Diagnosis Impossible: The Problems of Dr. Sam Hawthorne

This was a fun collection of stories that each feature an impossible crime. Told in a series of flashbacks, Dr. Sam Hawthorne begins his recollections as a country doctor in rural Connecticut in the 1920s.

The contents include (my favorites marked with a *):
1. The Problem of the Covered Bridge*
2. The Problem of the Old Gristmill
3. The Problem of the Lobster Shack*
4. The Problem of the Haunted Bandstand
5. The Problem of the Locked Caboose*
6. The Problem of the Little Red Schoolhouse*
7. The Problem of the Christmas Steeple
8. The Problem of Cell 16
9. The Problem of the Country Inn*
10. The Problem of the Voting Booth
11. The Problem of the County Fair
12. The Problem of the Old Oak Tree

There is also, at the end of the book, a chronology of show more Sam Hawthorne stories.

The stories were fun, but by the end, picking up on Hawthorne's methods, I was pretty much able to figure out the last few. However, it is a joy to read -- the author tells his stories in a folksy tone and doesn't take himself too seriously as a mystery writer.

I think people who like locked-room mysteries or impossible crimes will really enjoy this one; even cozy readers will probably like this one because it is easy to read, uninvolved and uncomplicated. This book is a welcome addition to my mystery shelves, and I can definitely recommend it. show less

Anyone familiar with vintage mysteries such as those in Ellery Queen or Alfred Hitchcock Magazines has heard the name Edward D. Hoch – and, in fact, many think he is the finest author in this genre. He has received the Mystery Writers of America’s highest honour, the Grand Master Award, and he has been recognized for Lifetime Achievement by the Private Eye Writers of America and the Bouchercon. According to FantasticFiction.com, Ed Hoch is the only author who specializes in the mystery short story to receive such recognition.

Dr. Sam is a country doctor in what I recall seemed the early part of the twentieth century. There were still horses and carriages, but Dr. Sam did have a nice roadster. Aside from making house calls and show more doctoring the county, Dr. Sam is an amateur sleuth.

Many of these stories first appeared in one of those fine mystery magazines mentioned above. If you’re a fan of those, you’ll love this. I did.

Thank you to the Puzzle Doctor at In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel for letting me know about this.

4 stars show less

I'm not much of a fan of short stories as a rule, but these dozen "impossible crimes" left me wishing for more.