The Mammoth Book of Locked-Room Mysteries And Impossible Crimes

Murders (1991) written as Michael Clynes; and the magnificent disappearance of an entire ship’s watch in By Murder’s Bright Light (1994), written as Paul Harding.

And we must not forget David Renwick’s “Jonathan Creek” who solves some of the most bizarre and idiosyncratic crimes on television.

There is no doubt that the future of the impossible crime story is in safe hands as I hope the stories in this anthology have shown. If this anthology has intrigued you I strongly urge you to seek out Locked Room Murders and Other Impossible Crimes by Robert Adey (Minneapolis’ Crossover Press, 1991), which is a remarkably detailed survey and bibliography of the field. You may also want to track down other anthologies, alas all out of print, but which give a flavouring of impossible crimes: The Locked Room Reader edited by Hans Stefan Santesson (New York: Random House, 1968); Tantalizing Locked Room Murders edited by Isaac Asimov, Charles G. Waugh and Martin Harry Greenberg (New York: Walker, 1982); All But Impossible! edited by Edward D. Hoch (New Haven: Ticknor & Fields, 1981); Locked Room Puzzles edited by Martin H. Greenberg and Bill Pronzini (Chicago, Academy Chicago, 1986); Death Locked In edited by Douglas Greene and Robert Adey (IPL, 1987) and The Art of the Impossible edited by Jack Adrian and Robert Adey (London: Xanadu, 1990). I have tried to avoid duplicating too many stories from these books, although as they are all out of print, there are some gems that beg to be reprinted again. I hope your quest is not impossible.

COPYRIGHT AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My thanks to Ken Cowley, Richard Lupoff, Bill Pronzini, Edward Hoch and Peter Tremayne for their help and support through this project. My thanks also to David Renwick for his Foreword. And a special thanks to Robert Adey for his invaluable book Locked Room Murders and Other Impossible Crimes (Minneapolis: Crossover Press, 1991), which was an ever trusty guide through the minefield of the impossible crime.

All of the stories are copyright in the name of the individual authors or their estates, as listed below. Every effort has been made to trace the holders of copyright. In the event of any inadvertent transgression of copyright the editor would like to hear from the author or their representatives, via the publisher.

“The Burglar Who Smelled Smoke” © 1997 by Lynne Wood Block & Lawrence Block. First published in Mary Higgins Clark Mystery Magazine, Fall/Summer 1997. Reprinted by permission of the authors.

“Mr. Strang Accepts a Challenge” © 1976 by William Brittain. First published in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, November 1976. Reprinted by permission of the author.

“The Silver Curtain” © 1939 by John Dickson Carr. First published in The Strand Magazine, August 1939 and reprinted in The Department of Queer Complaints by Carter Dickson (London: William Heinemann, 1940). Reprinted by permission of David Higham Ltd., as agent for the author’s estate.

“No Way Out” © 1963 by Dennis Lynds. First published in Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine, February 1964. Reprinted by permission of the author.

“Waiting for Godstow” © 2000 by Martin Edwards. Original to this anthology. Printed by permission of the author.

“The Odour of Sanctity” © 2000 by Kate Ellis. Original to this anthology. Printed by permission of the author and the author’s agent, A.M. Heath & Co. Ltd.

“The Mystery of the Taxi-Cab” © 1922 by Howel Evans. First published in The Novel Magazine and reprinted in The Murder Club (London: Jarrolds, 1924). Unable to trace the author’s estate.

“A Traveller’s Tale” © 2000 by Gail Frazer. Original to this anthology. Printed by permission of the author.

“The Next Big Thing” © 2000 by Peter T. Garratt. Original to this anthology. Printed by permission of the author.

“Ice Elation” © 2000 by Susanna Gregory. Original to this anthology. Printed by permission of the author and the author’s agent, A.M. Heath & Co. Ltd.

“Death Rides the Elevator” ©2000 by Lois H.Gresh &Robert Weinberg. Original to this anthology. Printed by permission of the authors.

“The Problem of the Crowded Cemetery” © 1995 by Edward D. Hoch. First published in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, May 1995. Reprinted by permission of the author.

“The Legs That Walked” © 2000 by H.R.F. Keating. Original to this anthology. Printed by permission of the author and the author’s agent, Peters Fraser and Dunlop.

“The Stolen Saint Simon” © 2000 by Michael Kurland. Original to this anthology. Printed by permission of the author.

“The Amorous Corpse” © 2000 by Peter Lovesey. Original to this anthology. Printed by permission of the author and the author’s agent, Vanessa Holt, Ltd.

“The Second Drug” © 2000 by Richard A. Lupoff. Original to this anthology. Printed by permission of the author.

“Blind Eyes” © 2000 by Edward Marston. Original to this anthology. Printed by permission of the author.

“Murder Strips Off” © 2000 by Amy Myers. Original to this anthology. Printed by permission of the author and the author’s agent, Dorian Literary Agency.

“The Doomdorf Mystery” © 1914 by Melville Davisson Post. First published in Saturday Evening Post, 18 July 1914. Copyright expired in 1981.

“The Pulp Connection” © 1978 by Bill Pronzini. First published in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, February 1979 under the title “The Private Eye Who Collected Pulps”. Reprinted by permission of the author.

“Off the Face of the Earth” © 1949 by Clayton Rawson. First published in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, September 1949 and reprinted in The Great Merlini (Boston: Gregg Press, 1979). Reprinted by permission of Curtis Brown Ltd., on behalf of the author’s estate.

“Foreword” © 2000 by David Renwick. Original to this anthology. Printed by permission of the author.

“Heartstopper” © 2000 by Frank M. Robinson. Original to this anthology. Printed by permission of the author.

“Stag Night” © 2000 by Marilyn Todd. Original to this anthology. Printed by permission of the author.

“Murder in the Air” © 2000 by Peter Tremayne. Original to this anthology. Printed by permission of the author and the author’s agent, A.M. Heath & Co. Ltd.

“The Adventure of the Jacobean House” © 1907 by C.N. & A.M. Williamson. First published in The Strand Magazine, September 1907 and reprinted in The Scarlet Runner (London: Methuen, 1908). Copyright expired 1984.

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