Book – The Mystery of Cloomber (1888)

The Mystery of Cloomber by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1888) – On a secluded coastline of Scotland, two families are brought together.  Cloomber Hall is occupied by the family of a retired Indian Army general.  They wall themselves in against a threat that only they can see.  One stormy night, a shipwreck off the coast will bring more than just wreckage ashore.

For most readers, Arthur Conan Doyle begins and ends with Sherlock Holmes.  That would be a legacy that most writers would gladly accept.  If you’re a bit more of a fan you may also know “The Lost World”.  He was a prolific author.  While his output was primarily in short stories he wrote sixteen novels and several pieces for the stage.  The Holmes stories (which he did not consider his best work) made his the best-paid author of the day.

“The Mystery of Cloomber” is Doyle’s first novel.  The first Holmes story was published just the year before this one.  Conan Doyle’s tightly constructed storytelling is on display here as well.  Just like his famous detective stories, this story focuses on the workings of the human mind.  The General is pursued by his demons and sweeps his family and those around them up in the flight.  It also gives the author a chance to explore a lifelong fascination with the occult and supernatural.

At the same time, the book is a product of its time.  Some of the language and attitudes will rankle the modern reader.  I didn’t find it so disturbing as to destroy the enjoyment of the story.  One note was a little strange, however.  The image of Buddhist monks from India in fezzes struck me as bizarrely culturally unaware.  Fortunately, the image only holds the stage for a short portion of the story.

Why You Will Like It  – A nicely told story of suspense and the occult.

Rating -**** Recommended