nevertheless, when the victim reveals himself to be Sir Harvey Gilman, a famous Home Office Pathologist, suspicions are duly aroused…

While recovering from the shooting, Sir Harvey confides in Dick Markham, raising doubts about Lesley and her personal history. Lesley, it seems, has been associated with a series of poisonings in the past; and in each instance, the victim was either her husband or lover, discovered in a locked room with a syringe of prussic acid close to hand. All three deaths were judged to be suicide at the time, and no hard evidence has ever been found to suggest the contrary; nevertheless, Sir Harvey remains convinced of Lesley’s guilt, especially given the similarities in circumstances.

In short, Sir Harvey wants Dick to help him in his investigations by setting a trap for Lesley. If she really is the killer, chances are she will strike again with an attempt to poison Dick. Sir Harvey hopes to catch Lesley in the act by observing her movements, thereby gathering the evidence he needs to pursue a conviction.

To read the rest of my review, please visit:
https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2022...

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've mentioned recently how weirdly hard it has been over the past few months to get back into reading. I'm still not sure how I managed, after having read at least a few pages a day every day for my entire life, to get out of reading, but it happened and I hate it and I've been trying to fix it. The Phryne Fisher books very much did not work. This? This helped.

What, I asked myself, looking over the spreadsheet I call The List, would have sharp and clever writing, characters I will like, and would be funny or at least fun without being outright comedy? The List is my, well, list of authors I've enjoyed and their books, marked up with what I've read and what I own and so on, and started out handwritten in a hardcover blank book long ago, but that's beside the point. The point is that, looking over that spreadsheet, I thought .... hey, I haven't read John Dickson Carr in a very long time. And look, there are a few on Everand. And off I went.

And this, finally, was a good choice. The story is brilliant. Without spoilers, the magnificent con that is perpetrated was so satisfyingly audacious and targeted, and the twist early on the story so twisty, that if I didn't know Gideon Fell of yore I would have had grave suspicions about the man saying introducing himself thus. I don't usually enjoy having to give all the characters in a book the side-eye, but this, with the first impressions of half the characters so beautifully upended and the revelation that half of them were in the middle of being conned, was just fun. ("That 'girl' is forty-one, if she's a day" - what a terrific, spiteful, mean touch.)

Nothing and no one is what they seem ... except when they actually are. And did I mention the locked room? You have to love a locked room.

I never stood a chance at figuring out whodunnit, especially listening distracted by such petty concerns as work, but I was perfectly happy tagging along behind the great (in more ways than one) Gideon Fell - always about six jumps ahead of everyone else - smiling at the image of G.K. Chesterton in my head, and enjoying the heck out of the narration (Kris Dyer is wonderful). This was great fun.

Spoiler -

So, you know, be warned -

Don't read any further unless you don't care about a plot point being ruined -

What a great idea for a murder - someone is shot by accident, a very minor wound; the doctor manages to snatch the gun and swoops in to bear the victim, who is in some shock, away, anaesthetizes him, removes the original bullet, and then shoots him again with the same gun in the same place, only more so, killing him. And so, of course, the poor girl who fired the accidental shot would get the blame. It would have worked, too, if not for that pesky major.

[Lady Wesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first book by John Dickson Carr. Locked room. Plenty of red herrings. Unreliable witnesses. Subtle misdirection. What’s not to like?

[Dolceluna ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una sufficienza piena, senza infamia e senza lode. Comincio a pensare che, dopo “Le tre bare”, “L’arte di uccidere”, “Il terrore che mormora”, “La tabacchiera dell’imperatore” e “Delitti da mille e una notte”, il meglio del meglio di Carr ormai l’ho scoperto. Questo “Un colpo di fucile”, l’ho trovato molto simile ad altri già letti, apprezzabile per la genialità del mistero della camera chiusa in questione (per quanto un po' troppo complesso) e per l’acume del Dottor Fell, ma un po’ più povero in atmosfera e suspense, ingredienti che, abbinati all’intelligente stampo del giallo classico, mi avevano fatto amare alla follia altri titoli del nostro. Comunque, qui siamo nell’Inghilterra degli anni ’30, e la storia si apre sull’inflazionata figura della “vedova nera”, Lesley Grant, una giovane donna che, si sospetta, abbia avvelenato i tre mariti avuti e si appresti ad avvelenare il fidanzato presente, lo scrittore Dick Markham. Ovviamente, come si scoprirà ben presto, la donna è innocente e qualcuno vuole incastrarla. Quando Harvey Gilman, finto chiromante che ha messo la pulce nell’orecchio a Dick, muore avvelenato nel suo studio (chiuso, ovviamente, dall’interno), l’enorme e arguto Gideon Fell appare sulla scena per svelarci, a poco a poco, chi, come e perché, è l’assassino. Tanti dialoghi, poca atmosfera e un mistero della chiusa un po’ troppo farraginoso. Questa volta al giallo di Carr manca qualcosa per brillare. Tuttavia, per quanto non sia fra i migliori, il romanzo si lascia leggere con piacere e la storia si segue senza difficoltà. Pienamente sufficiente, ma il maestro ci ha regalato di molto meglio.

[Len · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always found that the problem with locked room mysteries is that the mechanics of the locked room take over from solving the murder. In Till Death Do Us Part, John Dickson Carr just about keeps things moving with a cast of lively characters led by the monumentally portly figure of Gideon Fell. The murder of a fortune teller, who is more than he seems to be, is tame compared to Dr. Fell's analytic mind working out the intricacies of the locks on sash window frames and the timing of rifle shots. While prising apart the unlocking of the locked room is almost scientific and quite ingenious, the plight of the young lovers and innocents, Dick and Lesley, and the collection of village eccentrics begins to slip into the background.

The person who is finally disclosed as the murderer is almost characterless and has a motive that comes out of the blue. There are no clues leading the reader up to the disclosure though, to the observant, clues pointing in that individual's general direction are there to be spotted. All is finally unraveled in the murderer's death-bed confession right at the end.

So, for me, the murder mystery is not quite satisfactory. Gideon Fell is there to open and close the locked door - and window - solving the crime is secondary. What peril there is falls on the victim and ultimately the killer, with a subpostmistress pushed in the way by being a stickler for Post Office rules. Ultimately even the murderer gets off lightly, in as far as avoiding the hangman's noose. It seems a part of Dr. Fell's morality allows self-immolation if the culprit is of a suitable social standing and the victim is not. Fascinating as a technical manual on how to kill someone in a locked room, a little light on the powerful and frightening emotions involved in taking the life of another and pinning the blame on an innocent bystander.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Till Death Do Us Part by John Dickson Carr.

This is a Dr. Fell locked room mystery from the golden age of mysteries.

Every thought process of the characters especially Dick Markham is detailed adding to the suspense of the mystery. That may be one of the qualities in J.D.C. writing that sets him apart and above (in my opinion) from the rest of the crowd of mystery writers.

Dick Markham of Ashe Hall has just formally announced his engagement to Lesley Grant much to the chagrin of his former lady friend, Cynthia Drew. They appear to be on top of the world until an encounter by Lesley with a fortune teller at a village carnival. From there the story takes off until Dr. Fell is called in to clear the air and straighten the facts.

This story had me and kept me in it's grip throughout. Remember one important factor...nothing is as it appears.
Excellent addition to all mystery lovers particularly those who appreciate the golden age of mystery books by this famous author.

[Sneha Pathak (reader_girl_reader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me begin by saying that the 'locked-room' is my least favorite kind of mystery story. I either find myself underwhelmed by the explanation or, in most cases, have great difficulty in imagining the trick, the mechanics behind obtaining that locked-door scenerio. Those things about bolts and sashes and threads and nuts and pooleys give me the headache. It doesn't help that the kind of doors and windows we generally have in my country are way different from those usually found in these book.

I quite enjoyed reading Care's Till Death Do Us Part though. I still faced the issues i mentioned above, but thankfully, the book was more than just a locked-room mystery. The locked room was the central element, ofc, but it had plenty of other mysteries that kept me hooked. I also quite liked the main character, who undergoes a lot of strain in a short time span and the locale was well-drawn too. Overall, definitely recommending this book for all Mystery lovers, especially those who enjoy the old ones.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

I could never have figured out the locked room aspect of the case!! Even after the killer's identity is discovered, that part of the mystery baffled me and yet when Fell explains it, it seems so simple.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've got a very late 50s edition of John Dickson Carr's Till Death Do Us Part. If you go by the blurb on the back--listed--(and the cover picture above--see her pouring the poison), you'd think that Lesley Grant was the ultimate femme fatale--causing the deaths of husband and lovers right and left. See:

Here's how the story really shakes out:

Dick Markham, a playwright who specializes in "psychological thrillers" and who lives in Six Ashes, has fallen in love with the lovely young Lesley Grant. Lesley has recently moved to the English village and has turned the heads of half the men in town. She looks 18, admits to 28, but according the fortune teller at the county bazaar is really a 41 year old poisoner. The fortune teller reveals himself as Sir Harvey Gilman, Home Office pathologist visiting from London. He has a scene with Lesley followed by a session with Markham. Gilman just begins to talk to Markham when he is accidentally shot by Lesley.

Word is that Gilman is at death's door and he asks the doctor to bring Markham to him so he can finish his conversation. Markham finds that the pathologist is not nearly as hurt as supposed and is even more shocked when Gilman tells him that the love of his life has been married twice and engaged once more--and that all of the men in question have died of prussic acid poisoning while behind locked doors. Each death was ruled a suicide....but Gilman and the police believe them to be very clever murders. He wants Markham to help prove (or disprove) that Lesley did, indeed, polish off three men.

But before the final plans can be made Gilman is found dead--from prussic acid--behind the locked doors of his cottage. Is Markham's lady love truly a poisoner four times over? Or is there more to this case than meets the eye? When Dr. Gideon Fell is called in to untangle the clues, you know there's more going on than may appear. Revelations are made about Gilman and Lesley, but that won't answer other important questions. What is the significance of a box of drawing pins found scattered beside the corpse? Who fired a rifle into the murder room in the early hours of the next morning? It takes another murder before Dr. Fell reveals the identity of the murderer and the method by which the room was locked.

This is a fairly satisfying locked room mystery by the master. There is plenty of misdirection, lots of red herrings, and several people who aren't what we think (or what we're told at first). I certainly didn't figure out the locked room method. And, as always, I thoroughly enjoyed watching Gideon Fell figure out the clues. My only quibble is that I don't think we're given enough information to really be able to sort the killer. I didn't pick up even a whiff of the motive--not even when looking back after being presented with the culprit. One could, I suppose, figure it out simply by process of elimination--but I'd still be baffled as to the why. Three and 3/4 stars--rounded to four on GoodReads.

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.

[Jazz · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Dickson Carr's locked room mysteries have been "comfort food" for me since I read my first many years ago. If ever I just want an escapist puzzle mystery, I turn to Carr. This was my first reading of a Gideon Fell mystery (as I generally read the exploits of his other popular series character, Sir Henry Merrivale, written under the name Carter Dickson). J.D. Carr was at the height of his powers as a locked room/impossible crime writer at this point (1944). This title came highly recommended by other mystery readers better read than I am as being one of his very best puzzlers. As usual, the means of committing the crime are as brain-baffling as the solution of whodunnit. If you love the Golden Age of Mystery between the World Wars, you will certainly enjoy this one.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In pre-WWII village of Six Ashes, Richard Markham with his fiancee, Lesley Grant, arrive late to a village fete. Events leads Lesley to shooting the fortune teller, renowned crimologist Sir Harvey Gilman. Later Markham hears from Gilman the story of Lesley's life as a serial poisoner. Soon Superintendent David Hadley and Dr. Gideon Fell become involved when another murder occurs.
An interesting and enjoyable murder mystery with its cast of varied and likeable characters. Another good addition to this series which can easiy be read as a standalone story.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Originally published in 1944

[Kelly Furniss · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
An excellent plotted locked room mystery with great characterisation. The story was so fast paced, I couldn't trust anyone and then the clever reveal (which I never guessed) left me thinking it all over and pondering long after I had put it down.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast-paced locked room mystery. With new twists thrown at you every few chapters, the pages just fly by. I particularly enjoyed the use of atmosphere in the book, starting with the impending thunderstorm and continuing with misty morning discoveries and twilight danger.

[Genma496 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its not perfect but it's got a lot of narrative twists and turns along the way, so it's a pretty exciting read. I could do with less romantic misunderstandings though.

[Lisa Kucharski · Rating 4 out of 5]

A conundrum inside a locked room with a smoke screen, all sorts of twists and turns in this mystery. Once you get into it, it moves. Fun short mystery and it’s so slick it’s easy to miss the clues.

Gideon Fell sees what the lovers eyes cannot.

[Marina Sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent fun palata-cleanser!

[Ана Хелс · Rating 5 out of 5]

Още една от брилянтните истории на Кар с доктор Фел – британският бехемот на криминалните разследвания, който е жива, тежкоподвижна версия на Поаро и Холмс в едно – и физически, и интелектуално, но с малко по-особено чувство за справедливост и милост, влизаща в разрез с обичайните постулати на правосъдието и криминалистиката. Точно така обаче става любимец на читателите и съвременниците си, с непогрешимостта и готовността си даде присъда по-адекватно от всеки съд или жури в света. Или поне да даде възможност да виновните сами да решат изхода на живота си, защото това бесилото, съгласете се, е доста неприятна история. А от един момент нататък, щом се разтворят завесите от дим и огледала над местопрестъплението, остават само човешките съдби – осакатени, окървавени и обичайно несправедливо съсипани. Възмездието си има своите начини да удари, и доктор Фел в най-добрия случай полага елегантни усилия да му помогне по право.

Всичко започва невинно и леко провинциално – на градинско увеселение най-голямата атракция е мистериозен гадател, който обаче привидно се отличава от събратята си врачки по това, че всъщност наистина познава и прави доста смислени предположения за бъдещето и миналото. Толкова смислени, че отнася един куршум в гърдите, уж случайно изстрелян от млада красавица, на която май ѝ е казал нещо нелицеприятно. В помощ на девойката в беда се притичва снажния ѝ годеник, по случайност създател на пиеси с основен сюжет заплетени престъпления, което го е превърнало в половин детектив и сто процентов параноик на тема злото у хората. Почти заминалия си гадател му споделя на ушенце, че хубавата му женичка е всъщност черна вдовица с вкус към специфична отрова, и тъй като всъщност се оказва, че същият е известен криминалист от столицата, нямаме причини да не повярваме. Особено след като гадателят-полицай умира от онази любима отрова на предполагаемата кралица на бавното и болезнено умъртвяване. И ако си мислите, че случаят явно е решен, то знайте че всичко едва започва.

Кар взема едно напълно ясно престъпление с повече от ясна жертва и логично ясен извършител, и го превръща в постоянен фарс на обратите, където всеки е обвиняем, невинен, и после пак виновен, понякога по едно и също време. След пристигането на доктор Фел става малко обидно за читателя, че е бил толкова тъп да повярва на очите си, и предизвиква онова желание да прочете всеки изминал ред още по два пъти, да си начертае диаграма, диорама и всякаква рама, та да може да хване очевидно очеизбождащата ситуация, дето криминалистът – бехемот я надушва буквално от входната врата. Ще си смените мнението за уж явното около десетина пъти, ще се объркате, ще се улисате и ще се плескате по челото на кръгъл час, че онези малки податки така сте ги пренебрегнали. Класическа мистерия за затворена стая, макар че щом в прозореца има дупка от куршум, стаята вече не е съвсем затворена, поне тъй се опитва да ви намекне доктор Фел, но едва ли ще се сетите навреме. Прекрасно забавление за сивите клетчици и почитателите на Кристи и Дойл.

[Sakshi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Phenomenal locked room crime. The first half of the story builds up BEAUTIFULLY, and then Carr throws a twist at you that left me grinning in absolute delight. He really is a master of this trade. Chilling, very fast-paced, and an outrageously clever setup. Brilliant.

Small gripe: the title drop was left unresolved, and felt kind of forced, although possibly I missed the significance. Also, I have the same issue with this as I do with most Carrs vis-a-vis Christies: the guilty party is simply not given enough background and screentime to make it an interesting whodunnit. It remains an amazing whatdunnit and howdunnit, but I wish we had more about the killer than completely objective hints. I've read enough Carr by now, that I knew the culprit within the first 20% of the book, but it was a very cold observation and didn't carry with it the thrill of "catching" a Christie killer.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

He didn’t see that coming…

When Dick Markham’s brand new fiancée, Lesley Grant, shoots a fortune teller at the village fair, it looks accidental. But then the injured fortune teller reveals himself as a famous Home Office pathologist, and tells Dick that he had recognised Lesley as a serial poisoner of her previous husbands and lover, but that the police have never been able to get enough evidence to arrest her. Naturally Dick is shocked and unwilling to believe this, but he realises he knows very little about Lesley – she appeared in the village of Six Ashes just a few months earlier, and he knows nothing of her life before that. So reluctantly he agrees to help find the proof the police need. But later that night, the pathologist dies, in exactly the way he described Lesley’s former crimes as having been done – his body found in a locked room, his death by poisoning made to look like suicide. Then the famous amateur detective Gideon Fell arrives in the village…

I’ve loved Carr’s earliest books starring his French police detective, Henri Bencolin, but this was my first introduction to the detective he is best remembered for, Gideon Fell. In style, this is more in line with the normal Golden Age tradition, without the delicious atmosphere of decadent horror that pervades the Bencolin books. Carr is considered one of the greatest proponents of the locked room mystery, or impossible crime, and the emphasis in this one is very much on that aspect, although there’s plenty of room for some good characterisation and lots of clever misdirection.

On first meeting, I found I wasn’t wholly enamoured with Gideon Fell. He’s one of these arrogant know-it-all detectives, who is extremely rude to everyone around him, and he keeps his cards close to his chest except for the occasional enigmatic utterance. Perhaps he’ll grown on me as I read more of the books. Dick Markham, however, is a very likeable lead character, and his confusion over his feelings about Lesley is done very well. There is a mild love triangle, in that there is another woman everyone in the village expected Dick to marry before Lesley came along, and she provides another layer to Dick’s jumbled feelings. Lesley herself, as is necessary in a chief suspect, is not so well revealed – Carr very successfully keeps her ambiguous so that I swayed back and forwards many times as to whether she was guilty or innocent. If she is innocent, there are plenty of other characters who may have done the deed, though Carr doesn’t concentrate much on possible motives for them – the focus is more on how the deed was done than why. The same problem applies if Lesley is guilty – how did she do it?

The locked room solution is excellent, and I think fair play for those who have the kind of mind that can work these things out. I almost never can, and this was no exception, but at least I understood the explanation at the end of how it was done and felt it was all quite feasible, which is considerably more than I can say for a lot of impossible crimes. The whodunit solution I found to be a bit of an anti-climax after all the intriguing ambiguity and false scents which came before, though again in retrospect I think Carr gave enough clues for the discerning reader to be able to beat the detective – not this reader though! But despite my slight disappointment with the ending, I enjoyed it very much. Often I find locked room mysteries are so focused on the puzzle they can be a bit dull, but Carr gives enough weight to the characterisation and Dick’s inner turmoil to keep it interesting. Personally I prefer the style of the Bencolin books, but that’s merely a matter of subjective preference due to my love of the horror aspects of those. For people who love a more traditional locked room mystery, then I can quite see why Fell would be the detective of choice. I look forward to getting to know him better.

NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, the British Library.

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[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ashe Hall is the scene of a garden party resplendent with tents and attractions, including a mysterious and esteemed fortune teller. All is roses and daisies for recently-engaged couple Dick Markham and Lesley Grant until Lesley accidentally shoots the fortune teller through the tent. Well, well, well. It is said that the new girl in town has a rather poisonous reputation. Together with an assortment of characters there are multiple red herrings and more secrets than you can shake a stick at...or take aim at with a shotgun. Enter Dr. Gideon Fell, brainy detective extraordinaire. He wades through the clues and sniffs out the chaff.

Though motive seems a bit lacking here, the locked room mystery really shines. Several aspects are improbable but that's part of the fun. Undoubtedly author John Dickson Carr spent many enjoyable moments dreaming up ingenius puzzles and solutions.

Till Death Do Us Part was originally published in 1944. Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press, crime classics are making a comeback. I am constantly searching for them in libraries, online and in used bookshops and am always thrilled to discover these golden gems. Whether you are a rabid fan of the genre or wish to see what all the fuss is about, do read John Dickson Carr, a master of impossible locked room mysteries.

My sincere thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this fabulous book.

[Pat Camalliere · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally a winner! Written in 1944, the story is a locked-room mystery, in fact, two of them. The main characters are Lesley Grant, the infuriating fiancé of Dick Markham, who keeps putting herself in the way of, and suspicious of, murder and other unsavory motives. You want to root for Dick, who is madly in love with her, but has plenty of reason to doubt her actions. Dr. Gideon Fell is on the scene, but doesn’t lend much to satisfy Dick’s questions, until he puts the who-done-its and how-done-its together at the very end. Intriguing plot, interesting characters, and a satisfactory ending. This book restored my faith in the writer, good mystery.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

What has the fortune-teller said to Lesley Grant to put her into a panic? And why does that fortune-teller--a famous criminal investigator--tell her new fiance, Dick Markham, that she is really a poisoner who has killed at least three men without leaving a clue to her methods? Markham cannot believe it, but soon the fortune-teller is murdered in a locked room, by the same poison. Fortunately, the famous Dr. Gideon Fell is staying nearby, and arrives in time to shake Markham and Lesley with a series of shocking revelations. Prime-time Carr.

[Adam Carson · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars I think. I enjoy Carr’s locked room thrillers - and I think the reveal of the killer and the clues that got you there were particularly clever in this one. I wasn’t particularly in to the locked room element though - it felt a bit tacked on to an otherwise good story.

[Matt Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic locked room mystery from John Dickson Carr. This was a real page turner that kept me thoroughly engaged and guessing right up until the end. Looking forward to reading more of this author's books

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plenty of plot twists in this one!