This year I’m participating in several reading challenges and this is an entry for those challenges. You can find more posts under these tags:
- Cloak and Dagger Challenge/#Cloak & Dagger Challenge – Finished 2/15
- Vintage Scavenger Hunt/#2024VintageScavengerHunt – A Coat or Man in Trench Coat
- Goodreads 2024 Reading Challenge – Finished 4/20
Story Summary & Thoughts
I had heard of Mary Roberts Rinehart before but had never actually read any of her books. I’m not exactly sure why—it’s just one of those things. When I first got into mystery novels, I was more drawn to Agatha Christie’s work. However, I’m thrilled to say that this American counterpart to Christie pleasantly surprised me with a highly enjoyable book, sharing many qualities I love in the genre.
Opening the book, I anticipated a writing style like those of more recent authors—choppy in places, overly direct at times, and occasionally confusing. Having grown up on Christie’s works, I prefer dialogue that is chatty, with well-rounded characters. I enjoy the gossip, the extra character details (even those of secondary characters), and a bit of rambling while setting up the mystery. So, I was delighted to find that this book was a return to the style I cherish.
On to the story
Encouraged by the enjoyable writing style, I settled into the story. The murder unfolds on an old-fashioned sleeper train, and given the early 1900s setting, there were moments when I struggled to visualize all the travel arrangements. Here’s a fun map that I found. It also has the layout of the pullman car for reference.
Still, I managed to grasp the highly unlikely scenario that someone from outside the cabin could have committed the murder of the eponymous man in the lower ten. It’s essentially a locked-room mystery, putting our protagonist, Lawrence Blakely, in quite a predicament.
From that point, it was a waiting game until the authorities closed in on Blakely. Naturally, he did his best to stay one step ahead. Things got even more complicated when he unintentionally became entangled with Alison West. Not only was she a fellow passenger on the ill-fated journey, but she also happened to be the granddaughter of one of his clients (Blakely being a lawyer) and his partner’s romantic interest.
Pursing my lips here…
Initially, I wasn’t entirely convinced by their love story. But looking back, I guess that experiencing shared trauma can naturally bring people closer. Alison wasn’t the most frustrating love interest I’ve come across, but I couldn’t help but cringe at all the “shielding” around her character. The mystery could have been solved much earlier if the men had simply asked her directly. Then it struck me—this book was published in 1909. I had to remind myself not to judge the norms of that era solely by today’s standards.
Speaking of norms that wouldn’t fly today, I found myself doing several double-takes at the casually racist language, particularly concerning the Pullman porters who were Black. If this kind of language bothers you, be prepared when reading the second and third chapters.
At the beginning, I found myself a bit confused. There were so many references to the Bronson case and lots of fuss around it. Blakely’s entire trip revolved around papers related to this case, which felt like a given. It made me think this book was part of a series, but it turns out it isn’t.
Verdict
All in all, I found the journey of unraveling the mystery far more enjoyable than the actual solution. It was almost inevitable that the culprit would be someone from the cabin. While it was a significant matter for Blakely—since failing to identify the culprit meant a death sentence—for me, the identity, motivation, and mechanics of the crime felt less compelling. One of the reasons I love diving into these old mysteries is the glimpse they offer into a bygone era. The actions and descriptions that may have seemed mundane to Rinehart at the time are utterly fascinating over a hundred years later.
