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The Missioner
E. Phillips Oppenheim (1866-1946), an English novelist, was the self-styled "prince of storytellers." He composed some 150 novels, mainly suspense and international intrigue. He was the earliest writer of modern spy fiction and invented the "Rogue Male" school of adventure thrillers.
354 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1907
About the author
E. Phillips Oppenheim
593 books80 followersEdward Phillips Oppenheim was an English novelist, primarily known for his suspense fiction.
He was born in Leicester, the son of a leather merchant, and after attending Wyggeston Grammar School he worked in his father's business for almost 20 years, beginning there at a young age. He continued working in the business, even though he was a successful novelist, until he was 40 at which point he sold the business.
He wrote his first book 'Expiation' in 1887 and in 1898 he published 'The Mysterious Mr Sabin', which he described as "The first of my long series of stories dealing with that shadowy and mysterious world of diplomacy." Thereafter he became a prolific writer and by 1900 he had had 14 novels published.
While on a business trip to the United States in 1890 he met and married Elise Clara Hopkins of Boston and, on return to England, they lived in Evington, Leicestershire until the First World War,and had one daughter. His wife remained faithful to him throughout his life despite his frequent and highly publicised affairs, which often took place abroad and aboard his luxury yacht.
During World War I Oppenheim worked for the Ministry of Information while continuing to write his suspenseful novels.
He featured on the cover of 'Time' magazine on 12 September 1927 and he was the self-styled 'Prince of Storytellers', a title used by Robert standish for his biography of the author.
His literary success enabled him to buy a villa in France and a yacht, spending his winters in France where he regularly entertained more than 250 people at his lavish parties and where he was a well-known figure in high society.
He later purchased a house, Le Vanquiédor in St. Peter Port, in Guernsey. He lost access to the house during the Second World War when Germany occupied the Channel Islands but later regained it.
He wrote 116 novels, mainly of the suspense and international intrigue type, but including romances, comedies, and parables of everyday life, and 39 volumes of short stories, all of which earned him vast sums of money. He also wrote five novels under the pseudonymn Anthony Partridge and a volume of autobiography, 'The Pool of Memory' in 1939.
He is generally regarded as the earliest writer of spy fiction as we know it today, and invented the 'Rogue Male' school of adventure thrillers that was later exploited by John Buchan and Geoffrey Household.
Undoubtedly his most renowned work was 'The Great Impersonation' (1920), which was filmed three times, the last time as a strong piece of wartime propaganda in 1942. In that novel the plot hinges around two very similar looking gentlemen, one from Britain and the other from Germany, in the early part of the 20th century. Overall more than 30 of his works were made into films.
Perhaps his most enduring creation is the character of General Besserley, the protagonist of 'General Besserley's Puzzle Box' and 'General Besserley's New Puzzle Box'.
Much of his work possesses a unique escapist charm, featuring protagonists who delight in Epicurean meals, surroundings of intense luxury, and the relaxed pursuit of criminal practice, on either side of the law.
Gerry Wolstenholme
He was born in Leicester, the son of a leather merchant, and after attending Wyggeston Grammar School he worked in his father's business for almost 20 years, beginning there at a young age. He continued working in the business, even though he was a successful novelist, until he was 40 at which point he sold the business.
He wrote his first book 'Expiation' in 1887 and in 1898 he published 'The Mysterious Mr Sabin', which he described as "The first of my long series of stories dealing with that shadowy and mysterious world of diplomacy." Thereafter he became a prolific writer and by 1900 he had had 14 novels published.
While on a business trip to the United States in 1890 he met and married Elise Clara Hopkins of Boston and, on return to England, they lived in Evington, Leicestershire until the First World War,and had one daughter. His wife remained faithful to him throughout his life despite his frequent and highly publicised affairs, which often took place abroad and aboard his luxury yacht.
During World War I Oppenheim worked for the Ministry of Information while continuing to write his suspenseful novels.
He featured on the cover of 'Time' magazine on 12 September 1927 and he was the self-styled 'Prince of Storytellers', a title used by Robert standish for his biography of the author.
His literary success enabled him to buy a villa in France and a yacht, spending his winters in France where he regularly entertained more than 250 people at his lavish parties and where he was a well-known figure in high society.
He later purchased a house, Le Vanquiédor in St. Peter Port, in Guernsey. He lost access to the house during the Second World War when Germany occupied the Channel Islands but later regained it.
He wrote 116 novels, mainly of the suspense and international intrigue type, but including romances, comedies, and parables of everyday life, and 39 volumes of short stories, all of which earned him vast sums of money. He also wrote five novels under the pseudonymn Anthony Partridge and a volume of autobiography, 'The Pool of Memory' in 1939.
He is generally regarded as the earliest writer of spy fiction as we know it today, and invented the 'Rogue Male' school of adventure thrillers that was later exploited by John Buchan and Geoffrey Household.
Undoubtedly his most renowned work was 'The Great Impersonation' (1920), which was filmed three times, the last time as a strong piece of wartime propaganda in 1942. In that novel the plot hinges around two very similar looking gentlemen, one from Britain and the other from Germany, in the early part of the 20th century. Overall more than 30 of his works were made into films.
Perhaps his most enduring creation is the character of General Besserley, the protagonist of 'General Besserley's Puzzle Box' and 'General Besserley's New Puzzle Box'.
Much of his work possesses a unique escapist charm, featuring protagonists who delight in Epicurean meals, surroundings of intense luxury, and the relaxed pursuit of criminal practice, on either side of the law.
Gerry Wolstenholme
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 4, 2026
Another woman with a hidden mystery.
May 23, 2014
Feudalism vs Socialism in a Pre War Romance
Lady Wilhemina Thorpe-Hatton lives a life of extraordinary wealth and privilege. She is visiting her extensive estate in England, which includes the town of Thorpe, and all it's inhabitants. She is young, beautiful, and bored. A young man, Victor Macheson, comes to the small hamlet and asks to be able to hold a series of meetings in the town hall, a "missioner" bent on revival and reform. He is dismissed and harried out of town by the son of the estate manager Stephan Hurd. But he proves to be a stubborn sort. The estate manager is murdered by a mysterious stranger, and Lady Thorpe finds herself in the throws of a disturbing emotion.....love.
This is a very well written and engrossing story of the extent of feudal ownership in England, as late as 1907 when the novel was written. At the same time, there is much agitation and condemnation by reformers who see that the consequence of extreme wealth is extreme poverty. The characters of Lady Thorpe and Macheson are sympathetic and well drawn. Several minor characters are amusing and credible. The political themes are present, but not preachy. There is an interesting depiction of the night life of Paris towards the end of the novel. In the run-up to the first World War and the Russian Revolution, these issues were constantly in the minds of the English ruling classes. Revolution or Reform.
Lady Wilhemina Thorpe-Hatton lives a life of extraordinary wealth and privilege. She is visiting her extensive estate in England, which includes the town of Thorpe, and all it's inhabitants. She is young, beautiful, and bored. A young man, Victor Macheson, comes to the small hamlet and asks to be able to hold a series of meetings in the town hall, a "missioner" bent on revival and reform. He is dismissed and harried out of town by the son of the estate manager Stephan Hurd. But he proves to be a stubborn sort. The estate manager is murdered by a mysterious stranger, and Lady Thorpe finds herself in the throws of a disturbing emotion.....love.
This is a very well written and engrossing story of the extent of feudal ownership in England, as late as 1907 when the novel was written. At the same time, there is much agitation and condemnation by reformers who see that the consequence of extreme wealth is extreme poverty. The characters of Lady Thorpe and Macheson are sympathetic and well drawn. Several minor characters are amusing and credible. The political themes are present, but not preachy. There is an interesting depiction of the night life of Paris towards the end of the novel. In the run-up to the first World War and the Russian Revolution, these issues were constantly in the minds of the English ruling classes. Revolution or Reform.
May 29, 2013
Really didn't think I was enjoying it that much until near the end when the main character's motivation becomes clear. Until then, she just seemed odd, and cold, really.
Wilhelmina is the mistress of an estate and has a whole town full of people that depend on her and take her word as law. When Victor Macheson, a young man chock full of ideals and theories about how to make the world a better place, petitions her for the use of a barn where he can speak on these subjects, she refuses. Her people are moral, they are prosperous, they are satisfied. Why do they need to be preached to? So she argues.
But Macheson will not take rejection so easily. He hangs around the area longer than Wilhelmina wants him to; in fact, just long enough for her to develop a new kind of fascination with him. But why is she so incomprehensible, so affectionate and then so distant? And will Macheson's ideals and high thinking stand the test of such treatment by her?
Like I said, I was on the fence about the whole thing until right near the end, where the pieces fell into place.
Wilhelmina is the mistress of an estate and has a whole town full of people that depend on her and take her word as law. When Victor Macheson, a young man chock full of ideals and theories about how to make the world a better place, petitions her for the use of a barn where he can speak on these subjects, she refuses. Her people are moral, they are prosperous, they are satisfied. Why do they need to be preached to? So she argues.
But Macheson will not take rejection so easily. He hangs around the area longer than Wilhelmina wants him to; in fact, just long enough for her to develop a new kind of fascination with him. But why is she so incomprehensible, so affectionate and then so distant? And will Macheson's ideals and high thinking stand the test of such treatment by her?
Like I said, I was on the fence about the whole thing until right near the end, where the pieces fell into place.
November 6, 2013
Very interesting and enjoyable story.
The author did show his personal philosophy a great deal in this story, which is basically a socialistic-moralistic blend, but not so overly preachy that I could not overlook it. Instead of being a strict mystery as many of his works were, it was more of a society story with some romance and a little intrigue.
The author did show his personal philosophy a great deal in this story, which is basically a socialistic-moralistic blend, but not so overly preachy that I could not overlook it. Instead of being a strict mystery as many of his works were, it was more of a society story with some romance and a little intrigue.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews