Uncle Abner, Master of Mysteries

Start by marking “Uncle Abner Master of Mysteries: A Collection of Classic Detective Stories” as Want to Read: Be the first to ask a question about Uncle Abner Master of Mysteries. Melville Davisson Post (April 19, –June 23, ) is an American author, born in Harrison.
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There's a great historical flavor to the whole book, and the writing is also excellent, with some beautiful, atmospheric descriptive passages equal to those in Chesterton. Definitely a great read for anyone who loves classic, old-fashioned detective stories; a fine piece of entertainment with deeper, edifying elements as well. Abner is the sleuth, solving apparently insolvable crimes and defending innocence. Abner solves them with liberal applications of deductive reasoning but from a heavily scriptural viewpoint.

Along the way he quotes and applies the Bible truthfully. Mar 02, Yibbie rated it it was amazing Shelves: Set in early America. The main character is very near puritanical in his views on life, and that makes for an interesting detective.


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Review for second reading Those are the best aspects of this book. About the first aspect, staunch Christianity or maybe I should just call it faithful Christianity is a rare quality in modern fiction. Post created a Christian character who is dedicated to his God and the Word of God.

Uncle Abner Master of Mysteries

When was the last ti Set in early America. When was the last time you read a book that dared use Scripture and all the attendant social implications? Then the second one, patriotism is no longer fashionable. Post wrote with not just a love but an overwhelming respect for their faith, strength, and government.

He explains how each aspect influenced the other. He explains how they tried to put the power into the hands of the majority. The practical applications of that idea are really very interesting when applied to a mystery story. Then the mysteries are really good. Abner is a fine upright man who understands the frailties of humanity and extends mercy along with justice. The villains are quite a mix as well. They could be thoroughly vile desperadoes or desperate needy people or any situation in between.

Even the clues are unique. They could be scientific, legal, natural, or even customary. The only drawback is that there are a few curse words. The stories were okay, but they were written in the early 20th century and were set in the mid 19th, so the language made it difficult to follow. I was reading a Kindle edition, so there were what I believe were typos, but who knows. I just found it hard to follow the dialogue as the characters were not speaking as we speak today. Interesting I enjoyed this book. Great short mystery stories! I was fascinated how Abner solved these mysteries!

If you are looking for a collection of short mysteries to read, I highly recommend reading this book! Sep 10, Jack Heath marked it as to-read Shelves: This book answers the question "What if Sherlock Holmes were a cowboy? With the state government all but inaccessible across the Alleghenies, it falls to the rather unimaginative justice of the peace to be the arbiter of justice in this farming communi This book answers the question "What if Sherlock Holmes were a cowboy?

With the state government all but inaccessible across the Alleghenies, it falls to the rather unimaginative justice of the peace to be the arbiter of justice in this farming community. Fortunately, he has the assistance of the perceptive and devoutly Protestant Abner, who is astute and creative enough to think outside the box and thus unravels more than a few tangled situations to reach a just though not always strictly legal outcome. Sherlock Holmes as played by John Wayne. The stories combine the moral code of the Old West and Holmes' logical reasoning and observational skills though Abner lacks Holmes' extensive scientific training , with a healthy dose of religious conviction thrown in.

Uncle Abner, Master of Mysteries

The collection includes all 22 Uncle Abner stories, none of which is longer than 20 pages, so it's easy to read the book in small chunks. The mysteries themselves aren't all that great, though the resolution of "An Act of God" was particularly clever, and I have to respect "The Doomdorf Mystery" on account of it's one of the earliest locked-room mysteries. Still, Abner's a one-of-a-kind character, and Post's descriptions of him are fantastic. I think he compares him to Oliver Cromwell no fewer than 3 times in 22 stories, and the stories are replete with surprisingly relevant Biblical references.

Post interjects lots of historical, political, religious, and legal observations along the way, and it is these passages--rather than the actual mysteries--that make the stories worth reading. Honestly, I can't do better than to point you to this excellent article on Post, Abner, and why we should hear a lot more about them than we do.

If you enjoy old-school mysteries Agatha Christie, G. Of all the detective stories I remember originally reading in some long-forgotten Ellery Queen omnibus, Uncle Abner has stayed with me the most clearly.

In Uncle Abner's world--the Virginia hills in the s or so--there is black and there is white. The stories have a strong religious element, with good pitted against evil. There are quite a few forays into justice versus law, as well: And when is lawful not right? The stories are not all fair play, which may bother some readers. The historical viewpoint, however, has a charm of its own, and I confess to a great liking for the straightforwardness of the stories: These short mystery stories are not mysteries in the contemporary sense - they aren't whodunits which the reader has a chance to figure out the culprit.

Rather, they are crime stories which show the darker corners of human nature. Post's main character, Uncle Abner, was interesting but not enough for me to want to read more. Originally published in , these stories are set in the mid s in Virginia. They are as interesting for their historical setting as for the clever deductions made by Uncle Abner in the pursuit of justice. As the story progresses, the reader is led to the suspect without understanding how Uncle Abner has arrived at his conclusion. Often the solution cannot be deduced by the reader because of the withholding of a vital fact, which would not be considered "fair" nowadays.

Highly recommended f Originally published in , these stories are set in the mid s in Virginia. Highly recommended for mystery buffs. The stories are uneven and there is never a doubt whodunit, but even the lesser stories are excellent. The best are among the finest mystery stories ever written. The stories are set in what is today West Virginia before the Civil War and some stories are marred with stereotypical portrayals of African-American slaves.

Reader Reviews

Not that this in any way justifies the author's choices in his portrayals of African-Americans, but the stories were wr The stories are uneven and there is never a doubt whodunit, but even the lesser stories are excellent. Not that this in any way justifies the author's choices in his portrayals of African-Americans, but the stories were written a century ago by a man who was born in and lived his whole life in West Virginia. Over the top awesome. Another great Christian detective. Maybe even better than Father Brown. Imagine a massive Calvinist who solves crimes in 19th century Virginia.

Deserves a wide audience. Transport Father Brown to the hills of Virginia, give him physical strength to match his wits and character, set him on a horse, and you have Uncle Abner. These fine mystery tales were first published in Aug 16, D-day rated it liked it Recommends it for: Students of the Crime genre.

Recommended to D-day by: Top Crime and Mystery List. Published in the 's and 20's these short stories are seminal works in the history of American crime fiction. Mostly interesting to modern readers for their setting in Antebellum Virginia.

Uncle Abner: Master of Mysteries

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Uncle Abner, Master Of Mysteries

Get access to the best in romance: See More New Releases. Uncle Abner, Master of Mysteries. Uncle Abner is a sturdy mountaineer who helps to solve the mysteries tragedies and crimes which occur in the Virginia mountains where he lives. There are eighteen short stories which have appeared in magazines at various times. Your Cart items Cart total.