Review of 'The Perfume of the Lady in Black (Dedalus European Classics Series)' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
As a sequel to Mystery of the Yellow Room this one surprised me; it's less straightforward as a mystery, in fact I'd say part of the puzzle is figuring out what the mystery actually is, or which of the multiple questions that get brought up throughout the book actually matter. This "looseness" is also reflected in Rouletabille's actions and demeanor, whose usual genius is incapacitated by the very personal circumstances that surround the central events of the novel, which also casts Sinclair, his assistant, in more of a handler role and makes both of them feel like onlookers rather than active participants. By the time the explanations came, I honestly wasn't as invested in the mystery aspect and some of the usual satisfaction involved was lost on me.