The golden age of detective fiction gifted us numerous star names. The works of writers such as Agatha Christie, Gilbert Chesterton, Earl Stanley Gardner, Rex Stout, developed and perfected the detective genre. Their novels, unconditionally recognized as classics, are still beloved by readers today and serve as a benchmark of quality for subsequent generations of crime story authors. An honorable place in this constellation rightfully belongs to John Dickson Carr (1906–1977) — a virtuoso master of perfectly constructed "impossible crimes in a locked room."
In 1933, in the novel "The Witch's Cave," John Dickson Carr first introduced the amateur detective Dr. Gideon Fell to the public. The novel "Eight Swords," published in 1934, is the story of the third investigation of the eccentric Dr. Fell. This time, he must uncover the circumstances of the mysterious death of Dr. Septimus Depping, found lying at his desk, meaningfully clutching a Tarot card with eight tiny swords...
