Great Mysteries and Little Plagues: A Collection of Short Stories by John Dickson Carr

Great Mysteries and Little Plagues by John Dickson Carr

Introduction

If you are looking for some brilliant and diverse stories, you might want to read Great Mysteries and Little Plagues by John Dickson Carr. This collection was published in 1978, but it is still relevant and engaging today. The collection consists of 12 short stories that showcase Carr’s talent and versatility as a writer. The stories cover different genres, themes, settings, and characters, but they all share Carr’s trademark style of clever plotting, atmospheric writing, and surprising twists.

John Dickson Carr was an American writer who lived from 1906 to 1977. He was one of the most prolific and popular writers of the golden age of detective fiction. He wrote over 70 novels and 100 short stories, under his own name and various pseudonyms, such as Carter Dickson and Roger Fairbairn. He was best known for his locked room mysteries, which featured seemingly impossible crimes that were solved by his famous sleuths, such as Dr. Gideon Fell and Sir Henry Merrivale. He was also known for his historical mysteries, which recreated the past with accuracy and flair. He was influenced by writers such as Edgar Allan Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle, G.K. Chesterton, and Wilkie Collins.

John Dickson Carr

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Great Mysteries and Little Plagues is a collection that demonstrates Carr’s range and skill as a storyteller. The stories are:

• “The House in Goblin Wood”: a Dr. Gideon Fell mystery set in England in 1939, where a man is found murdered in a house that seems to have no doors or windows.
• “The Gentleman from Paris”: a historical mystery set in France in 1793, where a mysterious stranger saves a young woman from the guillotine.
• “The Devil in the Summer House”: a Sir Henry Merrivale mystery set in England in 1937, where a man is killed by a devilish apparition in a summer house.
• “The Third Bullet”: a modern mystery set in New York in 1977, where a man is shot three times by an invisible gunman.
• “The King’s Hounds”: a historical mystery set in England in 1199, where King Richard I is poisoned by a hound that belongs to his brother John.
• “The End of Justice”: a modern mystery set in London in 1977, where a judge is murdered by a bomb that was planted by his own son.
• “The Black Cabinet”: a historical mystery set in France in 1794, where a spy infiltrates the secret cabinet of Robespierre.
• “The Hangman’s Handyman”: a modern mystery set in New York in 1977, where a serial killer uses an ingenious device to hang his victims.
• “The Ghosts’ High Noon”: a historical mystery set in England in 1666, where a man is haunted by the ghosts of his ancestors who died in the Great Fire of London.
• “The House by the Thames”: a modern mystery set in London in 1977, where a woman is terrorized by a phantom that lives in her house.
• “The Bride of Newgate”: a historical mystery set in England in 1815, where a woman marries a condemned prisoner to inherit his fortune.
• “The Man Who Could Not Die”: a modern mystery set in New York in 1977, where a man survives every attempt on his life.

Great Mysteries and Little Plagues is a collection that celebrates Carr’s genius and imagination as a writer. The stories are full of suspense, humor, horror, and romance. They also reflect Carr’s knowledge and passion for history, literature, and science. The stories are not only entertaining to read, but also challenging and enlightening.

If you want to read Great Mysteries and Little Plagues by John Dickson Carr, you can find it online for free at Project Gutenberg or ManyBooks. You can also buy it as an ebook from Amazon or Barnes & Noble. You can also read more about John Dickson Carr’s life and works at The John Dickson Carr Collector or Wikipedia.

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FAQs

• What is a locked room mystery?
  • A locked room mystery is a subgenre of detective fiction that features a crime that seems impossible to commit or solve because it occurs in an enclosed or isolated space that has no apparent access or escape.
• What is a historical mystery?
  • A historical mystery is a subgenre of detective fiction that features a crime that is set in a specific historical period and often involves historical figures or events.
• Who are Dr. Gideon Fell and Sir Henry Merrivale?
  • Dr. Gideon Fell and Sir Henry Merrivale are two of Carr’s most famous sleuths. Dr. Fell is a large and eccentric scholar who solves locked room mysteries with his keen logic and intuition. Sir Merrivale is a large and eccentric barrister who solves locked room mysteries with his wit and humor.
• What are some of Carr’s other famous works?
  • Some of Carr’s other famous works are:
    • The Three Coffins (1935): a Dr. Gideon Fell mystery that features two impossible murders and a lecture on the history and theory of locked room mysteries.
    • The Judas Window (1938): a Sir Henry Merrivale mystery that features a murder in a sealed room with a deadly weapon that seems to have vanished.
    • The Emperor’s Snuff-Box (1942): a modern mystery that features a murder in a French chateau with a snuff-box as the only clue.
    • The Burning Court (1937): a historical mystery that features a murder in a suburban house with a link to a 17th-century witch trial.
• Why is Carr considered a master of the locked room mystery and the historical mystery?
  • Carr is considered a master of the locked room mystery and the historical mystery because he created some of the most ingenious and original plots, characters, and settings in these genres. He also wrote with style, humor, and erudition, and challenged his readers to solve his puzzles.

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Conclusion

Great Mysteries and Little Plagues by John Dickson Carr is a collection of short stories that showcase Carr’s talent and versatility as a writer. The stories cover different genres, themes, settings, and characters, but they all share Carr’s trademark style of clever plotting, atmospheric writing, and surprising twists.

Great Mysteries and Little Plagues is a collection that demonstrates Carr’s range and skill as a storyteller. The stories are full of suspense, humor, horror, and romance. They also reflect Carr’s knowledge and passion for history, literature, and science. The stories are not only entertaining to read, but also challenging and enlightening.

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