Hari's Reviews
The Clue of the Twisted Candle by Edgar Wallace
Created: Sun Mar 21 13:15:17 2010 | Last modified: Sun Mar 21 13:15:17 2010
Rating: 
Edgar Wallace crime fiction is one of my favourite reading and The Clue of the Twisted Candle is one of the more dramatic Edgar Wallace novels.
Before I begin the review, I must state that there are certain common features in Edgar Wallace novels, but each one is unique in its own way and the way Edgar Wallace manages to build up a suspense is quite excellent. It was not for nothing that Edgar Wallace books, at one time, reportedly outsold Agatha Christie's and you can clearly see why when you read this book. Though written a long time ago in another era, his books are quite fresh to this day and modern authors of crime would do well to study his technique and style.
Those familiar with Wallace will know that he tends to jump right into the action and in this one, it's the same. This novel tends to build tension as any other crime novel would and first time readers of Edgar Wallace would be left thrilled and exhausted. A sure page turner.
The story is about John Lexman who is a writer of crime mysteries and thrillers and how he gets mixed up in a dark business when he finds himself accused of murder. Wrongfully. And even his best friend, detective T.X.Meredith is unable to save him from conviction. What is the ultimate fate of Lexman? And how justice catches up with the vengeful Greek, Kara, is what this novel is all about from here on.
First time readers of Wallace would notice how the action swings from one scene to another and it would be a bit difficult to follow the story at first, but those used to Edgar Wallace's unique style would find this novel typical of Edgar Wallace. Full of action from the first page to the last and a story that ranges from the plausible to the fanciful... surely Edgar Wallace is one author who can mix fantasy with reality extremely well.
A definite recommendation. In fact I would recommend all Edgar Wallace novels to anybody interested in crime and detective fiction.