It is a well written, sometimes clever, sometimes predictable, but always an entertaining and fun mystery about an author who visits Baldpate, a summer hotel that usually houses old fashioned women and aging relics. He sees this location, abandoned and frozen in the wintertime, as the prime spot to write his first serious novel. After making his arrangements, he sets off for isolation, but soon after his I owned this book for a few years before reading it, and I don't know what took me so long.
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After making his arrangements, he sets off for isolation, but soon after his arrival, he recieves visitor after visitor who have motives other than isolation for their presence at Baldpate. I imagined Robert Young in the role of the protagonist, smiling amusedly through the chaos and absurdity going on around him, enjoying every minute but trying to maintain his couth throughout.
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I felt much the same way while reading. This book was first published a century ago and copies may be difficult to find, but it is worth seeking out. Read this book for free through Project Gutenberg: Sep 30, Mark Desetti rated it liked it. Not a bad book but leaves one not sure if it was intended to be real mystery or a comedy of errors - people showing up, wandering the halls of the inn, running into each other, not knowing who it is they encounter in the halls. I saw it as a somewhat comic play and thought the book would be so.
Biggers can write a good mystery - I've read all the Chan books but I just can't wrap my mind around what he was trying to do here.
Seven Keys to Baldpate
If you read it, do so as a good period piece. Sep 14, Marts Thinker rated it liked it Shelves: This was okay, some parts a bit drawn out, some parts tedious, some with a bit of excitement. The inn was interesting in that guests who go there usually leave the inn a key and the inn has the largest collection of keys in the world. So I was intrigued and decided to read an online copy of the novel. Biggers later went on to fame with his Charlie Chan series but this novel was published over 10 years prior to the first Chan.
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The story was about a writer of light fiction who wants to get away and write a great novel of literary quality. So he is given a key to the Baldpate Inn which is closed for the winter. When he arrives, the caretaker lets him in to a cold dark mausoleum-like place shades of The Shining? He decides to make due solely for the quietude. But then other people start showing up who also had a key to the inn.
One of these is a young lady he had met at the train station who he immediately falls in love with. But why are all the others there - seven keys in all?! But why is the money there and who does it belong to? This does eventually get resolved in typical popular fiction style from the early 20th century. And does our hero get the girl? Well what do you think? Overall, a kind of fun read. It must have been well-liked in its time because several movie versions of it were made as well as a play by George M. I have a couple of Biggers' Charlie Chan novels that I should also read.
I very much enjoyed Seven Keys To Baldpate, an old-time mystery by Earl Derr Biggers, whose most famous works are books starring none other than his erstwhile creation, the sleuth Charlie Chan. In my mind, Seven Keys To Baldpate reads more like a movie than a book, due to its fast paced, seemingly real-time movement. The story's wintry setting of a deserted mountaintop summer resort called "Baldpate" is vivid, and its many characters - seven of whom appear at Baldpate's door with one of the title I very much enjoyed Seven Keys To Baldpate, an old-time mystery by Earl Derr Biggers, whose most famous works are books starring none other than his erstwhile creation, the sleuth Charlie Chan.
The story's wintry setting of a deserted mountaintop summer resort called "Baldpate" is vivid, and its many characters - seven of whom appear at Baldpate's door with one of the titled "seven keys," in hopes of outwitting the others and absconding with the large sum of mysterious money to which they all lay some form of claim - are interesting and likable, even the "bad guys.
Everything becomes clear, to Mr. Magee and to us, about three-quarters through; and all along the way, the "mystery" keeps us intrigued as conversations between the cast of characters prove clever, funny, and brisk; and that's what I most liked about this book - the witty repartee. Apr 05, Tim Smith rated it really liked it. You can read my review at http: May 15, Joan - xstitchfan rated it really liked it.
First, you should know that I am a fan of Earl Derr Biggers' writing. That said, I still gave this book a 4 star review! It has some of the most interesting characters that I've read about in only one book. Also, I loved the ending - don't worry, no spoiler hints here. There is a reason that this story has been used as the basis of 7 Hollywood movies from to I believe the author began with the premise that mo First, you should know that I am a fan of Earl Derr Biggers' writing.
I believe the author began with the premise that most people will lie to strangers about themselves - sometimes a lot, sometimes a little. This is the main crux of this book. As the reader, you get to enjoy all the versions of how people describe their lives to people they've just met. But, did they meet by chance Feb 25, M. Myers rated it really liked it. This was a delightful period piece, set in and centering around a successful pulp novelist who goes to an isolated lodge to seek inspiration for a serious novel. Alas, other people with murky agendas start turning up to spoil the solitude -- and pull him into a mystery.
A gun is flashed. Television adaptations appeared in and From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The New York Times.
Seven Keys to Baldpate by Earl Derr Biggers
Retrieved September 7, McFarland — via Google Books. Seven Keys to Baldpate Earl Derr Biggers George M. Retrieved from " https: American plays plays Plays based on novels Plays by George M.
Cohan Seven Keys to Baldpate. Views Read Edit View history. Mary is in fact the owner's secretary, and is there to distract Kenneth to keep him from winning the bet. Kenneth learns this when he overhears her making a phone call, but assumes that all the other people are also part of the plot to distract him, which they are not. In fact, except for the hermit, they are part of a criminal gang.
More of the gang arrive, and with both the jewels and the money on the inn's premises, they try to seize any opportunity to double-cross each other.
Seven Keys to Baldpate - Wikisource, the free online library
When Mary tries to call the police, Cargan slips outside and cuts the telephone wire. She tries to tell Kenneth that the men are criminals, but he still assumes this is all part of the plan to distract him—until they stumble across the murdered body of one of the gang. Then they try to get away, but are unable to get past Cargan and his men.
Eventually the hermit manages to go for the police, who do not entirely believe him.
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At the inn, they try to determine who is telling the truth; Kenneth must stall for time as Cargan holds Mary at gunpoint in an adjacent room. Eventually he manages to lead the police to the dead body and the crooks are soon arrested.
But Kenneth still has to win the bet.