LemonSky reviewed Diagnosis impossible by Edward D. Hoch
Review of 'Diagnosis impossible' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
A fun collection of impossible mysteries set in rural 1920s Connecticut. Young country doctor, Sam Hawthorne, finds himself called upon to solve various mysteries, mostly (but not entirely) murders -
a horse and carriage enter a covered bridge, but don't come out the other end
a young boy vanishes from a schoolyard swing
a man is stabbed to death inside a voting booth - and there is no one else around
a body is found inside a sealed time capsule
and several other cases.
The stories are entertaining, but light and the characterization is pretty weak. Hoch is good at creating impossible crimes, but lacks the gift of Agatha Christie, Rex Stout, or Phoebe Atwood Taylor to create believable characters you care about. Even Dr Sam doesn't really come to life. The stories are all about puzzles, not people. Still, this is a fun, quick read - just don't expect …
A fun collection of impossible mysteries set in rural 1920s Connecticut. Young country doctor, Sam Hawthorne, finds himself called upon to solve various mysteries, mostly (but not entirely) murders -
a horse and carriage enter a covered bridge, but don't come out the other end
a young boy vanishes from a schoolyard swing
a man is stabbed to death inside a voting booth - and there is no one else around
a body is found inside a sealed time capsule
and several other cases.
The stories are entertaining, but light and the characterization is pretty weak. Hoch is good at creating impossible crimes, but lacks the gift of Agatha Christie, Rex Stout, or Phoebe Atwood Taylor to create believable characters you care about. Even Dr Sam doesn't really come to life. The stories are all about puzzles, not people. Still, this is a fun, quick read - just don't expect a lot of depth.