Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
London: G. Bles, 1936
Description
Possibly the most unusual mystery ever written. A murder is committed, behind closed doors, in bizarre circumstances. Three amateur detectives take the case: Lord Simon Plimsoll, Monsieur Amer Picon, and Monsignor Smith (in whom discerning readers will note likeness to some familiar literary figures). Each arrives at his own brilliant solution, startling in its originality, ironclad in its logic. Meanwhile Sergean Beef sits contemptuously in the background. "But, " says Sergean Beef, "I know who done it!"
User reviews
LibraryThing member jburlinson
An entertaining pastiche that, unfortunately, deflates badly at the very end with one too many twists and an irrelevant epilogue. Good fun is to be had, though, with the spoofing of Wimsey, Poirot and, especially, Father Brown. Shooting ducks in a barrel? Maybe so, but, heavens! what quacking!
LibraryThing member jillrhudy
If you are going to parody great fictional detectives, at least do a passable job of it.
LibraryThing member SeriousGrace
It's the mystery of three off the wall detectives trying to solve a murder. Each comes up with a completely different yet plausible scenerio for what could have happened. You find yourself saying, "but, of course!" until you hear the final Who Really Did It story.
LibraryThing member hailelib
A variant of the classic country house locked-room mystery, Case for Three Detectives is also a send-up of three classic fictional detectives. Bruce's names for them are Lord Simon, Monsieur Picon, and Monsignor Smith. The village detective, Sgt Beef, insists that it's a simple case and he knows
At first I was only reading a few pages each day and was pretty sure I knew who (but not how) before our intrepid detectives showed up and I wasn't sure I would finish. About half way through however I began to be amused by the detectives and interested in finding out their solutions and where they went wrong.
I would recommend this to those readers with an interest in the British mysteries of the thirties and the authors of that period.
Show More
who the murderer is but the three detectives do their investigations and come up with original solutions. However the Sgt. has the last word.At first I was only reading a few pages each day and was pretty sure I knew who (but not how) before our intrepid detectives showed up and I wasn't sure I would finish. About half way through however I began to be amused by the detectives and interested in finding out their solutions and where they went wrong.
I would recommend this to those readers with an interest in the British mysteries of the thirties and the authors of that period.
Show Less
LibraryThing member wealhtheowwylfing
A stupid but sweet middle-aged woman is murdered in her bed in the midst of a lovely little house party. The other guests find her body within a minute, the room is locked, there are no footprints outside the window--the case seems insolvable. Three great amateur detectives show up the next day to
Lord Simon Plimsoll: "He stepped out of the foremost of three Rolls-Royces, the second of which contained his man-servant, whose name I afterwards learnt was Butterfield, and the third, a quantity of photographic apparatus. I happened to be outside the front door at the time, and heard him address his man. I was at first a little startled at his idiom, for it reminded me of a dialogue I had heard in a cabaret between two entertainers whose name I believe was Western, and it took me a few moments to believe that this was his natural mode of speech."
Amer Picon: "He interrupted me. 'I know all that you know, mon vieux, and per'aps a leetle more. Oho, tiens, voila!' he ended not very relevantly."
Monsignor Smith: "'Why, I've actually heard that an American has risen from the ground and moved through the air with wings,' he said, 'and without sharing the fate of Icarus.'
The little cleric was staring out of the window through the thick lenses of his spectacles. 'But there are so many kinds of wings,' he murmured; 'there are the wings of aeroplanes and of birds. There are angels' wings and'--his voice dropped--'there are devils' wings.' Then he nibbled at a piece of bread which he had been crumbling.
We were silent at once. My acquaintance with all of this remarkable man that had been made public, led me to look for something in his words which would turn out to have some bearing on our problem.
'But there is flight without wings,' he went on, 'more terrible than flight with wings. The Zeppelins had no wings to lift them. A bullet has no wings. A skilfully thrown knife, flashing through the air like a drunken comet, is wingless, too.'
This was too pointed for Alec Norris, who began to talk hastily of motor-cars."
The detectives guide us through twists and turns of hidden ropes, servants with criminal pasts, and various wills, until at last, they each give their rendition of how this locked room murder was committed.
And then Sergeant Beef, the ponderous, slow-witted police officer originally assigned to the case, says "But I know 'oo done it" and unravells it all.
Show More
solve the case--parody versions of Lord Peter Wimsey, Hercule Poirot and Father Brown. Lord Simon Plimsoll: "He stepped out of the foremost of three Rolls-Royces, the second of which contained his man-servant, whose name I afterwards learnt was Butterfield, and the third, a quantity of photographic apparatus. I happened to be outside the front door at the time, and heard him address his man. I was at first a little startled at his idiom, for it reminded me of a dialogue I had heard in a cabaret between two entertainers whose name I believe was Western, and it took me a few moments to believe that this was his natural mode of speech."
Amer Picon: "He interrupted me. 'I know all that you know, mon vieux, and per'aps a leetle more. Oho, tiens, voila!' he ended not very relevantly."
Monsignor Smith: "'Why, I've actually heard that an American has risen from the ground and moved through the air with wings,' he said, 'and without sharing the fate of Icarus.'
The little cleric was staring out of the window through the thick lenses of his spectacles. 'But there are so many kinds of wings,' he murmured; 'there are the wings of aeroplanes and of birds. There are angels' wings and'--his voice dropped--'there are devils' wings.' Then he nibbled at a piece of bread which he had been crumbling.
We were silent at once. My acquaintance with all of this remarkable man that had been made public, led me to look for something in his words which would turn out to have some bearing on our problem.
'But there is flight without wings,' he went on, 'more terrible than flight with wings. The Zeppelins had no wings to lift them. A bullet has no wings. A skilfully thrown knife, flashing through the air like a drunken comet, is wingless, too.'
This was too pointed for Alec Norris, who began to talk hastily of motor-cars."
The detectives guide us through twists and turns of hidden ropes, servants with criminal pasts, and various wills, until at last, they each give their rendition of how this locked room murder was committed.
And then Sergeant Beef, the ponderous, slow-witted police officer originally assigned to the case, says "But I know 'oo done it" and unravells it all.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Matke
I’m beginning to like author Leo Bruce and his character Sgt. Beef. Here Beef is at his best: he knows “who done it” from the get-go, and is respectful of the more sophisticated amateur detectives working on the case, but of course shows them up in the end.
This is that classic favorite, the
As a fan of the three detectives parodied here (Poirot, Holmes, Wimsey) I found this book amusing but not brilliant. I’m not much of a fan of the multiple solution ending. The only exception is The Poisoned Chocolates Case, which I thought was beautifully done. In fact, The Poisoned Chocolates Case is very much like this book in plot and tone, but is a much better book.
Still, Sgt. Beef is a comical, sly fellow and makes this book worthwhile.
This is that classic favorite, the
Show More
locked room murder, and we get several possible and logical solutions to the mystery. As a fan of the three detectives parodied here (Poirot, Holmes, Wimsey) I found this book amusing but not brilliant. I’m not much of a fan of the multiple solution ending. The only exception is The Poisoned Chocolates Case, which I thought was beautifully done. In fact, The Poisoned Chocolates Case is very much like this book in plot and tone, but is a much better book.
Still, Sgt. Beef is a comical, sly fellow and makes this book worthwhile.
Show Less
LibraryThing member pamelad
Dr and Mrs Thurston are hosting a country house party, attended by a neurotic novelist, a lawyer, a hard-drinking sportsman and the narrator. There is crowd of servants with unusually murky pasts, and a very peculiar vicar, so when Mrs Thurston is found murdered there are plenty of suspects.
This is an amusing locked-room mystery, particularly for fans of Golden Age detective stories. The story sags slightly when the four detectives produce their theories, but overall it's an entertaining read.
Show More
Shortly following the murder, three famous detectives descend on the Thurston house: the Lord Peter Wimsey stand-in, Lord Simon Plimsoll; Amer Picon, who bears a strong resemblance to Hercule Poirot; Monsignor Smith, who shares many characteristics with Father Brown. Our narrator Townsend, well-versed in the rules of detective fiction, conscientiously acts as Watson (or Hastings) to all three, as they apply their giant intellects to the murder. Also investigating is the red-faced, beer-drinking, dart-playing plebian, Sergeant Beef, who is sadly underrated by the other investigators.This is an amusing locked-room mystery, particularly for fans of Golden Age detective stories. The story sags slightly when the four detectives produce their theories, but overall it's an entertaining read.
Show Less
LibraryThing member hardlyhardy
In any murder mystery featuring an amateur sleuth, members of the police force are almost always too quick to jump to the wrong conclusions, if they aren't portrayed as being downright stupid. This cliche gets turned on its ear in “Case for Three Detectives” (1936) by Leo Bruce.
Bruce gives us a
The next day three famous amateur detectives show up: Lord Simon Plimsoll (patterned after Lord Peter Wimsey), Monsieur Amer Picon (Hercule Poirot) and Monsignor Smith (Father Brown). Also present is Sergeant Beef, the local police officer, who immediately declares that he knows who the murderer is and how the crime was committed. Nobody believes him, however, or even asks him to explain. He has been told by his superiors to allow the three distinguished detective to complete their investigations before making an arrest, and so Beef sits in the background while Plimsoll, Picon and Smith do their thing in the manner fans of Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie and G.K. Chesterton will be familiar with.
In the end, each of the three detectives names a different murderer and explains a totally different manner in which the crime was committed. And each brilliant deduction seems entirely convincing. But then Sgt. Beef tells what really happened, and offers the proof that the other three lacked.
Bruce gives us four -- make that five -- possible solutions to a crime that seems to have no solution at all. His novel is a treat for any fan of classic mysteries, and especially for fans of Wimsey, Poirot and/or Brown.
Bruce gives us a
Show More
classic locked-room mystery, so common at that time. A group of people are guests at the home of Dr. Thurston and his wife. Soon after Mrs. Thurston goes up to bed, the others hear a scream. After her securely locked bedroom door is broken open, she is found with her throat cut. There is an open window behind her, and a knife is found in the yard. How did the murder happen? How did the killer get away? Who could have done it when the others were gathered in a room below?The next day three famous amateur detectives show up: Lord Simon Plimsoll (patterned after Lord Peter Wimsey), Monsieur Amer Picon (Hercule Poirot) and Monsignor Smith (Father Brown). Also present is Sergeant Beef, the local police officer, who immediately declares that he knows who the murderer is and how the crime was committed. Nobody believes him, however, or even asks him to explain. He has been told by his superiors to allow the three distinguished detective to complete their investigations before making an arrest, and so Beef sits in the background while Plimsoll, Picon and Smith do their thing in the manner fans of Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie and G.K. Chesterton will be familiar with.
In the end, each of the three detectives names a different murderer and explains a totally different manner in which the crime was committed. And each brilliant deduction seems entirely convincing. But then Sgt. Beef tells what really happened, and offers the proof that the other three lacked.
Bruce gives us four -- make that five -- possible solutions to a crime that seems to have no solution at all. His novel is a treat for any fan of classic mysteries, and especially for fans of Wimsey, Poirot and/or Brown.
Show Less
LibraryThing member ChazziFrazz
During a weekend party at the Thurston’s the conversation turned to crime. Norris, a writer, was the most vocal on the subject of mysteries and their solutions. Williams, an attorney, had another take on it. Strickland, a young man whose interest was fast cars, gambling and was a very close
A prank concocted by the hosts became a reality. — a locked door mystery that brought in three detectives, who each came up with three different solid solutions of their own.
While the investigations were going on, Sergeant Beef, the village policeman, had already solved the case to his own satisfaction.
The three detectives: Lord Simon Plimsole, M. Amer Picon and Monsignor Smith have strong similarities to to other well-known fictional detectives. Sergeant Beef has respect for them and their sophisticated solutions, but he relies on what his knowledge is from regular police investigation.
This is a fun read of a parody of the mystery genre. Written during the 1930s when the mystery was coming into its Golden Age.
Show More
friend of the Thurstons also added to the conversation. Little did they know there would be a real murder and real detectives would be called in.A prank concocted by the hosts became a reality. — a locked door mystery that brought in three detectives, who each came up with three different solid solutions of their own.
While the investigations were going on, Sergeant Beef, the village policeman, had already solved the case to his own satisfaction.
The three detectives: Lord Simon Plimsole, M. Amer Picon and Monsignor Smith have strong similarities to to other well-known fictional detectives. Sergeant Beef has respect for them and their sophisticated solutions, but he relies on what his knowledge is from regular police investigation.
This is a fun read of a parody of the mystery genre. Written during the 1930s when the mystery was coming into its Golden Age.
Show Less
Awards
This Mystery is Amazing! (#4 — 2000)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1936
Physical description
287 p.; 18 cm