Hake Talbot is a

pen name A pen name, also called a ''nom de plume'' or a literary double, is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name. A pen na ...

of the American writer Henning Nelms (November 30, 1900 - May 1986). Talbot was chiefly known for his ''impossible crime'',

locked room mystery The "locked-room" or "impossible crime" mystery is a type of crime seen in crime and detective fiction. The crime in question, typically murder ("locked-room murder"), is committed in circumstances under which it appeared impossible for the perpetr ...

novel ''

Rim of the Pit ''Rim of the Pit'' (1944) is a locked-room mystery novel written by Hake Talbot, a pen name of Henning Nelms. Nelms, as Talbot, published one other mystery novel as well as two short stories. Plot A group of people gather at a remote snowbound ...

'' (1944). Nelms reserved his real name for writing non-fiction about showmanship (his chief occupation was as a stage magician). He was the author of the book ''Magic and Showmanship: A Handbook for Conjurers'' (1969). During a 1981 poll by experts arranged by

Edward D. Hoch Edward Dentinger Hoch (February 22, 1930 – January 17, 2008) was an American writer of detective fiction. Although he wrote several novels, he was primarily known for his vast output of over 950 short stories. Biography Hoch (pronounced ...

, for the preface of his anthology ''All But Impossible!'', Talbot's ''Rim of the Pit'' stood second, next only to

John Dickson Carr John Dickson Carr (November 30, 1906 – February 27, 1977) was an American author of detective stories, who also published using the pseudonyms Carter Dickson, Carr Dickson, and Roger Fairbairn. He lived in England for a number of years, and is ...

's '' The Hollow Man'' (1935) as the best locked room mystery. Another novel, ''The Hangman's Handyman'', which Talbot wrote in 1942, was not as successful. He also wrote two short stories, "The High House" and "The Other Side".

References

1900 births 1986 deaths 20th-century American novelists American magicians American male novelists American thriller writers Historians of magic 20th-century American male writers American male non-fiction writers 20th-century American non-fiction writers {{US-novelist-1900s-stub