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22. The Greek Coffin Mystery by Ellery Queen

Here’s another Golden Age mystery, and one of the very earliest EQ novels. At this early stage, the authors are still finding out who the “Ellery Queen” character is. He’s arrogant and egotistical, and looks down on his fellow men due to his superior intellect (a far cry from what the character was to become years later.) Although the wackiness of the ‘50s and ‘60s is still far in the future, the authors are already experimenting with the standard whodunit formula. Ellery “solves” the murder incorrectly at least three times during the story before arriving at the correct solution.

There’s another ridiculous CHALLENGE TO THE READER on page 244. You’ll be lucky to understand the 44 page solution, let alone solve it. I’m impressed though, by how ingeniously the whole plot was constructed. The authors obviously went to a lot of trouble. I don’t want to give too much away, but while the solution was logically impeccable, there were certain aspects of it that were disappointing to me.

The best part of these Golden Age mysteries is their glance into the lives and mores of depression era New York City residents. Everyone smokes or uses snuff. Men wear hats and use walking sticks. People dress up for dinner. Women faint all the time. Black men are referred to as “Negro boys” and a mentally handicapped character is referred to as “imbecile” “nitwit” and “halfwit” right to his face(!)