May 3, 2008 7:00 am

I read the first three chapters yesterday evening. Given the details so far, and that the author is a lawyer, I am going to assume that the novel will pay close attention to the details of timing. I am going to try to keep some notes of my own as I read this and see if i can solve the mystery.

Sunday August 29, 1909

7 PM

Abraham Brill, (physician, friend of Stratham Younger) & Stratham Younger meet ship arriving from Europe.

8 PM

Freud, Jung & Ferenczi disembark and meet Brill & Younger. Brill comments on the "interpretation of dreams" {which is the title of the novel - this story will be about interpreting the clues surrounding the murders}.

Evening

A young lady (Miss Riverford) is murdered in the Balmoral Hotel. She is being slowly strangled and tortured while hanging from a chandelier. There ia a vial half full of a clear liquid as well as a razor and 3 surgical knives. The victim does not know her own name. {I assume that the liquid in the vial has something to do with her loss of memory. It looks like the killer has a medical background.}

Monday August 30

8 am

George Banwell, owner of the Balmoral, is notified that a maid has discovered Miss Riverford's body in her hotel room. Banwell is quickly portrayed as a man who is used to getting his own way and who has connections with the mayor and undoubtedly other important people as well.

8:30 am ?

Coroner Hugel views crime scene. Everything appears to be in order. The body is on the floor. There is no sign of a robbery. The maid indicates that she has not touched anything. Hugel takes the body with him to the morgue.

early am

Freud, Jung, Ferenczi & Younger are staying in the Hotel Manhatten. Younger indicates that he was impressed with Freud's analysis of Hamlet.

Tags: novel, murder mystery