The Incredible Adventures of Rowland Hern
Author:
Genre: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Book Type: Paperback
Author:
Genre: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Book Type: Paperback
Rowland Hern is a detective in late 1920's Britain. As in many of these short story collections, the individual stories were probably more enjoyable stretched out over weeks or months in various periodicals. Read one after the other they are possibly less effective. These are pretty short, at least. A reader may get the feeling that Olde was pulling a fast one on his readers in some of the stories; especially looking at the names of some of his characters (Sir Pendragon Higginbotham and Chudleigh Chalfont, for example.)
My rating from * to *****
The Windmill - Hern and his friend (and narrator) try to save the life of a man who has been receiving warning letters. A bishop and a sword-swallower feature in the plot, which is fairly, well, incredible. The method of killing is pretty unusual, as is the explanation of one of the mysteries about one character. ***
The Collector of Curiosities - a man who has been finding odd items daily in unusual places consults Hern about what the meaning might be. The way that the culprit goes about setting up the victim depends on so many things working out just right, that it's, well, not credible. A silly story. *
The Lost City of Lak - An acquaintance shows Hern some odd inscriptions purported to have been found in a lost city in Australia. Deciphering them, Hern sees a sinister plot. Fun story with the added enjoyment of the reproduction of the messages written in the ancient texts. ***
Potter - Hern and friend visit an emporium specializing in exotic animal in search of an armadillo (the mystery of why one is needed is never solved) and stumble into a murder. Fun story, not very deep, though. ***
Black And White - While vacationing at a seaside town, Hern and friend become involved in a series of jewel thefts. Fairly obvious who the thief is, and the denouement is confusing and unconvincing. **
The Red Weed - An ostentatious public figure disappears just before being held accountable for financial frauds. Hern investigates and discovers the whereabouts of the miscreant who is hiding in plain sight. Another obvious solution and implausible outcome. **
Old Mr. Polperro - When it becomes known that Hern's colleague (still unnamed) has come into possession of priceless artifacts from the French royal house, Hern watches for an attempted robbery. Another pretty short tale, which might have been more effective fleshed out a bit more. ***
The Two Telescopes - Hern is asked to look into a series of petty thefts that stretch out along different police jurisdictions. Eventually a theft becomes a murder inquiry. Although the way Hern solves the mystery is clever, the story itself is fairly preposterous. **
The Man With Three Legs - As people are terrified by reports of a three-legged ogre, Hern and friend visit a policeman dealing with thefts of people's left boot (size 8). Shortest (at 5 pages) of the stories, I found it confusing and weak and at the end wasn't sure what the point was. *
The Monstrous Laugh - Hern is engaged by a man whose livelihood is threatened by what appears to be something supernatural: the derisive laugh of a dead man which has now caused the seaside town he died near to frown upon public laughter. Well fleshed out locale helps, and the solution to the mystery is different. ****
The Mysterious Wig-Box - after a well publicized trial ends the murder of one of the principal players bring Hern into action. OK tale, but fairly preposterous (especially the motive.) The outlandish character names makes it hard to keep track of who's who. *
The Invisible Weapon - Rowland Hern solves the problem of a man who is bludgeoned to death inside a room with people outside the only door and where no weapon can be found, even on the one man who probably committed the crime. Fun take on an old (well, this was written in 1928) locked room device. ****
The Attempted Disembowelment of John Kensington - An extortion letter to a poor man, followed by what appears to be a murder attempt, leads Hern to assist the police. Fun story marred only by a coincidence that stretches belief (and which Hern himself references.) ***
Double or Quits - a murder committed by one of a set of truly identical twins has the police stumped since no one can tell the men apart. Nicely told tale with simple solution. ***
The Sin of the Saint - An old friend of Hern disappears while viewing an eclipse from the top of a mountain in Wales. Silliest of the bunch, the book saved the worst for last. *
My rating from * to *****
The Windmill - Hern and his friend (and narrator) try to save the life of a man who has been receiving warning letters. A bishop and a sword-swallower feature in the plot, which is fairly, well, incredible. The method of killing is pretty unusual, as is the explanation of one of the mysteries about one character. ***
The Collector of Curiosities - a man who has been finding odd items daily in unusual places consults Hern about what the meaning might be. The way that the culprit goes about setting up the victim depends on so many things working out just right, that it's, well, not credible. A silly story. *
The Lost City of Lak - An acquaintance shows Hern some odd inscriptions purported to have been found in a lost city in Australia. Deciphering them, Hern sees a sinister plot. Fun story with the added enjoyment of the reproduction of the messages written in the ancient texts. ***
Potter - Hern and friend visit an emporium specializing in exotic animal in search of an armadillo (the mystery of why one is needed is never solved) and stumble into a murder. Fun story, not very deep, though. ***
Black And White - While vacationing at a seaside town, Hern and friend become involved in a series of jewel thefts. Fairly obvious who the thief is, and the denouement is confusing and unconvincing. **
The Red Weed - An ostentatious public figure disappears just before being held accountable for financial frauds. Hern investigates and discovers the whereabouts of the miscreant who is hiding in plain sight. Another obvious solution and implausible outcome. **
Old Mr. Polperro - When it becomes known that Hern's colleague (still unnamed) has come into possession of priceless artifacts from the French royal house, Hern watches for an attempted robbery. Another pretty short tale, which might have been more effective fleshed out a bit more. ***
The Two Telescopes - Hern is asked to look into a series of petty thefts that stretch out along different police jurisdictions. Eventually a theft becomes a murder inquiry. Although the way Hern solves the mystery is clever, the story itself is fairly preposterous. **
The Man With Three Legs - As people are terrified by reports of a three-legged ogre, Hern and friend visit a policeman dealing with thefts of people's left boot (size 8). Shortest (at 5 pages) of the stories, I found it confusing and weak and at the end wasn't sure what the point was. *
The Monstrous Laugh - Hern is engaged by a man whose livelihood is threatened by what appears to be something supernatural: the derisive laugh of a dead man which has now caused the seaside town he died near to frown upon public laughter. Well fleshed out locale helps, and the solution to the mystery is different. ****
The Mysterious Wig-Box - after a well publicized trial ends the murder of one of the principal players bring Hern into action. OK tale, but fairly preposterous (especially the motive.) The outlandish character names makes it hard to keep track of who's who. *
The Invisible Weapon - Rowland Hern solves the problem of a man who is bludgeoned to death inside a room with people outside the only door and where no weapon can be found, even on the one man who probably committed the crime. Fun take on an old (well, this was written in 1928) locked room device. ****
The Attempted Disembowelment of John Kensington - An extortion letter to a poor man, followed by what appears to be a murder attempt, leads Hern to assist the police. Fun story marred only by a coincidence that stretches belief (and which Hern himself references.) ***
Double or Quits - a murder committed by one of a set of truly identical twins has the police stumped since no one can tell the men apart. Nicely told tale with simple solution. ***
The Sin of the Saint - An old friend of Hern disappears while viewing an eclipse from the top of a mountain in Wales. Silliest of the bunch, the book saved the worst for last. *
