Gideon Fell
Encyclopedia
Doctor Gideon Fell is a fictional character
created by John Dickson Carr
. He is the protagonist of 23 novels from 1933 through 1967 as well as a few short stories. Carr was an American who lived most of his adult life in England; Dr. Fell is an Englishman who lives in the London suburbs.
Dr. Fell is described as a corpulent man with a moustache who wears a cape and a shovel hat and walks with the aid of two canes. He is frequently described as bringing the spirit of Father Christmas
or Old King Cole
into a room. In his early appearances he was introduced as a lexicographer but this description gradually disappeared and he was thereafter mostly referred to as working on a monumental history of the beer-drinking habits of the English people. He is an amateur sleuth, frequently called upon by the police, whom he frustrates in the usual manner of most fictional detectives by refusing to reveal his deductions until he has arrived at a complete solution to the problem. Most of Fell's exploits concern the unravelling of locked room mysteries
or of "impossible crimes". When he himself becomes frustrated, he is likely to cry out, "Archons of Athens!"
Doctor Fell is supposedly based upon G. K. Chesterton
(author of the Father Brown
stories), whose physical appearance and personality were apparently similar to those of Doctor Fell.
Chapter 17 of the celebrated novel The Three Coffins contains Dr. Fell's equally celebrated "locked room lecture", in which he delineates many of the methods by which apparently locked-room or impossible-crime murders might be committed. In the course of his discourse, he states, off-handedly, that he and his listeners are, of course, characters in a book.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
created by John Dickson Carr
John Dickson Carr
John Dickson Carr was an American author of detective stories, who also published under the pen names Carter Dickson, Carr Dickson and Roger Fairbairn....
. He is the protagonist of 23 novels from 1933 through 1967 as well as a few short stories. Carr was an American who lived most of his adult life in England; Dr. Fell is an Englishman who lives in the London suburbs.
Dr. Fell is described as a corpulent man with a moustache who wears a cape and a shovel hat and walks with the aid of two canes. He is frequently described as bringing the spirit of Father Christmas
Father Christmas
Father Christmas is the name used in many English-speaking countries for a figure associated with Christmas. A similar figure with the same name exists in several other countries, including France , Spain , Brazil , Portugal , Italy , Armenia , India...
or Old King Cole
Old King Cole
"Old King Cole" is an English nursery rhyme. The historical identity of King Cole has been much debated and several candidates have been advanced as possibilities...
into a room. In his early appearances he was introduced as a lexicographer but this description gradually disappeared and he was thereafter mostly referred to as working on a monumental history of the beer-drinking habits of the English people. He is an amateur sleuth, frequently called upon by the police, whom he frustrates in the usual manner of most fictional detectives by refusing to reveal his deductions until he has arrived at a complete solution to the problem. Most of Fell's exploits concern the unravelling of locked room mysteries
Locked room mystery
The locked room mystery is a sub-genre of detective fiction in which a crime—almost always murder—is committed under apparently impossible circumstances. The crime in question typically involves a crime scene that no intruder could have entered or left, e.g., a locked room...
or of "impossible crimes". When he himself becomes frustrated, he is likely to cry out, "Archons of Athens!"
Doctor Fell is supposedly based upon G. K. Chesterton
G. K. Chesterton
Gilbert Keith Chesterton, KC*SG was an English writer. His prolific and diverse output included philosophy, ontology, poetry, plays, journalism, public lectures and debates, literary and art criticism, biography, Christian apologetics, and fiction, including fantasy and detective fiction....
(author of the Father Brown
Father Brown
Father Brown is a fictional character created by English novelist G. K. Chesterton, who stars in 52 short stories, later compiled in five books. Chesterton based the character on Father John O'Connor , a parish priest in Bradford who was involved in Chesterton's conversion to Catholicism in 1922...
stories), whose physical appearance and personality were apparently similar to those of Doctor Fell.
Chapter 17 of the celebrated novel The Three Coffins contains Dr. Fell's equally celebrated "locked room lecture", in which he delineates many of the methods by which apparently locked-room or impossible-crime murders might be committed. In the course of his discourse, he states, off-handedly, that he and his listeners are, of course, characters in a book.
Chronology
- 1933, Hag's NookHag's NookHag's Nook, first published in 1933, is a detective story by John Dickson Carr and the first to feature his series detective Gideon Fell. This novel is a mystery of the type known as a whodunnit.-Plot summary:...
- 1933, The Mad Hatter MysteryThe Mad Hatter MysteryThe Mad Hatter Mystery, first published in 1933, is a detective story by John Dickson Carr featuring his series detective Gideon Fell. This novel is a mystery of the type known as a whodunnit.-Plot summary:...
- 1934, The Eight of SwordsThe Eight of SwordsThe Eight of Swords, first published in 1934, is a detective story by John Dickson Carr featuring his series detective Gideon Fell. This novel is a mystery of the type known as a whodunnit.-Plot summary:Mr...
- 1934, The Blind BarberThe Blind BarberThe Blind Barber, first published in 1934, is a detective story by John Dickson Carr featuring his series detective Gideon Fell. This novel is a mystery of the type known as a whodunnit.-Plot summary:...
- 1935, Death-Watch
- 1935, The Hollow ManThe Hollow ManHollow Man or The Hollow Man may refer to:*The Hollow Man , a locked room mystery novel by John Dickson Carr*The Hollow Man , a science fiction novel by the US writer Dan Simmons...
(The Three Coffins)
- 1936, The Arabian Nights MurderThe Arabian Nights MurderThe Arabian Nights Murder, first published in 1936, is a detective story by John Dickson Carr featuring his series detective Gideon Fell. This novel is a mystery of the type known as a whodunnit.-Plot summary:...
- 1937, To Wake the DeadTo Wake the DeadTo Wake the Dead, first published in 1938, is a detective story by John Dickson Carr featuring his series detective Gideon Fell. This novel is a mystery of the type known as a whodunnit.-Plot summary:...
- 1938, The Crooked HingeThe Crooked HingeThe Crooked Hinge is a mystery novel by detective novelist John Dickson Carr. It combines a seemingly impossible throat-slashing with elements of witchcraft, an automaton modelled on Maelzel's Chess Player, and the story of the Tichborne Claimant....
- 1939, The Problem of the Green CapsuleThe Black SpectaclesThe Black Spectacles , first published in 1939, is a detective story by John Dickson Carr featuring his series detective Gideon Fell...
(The black spectacles/Mystery in limelight)
- 1939, The Problem of the Wire CageThe Problem of the Wire CageThe Problem of the Wire Cage, first published in 1939, is a detective story by John Dickson Carr featuring his series detective Gideon Fell...
- 1940, The Man Who Could Not ShudderThe Man Who Could Not ShudderThe Man Who Could Not Shudder, first published in 1940, is a detective story by John Dickson Carr featuring his series detective Gideon Fell...
- 1941, The Case of the Constant SuicidesThe Case of the Constant SuicidesThe Case of the Constant Suicides, first published in 1941, is a detective story by John Dickson Carr. Like much of Dickson Carr's work, this novel is a locked room mystery, in addition to being a whodunnit. Unlike most of the other Dr...
- 1941, Death Turns the TablesDeath Turns the TablesDeath Turns the Tables, first published in 1941 , is a detective story by John Dickson Carr which features Carr's series detective Gideon Fell. This novel is a mystery of the type known as a whodunnit.-Plot summary:Mr...
- 1941, The Seat of the Scornful
- 1944, Till Death Do Us Part
- 1946, He Who WhispersHe Who WhispersHe Who Whispers is a mystery novel by detective novelist John Dickson Carr. Like Many of the works by this author feature so-called impossible crimes...
- 1947, The Sleeping SphinxThe Sleeping SphinxThe Sleeping Sphinx, first published in 1947, is a detective story by John Dickson Carr which features Carr's series detective Gideon Fell...
- 1949, Below Suspicion
- 1958, The Dead Man's KnockThe Dead Man's KnockThe Dead Man's Knock, first published in 1958, is a detective story by John Dickson Carr which features Carr's series detective Gideon Fell. This novel is a mystery of the type known as a locked room mystery.-Plot summary:...
- 1960, In Spite of ThunderIn Spite of ThunderIn Spite of Thunder, first published in 1960, is a detective story by John Dickson Carr which features Carr's series detective Gideon Fell...
- 1965, The House at Satan's ElbowThe House at Satan's ElbowThe House at Satan's Elbow, first published in 1965, is a detective story by John Dickson Carr featuring his series detective Gideon Fell. This novel is a mystery of the type known as a locked room mystery...
- 1966, Panic in Box C
- 1967, Dark of the Moon
- 1991, Fell and Foul Play