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Book Review of Best Mysteries of Mary Roberts Rinehart : Four Complete Novels by America's First Lady of Mystery

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The Circular Staircase
Before Agatha Christie, before Dorothy L. Sayers, there was Mary Roberts Rinehart. And, frankly, her mystery novels are a great deal more realistic (in a fantastical way) than her successors. Too bad that her work is largely unsung today, except maybe at Gutenberg.com if you are into that. The unanswered questions build throughout, culminating in rather simple, yet plausible explanation at the end.

The Window At the White Cat [0-8217-5794-6]
Before Agatha Christie, before Dorothy L. Sayers, there was Mary Roberts Rinehart. And, frankly, her mystery novels are a great deal more realistic (in a fantastical way) than her successors. Too bad that her work is largely unsung today, except maybe at Gutenberg.com if you are into that. The unanswered questions build throughout, culminating in rather simple, yet plausible explanation at the end.

The Man In Lower Ten
A lawyer botches everything you can imagine. Today, he'd probably be advertising on late night TV. Much of this is not plausible, particularly the ending that pins the crime on a dead person. So everyone gets off scot-free although there is little evidence to point out the true culprit other than the word of a prime suspect. They should all be convicted merely for being so stupid.

The Buckled Bag
This quickie will lead you in several directions, ending with no crime. But, which one? Not one of her better stories, but it introduces her nurse-detective.