Broken Rules
There are long paragraph descriptions that break this rule
Rule # 16
In accordance with Rule #7, this "gruesome discovery" in the slime of a stagnant pond is the minimum requirement for a detective novel
What is a corpse
The "sleepy, out-of-the-way village" of Ninescore and the even more secluded island at Ash Court known as "The Wilderness" satisfy this Golden Age requirement for a murder to occur in a small, restricted space where suspects are limited
What is a closed World Setting?
She is the narrator of the story, a member of the "Female Department" at the Yard, and Lady Molly’s chosen partner for the investigation.
Who is Mary?,
Rule #1 states that this person must have an "equal opportunity" with the detective to solve the mystery by having all clues plainly described
Who is the reader?
While Rule #20(f) forbids pinning a crime on a twin or a look-alike relative, this story skirts the rule by using the confusion created when Lord Edbrooke and his brother Lionel both used this specific name while visiting Ninescore.
Mr. Lydgate
Rule #11 mandates the culprit be a "worth-while person" rather than a servant; the murderer in this story is a millionaire and a member of the peerage
Lord Edbrooke
Although the discovery of the body in the pond is described as "appalling," the narrator upholds this Golden Age characteristic by stating she will "spare you the horrible details"
What is the characteristic that avoids graphic violence?
Although he was the prime suspect due to his public association with Mary Nicholls, this character was actually at his brother's estate during the time of the murder.
Who is Lionel Lydgate?
Death by suicide breaks this rule
What is rule # 18
This rule states there should be no love interest, yet the entire mystery revolves around Mary Nicholls's affair
How is rule # 3 broken?
The man that found the body Timothy Coleman cannot be a suspect due to this rule
What is rule # 11
These misleading details, like the disappearance of Susan Nicholls, are a staple of Golden Age fiction used to distract the reader from the true culprit
What is a Red Herring
To protect her reputation while meeting a man late at night, this woman "borrowed" her sister’s blue dress, ring, and purse, leading to a case of mistaken identity after her death.
Who is Susan Nicholls?
Insert a psychic who predicts the killer and you have broken this rule
What is Rule # 8?
The culprit must be determined by logical deduction... yet our victim is tricked into a full confession
What is Rule # 5
This genre ensures that you can only have one true detective; however, in most Golden Age Mysteries, the detective often has
A sidekick
This Golden Age characteristic ensures the reader has access to the same information as the detective, such as the description of the blue dress and the red leather purse.
What is a clue-puzzle structure
Lady Molly used a bogus newspaper paragraph about this person's health to trick the real Mary Nicholls into revealing herself.
Who is Mary Nicholls’s baby?
Mafias cannot be a part of the plot because that breaks this rule.
Rule # 13
The motive for this crime is personal (she was blackmailing him!!), which follows this rule.
What is Rule #19 ?