188:
when he saw, through a skylight, Ames enter
Boscombe's room and die. Neither Boscombe nor Stanley were near him, Hastings says. When he tried to climb down from the roof, he fell and was knocked unconscious. Christopher Paull, a drunkard living in the Carver home, swears that he awoke in a stupor in the middle of the night and found the murderer's blood-stained glove in the hall near the landing. In the glove was a key to the rooftop trap-door.
196:
shot and killed Don
Hastings' father 14 years earlier. Carlton Hope-Hastings had been accused of embezzlement; the unjustified shooting led to Stanley's dismissal from the police force. Fell and Hadley also discover that Eleanor Carver is a kleptomaniac, and in a secret compartment in her room they find the second clock hand and other highly incriminating evidence.
199:
Hadley is convinced that
Eleanor Carver impulsively killed Ames when she discovered him in the darkened house. Fell, however, is equally convinced that Eleanor Carver is being framed by the true murderer. Without any evidence to support his supposition, Fell asks an unreliable ally to help him unmask
195:
Chief
Inspector David Hadley arrives to take the case in hand. Hadley reveals that an anonymous informant had told Ames that someone in the Carver household had killed the department store worker. Ames had gone undercover as a local tramp to investigate. Fell and Hadley quickly discover that Stanley
183:
As Dr. Gideon Fell and
Professor Melson walk back to Melson's rooms at Lincoln's Inn Fields, a horrific scream draws them into the home of clockmaker Johannus Carver. At the top of the stairs is a dead tramp. Standing over the body is Eleanor Carver, Calvin Boscombe, and former Chief Inspector Peter
174:
The novel's plot begins with three people standing over the body of a dead police detective, one holding a pistol. Yet, the man was stabbed to death with the hand of a clock. An eyewitness is unconscious in the back yard of the house where the murder occurred, and a dead-drunk man holds an important
187:
Fell is confronted with three seemingly surreal stories. The prim
Boscombe and the nerve-shattered Stanley claim they intended to play a joke on Ames, threatening to shoot him with an unloaded pistol just to see his reaction. Don Hastings, claims he was on the roof for a lover's tryst with Eleanor
214:
This novel is the first time in which author John
Dickson Carr offered the reader a solution to the crime, only to have his detective reveal the real killer at the end. As in other Gideon Fell cases, Fell lists several points which must be explained in order for the crime to be properly solved.
191:
The murder weapon came from a large standing clock which
Johannus Carver was making for Paull's uncle. Someone broke into a locked workroom and stole both hands from the clock. Complicating matters, female solicitor Lucia Handreth (who rents a combined apartment-office on the first floor of the
36:
184:
Stanley. Boscombe has a gun, but the tramp has been stabbed in the neck by the minute hand of a large clock. The tramp, in fact, is
Detective-Inspector George Finley Ames, who was investigating the stabbing death of a floorwalker at a local department store.
218:
This is the second of 10 Dr. Gideon Fell adventures in which Chief
Inspector Hadley appears. Hadley is on the verge of retirement in the case, but instead stays on and is, in fact, promoted to Superintendent for identifying the killer.
1196:
1165:
234:, says the novel contains several well-written set-piece scenes and has a number of memorable characters. Yet, the killer's motivation and the plot would have been better suited to an
614:
1106:
1090:
823:
944:
965:
1042:
958:
951:
860:
1122:
1173:
909:
783:
815:
1114:
1098:
392:
844:
1232:
1237:
223:
is notable for being the only time in which Hadley relaxes around others, telling anecdotes and joking with his friends.
759:
743:
361:
340:
1204:
385:
1050:
852:
175:
clue. Although the evidence points to one person, Fell is convinced someone else is responsible for the death.
1227:
807:
735:
727:
547:
539:
507:
687:
515:
140:
22:
1010:
579:
459:
378:
1074:
695:
563:
192:
Carver home) and housekeeper Millicent Steffins point the finger at Eleanor Carver as the murderer.
1149:
1066:
587:
435:
427:
791:
1034:
925:
751:
655:
1141:
595:
443:
1018:
719:
491:
8:
1026:
917:
799:
775:
663:
483:
451:
410:
571:
100:
88:
1157:
1002:
893:
711:
402:
357:
336:
227:
156:
78:
46:
703:
671:
499:
475:
127:
767:
531:
467:
351:
211:
was first published by Harper & Brothers in the United States in April 1935.
74:
994:
876:
523:
235:
1221:
1082:
647:
555:
370:
164:
901:
1058:
630:
160:
155:, first published in April 1935, is a detective story by American writer
64:
356:. Bowling Green, Ohio: Bowling Green State University Popular Press.
168:
35:
259:
Anderson, Isaac (April 21, 1935). "New Mystery Stories".
274:
272:
270:
203:
267:
308:
296:
284:
333:John Dickson Carr: The Man Who Explained Miracles
1219:
400:
386:
393:
379:
34:
258:
1220:
845:Dr. Fell, Detective, and Other Stories
330:
278:
374:
349:
314:
302:
290:
353:John Dickson Carr: A Critical Study
204:Literary significance and criticism
13:
1197:The Life of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
1166:The Department of Queer Complaints
14:
1249:
744:The Case of the Constant Suicides
159:, featuring his series detective
118:Print (hardback & paperback)
1205:The Exploits of Sherlock Holmes
178:
16:1935 novel by John Dickson Carr
1051:Patrick Butler for the Defense
853:The Men Who Explained Miracles
252:
1:
736:The Man Who Could Not Shudder
245:
728:The Problem of the Wire Cage
548:The Curse of the Bronze Lamp
508:Murder in the Submarine Zone
7:
1238:Harper & Brothers books
1233:Novels by John Dickson Carr
615:Merrivale, March and Murder
331:Greene, Douglas G. (1995).
10:
1254:
808:The House at Satan's Elbow
580:Night at the Mocking Widow
460:The Punch and Judy Murders
335:. New York: Otto Penzler.
324:
242:is at best a flawed work.
20:
1188:
1133:
1075:The Witch of the Low Tide
986:
979:
936:
885:
875:
834:
696:The Arabian Nights Murder
639:
629:
606:
564:The Skeleton in the Clock
540:He Wouldn't Kill Patience
419:
409:
350:Joshi, Sunand T. (1990).
238:novel, he concludes, and
135:
122:
114:
106:
94:
84:
70:
60:
52:
42:
33:
1067:Scandal at High Chimneys
588:Behind the Crimson Blind
436:The White Priory Murders
428:The Plague Court Murders
1011:The Emperor's Snuff-Box
1035:The Nine Wrong Answers
945:The Shadow of the Goat
926:The Four False Weapons
752:Death Turns the Tables
656:The Mad Hatter Mystery
1142:The Bowstring Murders
1107:The Ghosts' High Noon
966:Murder in Number Four
760:Till Death Do Us Part
444:The Red Widow Murders
1228:1935 American novels
1019:The Bride of Newgate
987:As John Dickson Carr
792:The Dead Man's Knock
720:The Black Spectacles
492:The Reader is Warned
21:For other uses, see
1027:The Devil in Velvet
918:The Waxworks Murder
800:In Spite of Thunder
776:The Sleeping Sphinx
664:The Eight of Swords
516:Seeing is Believing
484:Death in Five Boxes
452:The Unicorn Murders
411:Sir Henry Merrivale
30:
1043:Captain Cut-Throat
959:The End of Justice
952:The Fourth Suspect
861:Fell and Foul Play
596:The Cavalier's Cup
572:A Graveyard to Let
261:The New York Times
89:Harper & Bros.
28:
1215:
1214:
1184:
1183:
1158:Drop to His Death
1134:As Carter Dickson
1123:The Hungry Goblin
1003:The Burning Court
975:
974:
894:It Walks By Night
871:
870:
712:The Crooked Hinge
625:
624:
403:John Dickson Carr
228:Douglas G. Greene
157:John Dickson Carr
148:
147:
107:Publication place
47:John Dickson Carr
1245:
1174:Fear Is the Same
1150:The Third Bullet
984:
983:
910:The Lost Gallows
883:
882:
824:Dark of the Moon
704:To Wake the Dead
672:The Blind Barber
637:
636:
500:And So to Murder
476:The Judas Window
417:
416:
395:
388:
381:
372:
371:
367:
346:
318:
312:
306:
300:
294:
288:
282:
276:
265:
264:
256:
226:Carr biographer
136:Followed by
128:The Blind Barber
123:Preceded by
96:Publication date
38:
31:
27:
1253:
1252:
1248:
1247:
1246:
1244:
1243:
1242:
1218:
1217:
1216:
1211:
1180:
1129:
971:
932:
867:
836:
830:
784:Below Suspicion
768:He Who Whispers
621:
602:
532:She Died a Lady
468:The Ten Teacups
405:
399:
364:
343:
327:
322:
321:
313:
309:
301:
297:
289:
285:
277:
268:
257:
253:
248:
206:
181:
115:Media type
97:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1251:
1241:
1240:
1235:
1230:
1213:
1212:
1210:
1209:
1201:
1192:
1190:
1186:
1185:
1182:
1181:
1179:
1178:
1170:
1162:
1154:
1146:
1137:
1135:
1131:
1130:
1128:
1127:
1119:
1111:
1103:
1095:
1087:
1079:
1071:
1063:
1055:
1047:
1039:
1031:
1023:
1015:
1007:
999:
995:Poison in Jest
990:
988:
981:
977:
976:
973:
972:
970:
969:
962:
955:
948:
940:
938:
934:
933:
931:
930:
922:
914:
906:
898:
889:
887:
880:
877:Henri Bencolin
873:
872:
869:
868:
866:
865:
857:
849:
840:
838:
832:
831:
829:
828:
820:
816:Panic in Box C
812:
804:
796:
788:
780:
772:
764:
756:
748:
740:
732:
724:
716:
708:
700:
692:
688:The Hollow Man
684:
676:
668:
660:
652:
643:
641:
634:
627:
626:
623:
622:
620:
619:
610:
608:
604:
603:
601:
600:
592:
584:
576:
568:
560:
552:
544:
536:
528:
524:The Gilded Man
520:
512:
504:
496:
488:
480:
472:
464:
456:
448:
440:
432:
423:
421:
414:
407:
406:
398:
397:
390:
383:
375:
369:
368:
362:
347:
341:
326:
323:
320:
319:
307:
295:
283:
281:, p. 148.
266:
250:
249:
247:
244:
236:Henri Bencolin
205:
202:
180:
177:
146:
145:
141:The Hollow Man
137:
133:
132:
124:
120:
119:
116:
112:
111:
108:
104:
103:
98:
95:
92:
91:
86:
82:
81:
72:
68:
67:
62:
58:
57:
54:
50:
49:
44:
40:
39:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1250:
1239:
1236:
1234:
1231:
1229:
1226:
1225:
1223:
1207:
1206:
1202:
1199:
1198:
1194:
1193:
1191:
1187:
1176:
1175:
1171:
1168:
1167:
1163:
1160:
1159:
1155:
1152:
1151:
1147:
1144:
1143:
1139:
1138:
1136:
1132:
1125:
1124:
1120:
1117:
1116:
1112:
1109:
1108:
1104:
1101:
1100:
1096:
1093:
1092:
1088:
1085:
1084:
1083:The Demoniacs
1080:
1077:
1076:
1072:
1069:
1068:
1064:
1061:
1060:
1056:
1053:
1052:
1048:
1045:
1044:
1040:
1037:
1036:
1032:
1029:
1028:
1024:
1021:
1020:
1016:
1013:
1012:
1008:
1005:
1004:
1000:
997:
996:
992:
991:
989:
985:
982:
978:
967:
963:
960:
956:
953:
949:
946:
942:
941:
939:
937:Short stories
935:
928:
927:
923:
920:
919:
915:
912:
911:
907:
904:
903:
899:
896:
895:
891:
890:
888:
884:
881:
878:
874:
863:
862:
858:
855:
854:
850:
847:
846:
842:
841:
839:
833:
826:
825:
821:
818:
817:
813:
810:
809:
805:
802:
801:
797:
794:
793:
789:
786:
785:
781:
778:
777:
773:
770:
769:
765:
762:
761:
757:
754:
753:
749:
746:
745:
741:
738:
737:
733:
730:
729:
725:
722:
721:
717:
714:
713:
709:
706:
705:
701:
698:
697:
693:
690:
689:
685:
682:
681:
677:
674:
673:
669:
666:
665:
661:
658:
657:
653:
650:
649:
645:
644:
642:
638:
635:
632:
628:
617:
616:
612:
611:
609:
607:Short stories
605:
598:
597:
593:
590:
589:
585:
582:
581:
577:
574:
573:
569:
566:
565:
561:
558:
557:
556:My Late Wives
553:
550:
549:
545:
542:
541:
537:
534:
533:
529:
526:
525:
521:
518:
517:
513:
510:
509:
505:
502:
501:
497:
494:
493:
489:
486:
485:
481:
478:
477:
473:
470:
469:
465:
462:
461:
457:
454:
453:
449:
446:
445:
441:
438:
437:
433:
430:
429:
425:
424:
422:
418:
415:
412:
408:
404:
396:
391:
389:
384:
382:
377:
376:
373:
365:
363:9780879724771
359:
355:
354:
348:
344:
342:9781883402471
338:
334:
329:
328:
317:, p. 28.
316:
311:
305:, p. 27.
304:
299:
293:, p. 25.
292:
287:
280:
275:
273:
271:
263:. p. 14.
262:
255:
251:
243:
241:
237:
233:
229:
224:
222:
216:
212:
210:
201:
197:
193:
189:
185:
176:
172:
170:
166:
165:mystery novel
162:
158:
154:
153:
144:
142:
138:
134:
131:
129:
125:
121:
117:
113:
110:United States
109:
105:
102:
99:
93:
90:
87:
83:
80:
76:
73:
69:
66:
63:
59:
55:
51:
48:
45:
41:
37:
32:
24:
19:
1203:
1195:
1172:
1164:
1156:
1148:
1140:
1121:
1113:
1105:
1097:
1089:
1081:
1073:
1065:
1057:
1049:
1041:
1033:
1025:
1017:
1009:
1001:
993:
980:Other novels
924:
916:
908:
902:Castle Skull
900:
892:
859:
851:
843:
822:
814:
806:
798:
790:
782:
774:
766:
758:
750:
742:
734:
726:
718:
710:
702:
694:
686:
679:
678:
670:
662:
654:
646:
613:
594:
586:
578:
570:
562:
554:
546:
538:
530:
522:
514:
506:
498:
490:
482:
474:
466:
458:
450:
442:
434:
426:
352:
332:
310:
298:
286:
260:
254:
239:
231:
230:, reviewing
225:
220:
217:
213:
208:
207:
200:the killer.
198:
194:
190:
186:
182:
179:Plot summary
173:
151:
150:
149:
139:
126:
29:Death-Watch
18:
1189:Other works
1115:Deadly Hall
1099:Papa La-Bas
1091:Most Secret
1059:Fire, Burn!
837:collections
835:Short story
680:Death-Watch
631:Gideon Fell
279:Greene 1995
240:Death-Watch
232:Death-Watch
221:Death-Watch
209:Death-Watch
161:Gideon Fell
152:Death-Watch
65:Gideon Fell
1222:Categories
648:Hag's Nook
315:Joshi 1990
303:Joshi 1990
291:Joshi 1990
246:References
163:. It is a
23:Deathwatch
401:Works by
169:whodunnit
85:Publisher
79:detective
53:Language
325:Sources
167:of the
75:Mystery
56:English
1208:(1954)
1200:(1949)
1177:(1956)
1169:(1940)
1161:(1939)
1153:(1937)
1145:(1934)
1126:(1972)
1118:(1971)
1110:(1970)
1102:(1968)
1094:(1964)
1086:(1962)
1078:(1961)
1070:(1959)
1062:(1957)
1054:(1956)
1046:(1955)
1038:(1952)
1030:(1951)
1022:(1950)
1014:(1942)
1006:(1937)
998:(1932)
929:(1937)
921:(1932)
913:(1931)
905:(1931)
897:(1930)
886:Novels
879:series
864:(1991)
856:(1963)
848:(1947)
827:(1968)
819:(1966)
811:(1965)
803:(1960)
795:(1958)
787:(1949)
779:(1947)
771:(1946)
763:(1944)
755:(1941)
747:(1941)
739:(1940)
731:(1939)
723:(1939)
715:(1938)
707:(1938)
699:(1936)
691:(1935)
683:(1935)
675:(1934)
667:(1934)
659:(1933)
651:(1933)
640:Novels
633:series
618:(1991)
599:(1953)
591:(1952)
583:(1950)
575:(1949)
567:(1948)
559:(1946)
551:(1945)
543:(1944)
535:(1943)
527:(1942)
519:(1941)
511:(1940)
503:(1940)
495:(1939)
487:(1938)
479:(1938)
471:(1937)
463:(1936)
455:(1935)
447:(1935)
439:(1934)
431:(1934)
420:Novels
413:series
360:
339:
171:type.
143:
130:
61:Series
43:Author
71:Genre
358:ISBN
337:ISBN
101:1935
1224::
269:^
77:,
968:"
964:"
961:"
957:"
954:"
950:"
947:"
943:"
394:e
387:t
380:v
366:.
345:.
25:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.