7.4 /10 1 Votes
Country United Kingdom Series Henry Merrivale Originally published 1934 Preceded by The Plague Court Murders Genre Mystery | 3.7/5 Goodreads Language English Publication date 1934 Followed by The Red Widow Murders | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Publisher Morrow (US, 1934)
Heinemann (UK, 1935) Media type Print (Hardback & Paperback) Page count 305 (first US hardback ed) Similar John Dickson Carr books, Sir Henry Merrivale mystery books, Mystery books | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The White Priory Murders is a mystery novel by the American writer John Dickson Carr (1906–1977), who published it under the name of Carter Dickson. It is a locked room mystery and features his series detective, Sir Henry Merrivale, assisted by Scotland Yard Inspector Humphrey Masters.
Contents
Plot summary
Marcia Tait is a Hollywood star who has come to England to make a historical film. She is found beaten to death in the Queen's Mirror pavilion, the 17th-century trysting place of King Charles II and his mistresses. The problem is particularly puzzling because the pavilion is surrounded by newfallen snow, with only one set of footprints leading to it and none leading away. The suspects include a man who thought he was marrying her — and her husband, whose marriage was unknown to all.
Sir Henry Merrivale lends a hand to Inspector Masters in the investigation, but is too late to stop the second murder before Merrivale solves the case.
Literary significance and criticism
"Sir Henry Merrivale is caught up in the murder of a wilful actress; it's done inside a pavilion, snow is on the ground, and there are crowds of candidates for her favors and for the role of murderer. ... The telling is done in Carter Dickson's usual long and diffuse talk which he thinks conversation; oddities are added for pseudo suspense; people shout, whirl, say What! in italics, and generally the thing is irritation unrelieved even by a second murder."