The Blind Barber

The mystery of The Blind Barber, a 1934 whodunit by John Dickson Carr, concerns a collection of valuable straight razors gone missing. The mystery of the Blind Barber, a hair-cuttery/drinking hole, could prove to be something else entirely. The nightly crowds of partygoers in the back lounge, mixing so hard themselves they hardly notice the bar’s specialty mixed drinks — like a Smoke + Dagger, with JD whiskey, Ancho Reyes Verde, cucumber, lemon, and soda for instance — don’t seem above shenanigans. The DJ boosts the energy level and in the far back is a tiny room stuffed with sofas. During the day, the action happens in the front shop, where local barbers maneuver around spindly medical trays, giving spindly East Villagers cuts and trims with a price that includes a free drink. It’s advisable, obviously, not to request your barber do a shot with you.