The Mystery of the Hasty Arrow

The Mystery of the Hasty Arrow
by Anna Katherine Green
Rating: ★★★½
Publication Date: January 1, 1917
Pages: 432
Publisher: Dodd, Mead & Company

Anna Katharine Green was noted for her scientific approach to the murder mystery. First published in 1917 The Mystery of the Hasty Arrow breaks more ground with her in-depth study in the psychological interplay between the murderer, the victim and the witnesses. Although more quietly paced, this mystery presents many elements of a current psychological thriller: blind ambition, narcissism, obsession and betrayal.

It’s a long-term goal of mine to read all of Anna Katherine Green’s mysteries and this one has been sitting on my shelves for awhile now.

AKG was, and is, considered a strong mystery writer, but as is true of most every writer, her work is sometimes better than others.  This was one of the ones that wasn’t quite so great, though still an enjoyable read.  I imagine Green was going for what we’d call today a police procedural, as the murderer isn’t kept a mystery; the reader is made privy to the information the same time Inspector Gryce first voices his suspicions.  I’m not a procedural fan, as it contains less puzzle than I prefer.  There was also a plot twist that was either poorly hidden, or I’m too jaded, but I called it from the first.  Her reveal of it, though, would have knocked my socks off if I hadn’t guessed early on.

Overall, I enjoyed it and look forward to acquiring more of her work.