The House Without a Key edition by Earl Derr Biggers Mystery Thriller Suspense eBooks
Download As PDF : The House Without a Key edition by Earl Derr Biggers Mystery Thriller Suspense eBooks 
The Charlie Chan series #1 The novel, which takes place in 1920s Hawaiʻi, spends time acquainting the reader with the look and feel of the islands of that era from the standpoint of both white and non-white...
The House Without a Key edition by Earl Derr Biggers Mystery Thriller Suspense eBooks
I found this book very entertaining and an easy read. I was weary of it because the main character is Charlie Chan, an infamously racist portrayal of an ethnic character in the movies. However in the book, and taking everything into historical context, I found the character of Charlie Chan very appealing. Very Columbo-like. But the main attraction for me, was reading about Hawaii and specifically Honolulu, in a long ago time. Before droves of tourists and cars. When walking along Waikiki Beach in the moonlight could be a solitary and lovely thing. Today, the outdoor bar at the Halekulani Hotel in Honolulu today is called the House Without a Key, based on this novel. The hotel is actually located in approximately the very spot were part of the story takes place in the book. At that time, the Halekulani was a very small , provincial hotel. Visiting it on my last trip to Hawaii left me with a lovely warm feeling about old Hawaii and about the book I had just read. This is a great beachy summertime read, especially if you're on the beach in Waikiki.Product details
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The House Without a Key edition by Earl Derr Biggers Mystery Thriller Suspense eBooks Reviews
Recently, I watched a few old Charlie Chan movies from the mid-'40s, starring Sidney Toler (who took up the reins after Warner Oland retired). These movies mesmerized me as a kid and probably are the reason I like mysteries so much as an adult. However, I had never read any of the Charlie Chan mysteries before so I looked them up at and started loading them into my . Sadly, there are only 6 specific Chan mysteries written by Earl Derr Biggers and several wannabe-Chan-mysteries.
The House Without A Key is the world's introduction to Charlie Chan and it is an absolutely terrific mystery that keeps you wondering whodunit right up to the point that Charlie divulges his crowning theory.
The book takes place entirely in Hawaii (subsequent mysteries take place on the US mainland, mostly in San Francisco) in a time when the island was still pretty sleepy and before the mechanization of it, which followed soon after. Biggers spends quite a bit of time creating the mood of not only the island but each specific locale, be it the rundown hotel or the wealthy house without a key. The scenes are rich with scents and breezes and, of course, intrigue.
John Quincy Winterslip, of the hoity-toity New England Winterslips, arrives in Honolulu by steamship to rescue his Aunt Minerva, who has stayed with relatives in Hawaii long past the time she had originally intended, mainly because she is so enamored by the mysterious and beguiling islands. Much to John Quincy's dismay, he arrives to find his Uncle Dan murdered. His involvement with sleuthing is somewhat forced upon him by his Aunt, who thinks he should remain abreast of every little thing that is happening, so, reluctantly, he does. His reluctance, however, melts away quickly as he discovers how much fun he's having while learning the sleuthing trade from Detective-Sergeant Charlie Chan, who above all, tries to teach him patience. When we meet Charlie Chan initially, he is characterized as a fat, almost obese, Chinaman, who is also quizzical, but very clever and thoughtful, occasionally spouting Chinese witticisms. Chan's methodical movements are quite beguiling to John Quincy, who wants to rush in where fools tread. Couple John Quincy's impatience with his raging hormones and you've got some under-story that leads us off on tangents that catch us up in that same impatience! As we get deeper into the mystery, people from Uncle Dan's nefarious past begin to pop up. Before too much can be figured out, more and more red herrings appear from nowhere!
From cousins who hadn't spoken to Uncle Dan in years (despite living next door) and mysterious dock workers hanging out in the shadows to flat-footed detectives and a run-down hotel on the beaches of Waikiki, we meet every nefarious character you can imagine. This book takes you meandering through the pungent and creepy air surrounding Diamond Head and environs with absolutely succulent images that you can almost taste.
In particular, I was enamored by the descriptions of the environs of the islands, where, John Quincy learns from an old newspaperman, that the present day waterfront has nothing on the waterfront "from the eighties"......and that would be the 1880s!! The age of sailing ships and outriggers in the bay off Honolulu. Still, despite the sleepy mechanization of the islands, a trolley ride from the Winterslip's mansion near Diamond Head down the avenue to downtown Honolulu seems to take minutes or even moments, not snarled by the traffic that would ensnare it later in the 20th century!
I've only touched on the plot a pinch because I honestly think you ought to just READ THE BOOK! Trust me, you'll enjoy every bit of it. Like I said, Earl Derr Biggers only wrote 6 Charlie Chan mysteries despite the fact that there a couple of dozen CC films spread between the mid-'30s to mind-'40s. [One such book was adapted 8 times (!) into several different forms of the movie.] I'll guarantee you that you will not want the book to end so you can spend more time walking down the beaches, riding the trolleys, and lounging about on the hotel's porch, not to mention spend some time in the murder victim's house!
And then, like I did, launch yourself into another Charlie Chan mystery!
This one is a real gem. Great story, with lots of interesting characters, an entertaining bit of romance, a baffling mystery, all set in the Honolulu of the 1920's. All in all, great stuff. Mr. Biggers fictional detective, Charlie Chan, is an icon of the type; always composed, careful in his speech, excruciatingly polite in his manners, and relentless in his search for the killer. The character of Charlie Chan creates the focal point around which the events of the murder mystery eventually unfold. Although Charlie Chan is a major character in this story, he isn't the main character, that falls to young John Quincy Winterslip, of the Boston Winterslips, scion of an old Boston Brahmin family. It is through the adventures of young Winterslip that the plot unfolds, romance beckons, and the action centers.
The House Without a Key is a very well written story that stands the test of time, the dialog is crisp and interesting, the narrative flows steadily along, and the gulf in time since the story was written seems somehow insignificant. You won't need a dictionary or a thesaurus to follow the story. There is some Island vernacular thrown in, but, all is well explained as the story moves along. Mr. Biggers displays an admirable mastery of the writer's craft in building this story. His main characters are well drawn and fully developed, his prose is fluid, and his descriptions of Honolulu in the 1920's are wonderfully detailed and lush, almost pornographic, in their passionate embrace of a time and a place that are, alas, no more.
For 99 cents on , your time, and your money, will be well spent.
I love musty crime novels (Agatha Christy, anyone?). Earl Derr Biggars created his detective shortly after visiting the Islands now almost 100 years ago when Hawaii was a sleepy paradise that required a three or four day sea voyage. His Chan, based apparently on a real Hawaiian detective, is quite familiar to those who have watched the popular movie series. In his books, however, the astute detective is often only a minor character, with usually a young man pursuing a lovely young woman who has gotten involved in a murder (or jewel theft, usually both) the main draw. Biggars is a master plots-man and scene setter. And while there is a thread of racism in many of the characters Biggars himself is clearly not on their side. His affection for Chan is palpable and he often allows Chan to skewer the racial attitudes of the time. Like I said, these are period pieces and reflect their time and prejudices and may not fit the ideals of the 21st Century, but Biggars --and Charlie-- lived in that now shadowland on the eve of cataclysms that rearranged their cozy world--and ours. Read him with a gentle mind and I think you will be rewarded.
I found this book very entertaining and an easy read. I was weary of it because the main character is Charlie Chan, an infamously racist portrayal of an ethnic character in the movies. However in the book, and taking everything into historical context, I found the character of Charlie Chan very appealing. Very Columbo-like. But the main attraction for me, was reading about Hawaii and specifically Honolulu, in a long ago time. Before droves of tourists and cars. When walking along Waikiki Beach in the moonlight could be a solitary and lovely thing. Today, the outdoor bar at the Halekulani Hotel in Honolulu today is called the House Without a Key, based on this novel. The hotel is actually located in approximately the very spot were part of the story takes place in the book. At that time, the Halekulani was a very small , provincial hotel. Visiting it on my last trip to Hawaii left me with a lovely warm feeling about old Hawaii and about the book I had just read. This is a great beachy summertime read, especially if you're on the beach in Waikiki.
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