A review by alanffm
The Big Bow Mystery by Israel Zangwill

4.0

Unfortunately, it’s very hard to talk about Zangwill’s genius tale, The Big Bow Mystery, without ruining it. All I have to say is that there is a crucial moral and legal dilemma nested in this story that keeps it fresh and accessible to modern readers as, from a legal perspective, the problem proposed has yet to be fully addressed. The book’s pacing is weird - it starts off strong, slows down and then goes out with a bang. I hesitate giving it four because of this, but I think that because the novella can be read in one sitting, poor pacing can be excused. I strongly recommend The Big Bow Mystery to lovers of mystery and those interested in law. A great read.