“The Circular Staircase” by Mary Roberts Rinehart
“The Leavenworth Case” by Anna Katherine Green
In “The Leavenworth Case” I was so annoyed by the half- truths that Miss Mary and Eleanor kept telling. They reminded me of a soap opera that just goes on and on because no one ever speaks the whole truth and the drama never ends. I liked the story but had a dislike for Harwell almost from the beginning. I didn’t realize he was actually the perpetrator of the crime until later but I disliked him from the beginning. I think often times an author will use this kind of technique as a way to guide you to the culprit. As a side note regarding “The Leavenworth Case” I found this story a bit drawn out and confusing at times. I would have enjoyed the story more if it had been a little more concise.
I am also struck by the fact that these are two female authors. This fact disrupts the hero paradym in these novels and the situation is handled in a very similar way in both stories. In “The Leavenworth Case” the author is writing through the eyes of the man, who in the end gets the girl, the cycle is complete. In the “Circular Staircase” the main character is striped of all feminine qualities. She is also paired up with a man detective that “helps” guide the way. In both cases it’s interesting how these authors deal with the gender issues, a real sign of their times.