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The Clue of the Twisted Candle

Edgar Wallace

Book Overview: 

Well-known mystery writer John Lexman is charged with murder and sent to Broadmoor Prison. His friend T.X., head of a special branch of Scotland Yard, tries to prove his innocence.

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Book Excerpt: 
. . .He drove his assistant to the railway station in time to catch the train at one o'clock to London.

"You will go straight to Cadogan Square and arrest the chauffeur of Mr. Kara," he said.

"Upon what charge!" asked Mansus hurriedly.

When it came to the step which T. X. thought fit to take in the pursuance of his duty, Mansus was beyond surprise.

"You can charge him with anything you like," said T. X., with fine carelessness, "probably something will occur to you on your way up to town. As a matter of fact the chauffeur has been called unexpectedly away to Greece and has probably left by this morning's train for the Continent. If that is so, we can do nothing, because the boat will have left Dover and will have landed him at Boulogne, but if by any luck you get him, keep him busy until I get back."

T. X. himself was a busy man that day, and it was not until night was falling that he again turned to Beston Tracey to find. . . Read More

Community Reviews

This novel really does have it all for lovers of vintage mystery – a truly evil villain of extreme wealth, a locked room murder, a thoroughly decent, sensible young Scotland Yard investigator, a Dartmoor prison break, and a feisty brave young woman.

John Lexman is a successful writer of detective fic

A good "room locked from the inside" who and how dunnit. It has everything - mystery, adventure, a villain, love, a new romance, revenge, a gentleman detective, a one armed man, small handguns and long knives galore and of course cellars and locked rooms.
First published in 1918 I think.
I downloaded

This was my first Edgar Wallace and I think it was a good introduction. It was short enough that I could see my way to the end if I wasn't enamored. I *did* like it though and am glad I have another on my list for my mysteries challenge.

The story opens with John Lexman more than a bit worried about

Have you ever heard this term… “Locked–room mystery” ?... A well-known term for mystery lovers. It is also called an ‘impossible crime scene’ as if some supernatural entity came out of nowhere, murdered someone, and then disappeared, inside a room, which was locked from inside and remained locked!
Th

Nu sunt o fană a romanelor polițiste, dar am văzut cartea în biblioteca alor mei și am zis să îi dau o șansă.

Am citit-o dintr-o răsuflare și mi-a plăcut la nebunie.

What a fine melodramatic adventure. It has a villain of surpassing wealth and evil, a hero of infinite resources and unmatched intelligence, heroines of unmatched beauty and wit, lackeys both evil and good and twists by the dozen. Oh, yes there is even a castle in a faraway land where the villain c

BEYOND bizarre, considerably more violent (or at least sinister) and wackadoodle and transparent than I was expecting it to be. One of the first "locked room" mysteries. Worth reading if you're a fan of the genre--otherwise, it just makes good "can you believe this sentence?" read-aloud material.

3.5 stars This 1916 locked room mystery is dated, mostly predictable, and rather forcefully prejudiced, but still so very charming because of the surprisingly witty dialogue, appealing characters, and fun cliffhangers.

Fun facts I learned:

1. vitriol actually is a sulfuric acid, something of which I

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