Randall Garrett's classic fantasy detective makes for a fun read. Unlike many detective stories readers are given enough information that most of the time you have a chance of figuring out the answer from the clues. But the answer is never so obvious that anyone but a dedicated reader of mysteries will figure it out quickly--if at all.

For those who do figure out the answer on the first page, there is plenty of fun character interaction, a bit of political maneuvering and even a touch of romance to keep the story interesting.

Magic- and world building-geeks will appreciate the well thought out magic system and the pedagogal Master Seamus who loves to explain how and why magic works to anyone who asks. Since these explanations are often important to understanding the clues to the mystery, they don't slow down the narrative too much but your mileage may vary.

All-in-all a fun read for fans of fantasy and mystery. ( )

Ein netter Fantasy-Krimi = 4 1/2 Sterne.
Zum fünften Stern reicht es leider nicht ganz. Dazu bleibt mir Lord Darcy zu blass und konturlos. Er ist intelligent und kann gut kombinieren - aber was noch?
Die Hauptfigur steht hier nicht im Mittelpunkt, schon mehr der gute Plot und die schön gestaltete Welt. ( )

Excellent roman. Utopie et uchronie qui m'ont sorti de ma zone de confort. J'ai beaucoup apprécié l'atmosphère de ce roman.

Alternate history, locked door mysteries, sorcery, lively and interesting characters; make these classics fun to read again, fifty years later.. The short stories easily compensate for the rather slow and drawn out novelette, ( )

Wonderfully written alternative history, fantasy detective stories. Lord Darcy is one of the heirs of Holmes. ( )