John Dickson Carr facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Dickson Carr
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| Born | November 30, 1906 Uniontown, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Died | February 28, 1977 (aged 70) Greenville, South Carolina, United States |
| Resting place | Springwood Cemetery, Greenville |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Genre | Detective novel, murder mystery |
| Literary movement | Golden Age of Detective Fiction |
| Notable works | The Hollow Man, The Burning Court |
John Dickson Carr (born November 30, 1906 – died February 27, 1977) was an American writer famous for his detective stories. He also used other names like Carter Dickson, Carr Dickson, and Roger Fairbairn when he published his books.
He lived in England for many years, and his writing style often felt very "British." Most of his novels were set in English villages and estates, and featured English characters. His two most famous detectives, Dr. Gideon Fell and Sir Henry Merrivale, were both English.
Carr is known as one of the best writers from the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction." This was a time when mystery stories focused on complex puzzles. He was especially good at writing "locked-room mysteries." In these stories, a crime happens in a way that seems impossible, like a murder in a locked room with no way in or out. The detective then has to figure out how it was done.
His book The Hollow Man (1935) is often called his best work. In 1981, a group of mystery writers and reviewers even picked it as the best locked-room mystery ever written! He also wrote many historical mysteries, which are detective stories set in the past.
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About John Dickson Carr
John Dickson Carr was the son of Wooda Nicholas Carr, who was a U.S. congressman. John went to The Hill School and then Haverford College. In the early 1930s, he moved to England and married an Englishwoman named Clarice Cleaves. He started his writing career there. By 1948, he was a well-known author around the world and moved back to the United States.
Carr received special awards from the Mystery Writers of America. In 1950, he won an Edgar Award for his book about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes. He won another Edgar Award in 1970 for his long career as a mystery writer. In 1963, he also received the Grand Master award. Carr was one of only two Americans to join the British Detection Club, a group of famous mystery writers.
In 1963, while living in New York, Carr had a stroke that affected his left side. Even so, he kept writing with one hand. For several years, he wrote a regular column reviewing mystery books for Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine. Later, he moved to Greenville, South Carolina, where he passed away in 1977 from lung cancer.
His Famous Detectives
"Mr. Carr can lead us away from the small, artificial, brightly-lit stage of the ordinary detective plot into the menace of outer darkness. He can create atmosphere with an adjective, alarm with an allusion, or delight with a rollicking absurdity. In short he can write" -
John Dickson Carr created two main detective characters: Dr. Fell and Sir Henry Merrivale. They seem quite similar at first glance. Both are large, older, and a bit unusual Englishmen from the upper class.
Dr. Gideon Fell
Dr. Fell is a very large man who needs two canes to walk. He was inspired by the British writer G. K. Chesterton. Dr. Fell is always polite and friendly. He has a lot of messy hair, often hidden under a "shovel hat," and usually wears a cape. He lives in a small cottage and does not work officially with the police.
Many of Dr. Fell's stories involve two or more impossible crimes. For example, in the novel The Crooked Hinge (1938), he solves a case that includes witchcraft, a survivor from the Titanic, and a strange robot chess player. This book is considered a classic of detective fiction.
Dr. Fell also gives a famous speech about locked-room mysteries in chapter 17 of The Hollow Man. This part is so well-known that it's sometimes printed as a separate essay.
Sir Henry Merrivale
Henry Merrivale, also known as "H.M.," is also stout but is very active. He is known for his bad temper and loud outbursts. In one book, A Graveyard To Let (1949), he even shows a surprising talent for hitting baseballs very far!
H.M. comes from a very old noble family in England. He is part of the government, even though he often complains about it. In earlier books, he was even the director of the British Secret Service. He is bald, wears glasses, and often scowls. Many people think he was based on Winston Churchill. Many of the Merrivale novels, written under the name Carter Dickson, are considered some of Carr's best works, like The Judas Window (1938).
Other Books and Stories
Besides Dr. Fell and Sir Henry Merrivale, Carr also wrote mysteries featuring other detectives: Henri Bencolin and Colonel March.
Some of his novels do not have a regular detective. The most famous of these is The Burning Court (1937). This story involves witchcraft, poisoning, and a body that vanishes from a sealed tomb. It was even made into a French movie called La chambre ardente in 1962.
Carr also wrote many short stories. Some of his best short stories are in the book The Department of Queer Complaints (1940), published under the name Carter Dickson.
He also wrote historical mystery novels. These are detective stories set in the past. The Bride of Newgate (1950) is set in 1815, at the end of the Napoleonic Wars. Carr said he was most proud of his historical novels The Devil in Velvet and Fire, Burn!, which also involve Time travel.
In 1954, Carr worked with Adrian Conan Doyle, the son of Arthur Conan Doyle, to write new Sherlock Holmes stories. These were published in a collection called The Exploits of Sherlock Holmes. Carr was also asked by Arthur Conan Doyle's family to write a biography of the famous author. This book, The Life of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, came out in 1949 and was praised for being lively and entertaining.
Radio and Screen Work
John Dickson Carr wrote many scripts for radio shows. He wrote for the American show Suspense and the British show Appointment With Fear. He also wrote many other dramas for the BBC.
His 1943 radio play Cabin B-13 was later turned into a series on CBS in 1948–49. Carr wrote all 23 episodes for this series. The 1943 play was also used as the basis for the 1953 movie Dangerous Crossing. During World War II, Carr worked a lot for BBC Radio, writing both mystery stories and scripts to support the war effort. In the late 1940s, he hosted a radio show called Murder by Experts.
Carr's books were also made into several movies. These include The Man With a Cloak (1951) and Dangerous Crossing (1953). His book The Emperor's Snuffbox became the movie That Woman Opposite (1957).
His stories were also used for episodes of TV shows. In 1956, a TV series called Colonel March of Scotland Yard was made, starring Boris Karloff as Colonel March. This show had 26 episodes and was based on Carr's character and stories.
Images for kids
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John Dickson Carr, a famous mystery writer.
See also
In Spanish: John Dickson Carr para niños
