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Jewel Mysteries I Have Known
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Hardcover
First published January 1, 1904
About the author
Max Pemberton
163 books47 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Max^^Pemberton
Sir Max Pemberton (19 June 1863 – 22 February 1950) was a popular British novelist, working mainly in the adventure and mystery genres. He was educated at St Albans School, Merchant Taylors' School, and Caius College, Cambridge. A clubman, journalist and dandy (Lord Northcliffe admired his 'fancy vests'), he frequented both Fleet Street and The Savage Club.
Pemberton was the editor of boys' magazine Chums during its heyday. Between 1896 and 1906 he also edited Cassell's Magazine, in which capacity he published the early works of R. Austin Freeman and William Le Queux.
His most famous work The Iron Pirate was a bestseller during the early 1890s and it launched his prolific writing career (see below). It was the story of a great gas-driven ironclad, which could outpace the navies of the world and terrorized the Atlantic Ocean. Other notable works included Captain Black (1911).
During January 1908, Pemberton had a story entitled Wheels of Anarchy published by Cassell & Company (London). This story was based upon notes that were written by Bertram Fletcher Robinson shortly before he died in January 1907. It is an adventure tale about anarchists and assassins that is set across Europe. The novel’s hero and narrator, Bruce Driscoll, a recent Cambridge graduate, appears to be modelled upon Fletcher Robinson. Wheels of Anarchy by Max Pemberton was republished in December 2010.
In 1920, Pemberton founded the London School of Journalism, wrote a biography about Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe and was knighted. He was married to Alice Tussaud, granddaughter of Madame Marie Tussaud and daughter of Joseph Tussaud.
Pemberton also wrote a biography of Sir Henry Royce published in 1934 shortly after Royce's death.
Max^^Pemberton
Sir Max Pemberton (19 June 1863 – 22 February 1950) was a popular British novelist, working mainly in the adventure and mystery genres. He was educated at St Albans School, Merchant Taylors' School, and Caius College, Cambridge. A clubman, journalist and dandy (Lord Northcliffe admired his 'fancy vests'), he frequented both Fleet Street and The Savage Club.
Pemberton was the editor of boys' magazine Chums during its heyday. Between 1896 and 1906 he also edited Cassell's Magazine, in which capacity he published the early works of R. Austin Freeman and William Le Queux.
His most famous work The Iron Pirate was a bestseller during the early 1890s and it launched his prolific writing career (see below). It was the story of a great gas-driven ironclad, which could outpace the navies of the world and terrorized the Atlantic Ocean. Other notable works included Captain Black (1911).
During January 1908, Pemberton had a story entitled Wheels of Anarchy published by Cassell & Company (London). This story was based upon notes that were written by Bertram Fletcher Robinson shortly before he died in January 1907. It is an adventure tale about anarchists and assassins that is set across Europe. The novel’s hero and narrator, Bruce Driscoll, a recent Cambridge graduate, appears to be modelled upon Fletcher Robinson. Wheels of Anarchy by Max Pemberton was republished in December 2010.
In 1920, Pemberton founded the London School of Journalism, wrote a biography about Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe and was knighted. He was married to Alice Tussaud, granddaughter of Madame Marie Tussaud and daughter of Joseph Tussaud.
Pemberton also wrote a biography of Sir Henry Royce published in 1934 shortly after Royce's death.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 23, 2016
Max Pemberton had a most unusual career as a professional writer. He was a journalist and editor whose first novel (THE IRON PIRATE) was published when he was 30 years old. It was a success and from 1893 until 1914, he published at least one and sometimes two or three books a year (a total of 40) - mostly of the Jules Verne adventure/sci-fi type. Then he seems to have stopped publishing except for a few biographies.
He founded the London School of Journalism in 1920. Maybe that fully occupied his time or maybe there were other factors. I find it very curious that such a popular author should be so prolific for over 20 years and then stop so abruptly.
In 1904, he published a book of mystery stories featuring jewel dealer Bernard Sutton. "The Ripening Rubies" has been included in several anthologies of Victorian detective stories. I read it and fell in love with this intelligent, charming gentleman and his wry view of the English aristocracy to whom he sells his wares. So I was thrilled to be able to get a whole book of stories about him.
The first story is (IMHO) very weak and I was afraid I was going to be disappointed in the book. Fortunately, the other nine stories (including "The Ripening Rubies") are much better. I enjoyed them thoroughly. They're written in first person and Sutton is a lively, amusing story teller. His occupation leads him down some fascinating paths and he frequently finds it necessary to solve a puzzle (or a crime) in order to protect his business or a valuable client. Not that he's blind to his clients' faults by any means. He's a shrewd, hard-headed Victorian gentleman and your money buys his jewels, but not his friendship or his admiration. To gain that, you must be the kind of person he admires and he has high standards.
He's particularly critical of misers and several of the stories deal with penny-pinchers who let their love of money (and jewels) rule their lives. They get their just desserts in the end and we're all happy to see that "what goes around comes around." He's also (for an old bachelor) something of a romantic. He likes to see young lovers happy and will go to some trouble to help them out of their difficulties. In one story, he himself falls for the charms of a young lady and it's almost the death of him.
He's a well-traveled cosmopolitan, at home in Paris or New York as well as London. One story finds him in Algiers, dealing with rascally Arabs and lethargic French policemen. One of my favorites pits a fickle English aristocrat against the high-spirited American heiress whom he courted and abandoned. "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" and American ladies (especially rich ones) don't take insults lying down.
Pemberton was a fine writer and these are great stories. If you like Victorian mysteries, you shouldn't miss this book.
He founded the London School of Journalism in 1920. Maybe that fully occupied his time or maybe there were other factors. I find it very curious that such a popular author should be so prolific for over 20 years and then stop so abruptly.
In 1904, he published a book of mystery stories featuring jewel dealer Bernard Sutton. "The Ripening Rubies" has been included in several anthologies of Victorian detective stories. I read it and fell in love with this intelligent, charming gentleman and his wry view of the English aristocracy to whom he sells his wares. So I was thrilled to be able to get a whole book of stories about him.
The first story is (IMHO) very weak and I was afraid I was going to be disappointed in the book. Fortunately, the other nine stories (including "The Ripening Rubies") are much better. I enjoyed them thoroughly. They're written in first person and Sutton is a lively, amusing story teller. His occupation leads him down some fascinating paths and he frequently finds it necessary to solve a puzzle (or a crime) in order to protect his business or a valuable client. Not that he's blind to his clients' faults by any means. He's a shrewd, hard-headed Victorian gentleman and your money buys his jewels, but not his friendship or his admiration. To gain that, you must be the kind of person he admires and he has high standards.
He's particularly critical of misers and several of the stories deal with penny-pinchers who let their love of money (and jewels) rule their lives. They get their just desserts in the end and we're all happy to see that "what goes around comes around." He's also (for an old bachelor) something of a romantic. He likes to see young lovers happy and will go to some trouble to help them out of their difficulties. In one story, he himself falls for the charms of a young lady and it's almost the death of him.
He's a well-traveled cosmopolitan, at home in Paris or New York as well as London. One story finds him in Algiers, dealing with rascally Arabs and lethargic French policemen. One of my favorites pits a fickle English aristocrat against the high-spirited American heiress whom he courted and abandoned. "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" and American ladies (especially rich ones) don't take insults lying down.
Pemberton was a fine writer and these are great stories. If you like Victorian mysteries, you shouldn't miss this book.
November 11, 2020
Illustrated by R. Caton Woodville and Fred Barnard] Also known as Jewel Mysteries from a Dealer's Note Book. First serialized in The English Illustrated magazine, 1893-94, Jewel Mysteries features a jewel dealer who relates the intriguing stories behind the jewels in his collection. A classic, fun to read and quick moving, well-written.
November 15, 2019
I won't bother searching out anything else by this author.
Want to Read
May 21, 2023Read so far:
*The opal of Carmalovitch
The necklace of green diamonds
The comedy of the jewelled links
Treasure of White Creek
The accursed gems
*The watch and the scimitar
The seven emeralds
The pursuit of the topaz
The ripening rubies --2
My lady of the sapphires
*The opal of Carmalovitch
The necklace of green diamonds
The comedy of the jewelled links
Treasure of White Creek
The accursed gems
*The watch and the scimitar
The seven emeralds
The pursuit of the topaz
The ripening rubies --2
My lady of the sapphires
Want to Read
January 15, 2019Synopsis: short stories. In one, jeweler Bernard Sutton tells of a man visiting his shop in Piccadilly with the opal of Carmalovitch.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews