Jacques Futrelle was among the many famous passengers on the R.M.S. Titanic. One of the most celebrated American mystery writers of his time, he was also one of the over 1,500 people who didn't survive the ship's disastrous sinking.
The Titanic Murders (Disaster Series)
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Product Description
About the Author
Max Allan Collins is the New York Times best-selling author of Road to Perdition and multiple award-winning novels, screenplays, comic books, comic strips, trading cards, short stories, movie novelizations, and historical fiction. He has scripted the Dick Tracy comic strip, Batman comic books, and written tie-in novels based on the CSI, Bones, and Dark Angel TV series; collaborated with legendary mystery author Mickey Spillane; and authored numerous mystery series including Quarry, Nolan, Mallory, and the bestselling Nathan Heller historical thrillers. His additional Disaster series mystery novels include The Lusitania Murders, The Hindenburg Murders, The Pearl Harbor Murders, The London Blitz Murders, and The War of the Worlds Murder. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By JK
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is quite fun: by taking the great disaster as a backdrop to a murder mystery, the author makes himself three great gifts:
1. The opportunity to ladle on titanic levels of dramatic irony;
2. The opportunity for fun with real-life characters (Jack Futrelle as detective);
3. The opportunity to explore the implications for morality of an enclosed world where there will be no tomorrow (at least from the moment that the realisation that the ship is sinking sinks in).
The first two of these Collins exploits with gusto, the third less so; he has done his research: he recreates with loving attention to detail the appearance and atmosphere on board the sinkable unsinkable liner; he knows who was there; he knows what was on the menu, what music was played, etc. etc.
Using the (wholly factual) fictional mystery writer Jack Futrelle (inventor of that other Sherlock Holmes, Prof S.F.X. Van Dusen, aka The Thinking Machine) as the character through whom this other (fictional) blackmail mystery is told is an inspired idea.
But...
Since we know that, before very long, the ship will sink, (nearly) all will be lost and justice will go undone, it does become very difficult to care, at least about the whodunnit.
I suppose, though, just as the prologue of a Shakespearean play gives the ending away before the action has even begun, our pleasure must here, too, come from the way in which the story is told, rather than any sense of surprise in how it ends.
And the way in which this story is told is ... fun.
Just don't expect great depths - except for the obvious ones.
1. The opportunity to ladle on titanic levels of dramatic irony;
2. The opportunity for fun with real-life characters (Jack Futrelle as detective);
3. The opportunity to explore the implications for morality of an enclosed world where there will be no tomorrow (at least from the moment that the realisation that the ship is sinking sinks in).
The first two of these Collins exploits with gusto, the third less so; he has done his research: he recreates with loving attention to detail the appearance and atmosphere on board the sinkable unsinkable liner; he knows who was there; he knows what was on the menu, what music was played, etc. etc.
Using the (wholly factual) fictional mystery writer Jack Futrelle (inventor of that other Sherlock Holmes, Prof S.F.X. Van Dusen, aka The Thinking Machine) as the character through whom this other (fictional) blackmail mystery is told is an inspired idea.
But...
Since we know that, before very long, the ship will sink, (nearly) all will be lost and justice will go undone, it does become very difficult to care, at least about the whodunnit.
I suppose, though, just as the prologue of a Shakespearean play gives the ending away before the action has even begun, our pleasure must here, too, come from the way in which the story is told, rather than any sense of surprise in how it ends.
And the way in which this story is told is ... fun.
Just don't expect great depths - except for the obvious ones.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By finalguy
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Kindle Edition
Good story! I like alternate history a lot and although the outcome for the doomed ship was the same of course, the fictional account of the murders aboard the ship was very well done.
The descriptions of the Titanic were very well done and the characters were well told too. My only real complaint with the writing (and this is nitpicky) was the overuse of alliteration. Alliteration certainly has it's place, but for me, it's more in kid's books and poetry. Often it took me out of the story a little. Again, nitpicky, but it was hard to find to much fault with anything else.
Glad that it's a series, as I'll definitely check out more, especially with todays kindle deal!
The descriptions of the Titanic were very well done and the characters were well told too. My only real complaint with the writing (and this is nitpicky) was the overuse of alliteration. Alliteration certainly has it's place, but for me, it's more in kid's books and poetry. Often it took me out of the story a little. Again, nitpicky, but it was hard to find to much fault with anything else.
Glad that it's a series, as I'll definitely check out more, especially with todays kindle deal!
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Max Allan Collins is a prolific author, whose best known series is that of Nathan HellerTrue Detective (Nathan Heller Novels), in which true crimes are interweaved in a fictional mystery. In this Disaster Series, the author also uses real life events and creates a mystery story based around them. The first in this series uses the iconic ship Titanic, with real life detective writer Jacques Futrelle The Collected Mysteries of Jacques Futrelle (Halcyon Classics) as his hero. Jacques (Jack) Futrelle was a passenger on Titanic and we begin the novel with Jack and his wife surprised at being given a first class cabin, rather than the second class one he has booked. While Futrelle wonders about his sudden promotion to first class, he is also intrigued by another passenger - John Bertram Crafton - who seems to be upsetting people before even setting foot on board ship. When there is a murder, Futrelle is asked to investigate and what follows is a charming view of Titanic on her maiden voyage. Anybody who was anybody was on board and Collins uses the incredible passenger list and opulence of the ship to great effect.
There are more books in this series: The Hindenburg Murders (Disaster Series), The Pearl Harbor Murders (Disaster Series), The Lusitania Murders (Disaster Series), The London Blitz Murders (Disaster Series) and The War of the Worlds Murder (Disaster Series). Obviously, they are all stand alone novels, but I think they are a wonderful idea and I am glad they are now on kindle.
There are more books in this series: The Hindenburg Murders (Disaster Series), The Pearl Harbor Murders (Disaster Series), The Lusitania Murders (Disaster Series), The London Blitz Murders (Disaster Series) and The War of the Worlds Murder (Disaster Series). Obviously, they are all stand alone novels, but I think they are a wonderful idea and I am glad they are now on kindle.
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4.1 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Unusual idea that worked well
I liked this idea whereby a story run along such a well known event, although not new it certainly stood its ground. Very easy to read and certainly moves along at a nice pace. Read more
Published 5 days ago by S. Rayner
5.0 out of 5 stars
Better than the movie of a similar name
Really enjoyed this and the way it is linked into actual historic events is great - much preferred this to the film Titanic where they made up some soppy rubbish whereas this was a... Read more
Published 5 days ago by Paul
5.0 out of 5 stars
Well concocted mystery
This was an interesting murder mystery set on the doomed liner, in that all the characters and suspects are real historical figures, many of them the famous names like Astor,... Read more
Published 1 month ago by John Hopper
5.0 out of 5 stars
fascinating
I loved all these books, they gave a really good insight into the history while also being a really good tale.
Published 1 month ago by Gazza
5.0 out of 5 stars
no sinking feeling with this one....
Enjoyed very much - good unusual murder story which gave a real 'feel' on what daily life on the Titanic was like for the short time before the disaster. Read more
Published 1 month ago by deedee
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent
I had never heard of this author and was quite surprised to find how good the writing was. An excellent read. Have now bought the others in this series.
Published 1 month ago by aurora
1.0 out of 5 stars
Uninspired, self serving, dull.
I think the author churns these out in his sleep. At least i only payed 99p for it. And then i couldn't get to the end. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Andy Rowlett
3.0 out of 5 stars
Sunk
Maybe I've read too many books about the Titanic. I found several of the characters difficult to like and therefore to empathise with, but I may well be too picky.
Published 2 months ago by cherubino
3.0 out of 5 stars
An ok read.
A fair read. Not compelling. I found it rather contrived, the setting rather overwhelmed the story. Adequate but not thrilling.
Published 2 months ago by Ms S. D. Kelly
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Good Yarn
The concept of a mystery within a well known historical event is fascinating.
The author takes you back to a time of luxury for the rich and lets you experience the feel of... Read more
The author takes you back to a time of luxury for the rich and lets you experience the feel of... Read more
Published 2 months ago by AE
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