Synopses & Reviews
Capek wrote 48 stories that deconstruct the mystery story by breaking one rule here, three rules there, and yet also make for wonderful reading. His unique approaches to the mysteries of justice and truth are full of the ordinary and the extraordinary, humor and humanism.
Review
“Capeks delightfully inventive tales . . . stretch the detective story to its limits and, in the process, tell us much about the mysteries of human existence.” —The New York Times Book Review
Review
“One of the Best Books of 1994.” —Publishers Weekly
Review
“It's time to read Capek again for his insouciant laughter, and the anguish of human blindness that lies beneath it.”
About the Author
Karel Capek (18901938) is generally considered the greatest Czech author of the first half of this century. He was Czechoslovakia's leading novelist, playwright, story writer, and columnist, and the spirit of its short-lived democracy. His plays appeared on Broadway soon after their debut in Prague, and his books were translated into many languages. Capek expressed himself in the form of accessible and highly enjoyable writing.