The Ten Teacups

Part of the British Library Crime Classics, this story by Carter Dickson promises to be a classic impossible crime tale. These were common during the Golden Age of crime fiction and included crimes in locked rooms and the like which. at first glance, seem to be impossible though the story later reveals the cunning method used to commit the crime.

Indeed, this story starts with a murder in a locked room and the mysterious clues of antique teacups left in the crime scene. 

So, it starts off with a great impossible crime premise... then the books seems to largely forget about it until the end. Too much time spent with dreary characters, events you wonder what relevance they are, and a themed murder party which seems pretty awful.

When we finally solve the impossible crime itself, the solution is pretty implausible. The dialogue throughout the story is not very good either, though some of the police characters are well sketched out. Not a great book overall. Impossible crime stories can be great but you can't win them all.