Published in 1908, The Circular Staircase, is the first in the "Had I But Known" school of detective fiction, and it is absolutely classic. Spinster, Rachel Innes rents Sunnyside for the summer and has not even spent one night in the house when a ghost like face appears in a window and the lights suddenly flicker off. In reality, these are minor events compared to what is about to unfold. By the time it's over, five deaths will tie together a great mystery involving the collapse of a bank, stolen securities, an orphaned child, and a secret room.
Clever, commanding and observant, Rachel unfolds the mystery as the narrator. Her voice is humorous and determined, while the violent and disturbing events shake her, she isn't about to detered. Her narrative creates the suspense. The foreshadowing she employs is careful and as the threads of the story grown more numerous, so does the thrill.
I enjoyed this classic detective mystery including its setting and its characters. Sometimes, I was truly frustrated by the stubborness of the characters to share any information but that was true to the time period when one's word meant something. And, I gasped at the two politically incorrect statements that were normal in 1908. Over all the story is delightfully thrilling.
No comments:
Post a Comment