tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8031063966272508587.post7640979880449786906..comments2024-03-29T00:31:02.713+01:00Comments on ボクの事件簿: Turnabout BeginningsHo-Linghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04673330638260132388noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8031063966272508587.post-36395607749594435842011-12-16T15:19:14.154+01:002011-12-16T15:19:14.154+01:00The problem with these two novels (and any of the ...The problem with these two novels (and any of the classics) is just how well-known and much-discussed they are, it's hard add something interesting / worth reading if the discussion has been going for such a long time. Well, with this post, I luckily had the advantage of being positioned in a niche area <i>within</i> niche area: there is just still little known about Japanese detective fiction in English-language sources. <br /><br />Concerning <i>Double, Double</i> and <i>The Kennel Murder Case</i>, due to circumstances I think it will take <i>a long time</i> before I'll get around to those. Two books are still on their way to me, but I think that those wiill be the last English-language novels discussed here for the time being.Ho-Linghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04673330638260132388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8031063966272508587.post-4368213031558009192011-12-16T12:55:30.527+01:002011-12-16T12:55:30.527+01:00Your knowledge of Japanese detective stories and t...Your knowledge of Japanese detective stories and the influence Van Dine had on it, gave this review an interesting (and original) perspective on these two novels. <br /><br />I concede that <i>The Greene Murder Case</i> is an important and influential novel within the genre, but it was, IMO, neither powerful nor atmospheric – and the elimination of nearly every suspect was ruinous to the solution. <br /><br />Van Dine's approach to setting the mood was simply stating that a sinister and terrifying atmosphere prevailed throughout the entirety of a case, however, these feelings never conveyed themselves to me. It was just that, a statement of fact and nothing was done to empress this terrifying atmosphere onto the reader. <br /><br />Your observation on the use of buildings as "characters" is interesting, and it reminded of a conversation between Poirot and Hastings in <i>Curtain</i> - in which they discuss the possibility that Styles Court, the setting of their first and last case, might be the real catalyst for all these murders. A place that, due to its history, attracts and breeds evil. <br /><br /><i>The Bishop Murder Case</i> makes me feel sorry for poor Van Dine. The only time he hit on a really good idea, a serial murder who knocks his victims off according to nursery rhymes, and he was outdone by nearly everyone who tried their hands at it themselves – most notably The Queen of Crime. <br /><br />But to be honest, the murders were ridiculous and stretched credulity beyond the borders of believe (a man with the rare surname of Robin does archery with a friend whose last name means sparrow... who becomes the main suspect when Robin is plugged with an arrow... right). <br /><br />I can't help but sneer at the scholars who attempt to give a deep, psychological spin to simple, but nonetheless, nifty plot devices. They just overanalyze the fun out of certain things. I mean, you can easily churn out a theory that Chesterton's "The Invisible Man" was so popular, because people had enough of uniforms after The Great War. The simple truth is that writers were exploring the field for new ways to astonish, thrill and fool their audience. <br /><br />By the way, have you read Ellery Queen's <i>Double, Double</i>, which also revolves around a series of nursery rhyme murders. It's also, IMHO, the only interesting, full-length novel from the Wrightsville series. <br /><br />Van Dine, as a character, was acknowledged in two or three novels, by Vance and Markham, but mainly plays the role of silent partner. <br /><br />Anyway, I recommend you also pick up <i>The Kennel Murder Case</i>, which is Van Dine at his absolute best, and even has a really decent locked room – and came very close to matching the best mysteries penned by EQ.TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.com