The Teahouse Detective: The Old Man in the Corner

This welcome reissue of a 1908 collection by Orczy (The Scarlet Pimpernel) opens with a story in which the eponymous lead, whose real name is never revealed, sits down uninvited at the table of reporter Polly Burton in a London tea shop. As arrogantly as Sherlock Holmes, the interloper proclaims that “there is no such thing as a mystery in connection with any crime, provided intelligence is brought to bear upon its investigation.” He then demonstrates his acumen by advancing a solution to a high-profile puzzle that has eluded a solution for a year—a murder case involving a Siberian millionaire. The quirky sleuth goes on to propose answers to Polly for a variety of mysteries, including that of a woman found poisoned in an underground railway carriage, as well as the strangulation of a man in Regent’s Park who just had a lucky run at cards. The unusual format of the tales—which keeps victims, witnesses, and suspects all offstage—combined with a detective viewed by many as a prototype for Nero Wolfe, makes this a must-have for whodunit fans. [em](June) [/em]