When I first heard of The Big Bow Mystery (1892) by Israel Zangwill, I legitimately thought it was about a big, y’know, bow — the fancy knot one ties in a piece of ribbon. I also anticipated, given its era, that it would be a dry and soulless tale which would dully wander its way to an obvious conclusion — and, well, I couldn’t have been more wrong on both counts. This story of a man found with his throat slit in his locked bedroom in Bow in London’s East End is, I’m delighted to find after a 15-year gap, still fresh, humorous, and remarkably readable. Indeed, as a novel, it might arguably be the most successful impossible crime story ever written, so wonderfully does it retain its pace, lightness, and acuity.
The Invisible Event 