The Oxford Murders (Spanish: Crímenes imperceptibles; Imperceptible Crimes) is a novel by the Argentine author Guillermo Martínez, first published in 2003. It was translated into English in 2005 by Sonia Soto. The story tells about a professor of logic, Arthur Seldom, who, along with a graduate student, investigates a series of bizarre, mathematically-based murders in Oxford, England.
In 2008, a movie version of The Oxford Murders set in 1993, centers around Martin (Elijah Wood), a US student at the University of Oxford, who wants Arthur Seldom (John Hurt) as his thesis supervisor.
Martin idolizes Arthur Seldom–a brilliant mathematician and curmudgeon. Martin takes accommodation in Oxford at the house of Mrs. Eagleton (Anna Massey), an old friend of Seldom. Also in the house is her daughter, Beth (Julie Cox), who is her full-time caregiver – which she resents bitterly – and a musician by occupation. Seldom receives a note that Mrs. Eagleton will be murdered that afternoon. Seldom dismisses the note as nonsense. But Seldom and Martin together discover Mrs. Eagleton’s body and together work to solve the crime. More murders, based on mathematical symbols, occur after warning notes arrive.
The Oxford Brotherhood (2022), Martinez’s outstanding sequel to 2005’s The Oxford Murders, G, who’s studying mathematical logic at Oxford University in 1994, is developing a computer program to analyze handwriting.
Meanwhile, word of a discovery has upset the world of Oxford scholars working on a definitive annotated edition of Lewis Carroll’s diaries. Intern Kristen Hill, who’s been going through Carroll’s papers, claims to have found a lost diary page with a sentence written by the author’s elder grandniece that she believes “can answer the question that hangs over Lewis Carroll,” whether his contacts with little girls like Alice Liddell were inappropriate, “but in a totally unexpected way.”
Kristen won’t show G the page, which he gathers she’s removed from the collection, until she’s confident she’ll be credited for the discovery. G’s program could help authenticate the handwriting, but before Kristen can present her findings, she’s seriously injured by a hit-and-run driver who apparently targeted her. G teams up again with Oxford professor Arthur Seldom to investigate. As in The Oxford Murders more deaths occur.
If you’re interested a twisty couple of academic mysteries where mathematics plays a critical part, The Oxford Murders and The Oxford Brotherhood will delight you. GRADE: B+ (for both)
I have never heard of either books or movie. Will look for them.
Patti, I missed THE OXFORD MURDERS when it came out in 2008. THE OXFORD BROTHERHOOD, a sequel to THE OXFORD MURDERS, features the same twisty plot with mathematical clues. Lewis Carroll and his photographs of young girls also factor into the plot.
Cool. Clearly some thoughts that THE NAME OF THE ROSE and Eco’s other work, and that of Borges and Bioy Casares at least, might’ve blazed a trail for these to do well. With perhaps some wan hope of picking up some of that DA VINCI CODE audience…
Todd, you’re right about THE OXFORD MURDERS sharing plot elements with THE NAME OF THE ROSE, Borges’s work, and the DA VINCI CODE. Both of Martinez’s mysteries provide clever deduction and surprising endings!
What Patti said. Never heard of the book or the movie. Sounds worth looking for.
Jeff, I discovered THE OXFORD MURDERS movie by accident. I was looking for information on THE OXFORD MURDERS after I read the sequel, THE OXFORD BROTHERHOOD. I try to read books in a series in order, but THE OXFORD BROTHERHOOD was due at the Library and I couldn’t renew it because there were holds. Not that it mattered: the characters in THE OXFORD BROTHERHOOD simply refer to the previous series of murders that happened “a year ago.” No spoilers.
It made me think of AN OXFORD TRAGEDY by Oxford don and British spymaster (during WWII) J. C. Masterman.
Jeff, I think I have a copy of AN OXFORD TRAGEDY around here somewhere. What struck me about Argentinian author, Guillermo Martinez, is his decision to set his mysteries in London rather than South America. Speaking of Guillermo, I see that WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS is returning to FX on July 12.
Is Guillermo Martinez really involved with What We Do in the Shadows?
Jeff, Javier “Harvey” Guillén is an American actor who is best known for his role as the human familiar Guillermo de la Cruz in WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS.
No, Jeff (at least I don’t have that datum at hand). George reminded of …SHADOWS because of the character of that name…
Todd, I’m glad you figured out my reference to Guillermo.