Stories of Detection and Mystery

Előszó

This collection includes offerings from somé of the most famous British writers of detective and mystery stories of the first half of the twentieth century. Although the stories are quite different from each other, each has an everyday setting in which unexpected and often strange events begin to take place. By the end of the story, the mystery is solved. Sometimes there is a common-sense explanation; sometimes there is a suggestion of dark forces at work. A number of the central characters in the stories are detectives who have become very well known over the years. Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874-1936) was an English writer who produced thousands of poems and stories on a wide variety of subjects. Chesterton s best-known works are his mystery and detective stories. Somé of his characters are unforgettable, particularly the priest Father Brown. Although he appears to be rather ordinary and even a little stupid, Father Brown solves the most difficult mysteries in his slow, careful and extremely polite way. Forty-eight Father Brown stories appeared between 1911 and 1935; two are included in this collection. Agatha Christie (1890-1976) is one of the most famous detective writers ever. She wrote over eighty books and is the most widely translated writer in the English language. Many of her books feature detectives. Of these, perhaps the best known are Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. 'Philomel Cottage' is unusual in that it does not feature a detective or a group of suspects, but telis the story from the point of view of the person who, we come to discover, is under threat of death. Vissza