THE MIDDLE TEMPLE MURDER (British Mystery Classic)


Book Description

In 'The Middle Temple Murder,' J. S. Fletcher masterfully crafted a British Mystery Classic that is filled with intrigue, suspense, and a complex web of clues. Set in the heart of London, the novel follows a detective as he investigates a baffling murder case within the legal world of the Middle Temple. Fletcher's writing style is both descriptive and engaging, drawing readers into the intricate details of the investigation and keeping them guessing until the very end. The book is a quintessential example of Golden Age detective fiction, showcasing the author's skill in creating a compelling and well-plotted mystery. As readers delve into the pages of 'The Middle Temple Murder,' they are transported to a bygone era of crime-solving and deduction, making it a must-read for fans of classic whodunits and British mysteries. J. S. Fletcher's expertise in the genre shines through, cementing his place as a prominent figure in the history of detective fiction.




BRITISH MURDER MYSTERIES: The Greatest Thrillers of Josephine Tey


Book Description

Good Press presents to you the best Josephine Tey murder mysteries and detective books in one ebook edition. Inspector Alan Grant is a Scotland Yard detective who relies on his instincts and often goes against the evidence if his gut feeling says so. He is thorough and systematic in his investigations and always pulls through. Contents: "The Man in the Queue" (or Killer in the Crowd) – Inspector Grant investigates a murder of a man who was stabbed in the ticket line in front of theatre. There are numerous witnesses, but nobody saw anything. "A Shilling for Candles" – Inspector Grant investigates a drowning of a young actress which first seems like an accident, but as investigation moves forward, Grant's clues spell murder. "The Franchise Affair" – Inspector Grant prosecutes two women accused for kidnapping young girl starving her, beating her and forcing her to work domestic chores. "To Love and Be Wise" – Inspector Grant investigates disappearance of a young and desirable photographer who had many female admirers, but also many jealous competitors. "The Daughter of Time" – Inspector Grant is in hospital with a broken leg. With the help of friends, patients and medical staff Grant researches King Richard III, his life and conduct, and investigates his alleged crimes. "The Singing Sands" – Inspector Grant takes a sick leave from Scotland Yard and plans a quiet holiday in Scotland. Traveling by a train, Grant discovers a dead man and a cryptic message which turns his sick leave to a full time work and a perilous adventure. Other Mysteries: Miss Pym Disposes Brat Farrar (Come and Kill Me)




The Middle Temple Murder


Book Description

Frank Spargo, a young London journalist in search for a big story, stumbles upon a crime scene in Middle Temple Lane. A porter has found the body of an elderly man on the steps leading to one of the chambers in the Middle Temple. There is nothing at all on the man that can help identifying him, but a piece of paper with an address of a certain lawyer. Spargo senses this could be his big story and gets involved in the mystery. Joseph Smith Fletcher (1863-1933) was an English author and journalist, one of the leading writers of detective fiction in the Golden Age. After his journalist career Fletcher first started writing poems, then historical fiction, and finally moved on to write detective mysteries he is best known for.




BRITISH MURDER MYSTERIES Boxed Set: 350+ Thriller Classics, Detective Novels & True Crime Stories


Book Description

The 'BRITISH MURDER MYSTERIES Boxed Set' encompasses an illustrious collection that transcends the mere confines of thriller classics, detective novels, and true crime stories, presenting readers with a panorama of literary artistry. From the fog-laden streets of Victorian London to the intricate puzzles of the early twentieth century, this anthology showcases a diverse range of storytelling techniques, narrative structures, and ingenious plot developments that have shaped and defined the genre. The inclusion of standout pieces from renowned figures adds depth, ensuring the collections place within the broader literary context of mystery and detective fiction. The anthology not merely entertains but serves as a testament to the evolution of the mystery genre. The contributing authors, including luminaries such as Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, and Wilkie Collins, among others, collectively offer a rich tapestry of cultural and historical perspectives. Their individual and joint contributions illuminate the myriad ways in which the mystery genre has encapsulated societal anxieties, moral dilemmas, and the quintessential human quest for justice and truth. The backgrounds of these authors, spanning different epochs and socio-political milieu, reflect the evolution of detective fiction in response to changing societal norms and literary tastes, aligning the collection with significant cultural and literary movements. This anthology is an indispensable treasure for aficionados of the mystery genre, educators seeking to broaden their curriculum, and anyone with an interest in the intersection between crime, society, and literature. The 'BRITISH MURDER MYSTERIES Boxed Set' offers an unparalleled opportunity to engage with the works of some of the most influential figures in detective literature. It invites readers to embark on a labyrinthine journey through the hallmarks of suspense and intrigue, providing a unique lens through which to explore the complexities of human nature and the perennial allure of the mysterious.




Mystery at the Rectory


Book Description

The "unfortunate" and "coincidental" deaths of Rev. John Avery and a local village fellow do not excite any suspicion in locals until Inspector Pointer gets involved in the case! Excerpt: "The rector got up from his writing table and laying his pipe down, stood a moment as though collecting his thoughts. A distinguished-looking man of around forty was John Avery, with his tall spare figure, his clever, scholarly face. He was frowning as he absent-mindedly straightened a yellow china jar on the corner of the mantelshelf. Then he returned to his knee-hole table, and, taking an apple from a plate which always stood on the corner, began slowly to eat it, still with a look of abstraction on his face, still with some inner discomfort marking a frown on his fine forehead. The apple automatically disposed of, he drew out his watch and looked at it. Four o'clock. His sister-in-law would probably be in her own sitting-room."




The Red House Mystery


Book Description

This carefully crafted ebook: "The Red House Mystery" is formatted for your eReader with a functional and detailed table of contents. Mark Ablett is entertaining a house party at his English country house. The guest list includes a widow and her marriageable daughter, a retired major, a willful actress, and Bill Beverley, a young man about town. When Mark's long-lost brother Robert, the black sheep of the family, arrives from Australia, things do not go as per plans and shortly thereafter Robert is found shot dead. Now it is up to Tony Gillingham and his friend Bill to figure out the locked room mystery and catch the murderer.




The Hampstead Mystery


Book Description

High Court Justice Sir Horace Fewbanks is found murdered in his own home in Hampstead. A butler with a shady past is the first suspect, but there are several other characters who turn attention there way with suspicious behavior. Scotland Yard detectives are in charge of the case, but the Judge's daughter hires a famous private investigator Crew who shows up and runs a parallel investigation.




A Shilling for Candles


Book Description

The body of a film actress known as Christine Clay is discovered at the edge of the surf on a beach in Kent. She is initially thought to be the victim of a drowning accident, but the presence of a button tangled in her hair leads Inspector Alan Grant to conclude she has been murdered. Suspicion quickly falls on her friend and house guest, Robert Tisdall. Tisdall was rescued from a life of poverty when Clay randomly encountered him in London and offered him hospitality out of kindness. The day before the murder, Clay wrote to her lawyer instructing him to add a codicil to her will bequeathing a small portion of her estate to Tisdall. This is strong evidence against Tisdale, but Inspector Grant's intuition urges him to keep investigating. As more clues are revealed it becomes clear that more than one people wanted young actress dead and could have a benefit from her death.




The Daughter of Time


Book Description

Alan Grant, Scotland Yard Inspector is feeling bored while confined to bed in hospital with a broken leg. Marta Hallard, an actress friend of his, suggests that he should amuse himself by researching a historical mystery. She brings him some pictures of historical characters, aware of Grant's interest in human faces. He becomes intrigued by a portrait of King Richard III. He prides himself on being able to read a person's character from his appearance, and King Richard seems to him a gentle, kind and wise man. Why is everyone so sure that he was a cruel murderer? With the help of other friends and acquaintances, Grant investigates Richard's life and the case of the Princes in the Tower, testing out his theories on the doctors and nurses who attend to him. Grant spends weeks pondering historical information and documents with the help of Brent Carradine, a likable young American researcher working in the British Museum. Using his detective's logic, he tries to come to the conclusion whether the claim of Richard being a murderer is a fabrication of Tudor propaganda, or was he really a monstrous hunchback. The Daughter of Time was voted greatest mystery novel of all time by the Crime Writers' Association in 1990.




The Franchise Affair


Book Description

Robert Blair, a local solicitor, is called on to defend two women, Marion Sharpe and her mother, who are accused of kidnapping and beating a fifteen-year-old Betty Kane. As the Sharpes are about to be interviewed by local police and Scotland Yard, represented by Inspector Alan Grant, Marion calls Blair and, although his firm does not do criminal cases, he agrees to come out to their home, "The Franchise", to look out for their interests during the questioning. The case against them is quite strong. The Sharpe women are accused that one night they approached Betty while she was waiting for a bus and offered her a lift. Then they allegedly took her to the Franchise, demanded that she become a domestic worker, and, upon her refusal, imprisoned her in the attic. Betty alleges that they starved and beat her until she escaped. As interest in the case builds over a few weeks, locals engage in overt hostility against the Sharpes: public snubbing, then graffiti on their walls, then smashing of the windows; the vandalism culminates when the Franchise is destroyed by arson. Blair slowly uncovers clue after clue in order to find holes in Betty's story, also pointing out her character flaws. But no matter how good of a job Blair does, case against Marion and her mother is strong and public pressure threatens to culminate.