He who whispers,: A Dr. Fell mystery story [Hardcover]

John Dickson Carr (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 250 pages
• Publisher: Harper; 1st edition (1946)
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0006AQTKO
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 1.3 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,483,577 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A vintage Gideon Fell novel published in 1946, February 19, 2005

By 

E. A. Lovitt "starmoth" (Gladwin, MI USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: He who whispers,: A Dr. Fell mystery story (Hardcover)

John Dickson Carr was a writer in the "Golden Age" of mysteries, and he never cheated his readers. All of the clues needed to solve the mystery are presented, giving the alert reader a chance at identifying the murderer. I actually figured out who the killer was before the denouement of "He Who Whispers" even though I had no idea of how the murder was committed.

However, his scrupulosity is not my favorite characteristic of this American author. What I love best are the hot-house, claustrophobic, even supernatural atmospheres that he creates in his mysteries. In "He Who Whispers" a man is murdered at the top of a medieval French tower when no one could have possibly climbed the tower's sole staircase to accomplish the deed. His son's fiancée is accused of vampirism and barely escapes war-torn France with her life. She resurfaces in England and takes a position as private librarian at Greywood Mansion in New Forest. The first night she spends in the house, another woman is nearly frightened to death.

Dr. Gideon Fell bumbles and rumbles onto the moonlit grounds of Greywood shortly before the mysterious shot is fired, and he and his French compatriot, Professor Rigaud attempt to solve the mystery of how the sister of Greywood's owner was almost frightened to death in her own bedroom. Was the beautiful new librarian really a vampire? Professor Riguad, using a rather convoluted form of Gallic logic believes she is. It is the only 'logical' explanation of how Howard Brooke was killed on top of the French tower back before the war.

However, if you've read enough Gideon Fell mysteries, you know that Carr's humongous detective always manages to find a non-supernatural explanation to the mystery, in spite of the Unspeakable Horror that always seems to lurk just around the corner, breathing its chill vapours through the text.

Though Carr was an American most of his books (especially the early ones) were set in England and France. He moved to Great Britain with his English wife in 1933 and they lived there for a number of years before moving back to the United States in 1965. Carr was awarded an Edgar in 1950 by the Mystery writers of America (MWA) for his Conan Doyle biography. He was also awarded the title of Grand Master by the MWA in 1970.

Even though I'm not particularly fond of Carr's serial detective, the lumbering, snorting, coyly hinting Dr.Gideon Fell, the mysteries he inhabits are wonderfully brooding, baffling, atmospheric tales.