The detective genre’s third great wave produced many talented writers, such as Agatha Christie, Gilbert Chesterton, Gaston Leroux, and many others. John Dickson Carr (1906–1977) stands out among them for his skill in creating enigmatic stories. In works like “Murder in a Locked Room,” readers are drawn into intricate intrigues, traps, and clues—invited to take part in unraveling mysteries. In the novel “The Unicorn Murders,” the story continues about the elegant Sir Henry Merrivale, who becomes one of the most unusual detectives in literature.
The main character, a 38-year-old Briton, spent many years serving during the First World War, working in intelligence and diplomacy, but now enjoys a calm life of a tourist. One day, by chance, he witnesses a clash between a virtuoso swindler and a detective in Paris, which draws the attention of a policeman. Soon he meets a former colleague from secret services, and their lives become intertwined again.