Vintage Mystery Challenge: Crispin's "Case of the Gilded Fly"

Here's another book, reviewed here earlier this year, that should be noted as part of the Vintage Mystery Reading Challenge over on the Bev's Readers' Block blog.

First published in 1944, "The Case of the Gilded Fly," by Edmund Crispin, was the first mystery to feature the sleuthing talents of Oxford University Professor Gervase Fen. It is the story of murder among a theatrical troupe - an apparently impossible murder, in a locked room. The victim apparently was shot at point-blank range...but witnesses are prepared to swear that nobody but the victim was in the room. Yet suicide was equally impossible, not least because there's no gun in the room. As one of the police officers observes, rather gloomily, Fen proves pretty clearly that it couldn't have been suicide, while other witnesses prove that it couldn't have been murder, so the only obvious solution must be that it never happened in the first place.

As with all of Crispin's novels, "The Case of the Gilded Fly" has some first-rate touches of humor, as well as some truly horrifying scenes. The writing is wonderful, the characters are entertaining and distinctive, and Professor Fen is in his glory.

I am entering this in the Vintage Mystery Reading Challenge in category 16, Locked Rooms. I do recommend checking out some of the other books that are being read and reviewed by other participants in the challenge - or, perhaps, you'd like to join in the challenge yourself? You'll find details at the link.

Comments

[Yvette]

While I liked this book, Les, I didn't love it. At least not as much as I loved THE MOVING TOYSHOP.

I found GILDED hard to follow but maybe that's more my fault than the book's.

[Les Blatt]

Yvette, I think "Gilded Fly" suffers a bit from a kind of "first-book exuberance" - there's a lot of Crispin showing off here. But I think it's basically sound and I enjoyed it. If you want to try another one, I really enjoyed "Swan Song," which I think is among his best. Oh - and nobody at "fault" here; tastes DO differ. That's what makes these discussions so much fun for me!

[Bob_in_MA]

My favorite Crispin is "Love Lies Bleeding". Some of his work is uneven, but I think he came closer to blending humor and mystery than any of his contemporaries. Plus, he had a day job. ;-)

[Les Blatt]

That's another good Crispin, Bob, and I have to reread it and do a review of it sometime soon. I do enjoy the blend of humor and mystery - and Crispin wasn't shy about lulling the reader through some very funny bits and then dropping in something really horrifying. And his "day job" as a composer certainly helped with some of the books, particularly "Frequent Hearses" (or "Sudden Vengeance").