The Mystery of the Yellow Room (Written by Gaston Leroux)
The first review on this blog. Hooray! I think choosing one of my favourite novels as the first subject of this site is a good choice.
But let the review begin.
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| A cover for the English edition |
The Plot
Our story opens in the late 1800s, in France. Mathilde Stangerson, the daughter of Professor Joseph Stangerson, has been attacked in the "Yellow Room". It was locked from the inside, yet the attacker mysteriouly vanished. The crime took France by storm. Every newspaper was talking about it. The chief of police decided to call back the famous detective, Inspector Frederic Larsan from London, to solve the mystery. However, an 18 year old reporter, by the name of Joseph Rouletabille (our protagonist), is also on the trail of the attacker. He brings his friend, the lawyer Jean Sainclair (our narrator) to the Château du Glandier, and on the train, they manage to get into the same cabin as the investigatin magistrate, M. De Marquet. They manage to get into the castle, thanks to a few mysterious words, which Rouletabille told M. Robert Darzac, the fiancé of Mathilde. Once inside, Rouletabille begins a rivalry with Inspector Larsan, because the latter suspects Darzac, while our hero thinks he's innocent. The journalist and the lawyer must solve the impossible crime: the disappearence of the attacker.
The Characters
Our hero is Joseph Rouletabille, an 18 year old journalist, whose a very likeable character. Sometimes serious like Holmes, but he's still young, so there are some childish acts commited by him. He's head resembles a marble (He has a large forehead). He's an orphan, and his real name is Joseph Josephin (but since it's not a fitting name for a reporter, he uses his nickname, Rouletabille). Assisting him in his investigation is lawyer Jean Sainclair. Like Watson, he's often left wondering, since Rouletabille never tells him about his findings. He's a friend of Robert Darzac, professor of the Sorbonne, and fiancé of Mathilde Stangerson, the beautiful daughter of Joseph Stangerson, a researcher. Their servants include: Father Jacques, Monsieur and Madame Bernier,and the "Green man", their game-keeper. The Berniers are actually arrested by Larsan in the begining of the book, because he thinks they are acomplices. The offical investigating force includes famed policeman Frederic Larsan,M. De Marquet, a judge, and his assistant M. Maleine. Other important characters include: Monsieur and Madame Mathieu, owners of the local inn. There are a number of other minor characters too, but I think these are the important ones.
The Locked-room
The novel has been voted the 3rd best locked-room mystery in 1981. It really is an interesting case. While Israel Zangwill's "The Big Bow Mystery" is considered the first milestone in the genre, Leroux's novel is more important, and much more well known. This time, the author actually makes it stand out, that the crime was commited in a locked-room. The solution is pretty clever.
About the author
Verdict
It's a great book, one of my favourites! It may not be exactly a "fair-play whodunnit", since while you can deduce the motive, the criminal's identity is still more complicated. It's a must read for the lovers of Locked-Room mysteries.Adaptations
There have been a few silent films, including an american one. Most films are french. There's one from 1930 and one from 1949. There's also a tv series from 1965. The most recent adaptation is a movie from 2003. I've seen it, and while it's also a comedy, I highly recommend it. Although, it's not as good as the book (obviously).
Some facts
- John Dickson Carr called it the best detective tale ever written.
- It also influenced Agatha Christie.
