Castle Skull by John Dickson Carr
As I stated on Twitter recently, during this scary situation in which we find ourselves, “it may have to be classic crime”. Always a go-to for me in times of stress, I’m even more well served than ever before. In the past I would wallow in Agatha Christie or Dorothy L. Sayers to take me away from the real world; but nowadays the riches of the British Library’s Crime Classics are always on hand for instant relief, and fortunately I still have many unread. John Dickson Carr is a particular favourite, creating some of the best locked-room mysteries which often feature his famous detective Dr. Gideon Fell. However, early in his career he also created a wonderfully idiosyncratic investigator in the shape of Inspector Bencolin, and I reviewed his first case “It Walks By Night” for the #1930Club. Alas, there is no 1920 volume for our forthcoming club, but the British Library have just released another Bencolin case and it sounded just the thing to take me away from the everyday.
“Castle Skull” is subtitled “A Rhineland Mystery” and does indeed take place in Germany on the banks of the Rhine. The book was published in 1931, so in what was a troubling decade for that country; and indeed there are undercurrents in the book of national uncertainty. The adventure is once again narrated by Bencolin’s Watson, the young American Jeff Marle. The Belgian financier D’Aunay has persuaded them to travel to the dramatic location of Castle Skull (a journey which nearly kills Bencolin when the car crashes) to investigate the gruesome death of Myron Alison, an actor somewhat past his prime. The actor was seen on the battlement of the castle in flames, before plunging into the river below; and fortunately the cast of suspects has been persuaded to stay on. There’s Myron’s sister Agatha, a formidable women who can drink and gamble with the best of them; Sir Marshall Dunstan, a young nobleman; Levasseur the violinist; D’Aunay and his beautiful wife; and young Sally Reine.
Needless to say, this being a John Dickson Carr, there are all manner of motives, a surfeit of alibis and no way at all that the crime could have been committed (does this count perhaps as a Locked Castle mystery?) However, as with “It Walks…” there is a wonderfully dark atmosphere to the book; Carr was no stranger to sticking into his books hints of the supernatural and elements that give a shiver down the spine, but he excels himself here! There are twists and turns aplenty, thwarted lovers, wicked deeds and unpleasant people in the past and, rather entertainingly, a rival for Bencolin in the form of the chief inspector of the Berlin police, the most wonderfully named Herr Baron Sigmund von Arnheim. The duel between the two detectives to see who will solve the puzzle and find the culprit is excellent, and not without any number of twists right up to the end of the book. I’m afraid I was completely bamboozled and had no idea who had done what; in fact, Carr obviously anticipated that most readers would come to one particular conclusion about a character and their abili, and neatly subverted it, reminding both characters and readers how impossible that specific option was – I shall say no more! 😀
Looking back over the events of that night, there is only one thing I cannot understand. That is the mad gaiety with which we were all imbued. Throughout the evening – from the time the hangman’s cake was baked to that final terrifying scene in the room with the glass ceiling – we were possessed of a reckless and hilarious mood which was all the more appropriate for being grotesque. It struck us simultaneously. Our separate humours were such that we could plunge in with abandon, even though Death sat in a high-backed chair at the queerest dinner we had ever attended. But he was suave Death, rather like von Arnheim I fancied, with monocle and evening clothes, and he made a good dinner guest.
As Martin Edwards points out in his excellent introduction, Carr was still in the early stages of his authorial career and the writing *is* sometimes a little over-the-top and melodramatic. Nevertheless, it makes for a gripping, absorbing, sometimes macabre and always entertaining read; I mean, how can you not love an author who says of one character “He was dressed offensively in a mottled golfing suit, with stockings of loud red and green.” Bencolin is a memorable detective, Marle a pleasant Watson and the solution of this one was most satisfying. The book comes with a rare early (1927) short story about Bencolin, “the Fourth Suspect” which is set in Paris and pays tribute to the works of Poe; once again I failed to guess whodunnit!
High up burned the lamps that night on the Quai d’Orsay, over the black Seine, the tracery of lights, the singing lights of Paris, as murmurous as an old waltz. Like all good Frenchman, Bencolin loved his Paris. He loved the pink and white flower trees, the hurdy-gurdies, the gaiety that is almost sadness.
So another winner from John Dickson Carr and from the British Library Crime Classics series. They’re a joy at the best of times, but at the moment are proving to be completely essential. I’m glad to see the Bencolin books coming back into print and let’s hope there are more in the wings!
Review copy kindly provided by the publisher, for which many thanks!
Apr 09, 2020 @ 07:47:06
Sounds like a great one and hooray for having good stocks in!
Apr 09, 2020 @ 09:17:47
It was great fun, and very diverting – just right for the times!
Apr 09, 2020 @ 10:17:59
Norway has the excellent “Påskekrim” (Easter crime) tradition where you read or watch crime fiction during the Easter vacation. I’m reading “The body in the dumb river” from BLCC and watching “Vera” so that’s great.
Apr 09, 2020 @ 14:06:42
What a wonderful tradition! The Body in the Dumb River” is great fun, and I may have to break out another BLCC for the weekend!
Apr 09, 2020 @ 17:53:25
Sounds great! I also have a copy of this waiting, I’ve never read John Dickson Carr so I hope this will be a good one to start with.
Apr 09, 2020 @ 18:53:32
It’s great fun – not entirely typical of his later books (or at least those I’ve read) but just as clever and so entertaining. I hope you like it!
Apr 09, 2020 @ 18:40:16
I may also have to turn to classic crime now. I do find it comforting but I’m worried my addled brain won’t keep up with the plots at the moment!
Why would anyone travel to a place called Castle Skull? You know it’s not going to end well 😀
Apr 09, 2020 @ 18:52:50
Frankly, I never worry about working out the solution – I just love going along for the ride and being bamboozled by the author!
And yes – from the very start of this one it’s obvious that things Will Not End Well, and the title of the place surely signals that ! 😀
Apr 10, 2020 @ 07:39:52
Lovely stuff. I may have to splash out one or two BLCCs at some point as I find myself in the unfortunate position of having no Golden Age crime novels left on the TBR shelves. Would this be a good place to start with JDC, so you think? Or maybe you would suggest another of his books? He sounds excellent, well worth checking out.
Apr 10, 2020 @ 12:54:53
They’re perfect reading at the moment, I find! As for JDC, I’ve possibly not read enough to say. I would suggest maybe reading a couple of his Gideon Fell books to get a flavour of his writing and then maybe moving on to these; there are similarities, but the setting is a little more exotic in these ones. He’s a wonderfull entertaining writer, and I’ve reviewed a few Gideon Fells here if you want ideas for titles! 😀
Apr 12, 2020 @ 03:56:14
Sounds thoroughly entertaining! I especially like that list of characters. I think I’ve just read short stories by Carr so I have much to look forward to.
Apr 12, 2020 @ 10:32:35
It is! Hokum in places, perhaps, but beautifully written and very clever hokum, and wonderfully twisty. I love Carr’s stories!
Mar 19, 2021 @ 06:27:22