Mme Kinberg – I appreciate your review of Mr. Mead’s entertaining locked room mystery. I disagree with the use of the phrase “impossible crime”. I have yet to encounter a case that is impossible. Difficult, challenging, frustrating mais oui, but not impossible. Murder in a locked room requires a detective to exercise the little grey cells. The good inspector Flint is resolute but not not an imaginative investigator. As you are aware from my commentary concerning Inspector Flint and Mr. Spector at the blog of M. Guillame Selnes there is an epidemic of locked room murders in London. I have urged the leadership of Scotland Yard to seek out and hire bright young detectives capable of the intellectual effort to solve locked room cases. Too often they have gone for brawn over brains. Bien à vous. – Hercule
Dear M. Poirot,
Thank you for your insightful commentary on the ‘impossible’ crime in general, and this one in particular. I quite agree with you that there is no such thing as an ‘impossible’ crime. As you say, some crimes are more difficult, more frustrating, than others. However, a crime cannot be ‘impossible’ if it is committed. If I did not make that clear enough in the video, that is something that needs to be considered. I did appreciate Flint’s persistence, and he is hardly stupid. He is a solid character.
You make another interesting point. It is true that Scotland Yard needs to look more carefully into this spate of ‘locked room’ mysteries. I do hope Chief Inspector Japp is making some progress on the matter. After all, I have no doubt you have discussed some of your more challenging, so-called impossible, cases with him. Perhaps if he met Mr. Spector as well as learning from you, he might get some helpful guidance.
I appreciate your insights, M. Poirot, and remain
Yours truly,
Margot Kinberg
Thank you, Bill. And thanks very much for your rich, witty response to my post. Beautifully done! I agree with you that Flint and Japp have a lot of similarities. And yes, Mead is a very interesting writer.
Crime Writer Margot Kinberg 
I’m not hugely fond of impossible crime-style novels, but it does sound well done, and certainly plays into that John Dickson Carr vibe!
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I really think it is well done, FictionFan. And, yes, very much a JDC vibe! Mead is quite a fan of Carr’s work, and it shows (in a good way).
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Mme Kinberg – I appreciate your review of Mr. Mead’s entertaining locked room mystery. I disagree with the use of the phrase “impossible crime”. I have yet to encounter a case that is impossible. Difficult, challenging, frustrating mais oui, but not impossible. Murder in a locked room requires a detective to exercise the little grey cells. The good inspector Flint is resolute but not not an imaginative investigator. As you are aware from my commentary concerning Inspector Flint and Mr. Spector at the blog of M. Guillame Selnes there is an epidemic of locked room murders in London. I have urged the leadership of Scotland Yard to seek out and hire bright young detectives capable of the intellectual effort to solve locked room cases. Too often they have gone for brawn over brains. Bien à vous. – Hercule
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Dear M. Poirot,
Thank you for your insightful commentary on the ‘impossible’ crime in general, and this one in particular. I quite agree with you that there is no such thing as an ‘impossible’ crime. As you say, some crimes are more difficult, more frustrating, than others. However, a crime cannot be ‘impossible’ if it is committed. If I did not make that clear enough in the video, that is something that needs to be considered. I did appreciate Flint’s persistence, and he is hardly stupid. He is a solid character.
You make another interesting point. It is true that Scotland Yard needs to look more carefully into this spate of ‘locked room’ mysteries. I do hope Chief Inspector Japp is making some progress on the matter. After all, I have no doubt you have discussed some of your more challenging, so-called impossible, cases with him. Perhaps if he met Mr. Spector as well as learning from you, he might get some helpful guidance.
I appreciate your insights, M. Poirot, and remain
Yours truly,
Margot Kinberg
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Well said Margot. Mead is an interesting writer. Inspector Japp and Inspector Flint have more than a passing resemblance.
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Thank you, Bill. And thanks very much for your rich, witty response to my post. Beautifully done! I agree with you that Flint and Japp have a lot of similarities. And yes, Mead is a very interesting writer.
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