(The Library: Books review) I knew I would get your attention with a black cat image. Poe also knew it. Because black cats have often been associated with the occult and bad luck. It is said that cats have nine lives and black cat lives matter. All of them. You can't just kill a cat thinking it's okay because it will come back. The cats being discussed here and their multiple lives have been instrumental in solving murders. First, let's take a look at The Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe, written in 1843. Pros and cons:
Poe
- Short
- A good example of Poe's pioneering into detective fiction
Cons
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Theme is macabre with animal cruelty and alcoholism
That is a short story I still remember reading. Pretty much the only thing I remembered was the black cat and something macabre about the story. Other stories I remember from Poe nowadays remind me of different themes: The Gold Bug offers some interesting intrigues around cryptography and ciphers. Apart from multiple short stories, he also wrote a play and many poems. I recommend you to read a few of his short stories to get a sense of the author and his skill with words and analytical thinking. Maybe seek a collection of shorts from Poe. Or buy a black cat and call it Poe.
Mystery
64 years later, in 1907, Gaston Leroux published Le Mystère de la Chambre Jaune (English: The Mystery of the Yellow Room). It is another work of detective fiction that I enjoyed reading. Although I was a bit disappointed by certain aspects of the story.
Pros
- Also features a black cat
- Is pure detective work. Pay attention to details, etc.
Cons
-
I was a bit disappointed overall
Murder
And as is often the case, there is yet another collection of books which follows in the same vein and is this time inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. His famous detective Sherlock Holmes has been the object of countless adaptations and rivals both Frankenstein and Dracula in popularity...
Murder at the Diogenes Club was written and published in 1987 by Gerald Lientz, the illustrations are by Daniel R. Horne.
Pros:
- Interesting character sheet with clues
- More mature than other series (non fiction)
- Better intrigue than that the general collection
Cons:
-
As Sherlock would put it: "Elementary, my dear reader"
I had fun reading this book and others in the Sherlock Holmes series. The books are destined for kids but adults can still find interesting material and ideas. So is there a black cat in this book also? Possibly! It is up to YOU to read and use your observation and detective skill to solve that mystery. Black cats often bring us the information we need to solve the mysteries of our lives. Truths hidden in plain sight are often easy to overlook.
Thanks for reading!
