Reviews

The Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart

pickpoppies's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

There were plenty of things I like here, it read more like a Gothic story that your typical murder mystery. But despite all the moments, I didn’t like the main character. She starts out with basically being okay with driver over dogs… 

But I will look for adaptations of this, might be a nice watch.

I had an audiobook and I think it was a cleaned up version

mrsjdoc's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

Charming and fun, with plenty of clues.

melissa_who_reads's review against another edition

2.0

Mary Roberts Rinehart is the reason the "Had-I-But-Known" genre of mysteries was invented: she is the master, and probably the originator. This story, published in 1908, takes place in a rented summer place in what is presumably upstate New York (but not too far upstate): Miss Rachel Innes and her household rent Sunnyside, and are subjected to noises at night, a body at the bottom of the circular staircase, and burning stables - meanwhile, her niece is in love with a bank cashier who is suspected of defaulting with the securities of the bank, and her nephew is in love with the stepdaughter of the man who is president of the bank - and incidentally the owner of the rented house.

But it is hard to get past the casual racism of the upper class people in this story, particularly the narrators- it was written in 1908, it is absolutely authentic, but it is hard to stomach. The butler is African American, and ... well, the condescension and racism in describing him are remarkable (I would like to say to modern eyes, but there are some white people living who would probably agree with the both the classism and racism of the main characters, more's the pity).

So, a period piece, and one that's hard to read without wincing.

collectedscribbles's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

3.5

krobart's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

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Content Warnings

Minor: Racial slurs

aerovero's review against another edition

1.0

mediocre murder mystery, but with racism. 0/10

countofpoictesme's review against another edition

mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

showell's review against another edition

2.0

I read this bc Rinehart is said to be the American Agatha Christie, and I have been enjoying rereading Poirot lately. Rinehart, who wrote this around 1908, didn’t age well as Christie. I would describe this book not as an American Agatha Christie, but as being what a Nancy Drew mystery would be if Nancy were in her fifties and racist. I am told that Rinehart is funny, but the casual racism robbed this book of any humor for me.

mkaybaker07's review against another edition

5.0

so so so so good. It held up really well despite being over 100 years old. Everyone needs to read this, she's basically an American Agatha Christie. So great.

ocallage's review against another edition

mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0