Customer Reviews

Canary Murder Case

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4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

Born in 1888, S.S. Van Dine (the pen name of Willard-Huntington Wright) was a noted critic who turned to writing detective fiction following a nervous collapse from overwork. His first novel, THE BENSON MURDER CASE, was a spectacular success, and throughout the 1920s he was considered among the finest writers of the mystery genre.

Many regard his second novel, THE CANARY MURDER CASE, as his single best work. Concerning the murder of a popular New York star, the novel presents Van Dine's hero Philo Vance confronted with the "locked-room" murder mystery to end all locked-room murder mysteries--and discovering that each new fact makes the puzzle seem even more impossible than before. It would also prove among the most influential of his novels, broaching ideas that would later be elaborated by such notable mystery novelists as Agatha Christie.

But time has not been kind to Van Dine's work. Van Dine wrote in a very wordy, almost academic style--something quite new and unexpected when CANARY was published in 1927. Unfortunately, once the shock of new wears off, his work reads as dry as dust, as serious and humorless as a scholarly disertation. It was an effect that readers and critics began to realize more fully with each new Van Dine novel, and even by the time of his death in 1939 Van Dine's work was regarded as more tedious than interesting.

Van Dine is often compared to England's Dorothy Sayers, who also used a complex and highly literate style and whose detective, Lord Peter Wimsey, was even more artistocratic than Van Dine's Philo Vance. But Van Dine lacked Sayers' gift for making wild complexities, both in plot and language, entertaining--and he certainly never had the energy that Sayers brought to her work. In the end, THE CANARY MURDER CASE is an exceptionally uphill read, one that will interest only hardcore mystery fans who desire to trace the development of the genre. Three stars for historical significance.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

If you are a fan of murder mysteries, then you must read Van Dine, who was a pivotal figure in the development of that genre. Unfortunately, if you are a longtime fan, this particular story will seem rather feeble. You will guess the general form of the solution very early on. But, it is of its time. When it was written, both the plot and the writing style would have been fresh and original. Now, it is a period piece. It gives fascinating insights into American 1920s society, and shows where the early Ellery Queen came from.

Recommended for serious fans of the genre, but don't expect a 'never would have guessed it' moment.
[PeterReeve]

S.S. Van Dine's book was The Canary Murder Case was the second in what supposed to be a trilogy. This mystery centers around with the murders of a sexy nightclub singer known as the Canary and her boyfriend.. It was also originally made into a silent movie with Louise Brooks as the Canary, but then the "talkies" came into being and it had to be reshot using sound.

This is another example of the early 20's - 30's mystery with its art deco atmosphere. Philo Vance is a upper crust maven of the arts with a hobby of helping the New York police solve mysteries. William Powell was also in the early movie, but it would be wonderful if the movie be could shown just to Louise Brooks as the Canary.