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The Emperor's Snuff-Box
The Emperor's Snuff-Box
The Emperor's Snuff-Box
Ebook254 pages4 hours

The Emperor's Snuff-Box

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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On the verge of a second marriage, a divorcee discovers her first husband has returned, and murder ensues in this chilling tale, which the New York Times Book Review hailed as “one of the most ingeniously constructed mystery stories John Dickson Carr has ever told”

After divorcing her husband, Ned, Eve Neill falls in love with banker Toby Lawes and quickly agrees to marry him. But news of the engagement brings Ned back, intent on reclaiming his bride, whatever the cost. The price of passion proves too high when a dead body is found—and beside it, the shattered fragments of a snuff-box that once belonged to Napoleon.

These fragments tell two tales, one true and one false. And in order for Eve to know whether her future holds a white bridal gown or a black hangman’s cloak, she will have to trust that an expert in criminology will be able to force the evidence to tell the truth and point out the real murderer.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateMar 25, 2014
ISBN9781480472471
The Emperor's Snuff-Box
Author

John Dickson Carr

John Dickson Carr was born in 1906 in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, the son of a lawyer. While at school and college, he wrote ghost, detective and adventure stories. After studying law, he headed to Paris in 1928. Once there, he lost any desire to study law and soon turned to writing crime fiction full-time. His first novel, It Walks by Night, was published in 1930. Two years later, he moved to England with his English wife; thereafter he became a prolific author and became a master of the locked-room mystery. He also wrote a biography of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, radio plays, dozens of short stories, and magazine reviews. He died in 1977 in South Carolina.

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Rating: 4.125 out of 5 stars
4/5

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is one of the most perfectly plotted mysteries I've read. The book is thin on characterization, and the misogyny of the times is difficult for this 21st century woman to take in stride. That being said, Carr is at the top of his form with this intense, tightly woven tale of murder, deception, and double dealing. Well worth a read if for nothing else, to see a master at the height of his powers.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is a very good detective novel from John Dickson Carr that is not locked room and is not part of his Fell, Merrivale, or Bencolin series. Eve says she looked out her window and saw Sir Hawes working on part of his collection, but when she looked again, he was dead. The presence of residue of one of his prized snuff boxes and witnesses reporting her washing blood from her hands lead to her becoming the main suspect. As always with Carr, you need to consider what the 3rd person narration says along with the words of the characters. Definitely one of his best.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I've read other Carr books I've liked better, but if you enjoy mysteries where "whodunnit" is very hard to figure out, you'll probably rate it 4 or 5 stars. I did pick up on a few things, but I definitely did not guess the killer. This is true for me whether his books appear under the "John Dickson Carr" or "Carter Dickson" name. In fact, I've guessed his killer only ONCE, and even then it was perhaps two pages before the revelation.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I am very surprised that this is the third most popular Carr on LT. It is my least favorite of the forty or so Carr novels I have read.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Classic detective story with a nice slightly brittle feel to it. Thouroughly enjoyed

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The Emperor's Snuff-Box - John Dickson Carr

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