tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6046859418347063500.post2129619129989388845..comments2023-07-11T08:06:01.796-07:00Comments on A Perfect Locked Room: The Invisible Bullet (2016) by Max Rittenberg (edited by Mike Ashley)The Dark Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03453733187338447742noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6046859418347063500.post-27276145422659857512019-12-08T19:53:23.346-08:002019-12-08T19:53:23.346-08:00I blame my inability to write clearly; I meant tha...I blame my inability to write clearly; I meant that the ones in this collection were meh, aside from "Red Herrings," and even it wasn't amazing. I don't know if I find kidnap stories, "forgettable," but I guess I haven't read any super memorable ones either! Maybe that Ellery Queen radio play, "The Adventure of the Lost Child."<br /><br />I really do enjoy these pre-GAD stories. Maybe I'll check out that Dr. Xavier Wycherley collection sometime, since I enjoyed the writing so much here.The Dark Onehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03453733187338447742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6046859418347063500.post-77163814409690622012019-12-08T05:36:45.774-08:002019-12-08T05:36:45.774-08:00Yeah, these stories were written with the Great Wa...Yeah, these stories were written with the Great War raging in the background and fair play had not yet become a thing, but was impressed how some of these dime, pulp-style stories from the mid-1910s anticipated some of the ingenuity of the Golden Age. The locked room-trick from “The Invisible Bullet” and its use of architecture was a good 10-15 years ahead of its time. “The Rough Fist of Reason” is one of the earliest, and best, examples of the fallible detective and “Cleansing Fire” has an original motive predating an often imitated short story from the 1920s. <br /><br />So have to second your recommendation for these bizarre, but well-written, stories full of historical interest. <br /><br />"<i>...one of three kidnapping stories in this collection. They’re all kinda meh.</i>" <br /><br />Just these three or kidnap stories in general? They've never worked for me and find them to be pretty forgettable on a whole. TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.com