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‘Paul Halter is France’s answer to John Dickson Carr’ Martin Edwards
The ultimate locked-room mystery.
In Paul Halter’s The Fourth Door, the impossible becomes reality. A haunted room. An unbroken seal. A murder victim whose very identity is an enigma. And then, a second death in a house surrounded by untrodden snow. Both crimes defy reason – but master detective Dr. Alan Twist reveals that even the most baffling mysteries have rational explanations.
This international bestseller is a masterpiece of intrigue and misdirection, hailed as the French answer to John Dickson Carr and a modern rival to Anthony Horowitz (The Twist of a Knife). Fans of Sophie Hannah’s Poirot mysteries and the layered puzzles of Knives Out will relish this thrilling, twist-laden tale. Winner of the Prix du Roman Policier, Halter cements his place as a titan of the locked-room genre.
Discover The Fourth Door, alongside Halter’s other captivating works like The Lord of Misrule and The Night of the Wolf.
Ingenious Locked-Room Puzzle: A double mystery that will challenge even the savviest fans of the genre, blending logic with eerie, supernatural overtones.
Critically Acclaimed Bestseller: Winner of the Prix du Roman Policier and widely regarded as a modern classic, appealing to fans of Anthony Horowitz and Sophie Hannah.
Category: Crime & mystery
RRP: £9.99
ISBN: 9781835013489
Published: November 6, 2025
Extent: 192 pages
RRP: £6.99
ISBN: 9781835013496
Published: November 6, 2025
‘Paul Halter is France’s answer to John Dickson Carr, and The Fourth Door is a plot-driven puzzle feast, packed with intriguing locked room mysteries and other apparent miracles’ Martin Edwards, a CWA Diamond Dagger winner and President of the Detection Club
'Paul Halter is France's answer to John Dickson Carr' Martin Edwards
The ultimate locked-room mystery.
In Paul Halter's The Fourth Door, the impossible becomes reality. A haunted room. An unbroken seal. A murder victim whose very identity is an enigma. And then, a second death in a house surrounded by untrodden snow. Both crimes defy reason – but master detective Dr. Alan Twist reveals that even the most baffling mysteries have rational explanations.
This international bestseller is a masterpiece of intrigue and misdirection, hailed as the French answer to John Dickson Carr and a modern rival to Anthony Horowitz (The Twist of a Knife). Fans of Sophie Hannah's Poirot mysteries and the layered puzzles of Knives Out will relish this thrilling, twist-laden tale. Winner of the Prix du Roman Policier, Halter cements his place as a titan of the locked-room genre.
Discover The Fourth Door, alongside Halter's other captivating works like The Lord of Misrule and The Night of the Wolf.
Ingenious Locked-Room Puzzle: A double mystery that will challenge even the savviest fans of the genre, blending logic with eerie, supernatural overtones.
Critically Acclaimed Bestseller: Winner of the Prix du Roman Policier and widely regarded as a modern classic, appealing to fans of Anthony Horowitz and Sophie Hannah.
"The Fourth Door" was written by Paul Halter.
**Paul Halter** is a leading French crime writer, best known for his ingenious locked room mysteries. Often compared to John Dickson Carr, he is praised for his atmospheric style and original plots. His debut, *The Fourth Door*, won the Prix de Cognac in 1988, followed by *Red Mist*, winner of the Prix du Roman d’Aventures. Halter has published over thirty novels, all focused on impossible crimes. His short stories have appeared in *Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine* and in the English collection *The Night of the Wolf*. He continues to be a major voice in classic detective fiction.
Yes, "The Fourth Door" is part of the "Twist & Hurst" series. It's book 1 in the series.
**Paul Halter** is a leading French crime writer, best known for his ingenious locked room mysteries. Often compared to John Dickson Carr, he is praised for his atmospheric style and original plots. His debut, *The Fourth Door*, won the Prix de Cognac in 1988, followed by *Red Mist*, winner of the Prix du Roman d’Aventures. Halter has published over thirty novels, all focused on impossible crimes. His short stories have appeared in *Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine* and in the English collection *The Night of the Wolf*. He continues to be a major voice in classic detective fiction.
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