Poudelivre

Normally I'm not very interested in detective novels, mostly because many of them follow the same path but also since I usually know pretty early who the guilty one is. However, The Murders In the Rue Morgue is different, not only because it's the very first detective novel written and thus legendary in itself, but also because the author is Edgar Allan Poe, a favorite of mine. It's a rather short yet interesting story which will keep you guessing until the end.

Late one night on the Rue Morgue, a horrible act of crime is committed. A mother and a daughter, brutally murdered, yet there is no suspect in sight. It's clear that it wasn't a robbery and that the murderer is exceptionally strong. The police knows nothing and no witness can give enough information to solve the crime. Auguste Dupin is intrigued by this gruesome crime and takes it upon himself to solve it all. With sharp observational skills and a key sense of analyzing, Dupin manages, against all odds, to crack the case and find the unlikely murderer.

I like this story for many reasons, not least because it's a different type of detective novel. The writing is good but it's the plot itself, and Dupin most of all, that amazes me. To follow along in his way of thinking is fascinating and the solve itself is quite spectacular. It is, like I said previously, not a very long novel but definitely worth reading. If you haven’t already I really think you should give it a chance and see if you can outsmart Dupin or if you will be left surprised at the end.