The Bishop Murder Case

In one of the most well-known classic American murder mysteries, amateur detective Philo Vance must solve a puzzle series of crimes based on nursery rhymes

"The perfect sleuth for Jazz Age New York" -- CrimeReads

"With his highbrow manner and his parade of encyclopedic learning, Philo Vance is not only a detective; he is a god out of the machine" -- The New York Times

A series of gruesome murders has left the glittering world of Jazz Age Manhattan in shock.

When Cock Robin is found dead with an arrow through his chest, New York's DA calls in amateur detective and professional flâneur Philo Vance to solve the case. But this mystery proves to be more challenging than Vance could have imagined, and a cunning presence seems to be constantly one step ahead of him. As Vance investigates, more gruesome murders occur, and a sinister pattern begins to emerge: each perverse death is staged to represent a line from a nursery rhyme.

In an even more disturbing twist, after each murder, the perpetrator sends a note to the press, signed simply 'The Bishop.' As more deaths go unsolved, the murderer's hubris grows, and each act is more brazen than the last. Vance must move quickly to stop the Bishop's bloody spree among the upper echelons of New York society.

Set against the glittering backdrop of Jazz Age Manhattan with a distinctive and erudite detective, this is considered one of the great classic detective stories. This intricate and skillfully crafted murder mystery is sure to delight any armchair detective.

Author: S. S. Van Dine
Publisher: Pushkin Vertigo
Published: 11/25/2025
Pages: 394
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.65lbs
Size: 7.70h x 5.00w x 1.00d
ISBN: 9781805335368


Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 06/02/2025 pg. 1
Kirkus Reviews 10/15/2025

About the Author
S. S. Van Dine was the pseudonym of Willard Huntington Wright (1888 - 1939), a US art critic and prolific author. After a long illness, he started writing detective fiction, creating the wildly popular detective Philo Vance whose obscure cultural references and knowledge of aesthetic arts helped him solve many complicated puzzle plots.