The Bowstring Murders is a mystery novel by the American writer John Dickson Carr (1906–1977), who wrote it under the name of Carr Dickson. It is a whodunit and also his only novel with the alcoholic detective John Gaunt.

The Bowstring Murders
First edition (US)
AuthorJohn Dickson Carr writing as "Carr Dickson"
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
GenreMystery fiction, Detective fiction
PublisherMorrow (US 1st edition, 1933)
Heinemann (UK, 1934)
Publication date
1933
Media typePrint (hardback & paperback)
Pages280 (1st US)
ISBN0-8217-2687-0 (Zebra paperback edition, 1989)
OCLC19837937
Preceded byNone, as Carr Dickson 
Followed byNone, as Carr Dickson 

The Bowstring Murders is the only one of his many works to be published under the name Carr Dickson; subsequent reprints have been under his main pseudonym of "Carter Dickson".

Plot summary edit

Elderly eccentric Lord Rayle has a priceless collection of medieval arms and armour housed at Bowstring Castle. When he is found strangled by one of his own bowstrings, it is up to alcoholic detective John Gaunt to solve the crime. This novel is Gaunt's only appearance