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This is an unusual combination of the scientific-psychological detective novel, with the impossible crime story. The novel, which is the sole known detective work of its authors, reflects many features of the American Scientific school of its day. Both the young narrator, and his famous professor boss at the University, are professional academic criminologists. Their work is rooted in science, and the professor has laboratories at both at home, and the University. The professor is brought in the consult on crimes, just like Luther Trant, Craig Kennedy, Dr. Bentiron, and other scientific criminologists of the day. As in other American Scientific school works, there is an emphasis on scientific psychology. The psychology involved in the mystery deals with perception and the manipulation of crowds: it is not Freudian. The use of psychology also extends to other aspects of the story, that are not directly involved in the impossible crime. Several of the characters seem psychologically disturbed, for example. There is also a disquisition on how different types of readers approach detective fiction (Chapter 12), which is moderately interesting, and which seems somewhat psychological in nature.
There three different sets of impossibilities in the story: those contained in the Prologue are the first group. These get an explanation in Chapter 21. Their solutions shows imagination, although perhaps a bit too much faith in the powers of psychology. This section is the most psychological of the book's three main groups of impossibilities.
The impossible situation developed in Chapters 3 - 5 is the most imaginative in the book, and with the most ingenious solution (also in Chapter 21). This impossibility reflects the Zangwill tradition of impossible crime writing, and is a creative addition to it. This is the section of the work that is most in the main tradition of impossible crime writing, and which is based the least in psychology. It does reflect the "scientific" approach, however.
By contrast, while the later chapters of Into Thin Air contains numerous impossible situations, most are variations on one common approach, one whose "magic trick" style explanation is only moderately interesting. Most of these later chapters seem in general less creative than the opening sections, which are the best part of the work. In general, the plotting is better than the writing or characterization in this novel.
There are other scientific aspects of the book. 1) The scientific approach affects the background events of Into Thin Air. Like many impossible crime tales, it has a fake supernatural atmosphere: a common approach in John Dickson Carr and Hake Talbot. Into Thin Air has mediums and seances, just as in Talbot's Rim of the Pit (1944) to come. But there is an addition of scientific investigation of such phenomena, in the tradition of scientific psychical research. 2) The story opens with an invocation of modernity versus tradition, in the life styles of the various characters. Modernity is a subject sometimes invoked in the American Scientific school, with its emphasis on the latest advances in science transforming our lives. 3) There are hints that the writers are familiar with R. Austin Freeman's pioneering scientific detective novel, The Red Thumb Mark (1907), although Freeman and his book are not mentioned by name. Early on, the criminologist explicitly disavows in the current case the possibility of manipulation, that is used by Freeman's novel. 4) The novel is set in a series of small towns, apparently in Wisconsin. This reflects the American Scientific school, which set its tales all over the United States, as opposed to the favored New York City locale of the Van Dine school.
Into Thin Air contains a number of experimental features, offering variations on the typical detective story construction. Such experimentation derives not from the Scientific School, but from an eclectic series of general purpose detective novels.
Into Thin Air suffers from unpleasant characters. They seem malicious, and are not much fun to read about. The unpleasant tone reflects that of other 1920's, late American Scientific school writers who emphasize psychology, such as Harvey J. O'Higgins, Ernest M. Poate and Nancy Barr Mavity. These books lack the upbeat escapism that helps make many Golden Age novels a fun reading experience. However, Into Thin Air does deal with some of the ugly realities that other more escapist authors tended to sweep under the carpet. It contains an unvarnished look at the exploitation of women, that would later become a feminist issue, for example. This trenchant look at genuine issues helps raise the book above more superficial writers of its day, both within and without the Scientific School.
Mike Grost
See also : http://deathcanread.blogspot.it/2012/08/one-of-best-locked-rooms-absolutely.html
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