The John Dickson Carr Omnibus by
John Dickson Carr
pbk out February 00
(Allison Busby)
at £10.99
The appearance of this hefty paperback is most welcome. Allison & Busby seem to have made remarkable strides in the past year or so, taking on to their list a host of talented contemporary crime writers, some of whom had understandably become disillusioned with their previous publishers. But the issuing of a collection of three old novels by Carr is a new departure. The publishers may perhaps have been influenced by the remarkable popularity of the BBC TV series 'Jonathan Creek', for which Carr's work has been an inspiration. Not so long ago, 'impossible crime' stories of the kind Carr specialised in seemed to have gone completely out of fashion, but 'Creek' shows that there remains an audience for trick stories of quality and Carr's work certainly fits the bill. He was famous for his skill at plotting, but his ability to create vivid atmosphere was an almost equally vital component in his success during crime fiction's Golden Age. The three books here, Hag's Nook, The Mad Hatter Mystery and The Eight of Swords show Carr's super-sleuth Dr Gideon Fell at his best.
Hag's Nook, concerning the curse of the Starberth family, is widely regarded as a classic, while The Mad Hatter Mystery offers characteristically bizarre touches, including the discovery of a body at the Bloody Tower, wearing a stolen top hat. One hopes that this collection proves a commercial success and that the publishers can be tempted into follow-up volumes. There is no shortage of material. Carr was a prolific as well as talented novelist and many of his books, which have been out of print for years, deserve a fresh airing.
(
Martin Edwards
- author of the highly acclaimed Harry Devlin Mysteries)
The John Dickson Carr Omnibus by
John Dickson Carr