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Dr. Gideon Fell #1
Hag's Nook
In his detecting debut, larger than life lexicographer Dr. Gideon Fell is entertaining young American college graduate Tad Rampole at Yew Cottage, Fell's charming home in the English countryside. Within sight of his study window is the ruin of Chatterham Prison, perched high on a precipice known as Hag's Nook. The prison's land belongs to the Starberth family—whose eldest sons must each spend an hour in the prison's eerie "Governor's Room" to inherit the family fortune.
Rampole is especially interested in the family, having met the young and beautiful Dorothy Starberth on the train from London. He readily agrees when Fell and the local reverend, Thomas Saunders, ask him to accompany them as they watch and wait for badly frightened Martin Starberth to complete 'his hour' in the prison. Martin has every reason to be afraid; more than one Starberth heir has met an untimely end. Will his turn come tonight?
Rampole is especially interested in the family, having met the young and beautiful Dorothy Starberth on the train from London. He readily agrees when Fell and the local reverend, Thomas Saunders, ask him to accompany them as they watch and wait for badly frightened Martin Starberth to complete 'his hour' in the prison. Martin has every reason to be afraid; more than one Starberth heir has met an untimely end. Will his turn come tonight?
161 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1932
63 people are currently reading
4262 people want to read
About the author
John Dickson Carr
423 books490 followersAKA 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).
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).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 194 reviews
January 12, 2020
This is the first Dr Gideon Fell mystery, first published in 1933 and recently released on kindle in the UK. As a lover of Golden Age crime, this novel has been on my radar for a while and the kindle release pushed me to finally get around to reading it.
Tad Rampole is an American, who meets the lovely Dorothy Starberth on a station platform, and is befriended by Gideon Fell on the train. Invited to stay with Fell, he finds himself embroiled in the local tale of Chatterham Prison, now abandoned; built around the Hags Nook, where witches were once hung. Generations of the Starberth family were prison wardens and Dorothy’s brother, Martin, has to fulfil a family duty to spend an hour in the spooky Governor’s room, open the safe, and discover what is inside. This is because the land the prison is built on, is held in ‘entail’ by the eldest son and cannot be sold. In order to fulfil the legal obligations, the shaken Martin, has to enter the room and take his chance of not ending up like other members of his family and die of a broken neck…
Family curses, a spooky setting and a love interest – so beloved in Golden Age mysteries – makes this an entertaining novel. While the Chief Constable, Sir Benjamin Arnold, is supposed to be investigating the murder that, of course, unfolds, it is Dr Fell who sets out to uncover the murderer. The next book in the series is the delightfully named, “The Mad Hatter Mystery,” and I hope this also appears on kindle soon.
Tad Rampole is an American, who meets the lovely Dorothy Starberth on a station platform, and is befriended by Gideon Fell on the train. Invited to stay with Fell, he finds himself embroiled in the local tale of Chatterham Prison, now abandoned; built around the Hags Nook, where witches were once hung. Generations of the Starberth family were prison wardens and Dorothy’s brother, Martin, has to fulfil a family duty to spend an hour in the spooky Governor’s room, open the safe, and discover what is inside. This is because the land the prison is built on, is held in ‘entail’ by the eldest son and cannot be sold. In order to fulfil the legal obligations, the shaken Martin, has to enter the room and take his chance of not ending up like other members of his family and die of a broken neck…
Family curses, a spooky setting and a love interest – so beloved in Golden Age mysteries – makes this an entertaining novel. While the Chief Constable, Sir Benjamin Arnold, is supposed to be investigating the murder that, of course, unfolds, it is Dr Fell who sets out to uncover the murderer. The next book in the series is the delightfully named, “The Mad Hatter Mystery,” and I hope this also appears on kindle soon.
March 28, 2009
The first in Carr's series featuring Dr. Gideon Fell, Hag's Nook centers on the Starberth family, who have owned and operated a prison for centuries. The property is entailed, meaning that the oldest son will officially inherit, but first he must go through a rather bizarre ritual. It is at the time of such a ritual when the story begins. The heir is one Martin Starberth, who is somewhat apprehensive -- there is a curse upon the family and the Starberths have traditionally been found dead at the Hag's Nook, the site of the old gallows where they used to hang witches -- with their necks broken. Try as they might, Fell, young Dorothy Starberth and an American visitor of Fell's cannot prevent the latest in a series of tragedies. The solving of the case is ingenious -- I must admit to being surprised at the end. In fact, that's the best part of this book -- the unraveling of an ingenious criminal.
Considering that this was written in 1933, there is still enough between the covers to keep mystery lovers reading: great atmosphere, a tinge of the supernatural, a good mystery complete with red herrings, and above all, a good detective with uncanny reasoning and observational powers. If you're into Golden Age mysteries, or if you want to try your hand at Carr's work, this would be a fine place to start. It may be a bit off-putting to some readers because of the language usage in places, but otherwise, it will definitely keep you interested and absorbed.
Considering that this was written in 1933, there is still enough between the covers to keep mystery lovers reading: great atmosphere, a tinge of the supernatural, a good mystery complete with red herrings, and above all, a good detective with uncanny reasoning and observational powers. If you're into Golden Age mysteries, or if you want to try your hand at Carr's work, this would be a fine place to start. It may be a bit off-putting to some readers because of the language usage in places, but otherwise, it will definitely keep you interested and absorbed.
December 9, 2011
Rating Clarification: 2.5 Stars
Ultimately a disappointing read. When I first started it, it seemed as though it was going to be similar in style to the Charlie Chan mystery series by author Earl Derr Biggers (who became one of my favorite "new" authors in 2011). Initially, Dr. Gideon Fell shared character traits with Inspector Chan: rotundity, humor and keen insight into the mystery at hand. The book also followed a similar path to the Chan series: a young male sidekick helps the canny detective solve what appears to be an unsolvable murder (and ultimately wins a girl in the process). Add to this combination a mystery redolent to Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes - The Musgrave Ritual, with it's cryptic family doggerel, hidden treasure, and sinister murderer in plain sight, and you're set for a highly atmospheric and entertaining whodunnit from the Golden Age.
Only it wasn't.
Oh, the story had it's moments, and Carr does have a knack for delivering some shivery, creepy visuals. But in the end, the mind-bending logistics of how the murder was committed, and the flat, abrupt and unsatisfying ending overshadowed any previous enjoyment I had reading the story.
I will still try another Carr mystery, because I enjoy Golden Age mysteries and Carr's writing is good. This one could be a one off for my personal taste.
Ultimately a disappointing read. When I first started it, it seemed as though it was going to be similar in style to the Charlie Chan mystery series by author Earl Derr Biggers (who became one of my favorite "new" authors in 2011). Initially, Dr. Gideon Fell shared character traits with Inspector Chan: rotundity, humor and keen insight into the mystery at hand. The book also followed a similar path to the Chan series: a young male sidekick helps the canny detective solve what appears to be an unsolvable murder (and ultimately wins a girl in the process). Add to this combination a mystery redolent to Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes - The Musgrave Ritual, with it's cryptic family doggerel, hidden treasure, and sinister murderer in plain sight, and you're set for a highly atmospheric and entertaining whodunnit from the Golden Age.
Only it wasn't.
Oh, the story had it's moments, and Carr does have a knack for delivering some shivery, creepy visuals. But in the end, the mind-bending logistics of how the murder was committed, and the flat, abrupt and unsatisfying ending overshadowed any previous enjoyment I had reading the story.
I will still try another Carr mystery, because I enjoy Golden Age mysteries and Carr's writing is good. This one could be a one off for my personal taste.
October 5, 2008
This was a really nicely written mystery, involving an old family ritual handed down for generations. I loved the writing style, which was frequently humorous but also, at times, downright chilling. One scene left me tempted to leave the lights on, LOL! The descriptions of people and places were also really well done--I loved the writing style.
The emphasis is more on the mystery than on the characters, which is OK, as the mystery is quite a strange and puzzling one. However, all the clues are there for readers to follow and although I didn't figure everything out, I enjoyed trying to do so :-)
The emphasis is more on the mystery than on the characters, which is OK, as the mystery is quite a strange and puzzling one. However, all the clues are there for readers to follow and although I didn't figure everything out, I enjoyed trying to do so :-)
September 26, 2021
Really not my type of mystery, but I couldn’t give just one star, as Carr creates quite an atmosphere! Very creepy and well-done, just not able to keep my interest. I found myself skimming through the melodramatic scenes between the two young lovers, and didn’t really feel like there was “fair play” at the end as Dr. Fell unveiled his solution - but I skipped and skimmed the last quarter or so of the book, so I may have missed something!
I’ve always heard Carr was a master of plotting mystery puzzles, and this was the first Dr. Fell book, so I’d be willing to try another to see if it holds my interest. This one definitely didn’t cut it for me, seemed more like a gothic thriller.
I’ve always heard Carr was a master of plotting mystery puzzles, and this was the first Dr. Fell book, so I’d be willing to try another to see if it holds my interest. This one definitely didn’t cut it for me, seemed more like a gothic thriller.
May 23, 2025
Un ottimo giallo a firma di uno degli autori più grandi del panorama giallistico internazionale: non noto tanto quanto Agatha Christie e Ellery Queen dei quali non si mettono in dubbio le qualità, John Dickson Carr ha saputo ritagliarsi la sua fetta di appassionati grazie alla frequente introduzione nei suoi romanzi di un'atmosfera goticheggiante che é risultata vincente! anche in questo giallo del 1933 quando lo scrittore, messo da parte il personaggio dell'integerrimo ispettore Bencolin, intraprende nuove strade, queste scelte risulteranno vincenti: perno della vicenda é un'antica maledizione familiare che sembra apparentemente responsabile di una morte cruenta senza responsabilità di nessuno; ma é davvero così?
July 17, 2014
Hag's Nook
Hag's Nook
by John Carr
5.0 out of 5 stars
come closer dear reader...a mystery awaits., September 7, 2013
This review is from: Hag's Nook
"Hag's Nook" the introduction to Dr. Gideon Fell-master of the locked room mysteries.
John Dickson Carr AKA Carter is an author any reader or writer of mysteries should be respectfully aware of. Carr's books on Dr. Gideon Fell were written during the golden age of mysteries (1930's-60's) and have stood the test of time.
This masterfully written story centers on a legend or a curse against the Starberth family of Chatterham and their ghastly involvement in the hangings at that prison. It all started back in 1797 when Anthony Starberth was Governor of Chatterham Prison followed by his descendent, Martin Starberth in 1821. They instituted these merciless hangings without remorse which according to legend brought a curse on the Starberth family. However, the legend actually begins with the untimely death of Timothy Starberth in a most unsettling manner.
This book is so exquisitely detailed that you can walk along the road from Dr. Fell's home to the prison and almost envision the dampness on the way from the rain that fell the previous night. I read a few chapters at a time and rested but not from revisiting the story in my mind and the eloquence of Carr's writing.
Dr. Gideon Fell seems a most unlikely of sleuths but then we come to understand his steadfastness in allowing nothing to go unnoticed.
I highly recommend this marvelous story and this author. If I could give it more than 5 stars it would be 10.
November 19, 2018
Dr. Gideon Fell is a lexicographer, steeped in the history and traditions of England -- and seemingly, just about everything else. Fell enjoys sharing his knowledge with others but is also a good listener and observer of people, traits that enable him to increase his knowledge bank.
In this, the first of the Dr. Gideon Fell titles, Fell becomes embroiled in a "locked room" murder of a member of the Starberth family. This only adds to Fell's suspicions about an earlier family death, one he has posited was murder rather than accidental.
Fell is aided in his quest by a young American lad who has come to visit Chatterham and the Fells.
There is plenty of atmosphere here. The reader gets to know the American lad quite well; while Fell is described and drives much of the action of the story, he is less fully fleshed-out.
In this, the first of the Dr. Gideon Fell titles, Fell becomes embroiled in a "locked room" murder of a member of the Starberth family. This only adds to Fell's suspicions about an earlier family death, one he has posited was murder rather than accidental.
Fell is aided in his quest by a young American lad who has come to visit Chatterham and the Fells.
There is plenty of atmosphere here. The reader gets to know the American lad quite well; while Fell is described and drives much of the action of the story, he is less fully fleshed-out.
June 28, 2019
The first half was excellent from both a psychological and literary perspective. The second half went down hill to 'just mediocre'. I will try another Carr novel to see if things improve; just not right now.
November 17, 2018
Well, this had me up until 3 am one night and 6 am another. Actually, I couldn't put it down because I was too spooked by it.
The Starberths became governors (what we would call wardens) of a prison because they owned the land the prison was built on. They weren't nice wardens either. Took joy in the hangings, they did. Then they all seemed to die of broken necks, just like their charges.
This is the first Dr. Fell book. We also meet, briefly, Mrs. Fell. In addition, we meet young Rampole, a young American, who will be either studying or working for/with Dr. Fell. He does figure prominently in the other Dr. Fell books that I have read. The great man needs a foil. I'm not sure if the policeman, Sir Basil, transfers to the other books or if he stays in Chatterham. Prior to coming to Chatterham, Rampole falls for a comely young miss only to find out later that she is also coming to Chatterham, but Dorothy will be accompanying her brother, Martin. He is due to take part in the ritual for the male heir on turning 25. He is afraid and, thus, is perhaps overimbibing. We don't learn too much about cousin Herbert except that he is a bit of a dullard.
The ritual requires that the male heir enter the now deserted prison (except for rats) and spend an hour in the Governor's Room, opening a safe and reading some documents. Sounds simple enough. Realizing how scared Martin is, Dr. Fell and the rector agree to keep watch from Yew Cottage. Martin will have a lamp with him and they'll be able to see that nothing happens. Or will they?
John Dickson Carr is the master of the locked room mystery. He may even have created it; I don't know. But he is very good at them. The Detection Club (British mystery writers) named him a Master, not something any other Americans had achieved.
The Starberths became governors (what we would call wardens) of a prison because they owned the land the prison was built on. They weren't nice wardens either. Took joy in the hangings, they did. Then they all seemed to die of broken necks, just like their charges.
This is the first Dr. Fell book. We also meet, briefly, Mrs. Fell. In addition, we meet young Rampole, a young American, who will be either studying or working for/with Dr. Fell. He does figure prominently in the other Dr. Fell books that I have read. The great man needs a foil. I'm not sure if the policeman, Sir Basil, transfers to the other books or if he stays in Chatterham. Prior to coming to Chatterham, Rampole falls for a comely young miss only to find out later that she is also coming to Chatterham, but Dorothy will be accompanying her brother, Martin. He is due to take part in the ritual for the male heir on turning 25. He is afraid and, thus, is perhaps overimbibing. We don't learn too much about cousin Herbert except that he is a bit of a dullard.
The ritual requires that the male heir enter the now deserted prison (except for rats) and spend an hour in the Governor's Room, opening a safe and reading some documents. Sounds simple enough. Realizing how scared Martin is, Dr. Fell and the rector agree to keep watch from Yew Cottage. Martin will have a lamp with him and they'll be able to see that nothing happens. Or will they?
John Dickson Carr is the master of the locked room mystery. He may even have created it; I don't know. But he is very good at them. The Detection Club (British mystery writers) named him a Master, not something any other Americans had achieved.
July 5, 2020
Hag's Nook was written in 1933, and is set in the rural village of Chatterham, England. They use oil lamps in Chatterham, which was ironic because I was using a little booklight to read due to a lengthy power outage. Trust me, if you like to read on dark nights without power and scare yourself a bit, this book is not a bad choice!
John Dickson Carr is a very clever author in the tradition of Agatha Christie and Ellery Queen, but with generous dollops of gothic suspense. The story centers around the abandoned Chatterham Prison, governed for generations by the Starberth family. Family tradition demands that the eldest Starberth men spend an hour alone in the Governor's Room on their twenty-fifth birthday...a room overlooking the Hag's Nook, near which many Starberths have met their deaths.
Enter series character Gideon Fell, a lexicographer whose study windows look out at the prison. Fell is an engaging character, middle-aged, gruff and with a fondness for a good drink. We meet his wife, visit his cozy home and get an idea of life in Chatterham. We also witness a seemingly unexplainable death...that Dr. Fell sets out to explain with the help of a visiting American and members of the village.
This is a very entertaining novel, with appealing, layered characters, challenges for the reader (including a cryptogram) and an overarching sense of the macabre. The true test of suspense is what you remember days and weeks later, and the scenes at the Hag's Nook and the journals of Anthony Starberth are still in my memory because of Carr's evocative writing.
I look forward to adventuring with Dr. Fell again soon!
John Dickson Carr is a very clever author in the tradition of Agatha Christie and Ellery Queen, but with generous dollops of gothic suspense. The story centers around the abandoned Chatterham Prison, governed for generations by the Starberth family. Family tradition demands that the eldest Starberth men spend an hour alone in the Governor's Room on their twenty-fifth birthday...a room overlooking the Hag's Nook, near which many Starberths have met their deaths.
Enter series character Gideon Fell, a lexicographer whose study windows look out at the prison. Fell is an engaging character, middle-aged, gruff and with a fondness for a good drink. We meet his wife, visit his cozy home and get an idea of life in Chatterham. We also witness a seemingly unexplainable death...that Dr. Fell sets out to explain with the help of a visiting American and members of the village.
This is a very entertaining novel, with appealing, layered characters, challenges for the reader (including a cryptogram) and an overarching sense of the macabre. The true test of suspense is what you remember days and weeks later, and the scenes at the Hag's Nook and the journals of Anthony Starberth are still in my memory because of Carr's evocative writing.
I look forward to adventuring with Dr. Fell again soon!
August 10, 2012
Ah, those were the days, a golden age when the inadequacies of the British police were so universally acknowledged that a violent crime involving anyone of social standing had to be investigated by the Chief Constable personally. Ably assisted of course by an eccentric retired academic, the local Rector, and a visiting young American romantically smitten with the murder victim's sister.
The plot of Hag's Nook is convoluted, preposterous, contrived and hugely enjoyable. Carr is writing to a strict formula where the puzzle is the thing: a criminal Sudoku to be solved according to the rules of the whodunit – clues, red herrings, mystifications, and the subordination of all reasonable behavior to the macabre dread of an improbable family curse.
In this first of the series Carr's hero, Dr Gideon Fell, takes an almost secondary role to the young American romantic lead; of course the real mystery is why this well-educated though naive chap falls so totally for a young lady descended from a family sinisterly bonkers for the last six generations. She mutters anxiously about bad blood but he seems impervious to heredity and presses on to help capture the villain - who's even more bonkers - and so of course she accepts his suite. A happy ending.
Take this book as a classic of its type, and if you like this sort of dark and frothy ingenuity it's very, very entertaining.
The plot of Hag's Nook is convoluted, preposterous, contrived and hugely enjoyable. Carr is writing to a strict formula where the puzzle is the thing: a criminal Sudoku to be solved according to the rules of the whodunit – clues, red herrings, mystifications, and the subordination of all reasonable behavior to the macabre dread of an improbable family curse.
In this first of the series Carr's hero, Dr Gideon Fell, takes an almost secondary role to the young American romantic lead; of course the real mystery is why this well-educated though naive chap falls so totally for a young lady descended from a family sinisterly bonkers for the last six generations. She mutters anxiously about bad blood but he seems impervious to heredity and presses on to help capture the villain - who's even more bonkers - and so of course she accepts his suite. A happy ending.
Take this book as a classic of its type, and if you like this sort of dark and frothy ingenuity it's very, very entertaining.
October 4, 2023
Grazie @Sergio .
Non posso dire “ rilassante” - per i miei criteri - anzi, a momenti , un po’ inquietante, ( si può definire “ gotico “ ?) ma sicuramente avvincente e originale .
Non mi sforzo mai di indovinare il colpevole quando leggo un poliziesco di alcun autore, (nemmeno Agatha la mia preferita) e con Carr, comunque, ciò sarebbe estremamente superiore alla mia già scarsa capacità investigativa , quindi finale assolutamente a sorpresa.
Non posso dire “ rilassante” - per i miei criteri - anzi, a momenti , un po’ inquietante, ( si può definire “ gotico “ ?) ma sicuramente avvincente e originale .
Non mi sforzo mai di indovinare il colpevole quando leggo un poliziesco di alcun autore, (nemmeno Agatha la mia preferita) e con Carr, comunque, ciò sarebbe estremamente superiore alla mia già scarsa capacità investigativa , quindi finale assolutamente a sorpresa.
December 29, 2023
Всё было бы прекрасно и даже великолепно, если бы не последняя глава, признание убийцы!!! Более нелогичного, нелепого и основанного на всяких «случайностях» поведения преступника трудно себе вообразить!!!! Ни один детектив не обходится без элементов «фантастики», но здесь их было чересчур много.
Хочу почитать ещё и вторую часть в этой серии, может, будет получше!
Хочу почитать ещё и вторую часть в этой серии, может, будет получше!
November 27, 2025
This was a wonderful old time classic Golden Age mystery with some fine atmosphere and ambience that I think readers who enjoy mysteries in this era will enjoy. Hag’s Nook, even the title itself suggests a feeling of eeriness and perhaps sinister workings. The story itself involves an odd family tradition of a particular Starberth family, whose sons must spend an hour in the “Governor’s Room” in order to keep the inheritance for the family fortune. Well, the problem is that the Starberth family is rooted in not only this little tradition, but it seems a family curse (many of the family members have had seemingly bizarre and unexplained deaths).
Martin Starberth is attempting to be the latest Starberth to stay the hour wait in the Governor’s Room, along with a few witnesses who await watching from a window…
I think what John Dickson Carr brings to Hag’s Nook is not only a bit of cleverness with building a mystery that engages the reader, but also some very interesting characters. I really liked the interplay and companionship between Dr. Fell and young Rampole. I also enjoyed the light romantic sidebar between Rampole and Dorothy Starberth as a subplot.
I do think things did get a little convoluted at the end, with the final reveals and uncovering of the mystery, but I think as a locked-room mystery it is pretty forgivable. And, overall, Hag’s Nook was a fun mystery to sit down and just enjoy with worrying about every single detail. There are so many good ingredients in this little mystery: interesting characters, a family history and legacy, a curse, a ghostly prison, an unsolved case of unexplained deaths. The author really brings this atmosphere to life in this book and I would love to check out more books like this one.
Recommended for fans of the Golden Age mysteries.
Martin Starberth is attempting to be the latest Starberth to stay the hour wait in the Governor’s Room, along with a few witnesses who await watching from a window…
I think what John Dickson Carr brings to Hag’s Nook is not only a bit of cleverness with building a mystery that engages the reader, but also some very interesting characters. I really liked the interplay and companionship between Dr. Fell and young Rampole. I also enjoyed the light romantic sidebar between Rampole and Dorothy Starberth as a subplot.
I do think things did get a little convoluted at the end, with the final reveals and uncovering of the mystery, but I think as a locked-room mystery it is pretty forgivable. And, overall, Hag’s Nook was a fun mystery to sit down and just enjoy with worrying about every single detail. There are so many good ingredients in this little mystery: interesting characters, a family history and legacy, a curse, a ghostly prison, an unsolved case of unexplained deaths. The author really brings this atmosphere to life in this book and I would love to check out more books like this one.
Recommended for fans of the Golden Age mysteries.
January 10, 2014
“Se vedete qualche fantasma, tenetelo in serbo per me.”
Tad Rampole, giovane americano, compagno del celebre criminologo e lessicografo, Gideon Fell,“fece un sorrisetto acido, mentre comprava un romanzo poliziesco e si avviava verso il treno.” Ogni viaggio ha il suo giallo da leggere. Le abitudini dei lettori finiscono nelle stesse opere che preferiscono.
Nella prima indagine di Gideon Fell, IL CANTUCCIO DELLA STREGA, impariamo da subito a conoscerlo grazie alle osservazioni del suo amico Tad Rampole: “gigantesco da colmare con la sua mole l’enorme poltrona di pelle”, “il faccione rosso si era fatto ancora più rosso”, avvezzo alle bevute in compagnia o in solitudine, “insinuava abilmente un boccale di Guinness sotto un paio di enormi baffi”, mentre “il gran ciuffo bianconero danzava al ritmo dei risolini”, “riempiva di tabacco la pipa e sembrava riflettere bonariamente su qualcosa che la pipa gli aveva confidato.”
IL CANTUCCIO DELLA STREGA è stato scritto nel 1932 da JOHN DICKSON CARR.
È ambientato a Chatterham dove “c’è qualcosa di irreale nella straordinaria e sonnolenta bellezza della campagna inglese, fatta d’erba lussureggiante, di sempreverdi, di campanili grigi, di strade bianche e serpeggianti”, di maledizioni, leggende, ed ovviamente di segreti e misteri.
Il dottor Gideon Fell è simpatico, oltre che un abile professionista.
Tad Rampole è giovane, ma non sprovveduto.
Sono una bella coppia investigativa e, oltre a loro, a rendere accattivante questo giallo è il modo in cui viene condotta l’indagine. Consigliato.
“Omnia mea mecum porto” (Tutto ciò che possiedo lo porto con me)
February 28, 2022
Spending an hour in a locked room to claim your inheritance is a creepy prospect at the best of times but if you’re a character in a John Dickson Carr novel it should induce justifiable fear for one’s life. Hag’s Nook is the debut of Carr’s best known character, Dr Gideon Fell, but Carr as a mystery writer is more about the problem than the detective, and Fell imposes himself on the story less than you’d expect.
Instead the point of view character is one Tad Rampole, a vigorous young American on a first visit to Britain - there are plenty of enjoyable descriptions of dubious British amenities from the American Carr - who finds himself caught up in the bizarre gothic story of the Starsberth family and their cursed inheritance. Carr has lots of fun with locked vaults, ancient wells, deranged ancestors and the like. Not all his indulgences are so entertaining - the romance between Rampole and one of the family is overwrought and the parts featuring comic relief servants made me wince. It’s a short novel but even so there’s a good deal of padding in the middle.
As a mystery, though, Hag’s Nook is strong - the who isn’t especially startling but the how is ingenious, and the final chapter, the killer’s confession, is a well-drawn study in vanity.
Instead the point of view character is one Tad Rampole, a vigorous young American on a first visit to Britain - there are plenty of enjoyable descriptions of dubious British amenities from the American Carr - who finds himself caught up in the bizarre gothic story of the Starsberth family and their cursed inheritance. Carr has lots of fun with locked vaults, ancient wells, deranged ancestors and the like. Not all his indulgences are so entertaining - the romance between Rampole and one of the family is overwrought and the parts featuring comic relief servants made me wince. It’s a short novel but even so there’s a good deal of padding in the middle.
As a mystery, though, Hag’s Nook is strong - the who isn’t especially startling but the how is ingenious, and the final chapter, the killer’s confession, is a well-drawn study in vanity.
June 12, 2018
Was pumped up to find that I finally was reading the first of the Gideon Fell mysteries. This one was really fun, as it had an air of “haunting” all about it. And that styling of a story steeped in ghost tale made the reading a bit more colorful and “fun.”
A young American on a trip to Europe comes to stay with Gideon Fell, and ends up getting pulled into a murder mystery right away. It takes a while to peel back the layers of history and supernatural associations to realize what has led to the murder and who the murderer is, and this is done well.
There is also a lot of action, mucking about a swampy well where convicts’ bodies were dropped into after they were hanged, walking about the prison and seeing huge rats and Iron Maiden’s etc...
And of course, there is a young lady for the young American to fall in love with as well.. We get a glimpse of Fell’s home life too which is nice. A fun lively story, perfect length for quick summer reading!
A young American on a trip to Europe comes to stay with Gideon Fell, and ends up getting pulled into a murder mystery right away. It takes a while to peel back the layers of history and supernatural associations to realize what has led to the murder and who the murderer is, and this is done well.
There is also a lot of action, mucking about a swampy well where convicts’ bodies were dropped into after they were hanged, walking about the prison and seeing huge rats and Iron Maiden’s etc...
And of course, there is a young lady for the young American to fall in love with as well.. We get a glimpse of Fell’s home life too which is nice. A fun lively story, perfect length for quick summer reading!
August 26, 2020
I only remembered John Dickson Carr for being the master of locked room mysteries but had forgotten how good a writer he can be. This book not only provides a mystery but also an atmosphere which left me repeatedly thanking the literary gods that the Golden Age did not allow supernatural explanations.
January 31, 2020
Me ha gustado. Me ha recordado a los de Christie, pero con otro aire, un poquito más macabro que los de Agatha.
El protagonista, un lingüista obeso y amante de la buena vida, es como una mezcla de Poirot, Nero Wolfw y Sherlock.
Es el primer libro de la serie y se nota, por extenderse en la descripción de los personajes.
El protagonista, un lingüista obeso y amante de la buena vida, es como una mezcla de Poirot, Nero Wolfw y Sherlock.
Es el primer libro de la serie y se nota, por extenderse en la descripción de los personajes.
February 27, 2018
It only seems fair that G.K. Chesterton, who was such a character in real life, got to become a fictional sleuth as well. John Dickson Carr brings Chesterton (back) to life as Dr. Fell in Hag's Nook and several other novels that followed.
Dickson Carr was capable of some excellent writing, though like other mystery authors (notably Agatha Christie) his work suffered as a result of cranking out too many books too quickly. At his peak, he could create atmosphere with the best of them. Hag's Nook offers up some lovely runs of description, like this one:
"In this library everything looked old and solid and conventional; there was a globe-map which nobody ever spun, rows of accepted authors which nobody ever read, and above the mantelpiece a large mounted swordfish which (you were convinced) nobody had ever caught. A glass ball was hung up in one window, as a charm against witches."
This book reminds me somewhat of Margery Allingham's Look to the Lady, and should appeal to readers who enjoy mystery with a hint of the supernatural, a touch of romance, and a large dose of English antiquities. Definitely recommended.
Dickson Carr was capable of some excellent writing, though like other mystery authors (notably Agatha Christie) his work suffered as a result of cranking out too many books too quickly. At his peak, he could create atmosphere with the best of them. Hag's Nook offers up some lovely runs of description, like this one:
"In this library everything looked old and solid and conventional; there was a globe-map which nobody ever spun, rows of accepted authors which nobody ever read, and above the mantelpiece a large mounted swordfish which (you were convinced) nobody had ever caught. A glass ball was hung up in one window, as a charm against witches."
This book reminds me somewhat of Margery Allingham's Look to the Lady, and should appeal to readers who enjoy mystery with a hint of the supernatural, a touch of romance, and a large dose of English antiquities. Definitely recommended.
May 13, 2016
Wow. The mystery kept me going through this maddening ADD writing style. It reminded my of an old 1930s movie where everyone burbles on and on inanely about grand things.
And what author starts a story describing a mans den when plainly the first event in the story is a chance bumping into a woman on a train station platform. Its almost as if the story occurs offscreen so to speak to the characters tangential thoughts and feelings.
I have read hundreds and hundreds of books, high claimed authors, and hacks. This thing is in a class by itself.
THAT having been said the particulars of the mystery (who killed such and such and whats in the special box) was interesting....but admittedly I ALMOST put it down never to return.
And what author starts a story describing a mans den when plainly the first event in the story is a chance bumping into a woman on a train station platform. Its almost as if the story occurs offscreen so to speak to the characters tangential thoughts and feelings.
I have read hundreds and hundreds of books, high claimed authors, and hacks. This thing is in a class by itself.
THAT having been said the particulars of the mystery (who killed such and such and whats in the special box) was interesting....but admittedly I ALMOST put it down never to return.
April 26, 2012
This is JDC at his creepiest - the atmosphere of the scene when they go into the ruined prison had me looking over my shoulder and switching lights on. The novel has a number of JDC trademarks: the links with history, the love story, the possible ghosts that in the end are almost explained away - and the neat, clever plot.
One of the things I love about JDC, in passing, is the recreation of an England that was contemporary to him but is a lost world now. This has some of that quality in its village and the descriptions of rural England.
Thesis: the Golden Age murder plots that would be ruined by the mobile phone ...
One of the things I love about JDC, in passing, is the recreation of an England that was contemporary to him but is a lost world now. This has some of that quality in its village and the descriptions of rural England.
Thesis: the Golden Age murder plots that would be ruined by the mobile phone ...
April 11, 2013
This was my first John Dickson Carr. I love between-the-wars mysteries and I'm not sure how I've missed him. This book has a lot of the aspects that I love about that time period but it was a bit more melodramatic than I would have liked. I have a few more of his books waiting in the wings though and I'm looking forward to exploring his works.
July 10, 2025
So good! I’ve found my new favorite obsession in classic British mysteries. It’s so improbable, yet I couldn’t put it down. The whole thing takes place in one house with a couple of scenes on the train platform, yet the atmosphere was electric throughout. Then, just when you think you can’t stand the tension for another minute you’re laughing at the young lovers or being delighted by a wonderful turn of phrase. One reason I adore reading classics is for the language. Books written when men learned Latin and Greek from age 8 and women spent hours each day writing letters (stories in miniature) are so much more interesting than anything written since cell phones have ruined our brains and Woke ideology has ruined our souls. The language in the book is delicious. I read this as a library book but I will have to buy the ebook just to highlight the many turns of phrase which had me laughing out loud. I want to read all the Dr. Fell books, but I also want to read all the British Mystery Collection, which is a lot of reading!
March 31, 2020
He never knew wether this man had seen the young American's head beneath Mr. Herbert's body at all...But he did hear a flopping and stumbling among the brush, a wild rush as of a bat banging against walls to get out of a room. Somebody was running, with inarticulate cries, through the Hag's Nook.
February 14, 2021
“That was how Budge the Englishman went down”
For some reason, this was a long 156 pages for me. The copyright date for this book is 1933, understandable that it would be a bit antiquated, dry, and out of the times. Classic English who done it mystery, I enjoyed.
For some reason, this was a long 156 pages for me. The copyright date for this book is 1933, understandable that it would be a bit antiquated, dry, and out of the times. Classic English who done it mystery, I enjoyed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2020
I discovered American author John Dickson Carr only a few months ago. Carr lived from 1906 - 1977 and is known for his Gideon Fell & Sir Henry Merivale mystery series. According to his write-up he was influenced by GK Chesterton's Father Brown books and was the master of the closed room scenario. I managed to find his first Gideon Fell book, Hag's Nook: A Gideon Fell Mystery and decided to give it a try. Entertaining and I will continue to explore his books.
Dr. Gideon Fell is a renowned lexicographer living in Lincolnshire, England. He's a big man, walks with two canes but has an active, fertile mind and for his size gets around quite well. American graduate, Tad Rampole is visiting with Gideon and his wife. On the train to Chatterham, he meets a lovely young lady, Dorothy Starberth and the two immediately feel an attraction. Dorothy's family owns Chatterham Prison and while it's now closed it has a spooky reputation. They have to keep it in the family or they would lose the money on the property.
There is a tradition in the family. The first born son of each generation, in this case, Dorothy's brother, Marin, must spend one hour in the Warden's office, at 10 pm on the night that the son attains his 25th birthday. Tad Rampole arrives just at the time when Marin is coming to town (also from America) to perform for his inheritance. Now another factor, which is the spooky part, is that there is also a 'tradition' that this son often dies in mysterious circumstances, often with a broken neck.
Got it now? Well, Gideon Fell and Tad decide they need to keep an eye on the prison on this night. Marin must stay in the room by himself as there are family secrets involved. They can see the window of the room from Gideon's lounge. The worst happens of course and Marin is found dead or a broken neck. This begins the investigation that gets you to know Gideon Fell.
It's an entertaining, often confusing story, with a few suspects. Gideon grows in importance as the story moves along. We get to see his intuition, his skills at observation. At the same time a romance is developing between Dorothy and Tad. All in all, I liked this story very much. I think it's of its time period. I liked the description of the setting, the way the story was presented and of course, I enjoyed the mystery and Fell's description of the solution. It's gentle, for all of the deaths, and made me want to explore his work more. Another series to keep me busy. (4 stars)
Dr. Gideon Fell is a renowned lexicographer living in Lincolnshire, England. He's a big man, walks with two canes but has an active, fertile mind and for his size gets around quite well. American graduate, Tad Rampole is visiting with Gideon and his wife. On the train to Chatterham, he meets a lovely young lady, Dorothy Starberth and the two immediately feel an attraction. Dorothy's family owns Chatterham Prison and while it's now closed it has a spooky reputation. They have to keep it in the family or they would lose the money on the property.
There is a tradition in the family. The first born son of each generation, in this case, Dorothy's brother, Marin, must spend one hour in the Warden's office, at 10 pm on the night that the son attains his 25th birthday. Tad Rampole arrives just at the time when Marin is coming to town (also from America) to perform for his inheritance. Now another factor, which is the spooky part, is that there is also a 'tradition' that this son often dies in mysterious circumstances, often with a broken neck.
Got it now? Well, Gideon Fell and Tad decide they need to keep an eye on the prison on this night. Marin must stay in the room by himself as there are family secrets involved. They can see the window of the room from Gideon's lounge. The worst happens of course and Marin is found dead or a broken neck. This begins the investigation that gets you to know Gideon Fell.
It's an entertaining, often confusing story, with a few suspects. Gideon grows in importance as the story moves along. We get to see his intuition, his skills at observation. At the same time a romance is developing between Dorothy and Tad. All in all, I liked this story very much. I think it's of its time period. I liked the description of the setting, the way the story was presented and of course, I enjoyed the mystery and Fell's description of the solution. It's gentle, for all of the deaths, and made me want to explore his work more. Another series to keep me busy. (4 stars)
January 17, 2020
Not only was this a locked room mystery with a wonderfully creepy atmosphere but the culprit was such a surprise! I have read several other Gideon Fell books but I am glad that I have finally read this first one.
July 14, 2024
Far from auspicious debut to the great Dr. Fell series; one of those silly "murder room" plots where in order to obtain a fortune someone has to spend the night in a creepy old ruin. . .Carr has decked it out with some fairly good prison lore and some very silly giant rats, an irrelevant iron maiden, a family curse, and the usual mishandled romance; the result is turgid melodrama in the Bencolin manner, with flat characters, and the writing is prolix and murky: see the end of Ch. 3/beginning of Ch. 4 which I had to read four or five times in order to sort of understand who was overhearing whom and why people were doing what they were doing; and the flashback in Ch. 1, which reads like it was intended for the novel's opening but later made to follow the opening scene at the home of Dr. Fell, with Carr forgetting to change the tenses.
The key to solving the puzzle is noticing what was missing from a room in the prison, but the scene is so confusingly, even ineptly described that there is little chance the reader will notice what isn't there; really, if any book needed floorplans and maps. . . yet for all that the reader is likely to figure out at the very least what happened to Martin; what is hidden in the box will be harder to figure out if only because Timothy's plan is so ridiculous; the only bit of cleverness in the whole book has to do with ; the full description of the murderer's activities on the night of the murder beggars belief, and . The final chapter falls quite flat here because the killer for all "their" nastiness is simply not an interesting character.
The key to solving the puzzle is noticing what was missing from a room in the prison, but the scene is so confusingly, even ineptly described that there is little chance the reader will notice what isn't there; really, if any book needed floorplans and maps. . . yet for all that the reader is likely to figure out at the very least what happened to Martin; what is hidden in the box will be harder to figure out if only because Timothy's plan is so ridiculous; the only bit of cleverness in the whole book has to do with ; the full description of the murderer's activities on the night of the murder beggars belief, and . The final chapter falls quite flat here because the killer for all "their" nastiness is simply not an interesting character.
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