The Crooked Hinge

The Crooked Hinge is a 1938 mystery novel featuring Dr. Gideon Fell, set in a Kent village during the summer of 1937. A dispute over identity erupts when two men claim to be John Farnleigh, a wealthy Titanic survivor who married his childhood sweetheart. The story centers on an impossible murder where a man's throat is slashed in front of three witnesses, yet no killer is seen. The investigation involves several mysterious elements including witchcraft, a mechanical automaton based on a historical chess-playing machine, and a vanishing thumbograph from a locked library. Dr. Gideon Fell must untangle these seemingly supernatural occurrences to solve the central mystery. The book garnered significant recognition in the mystery genre, ranking fourth in a poll of best locked-room mysteries by leading authors and critics. The novel exemplifies Carr's ability to blend rational detective work with elements of Gothic horror and seemingly impossible circumstances. Its exploration of identity and deception remains relevant to modern readers.

Readers praise the intricate puzzle, supernatural elements, and shocking ending of The Crooked Hinge. The book's atmospheric tension and impossible crime setup receive frequent mentions in reviews. Several readers note how the plot weaves together multiple mystery elements - including questions of identity, witchcraft claims, and automata. Common criticisms focus on the complex, sometimes confusing middle section and what some call an overly complicated solution. Multiple readers mention feeling unsatisfied with how certain plot threads resolve. Some find the pacing uneven. "The ending throws such a curveball it made me rethink everything," writes one Goodreads reviewer. "But getting there required too much patience." Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (1,100+ ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (90+ ratings) LibraryThing: 3.8/5 (200+ ratings) The novel frequently appears on "best locked room mystery" lists but tends to rank in the middle of reader rankings of Carr's works.

The Red Death Murders by Jim Noy A locked room mystery set in a manor house during a masquerade ball features multiple impossible murders that connect to Edgar Allan Poe's famous story.

Death and the Gilded Man by Carter Dickson The case involves an impossible stabbing witnessed by multiple people with no killer in sight, using misdirection and mechanical trickery.

The Three Coffins by John Dickson Carr A murderer appears to walk through walls to commit two impossible crimes, with Dr. Gideon Fell explaining the mechanics of locked room mysteries.

The Case of the Constant Suicides by John Dickson Carr A series of deaths at a Scottish castle appear to be impossible suicides but involve mechanical trickery and complex timing.

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton The protagonist must solve a murder by inhabiting different bodies each day, combining identity questions with impossible crime elements.

🔍 The @Tichborne Claimant@ case that inspired this novel was one of Victorian England's most notorious legal battles, lasting from 1871 to 1874, involving an imposter claiming a dead heir's fortune. 🚢 Like the character John Farnleigh, John Dickson Carr himself had a fascination with the Titanic disaster and incorporated maritime elements into several of his works. 🤖 The automaton in the novel was inspired by real 18th and 19th-century mechanical figures, particularly the famous "Turk" chess-playing automaton that toured Europe and amazed audiences. 🎭 Dr. Gideon Fell, the detective in this novel, was based on English writer G.K. Chesterton in both physical appearance and mannerisms - Carr greatly admired Chesterton's work. 📚 The novel's impossible crime scene was voted #16 in a 1981 survey of mystery writers and experts ranking the best "locked room" mysteries of all time.