Status
Available
Genres
Description
Ralph Henderson, an insurance investigator is building a case against the sinister Baron R----, who is suspected of murdering his wife.
User reviews
LibraryThing member gpangel
The Notting Hill Mystery by Charles Warren Adams is a 2015 British Crime Library publication. (Originally published in 1862)
Groundbreaking British Mystery!
Ralph Henderson is an insurance investigator who carefully lays out a solid case of insurance fraud and murder. Much like a police detective
The details are fascinating, if a bit melodramatic. The Baron R is the prime suspect and poisoning appears to be his modus operandi… that and his talents as a mesmerist. There are few surprising twists before all is said and done, keeping things interesting- if a bit far-fetched.
The modern reader would probably pan this book today. Some un-PC threads, (a kidnapping by a band of ‘Gypsies’), and implausible plot devices, might turn some readers off today.
Other than that, what makes this book stand out, like the synopsis states, is that it is believed to be the first full length detective novel. The book could also technically pass as an inverted mystery, as it is clear right from the get-go who the murderer is. The reader remains interested because they want to see how the murderers were committed. I think this book does set a standard for the future of mystery novels and for that reason, I think mystery lovers might find this book of interest.
It is also Henderson’s presentation of the facts that kept me invested in the story. It would have been nice to see him return in subsequent installments, to see his character fleshed out a bit, because he is quite good at his job. I found myself wondering about his looks, his private life, etc.
This one is worth checking out for its historical value and contribution to crime fiction. The British Crime Library has a nice selection of these classic mysteries available in digital format. I’m looking forward to exploring more of them this year!
Groundbreaking British Mystery!
Ralph Henderson is an insurance investigator who carefully lays out a solid case of insurance fraud and murder. Much like a police detective
Show More
would, he uses good old -fashioned shoe leather to conduct interviews and gather evidence. Then, he presents his case in writing, almost like a lawyer would a jury. The details are fascinating, if a bit melodramatic. The Baron R is the prime suspect and poisoning appears to be his modus operandi… that and his talents as a mesmerist. There are few surprising twists before all is said and done, keeping things interesting- if a bit far-fetched.
The modern reader would probably pan this book today. Some un-PC threads, (a kidnapping by a band of ‘Gypsies’), and implausible plot devices, might turn some readers off today.
Other than that, what makes this book stand out, like the synopsis states, is that it is believed to be the first full length detective novel. The book could also technically pass as an inverted mystery, as it is clear right from the get-go who the murderer is. The reader remains interested because they want to see how the murderers were committed. I think this book does set a standard for the future of mystery novels and for that reason, I think mystery lovers might find this book of interest.
It is also Henderson’s presentation of the facts that kept me invested in the story. It would have been nice to see him return in subsequent installments, to see his character fleshed out a bit, because he is quite good at his job. I found myself wondering about his looks, his private life, etc.
This one is worth checking out for its historical value and contribution to crime fiction. The British Crime Library has a nice selection of these classic mysteries available in digital format. I’m looking forward to exploring more of them this year!
Show Less
LibraryThing member upstairsgirl
This is one of the earliest English-language mystery novels, and it takes the form of an insurance investigator describing his findings, which he illustrates with letters, witness statements, and other evidence.
Although it's pretty easy for a modern reader to guess what the conclusion will be from
Although it's pretty easy for a modern reader to guess what the conclusion will be from
Show More
almost the outset, it's still very interesting to watch as the case is built, piece by piece, and to compare the bits of evidence that the investigator is able to uncover. Despite the obviousness of the conclusion, and the non-narrative structure - it's presented as an investigation report, rather than a story - it's quite difficult to put down and very entertaining. Show Less
LibraryThing member antiquary
Siold as "the first detective novel" though I think the claim debatable; there is an introduction which attempts to justify it. Rather plodding pi procedural loking into a murder-of-wife-for-insurance-money case --detective is pi working for the insurance company--in that, a modern motive often
Show More
reused in real life and fiction Show Less
LibraryThing member druidgirl
This was a mystery that was never really solved,but it was attention grabbing. It was a narrative written through testimony given by various suspects and professionals. It took me a little longer to read but it was a good book.
I received this in exchange for an honest review.
I received this in exchange for an honest review.
LibraryThing member bemislibrary
This slim mid-nineteenth century mystery finds an insurance investigator matching wits with an unethical baron. First published serially in a magazine, the author uses letters, statements, memorandums and diary entries to introduce characters, settings and evidence of wrong-doing. Possibly one of
Show More
the first dective novels printed, it was a very quick read. Show Less
LibraryThing member muddyboy
Part of the Poison Pen Press British Classic Crime series billed as the first true mystery novel originally published in 1865. I think it has aged quite well over the years. The book is presented in a series of witness statements, documents and these ultimately lead to solving the deaths of three
Show More
victims ( two of which we find are twin girls separated in their infancy.) I think anyone who enjoys Sherlock Holmes and other early British literature will love this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member SusanKrzywicki
Why did I even start on this one? I struggle with epistolary novels. I love what the British Library Crime Classics Series is all about, but I just couldn't lose myself in this one because of the format.
LibraryThing member john257hopper
This is a very early detective novel, published in 1865, though the sleuth is actually an insurance broker, not an actual detective or policeman, investigating an insurance scam that turns out to have been the motive for a series of murders. The very nineteenth century phenomenon of mesmerism also
Show More
plays a strong part. The entire novel is told not through a plot narrative, but through extracts from interviews and depositions for a court case, giving the novel a slightly post-modern feel. Indeed it is almost like a series of lectures on how to make logical deductions, a tour de force that Sherlock Holmes (not created for over 20 years after this novel's publication) would have been proud of, but a feature which he decried as lacking from Watson's human interest-focused stories of his exploits. An interesting curiosity if you stick with it, but not really surprising that later detective novels didn't follow this style. Show Less
LibraryThing member Chris.Wolak
A book students of the mystery genre will want to read, but not a novel I'd recommend to the average reader.