
The Big Bow Mystery
'The Big Bow Mystery' Summary
Regarded as the first full-length locked room mystery, the novel focuses on a murder that has occurred inside a locked room, with no clear indication as to the weapon used, the perpetrator of the horrendous crime, or a possible escape route. Needless to say, The Big Bow Mystery has all the elements necessary to engage its audience and encourage them to look between the lines in an attempt to unravel the complex murder.
Set in Bow, east London, the novel opens when Mrs. Drabdump, a widow who rents out rooms, panics when one of her lodgers does not respond to her fervent attempts to wake him. In a moment of distress, she seeks the help of her neighbor George Grodman, incidentally a former detective, who eventually forces his way inside the room. Consequently, they witness a gruesome sight, as they find Arthur Constant dead, his throat slashed. Astounded by the strange circumstances under which the murder has occurred, bearing in mind that the door and windows were locked and secured from the inside with no apparent way of leaving the crime scene, the case is truly baffling. Moreover, the motive for the murder is also a mystery, as Constant was a likeable man, known for his efforts to help the working class. The perplexing case is taken up by Grodman and Inspector Edward Wimp, who share a mutual detest, yet amusingly play along with an act of cordiality. Nevertheless, they go out of their way to unravel the mystery that has left everyone awestruck.
Zangwill efficiently combines an absorbing plot, a witty selection of characters, a list of Dickensian names, humor, and a puzzling murder waiting to be solved, to create a piece renowned for its sardonic style and satirical portrayal of Victorian London. Certain to keep one guessing to the very end, the novel offers many clues, however, only to meticulous observers.
Book Details
Authors

Israel Zangwill
United Kingdom
Israel Zangwill was a British author at the forefront of cultural Zionism during the 19th century, and was a close associate of Theodor Herzl. He later rejected the search for a Jewish homeland in Pal...
Books by Israel ZangwillDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books

Amusement Only by Richard Marsh
This collection of twelve short stories offers a blend of mystery and humor, providing readers with a purely entertaining experience. These tales are...

Ticonderoga; A Story of Early Frontier Life in the Mohawk Valley by George Payne Rainsford James
Set in the rugged frontier of the Mohawk Valley, "Ticonderoga" tells the story of a family seeking a quiet life in the backwoods. The arrival of a mys...

Ghosts, Being The Experiences of Flaxman Low by Hesketh Vernon Hesketh-Prichard
This collection of ghost stories introduces Flaxman Low, a pioneering character in fiction, who utilizes his psychic abilities to solve mysteries invo...

His Last Bow by Arthur Conan Doyle
His Last Bow: Some Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes is a 1917 collection of previously published Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, includ...

Hagar of the Pawn-Shop by Fergus Hume
Hagar of the Pawn-Shop is a collection of interconnected mystery stories centered around Hagar Stanley, a young Gypsy woman who inherits her miserly u...

The Bishop's Secret by Fergus Hume
This is an enthralling mystery novel that transports readers to the late 19th century, where secrets and deceptions lurk beneath the pious veneer of s...

Burg von Otranto by Horace Walpole
Die Burg von Otranto erzählt die Geschichte von Manfred, dem Fürsten von Otranto, dessen Leben durch eine Reihe von unheilvollen Ereignissen und gehei...

Priester und Detektiv (Pater Brown Geschichten) by Gilbert K. Chesterton
Father Brown ist ein katholischer Priester, der in England lebt und neben seiner geistlichen Arbeit auch Kriminalfälle löst. Seine ungewöhnliche Metho...

Seen and the Unseen by Richard Marsh
The Seen and the Unseen is a collection of twelve short stories exploring the supernatural and the uncanny. The stories range from tales of haunted ho...

Wunderbares Ereignis des Dr. Jekyll und Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
Der Roman "Der seltsame Fall des Dr. Jekyll und Mr. Hyde" ist ein klassischer Gothic-Thriller, der in der viktorianischen Ära spielt. Der angesehene...
Reviews for The Big Bow Mystery
No reviews posted or approved, yet...