The French Powder Mystery

[Kay]

I'm thinking of reading this Queen mystery and wondered if anyone had an opinion, be it good or bad, but don't tell me the ending, ok.

Have only read a couple of Queen's mysteries and have this one and the Greek Coffin on my list.

[Kurt Sercu]

Since you have both French Powder and the Greek Coffin my advise would be to go "cresendo".
Take on the French Powder first. Although it is good, it is widely considered an apprentice work. And don't think for a minute Ellery Queen stayed the stuck up aristocrat he appears to be in the first ten books (of which you have two)!
The Greek Coffin is a masterpiece. Even considering the era it was written in, it still is a wonderful puzzle in deduction.

[Kay]

Thanks, am giving them both a go.

All of Queen novels are hard for me to read as I keep thinking of Timothy Hutton and he far from stuck up.

[Patrick Gore]

Originally Posted by Kay

Thanks, am giving them both a go.

All of Queen novels are hard for me to read as I keep thinking of Timothy Hutton and he far from stuck up.

I don't much like Ellery Queen novels, as I've said time and again, but I have to agree with Kurt that Greek Coffin is a masterpiece of mystery plotting, one of the truly immortal detective novels. The only other Queen novel I liked as much was Cat of Many Tails.* Be sure to look closely at the first letter of each chapter title for an added surprise.

(*I have not read French Powder.)

[Edward J. Cunningham]

One more thing, before you read The Chinese Orange Mystery. Some will say this is too much of a hint, but if you don't understand it now, the brilliant solution won't make a lick of sense.

Spoiler

In the 1930's, the collars on men's dress shirts WERE DETACHABLE, unlike today!

[Edward J. Cunningham]

Originally Posted by Kay

Thanks, am giving them both a go.

All of Queen novels are hard for me to read as I keep thinking of Timothy Hutton and he far from stuck up.

Timothy Hutton never played Ellery Queen, but his father Jim did.