Dr. Mabuse, master of mystery a novel

About the book

A wealthy young gambler named Hull loses control of both his judgment and his money during play with an imposing stranger. Attempts to identify the man lead to further uncertainty, bringing the incident to the attention of state attorney Wenk. As Wenk investigates, apparently isolated encounters begin to suggest a larger design associated with Dr. Mabuse. Jacques connects the pursuit to a society unsettled by war, speculation, and the pursuit of sensation, making the gaming table an image of wider instability. The criminal threat includes manipulation of perception and will as well as ordinary force. Wenk's willingness to enter the world he is investigating turns the search into a contest in which professional authority offers no simple protection against deception.

• Control and manipulation
• Social instability
• Identity and disguise

Why read it

The opening gambling scene makes the loss of personal agency palpable before the wider criminal design emerges.

Lilian A. Clare's authorized English translation, George Allen and Unwin, 1923