The Devil in Velvet (1951)
Blurb:
My review:
The author himself considered this to be his "single finest piece of historical fiction"-and he will find few who disagree, for it is compulsively readable, and despite its length (330 closely-printed pages), completely devoid of padding. Professor Nicholas Fenton sells his soul in order to travel back to 1675, where he inherits the body of the unpleasant Sir Nicholas Fenton (no relation), in an attempt to prevent the murder of Lydia Fenton by poisoning, and thereby undo the course of history (which leads him to blurt out things better left unsaid). This ingenious and tense situation is described with such skill and delicacy as to prove those who accuse Carr of writing artificial and mechanical puzzles wrong, for this is a remarkably human book, Carr's considerable talent shining as never before, especially in the characters of Fenton, Lydia, and her cousin Meg York. Restoration London is brought vividly to life, and with it such illustrious personages as Charles II, Nell Gwynn, and Lord Shaftesbury of the Green Ribbon Club, which soon establishes itself as a threat. With Fenton facing danger from four fronts, having to prevent Lady Fenton's murder, his murder at the head of the Cromwellites, the devil from gaining possession of his soul, and Sir Nick Fenton from gaining possession of his body, there is plenty of action and danger. This is perhaps Carr's most violent book, with swordplay in Dead Man's Lane, battles in Pall Mall, and a final thrilling duel at the Tower of London, all of which show the influence of Alexandre Dumas. If anything suffers, it is detection, for this is predominantly a novel of action. Yet Carr produces a genuinely surprising solution, as satisfying as that of The Crooked Hinge-and follows it up with an ending equally unsatisfactory.