Department of Dead Ends: 14 Detective Stories

Rating:
Summary: Best 'inverted' detective stories ever -- and original
Review: These are 'inverted' detective stories -- you see the crime first, a la Columbo. They are much more interesting than any other inverteds I have found, including R Austin Freeman's. These are insightful stories of character, with an odd sense of humor. And the solution is mnore the result of dumb luck and coincidence than the detective's brilliance. First rate and most original. One my half dozen favorite mystery books.

Rating:
Summary: Beats Dr. Freeman
Review: This is the first really great detective story book I've ever read since I finished all of Doyle and Christie's. As said in Queen's introduction to this book, all stories are told in the way invented by Dr. Freeman, but Vikers' story telling skills are obviously much better than the lecturing of Dr. Freeman.