John Dickson Carr’s The Hollow Man is purported by many to be perhaps the best of all “locked room” murder mysteries.
High Point: The main character, Dr. Fell, is quirky, loquacious, and thoroughly delightful.
Low Point: Fell’s lecture on “hermetically sealed chambers” is long and very detailed. You might be tempted to skip it, but don’t.
Author: John Dickson Carr
Publication Date: 1935
Genre: Mystery
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Why The Hollow Man Endures
John Dickson Carr’s The Hollow Man is purported by many to be perhaps the best of all “locked room” murder mysteries. Without giving anything away, his solutions to multiple murders range from amazing simplicity to seriously complex. The journey to uncover the answers is enthralling.
First published in 1935, The Hollow Man takes place in London, focusing on Dr. Gideon Fell, an older gentleman who moonlights as an amateur sleuth. Much of the book consists of the dialog among Fell, his young American friend Ted Rampole, and Police Superintendent Hadley as they work to unravel an apparently impossible crime.
In fact, there is very little action. The bulk of the narrative is talk—either interviewing witnesses or discussing the case. Surprisingly, it works quite well. The conversation, coupled with the characters’ little idiosyncrasies, keeps the story engaging.
What Sets John Dickson Carr’s Mystery Apart
That said, one small section of the narrative does bog down, but only somewhat. Fell delivers what he calls his lecture on the “hermetically sealed chamber.” For several pages, he covers—in extreme detail—most of the possible causes of a dead body in a locked room.
Curiously, though, Fell breaks the fourth wall–beginning his lecture by acknowledging that he is simply a character in a book. He invites the reader to skip the chapter if desired. And when another character challenges him, he replies,
Because we’re in a detective story, and we don’t fool the reader by pretending we’re not. Let’s not invent elaborate excuses to drag in a discussion of detective stories. Let’s candidly glory in the noblest pursuits possible to characters in a book.
And during the course of his lecture, he recommends other authors’ mystery novels. He calls Gaston Leroux’s The Mystery of the Yellow Room the best detective tale ever written. Several of the novels he mentions are available as free e-books on platforms such as Project Gutenberg.
Final Thoughts on The Hollow Man
Quirks like this set this story apart from other mystery novels. If you’re looking for a detective story so absorbing you won’t want to put it down—and one that exemplifies the very best of the locked-room genre—spend some time with The Hollow Man.
Sources For This Book
Free eBook (Project Gutenberg): Not available
Free Audiobook (LibriVox): Not available
Available to Purchase: AbeBooks, Biblio, Thriftbooks
