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The Puzzle of the Silver Persian

Page history last edited by PBworks 18 years ago

Palmer, Stuart - The Puzzle of the Silver Persian

 

The Puzzle of the Silver Persian (1934) does not have a clever mystery solution. Nor does Hildegarde Withers do much actual detection, normally a Palmer strong point. In fact Hildegarde does not get to display much personality at all throughout the book, and there is little humor. The novel's best feature is its storytelling. Palmer constantly keeps the pot boiling by adding new twists and events, often fairly interesting. This technique is often used in his short stories, and Persian seems constructed like one of his short stories, only on a very large scale. This abundance of plot helps make the book pleasantly readable. There are many unexpected interactions among the characters; it is as if Palmer is always looking for ways to tie together the two most unlikely characters he could associate. The novel also shows a good progression, by having its three thirds set on board ship, in London, and finally in Cornwall. Palmer would later set his Sherlock Holmes pastiche in Cornwall. One has a feeling on reading the book, that it is based on an actual trip Palmer made sometime. Palmer makes a cat be one of his characters; such a technique is very common in today's cozies.

 

Mike Grost

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