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Fleming Stone #1
Η Έπαυλη του Θανάτου
Μια κληρονόμος νεκρή την παραμονή του γάμου της.
Μονάχα ο Φλέμινγκ Στόουν μπορεί να ανακαλύψει το αποδεικτικό στοιχείο!
Την παραμονή του γάμου της η πανέμορφη κληρονόμος Μάντλιν Βαν Νόρμαν βρίσκεται νεκρή στη βιβλιοθήκη της επιβλητικής έπαυλής της.
Το φονικό όπλο είναι ένα στιλέτο με περίτεχνη λαβή.
Τα μέλη του σπιτιού καθώς και οι καλεσμένοι του γάμου θεωρούνται όλοι ύποπτοι. Το βάρος της επίλυσης της υπόθεσης θα πέσει πάνω στον ευφυή ντετέκτιβ Φλέμινγκ Στόουν. Θα βρει άραγε ποιος είναι ο δολοφόνος;
Ένα μικρό και φαινομενικά ασήμαντο αποδεικτικό στοιχείο θα οδηγήσει στη λύση…
Μονάχα ο Φλέμινγκ Στόουν μπορεί να ανακαλύψει το αποδεικτικό στοιχείο!
Την παραμονή του γάμου της η πανέμορφη κληρονόμος Μάντλιν Βαν Νόρμαν βρίσκεται νεκρή στη βιβλιοθήκη της επιβλητικής έπαυλής της.
Το φονικό όπλο είναι ένα στιλέτο με περίτεχνη λαβή.
Τα μέλη του σπιτιού καθώς και οι καλεσμένοι του γάμου θεωρούνται όλοι ύποπτοι. Το βάρος της επίλυσης της υπόθεσης θα πέσει πάνω στον ευφυή ντετέκτιβ Φλέμινγκ Στόουν. Θα βρει άραγε ποιος είναι ο δολοφόνος;
Ένα μικρό και φαινομενικά ασήμαντο αποδεικτικό στοιχείο θα οδηγήσει στη λύση…
238 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1909
235 people are currently reading
600 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Wells
792 books47 followersCarolyn Wells was a prolific writer for over 40 years and was especially noted for her humor, and she was a frequent contributor of nonsense verse and whimsical pieces to such little magazines as Gelett Burgess' The Lark, the Chap Book, the Yellow Book, and the Philistine.
Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
February 24, 2018
This is a rare classic mystery that I just really didn't enjoy at all, even taking into consideration the differences in the way that classic mysteries are plotted/presented. It took me nearly a month to finish this slender, 225 page book, which probably tells you everything you need to know.
The writing was stiff and the characters were universally wafer thin. It purports to be an entry in the "Fleming Stone" series, but the great detective himself isn't even mentioned until the 87% mark, and he essentially swans into the story at around 90%, receives all of the information from the individuals who have collected it, pronounces a rather preposterous solution, obtains a confession from the evil-doer and it's a wrap.
The representation of female characters is absolutely terrible - even worse than is often the case in books published during early twentieth century (this book was published in 1909). Each woman had some assigned trait from which she was forbidden to stray: the victim was majestic and haughty; Kitty, the apparent love interest, was bewitching and clever; there was a genuine French maid, who was stormy and dramatic; and Dorothy was the clinging rosebud (whatever the hell that is), timid and appealing.
I am willing to concede that, perhaps, every book written by Carolyn Wells wasn't as awful as this one. I'm not entirely certain, however, that I'm prepared to read any more so as to find out.
The writing was stiff and the characters were universally wafer thin. It purports to be an entry in the "Fleming Stone" series, but the great detective himself isn't even mentioned until the 87% mark, and he essentially swans into the story at around 90%, receives all of the information from the individuals who have collected it, pronounces a rather preposterous solution, obtains a confession from the evil-doer and it's a wrap.
The representation of female characters is absolutely terrible - even worse than is often the case in books published during early twentieth century (this book was published in 1909). Each woman had some assigned trait from which she was forbidden to stray: the victim was majestic and haughty; Kitty, the apparent love interest, was bewitching and clever; there was a genuine French maid, who was stormy and dramatic; and Dorothy was the clinging rosebud (whatever the hell that is), timid and appealing.
I am willing to concede that, perhaps, every book written by Carolyn Wells wasn't as awful as this one. I'm not entirely certain, however, that I'm prepared to read any more so as to find out.
August 5, 2013
I am a fan of some of the Fleming Stone mysteries. You need to embrace the period it was written though, and I always find the earlier ones a bit... fluffy. The women faint and have hysterics and the men try valiantly to be stoic but their hearts flutter when see a pretty woman... the later ones do not have this degree of female hysterics.
However, in this mystery, we follow a man and woman who want to "play" detective and try and find the killer of a woman on the night before her wedding. The entire book follow them searching for clues and interviewing persons of interest. Then in the last chapter of the book, Fleming Stone enters and solves the case in 24 hours.
The Fleming Stone popping in and saving the day happens in some of the series but not all. I would say the more interest books have Fleming Stone in them more. The best way to tell which one of these stories you have is to flip through the book and usually there will be a chapter entitled- Fleming Stone Arrives... or something like that. The sooner you see this, the better.
Beautiful cover work.
However, in this mystery, we follow a man and woman who want to "play" detective and try and find the killer of a woman on the night before her wedding. The entire book follow them searching for clues and interviewing persons of interest. Then in the last chapter of the book, Fleming Stone enters and solves the case in 24 hours.
The Fleming Stone popping in and saving the day happens in some of the series but not all. I would say the more interest books have Fleming Stone in them more. The best way to tell which one of these stories you have is to flip through the book and usually there will be a chapter entitled- Fleming Stone Arrives... or something like that. The sooner you see this, the better.
Beautiful cover work.
Read
May 5, 2018http://www.crimesegments.com/2018/05/...
Seriously, when I got to the end of this book, my first reaction was "that's it?" To say I was disappointed is an understatement. As it turns out, The Clue (1909) is the first of a long lineup of books to feature Detective Fleming Stone. In this particular story, Stone comes in towards the end and triumphs in solving the case, a feat that neither the police detective nor an attorney/amateur detective has managed to pull off before his arrival. Hmmm.
While I'm happy to have read this book because it was written by a woman whose work seems to have faded into obscurity, I have to say that it would likely be more at home in the library of a cozy reader -- the romance keeps it light in tone as does the amateur detecting going on. And even though all is put right once again in this house, the ending is a bit over-the-top melodramatic, actually causing a true eyeroll on my part. But it does have its moments, for example, in an interchange between two characters who make fun of detective stories; ironically that discussion ends up with talk of a "Mr. Smarty-Cat Detective," who "deduces the whole story." I say ironically because that is precisely what happens here, with the arrival of Fleming Stone. He is like the living deus ex machina who comes in, takes a look around and solves the entire case in a short time. I'd try another one just to see if this is his pattern, just out of pure interest. I suppose, like many mystery novels, the fun is in the getting there, complete with a host of suspects with motive, a few red herrings, and a crime that borders on the impossible.
It's crime light, to be sure. I don't know that I'd recommend it for any other reason than it appeared on the Haycraft-Queen Definitive Library of Detective, Crime, and Mystery Fiction, and, as I said, it was written by a woman author who was once very popular but whose works have long gone by the wayside into obscurity.
Seriously, when I got to the end of this book, my first reaction was "that's it?" To say I was disappointed is an understatement. As it turns out, The Clue (1909) is the first of a long lineup of books to feature Detective Fleming Stone. In this particular story, Stone comes in towards the end and triumphs in solving the case, a feat that neither the police detective nor an attorney/amateur detective has managed to pull off before his arrival. Hmmm.
While I'm happy to have read this book because it was written by a woman whose work seems to have faded into obscurity, I have to say that it would likely be more at home in the library of a cozy reader -- the romance keeps it light in tone as does the amateur detecting going on. And even though all is put right once again in this house, the ending is a bit over-the-top melodramatic, actually causing a true eyeroll on my part. But it does have its moments, for example, in an interchange between two characters who make fun of detective stories; ironically that discussion ends up with talk of a "Mr. Smarty-Cat Detective," who "deduces the whole story." I say ironically because that is precisely what happens here, with the arrival of Fleming Stone. He is like the living deus ex machina who comes in, takes a look around and solves the entire case in a short time. I'd try another one just to see if this is his pattern, just out of pure interest. I suppose, like many mystery novels, the fun is in the getting there, complete with a host of suspects with motive, a few red herrings, and a crime that borders on the impossible.
It's crime light, to be sure. I don't know that I'd recommend it for any other reason than it appeared on the Haycraft-Queen Definitive Library of Detective, Crime, and Mystery Fiction, and, as I said, it was written by a woman author who was once very popular but whose works have long gone by the wayside into obscurity.
December 20, 2016
Some oldies are golden and some are just old. Regrettably this one firmly belongs in the latter category. The quaint charms of bygone era lie almost exclusively with the hilariously dated attitudes toward women as the helpless dainty dears are excused one after another from the murder of an heiress. Although in all fairness the men in the book aren't that effective either. The murder takes place early on and from that point it's just one circumlocutory interview after another, solving nothing. Not until the great detective shows up. Of course, there is a great detective, most of the mysteries of the day had one and yet Mr. Stone lacks any quirks or specific character traits that would make him either interesting or memorable. In fact he is as convivial, chatty and mild as the rest of the cast. Crazy thing is he isn't even mentioned until 85% into the book, doesn't physically show up at the scene until 89% into the book. He does solve the murder with his brief cameo like appearance, but then again who wouldn't. WARNING, don't read further if you haven't read the book. The crime (gasp, stunned reaction) has been committed by the only person who stood to benefit from it, the incestuous cousin. No duh. Cheesy confession/post confessional suicide. The end. WARNING OVER.
Surely, this is meant to be a cozy mystery, nothing too exciting by definition, but this is just too silly. In substance and execution reminiscent most of a decorative doily. At least it was a quick read.
Surely, this is meant to be a cozy mystery, nothing too exciting by definition, but this is just too silly. In substance and execution reminiscent most of a decorative doily. At least it was a quick read.
Read
January 30, 2019First in a long series of recently-republished mysteries - this one featuring a US detective (who arrives very late in the story).
I'll give this series another shot with a second book, but both the prose style (not florid, per se, but perhaps 'carefully conscious') and the interaction between the men and women in this story (ranging between battle of the sexes and men are from Mars and women aren't quite human) didn't quite fit for me.
I'll give this series another shot with a second book, but both the prose style (not florid, per se, but perhaps 'carefully conscious') and the interaction between the men and women in this story (ranging between battle of the sexes and men are from Mars and women aren't quite human) didn't quite fit for me.
January 22, 2017
Carolyn Wells was a very intelligent woman, and she had a sound grasp of the theoretical technique of writing mysteries. How sad that when she put pen to paper she wrote such awful ones. This one is a rambling affair that loses the detection thread in a romance (a common fault of the period)
The only part I liked was when the young couple searching for clues trade a few barbs about detection in novels: :
"And so," said Rob, as they turned back homeward, "I'm going to work upon this line. I'm going to look for clues; real, material, tangible clues, such as criminals invariably leave behind them."
"Do!" cried Kitty. "And I'll help you. I know we can find something."
"You see," went on Fessenden, his enthusiasm kindling from hers, "the actual stage of the tragedy is so restricted. Whatever we find must be in the Van Norman house."
"Yes, and probably in the library."
"Or the hall," he supplemented.
"What kind of a thing do you expect to find?"
"I don't know, I'm sure. In the Sherlock Holmes stories it's usually cigar ashes or something like that. Oh, pshaw! I don't suppose we'll find anything."
"I think in detective stories everything is found out by footprints. I never saw anything like the obliging way in which people make footprints for detectives."
"And how absurd it is!" commented Rob. "I don't believe footprints are ever made clearly enough to deduce the rest of the man from."
"Well, you see, in detective stories, there's always that 'light snow which had fallen late the night before.'"
"Yes," said Fessenden, laughing at her cleverness, "and there's always some minor character who chances to time that snow exactly, and who knows when it began and when it stopped."
"Yes, and then the principal characters carefully plant their footprints, going and returning—overlapping, you know—and so Mr. Smarty-Cat Detective deduces the whole story."
"But we've no footprints to help us."
"No, we couldn't have, in the house."
"But if it was Schuyler—"
"Well, even if,—he couldn't make footprints without that convenient 'light snow' and there isn't any."
"And besides, Schuyler didn't do it."
The only part I liked was when the young couple searching for clues trade a few barbs about detection in novels: :
"And so," said Rob, as they turned back homeward, "I'm going to work upon this line. I'm going to look for clues; real, material, tangible clues, such as criminals invariably leave behind them."
"Do!" cried Kitty. "And I'll help you. I know we can find something."
"You see," went on Fessenden, his enthusiasm kindling from hers, "the actual stage of the tragedy is so restricted. Whatever we find must be in the Van Norman house."
"Yes, and probably in the library."
"Or the hall," he supplemented.
"What kind of a thing do you expect to find?"
"I don't know, I'm sure. In the Sherlock Holmes stories it's usually cigar ashes or something like that. Oh, pshaw! I don't suppose we'll find anything."
"I think in detective stories everything is found out by footprints. I never saw anything like the obliging way in which people make footprints for detectives."
"And how absurd it is!" commented Rob. "I don't believe footprints are ever made clearly enough to deduce the rest of the man from."
"Well, you see, in detective stories, there's always that 'light snow which had fallen late the night before.'"
"Yes," said Fessenden, laughing at her cleverness, "and there's always some minor character who chances to time that snow exactly, and who knows when it began and when it stopped."
"Yes, and then the principal characters carefully plant their footprints, going and returning—overlapping, you know—and so Mr. Smarty-Cat Detective deduces the whole story."
"But we've no footprints to help us."
"No, we couldn't have, in the house."
"But if it was Schuyler—"
"Well, even if,—he couldn't make footprints without that convenient 'light snow' and there isn't any."
"And besides, Schuyler didn't do it."
February 18, 2022
First in a series by an early American mystery writer. This was published in 1909. The series character Fleming Stone does not make an appearance until the penultimate chapter. It would appear that, at least for the early entries in the series, this was typical. He is a great detective. You know so because that is what everyone calls him. After the coroner and a young amateur detective muck about for a week or so trying to puzzle it out, Fleming Stone figures it out in about an hour. Prior to that the book kind of wandered, focusing on first this character and then another. After introducing a young bride-to-be the day before her wedding she is then murdered with a dagger. She was a sympathetic character and it seems an odd choice for a victim. Victims tend to be someone unlikable or peripheral, someone you won't miss. A few chapters in the best man is introduced, and he begins to investigate to save his friend, the groom, from being charged with the murder. Since the groom becomes increasingly unlikable as the story progresses I really would not have minded if he had done it. Some women are presented as quite unlikable, but then, no, they are actually quite all right. And people do weird things such as requiring their personal secretary to mimic their handwriting to the extent that they are identical, and hiding a weird old family reliquary in the middle of the night to bring good luck to the marriage. Also there is a fair amount of fainting and mumbling significant clues while passed out. This series went on at the rate of several books a year into the early 1940s.
October 14, 2020
Well, this is a first. The famous detective enters the story at the 90% mark. Prior to that the investigation is done by the local coroner, a local doctor, and the best man - a visiting lawyer.
The bride is stabbed the night before her wedding. Is it the groom who seems to be in love with another woman and came to the house late at night to ask her to cancel the wedding? Is it the long lost fiancee of her dead uncle who has been left the house in her will? Is it her cousin who was in love with her, but inherits the estate if she dies before her 23rd birthday or before she marries. Is it her jealous secretary who could copy her writing? Or is it some stranger who broke into the mansion?
888
This was okay, some odd narrative choices; the lawyer Fessenden and Kitty French, one of the bridesmaids, start flirting the day of the murder, which seems odd given you know, THE BRIDE HAS BEEN MURDERED.
Fainting hysterical ladies avoid answering tricky questions. *hand wobble*
And the final scenario was just nuts; and all solved by the clever detective from clues readers were not given.
2 stars
The bride is stabbed the night before her wedding. Is it the groom who seems to be in love with another woman and came to the house late at night to ask her to cancel the wedding? Is it the long lost fiancee of her dead uncle who has been left the house in her will? Is it her cousin who was in love with her, but inherits the estate if she dies before her 23rd birthday or before she marries. Is it her jealous secretary who could copy her writing? Or is it some stranger who broke into the mansion?
888
This was okay, some odd narrative choices; the lawyer Fessenden and Kitty French, one of the bridesmaids, start flirting the day of the murder, which seems odd given you know, THE BRIDE HAS BEEN MURDERED.
Fainting hysterical ladies avoid answering tricky questions. *hand wobble*
And the final scenario was just nuts; and all solved by the clever detective from clues readers were not given.
2 stars
January 26, 2018
BORING! The house guests just went round and round and round in circles, repeating the same useless bits of information about why so & so couldn't be the murderer. Then they finally bring Detective Stone in during the very last chapter and he solves the mystery and gets a confession in like three pages. Which wasn't hard to do. I mean, I even guessed correctly from the beginning.
I'm sorry but it was awful! She has absolutely nothing on Agatha Christie! Don't waste your time!
I'm sorry but it was awful! She has absolutely nothing on Agatha Christie! Don't waste your time!
March 31, 2015
If you like classic BW movies of the 30's and 40's, you'll like this book.
February 17, 2023
Λίγο αφελής και λίγο φλύαρη ( αν σκεφτεί κανείς ότι γράφτηκε το 1909 δικαιολογείται λόγω της διαφορετικότητας της γραφής),αλλά κατά τα άλλα είναι μια ευχάριστη αστυνομική ιστορία που παρουσιάζει το γνωστό μοτίβο: πολλοί ύποπτοι που όλοι έχουν κίνητρο σε έναν κλειστό χώρο. Είναι το πρώτο βιβλίο της συγγραφέως, όπου εμφανίζεται ο ήρωάς της, ο ντέτεκτιβ Φλέμινγκ Στόουν.
December 27, 2019
An interesting murder mystery. I liked that it featured several plausible suspects and I liked Rob and Kitty, the semi-amateur sleuths. Fleming Stone really wasn’t much of a feature but showed up near the end to do the final reveal.
October 1, 2014
I became interested in Carolyn Wells after reading that she was from New Jersey - my home state. I've enjoyed learning how people lived in NJ during the early 1900's. Unlike many books from this time period, the flowery language is kept to a minimum while giving the reader some very interesting mystery puzzles to ponder.
"The Clue", published in 1909, is the first book in the Detective Fleming Stone series. A bride is murdered in her home some time during the night before her wedding. The suspects are the usual members of a well to do household, plus the guests who came to attend the wedding. This book has one of the great mystery endings. I can't say anymore without giving too much away. Let me know if you were as awestruck as I was while reading the end of this book. I'm sure my mouth was actually dropped open! Enjoy!
"The Clue", published in 1909, is the first book in the Detective Fleming Stone series. A bride is murdered in her home some time during the night before her wedding. The suspects are the usual members of a well to do household, plus the guests who came to attend the wedding. This book has one of the great mystery endings. I can't say anymore without giving too much away. Let me know if you were as awestruck as I was while reading the end of this book. I'm sure my mouth was actually dropped open! Enjoy!
July 5, 2016
Another entertaining Golden Age mystery. An heiress is stabbed on the night before her wedding. Who killed her - the cousin who loved her but had been rejected; her fiancé, who was in love with another woman; her secretary, who loved the fiancé; the eccentric spinster who stood to inherit her property? (I have to say, though - that I couldn't understand why three women found the fiancé, who seemed like a bit of a stick, frankly so irresistible.) Really more of a 2.5, but I'll be generous and round up. The women in these books are usually pretty vapid, but I did like Kitty, even though she started out looking that way, although unfortunately she did seem to disappear about 4/5 of the way through the book.
December 27, 2018
A bride is killed the day before her wedding. At first, it appeared to be suicide, but on further investigation, it turns out to be murder. Bob Fessenden, a lawyer and amateur detective, takes on the job of trying to find out what happened. There are several suspicions about different people involved that Mr. Fessendon follows up on. In the end, they have to call in Fleming Stone to catch the murderer.
Good classic mystery--more of a police procedural--figuring out each character's story and their place in the household at the time of the murder.
Good classic mystery--more of a police procedural--figuring out each character's story and their place in the household at the time of the murder.
March 7, 2015
This book was written in 1909, and at first the antiquated writing style intrigued me. Halfway through the book, with the same silly conversations going on and on, I jumped 10 chapters, read the last two, mystery solved. Couldn't really recommend it.
Read
July 19, 2011According to the Haycraft-Queen list, the first Fleming Stone book.
March 5, 2015
It's warmed-over Christie with a slight flavoring of Jane Austen. But even warmed-over Christie is still a pretty tasty dish.
October 26, 2015
Couldn't keep my interest and I never finished the book.
February 8, 2015
The CLUE WAS WRITTEN IN 1909 and has recently been reprinted. I found it interesting and had many suspects andis worth a read.
March 20, 2015
I liked it.
March 22, 2015
Easy read - good for relaxing somewhere, not a lot of thought is needed. Enjoyable old school murder mystery. Agatha Christie-light, if there could be such a think. Very light.
April 7, 2015
Ok mystery
This story was fun to read, but the outcome was predictable. Not bad for a free book, but not amazing either.
This story was fun to read, but the outcome was predictable. Not bad for a free book, but not amazing either.
May 4, 2015
A good old-fashioned mystery--written in 1909. Conversations and behaviors from a bygone era.
August 14, 2015
Book first published in 1909. Good mystery. Many suspects ... An it had me speculating throughout the book. Some of these old books are refreshing.
June 10, 2016
This story was pleasant enough. Not a bad way to spend a few hours.
September 15, 2016
Great murder mystery.
A surprising ending. I found the first chapter so boring I about gave up on it but powered through and enjoyed the remaining of t he book.
A surprising ending. I found the first chapter so boring I about gave up on it but powered through and enjoyed the remaining of t he book.
October 1, 2020
Major characters:
Madeleine Van Norman, 22
Schulyer Carleton, her fiancé
Cecily Dupuy, her secretary
Marie, her French maid
James Harris, her butler
Tom Willard, her distant cousin
Mrs. Markham, housekeeper
Dorothy Burt. companion to Schuyler Carleton's mother
Miss Elizabeth Morton, a take-charge type
Robert Fessenden, best man, lawyer, amateur detective
Fleming Stone, last-minute detective
Locale: New Jersey
Synopsis: At age 22, Madeleine Van Norman has already inherited the vast Van Norman mansion, and is poised to marry very proper choice Schulyer Carleton. When she does, according to terms of her late uncle Richard Van Norman's will, she will inherit his fortune - however, if she dies unmarried (just hours left!), the fortune instead goes to her distant cousin Tom Willard, who had been in love with her for years. So what does he love more - her or her money?
It is a moot question. She never makes it to her wedding, and is found stabbed to death the night before. Now Tom Willard inherits Richard's fortune. Next, the lawyer reads Madeleine's will! Surprise, she has left the mansion and grounds to Miss Elizabeth Morton; and she is not even related.
The only person who seems to have had opportunity to do the crime is the groom, Schulyer Carleton; but he lacks a motive. The person with the big fat motive, Tom Willard, was not present and thus lacks opportunity.
Review:
When a book starts out by describing the terms of a will (page 12), it becomes obvious a murder is in the making! The terms of the two wills are convoluted and worthy of a Perry Mason plot.
The ladies make a habit of fainting when asked tough questions. Of course, if I were as tightly corseted as these 1909 ladies, I would also.
This follows a standard Wells pattern: the amateur detective (Robert Fessenden) flails around for most of the book exploring different motive theories, and near the end, Fleming Stone pops in (at page 313!), takes a look around, and quickly pulls off the denouément. This reminds me of my dentist visits where the hygenist does 99.9% of the work, then the dentist pops in for a quick little peek at the end (which adds an additional charge to the bill, of course!)
The solution requires the reader to suspend disbelief on a couple of fronts. First, the murderer has a secret Santa Claus-type method of entering/exiting the house which is about as believable. Second, the murderer confesses, promptly stabs himself with the murder weapon, then casually dictates his will to his lawyer before popping off!
Overall, a nice period mystery until the strange solution is revealed.
Madeleine Van Norman, 22
Schulyer Carleton, her fiancé
Cecily Dupuy, her secretary
Marie, her French maid
James Harris, her butler
Tom Willard, her distant cousin
Mrs. Markham, housekeeper
Dorothy Burt. companion to Schuyler Carleton's mother
Miss Elizabeth Morton, a take-charge type
Robert Fessenden, best man, lawyer, amateur detective
Fleming Stone, last-minute detective
Locale: New Jersey
Synopsis: At age 22, Madeleine Van Norman has already inherited the vast Van Norman mansion, and is poised to marry very proper choice Schulyer Carleton. When she does, according to terms of her late uncle Richard Van Norman's will, she will inherit his fortune - however, if she dies unmarried (just hours left!), the fortune instead goes to her distant cousin Tom Willard, who had been in love with her for years. So what does he love more - her or her money?
It is a moot question. She never makes it to her wedding, and is found stabbed to death the night before. Now Tom Willard inherits Richard's fortune. Next, the lawyer reads Madeleine's will! Surprise, she has left the mansion and grounds to Miss Elizabeth Morton; and she is not even related.
The only person who seems to have had opportunity to do the crime is the groom, Schulyer Carleton; but he lacks a motive. The person with the big fat motive, Tom Willard, was not present and thus lacks opportunity.
Review:
When a book starts out by describing the terms of a will (page 12), it becomes obvious a murder is in the making! The terms of the two wills are convoluted and worthy of a Perry Mason plot.
The ladies make a habit of fainting when asked tough questions. Of course, if I were as tightly corseted as these 1909 ladies, I would also.
This follows a standard Wells pattern: the amateur detective (Robert Fessenden) flails around for most of the book exploring different motive theories, and near the end, Fleming Stone pops in (at page 313!), takes a look around, and quickly pulls off the denouément. This reminds me of my dentist visits where the hygenist does 99.9% of the work, then the dentist pops in for a quick little peek at the end (which adds an additional charge to the bill, of course!)
The solution requires the reader to suspend disbelief on a couple of fronts. First, the murderer has a secret Santa Claus-type method of entering/exiting the house which is about as believable. Second, the murderer confesses, promptly stabs himself with the murder weapon, then casually dictates his will to his lawyer before popping off!
Overall, a nice period mystery until the strange solution is revealed.
April 25, 2021
Carolyn Wells was a prolific writer in several categories - children's fiction, poetry, essays and mystery fiction, a number of the latter featuring series detective, Fleming Stone, who is clearly inspired by Sherlock Holmes.
The mystery concerns the murder of the beautiful, young heiress Madeleine Van Norman on the night before her wedding, combining two of the genre's classic traditions: the "manor house" mystery and the locked room mystery,
There is some appeal to Wells' storytelling here - interesting characters, and a careful embedding of clues for mystery fans. However, Wells' storytelling is very much in the serialized pattern, with prolonged scenes, repetition of information, chapters ending on a suspenseful or questioning note. Unfortunately, it doesn't serve the story well; it seems like there is a short story, or possibly novella here that is stretched to novel length for the purposes of serialization.
Another flaw is that, while this is billed as a "Fleming Stone mystery", the character of Stone doesn't appear until a few chapters from the end, basically looks around, figures out how a killer got into a locked room, established the significance of a clue (which, considering the energetic sleeting of a pair of characters, should not have been that hard to track down,) tells the guilty party to confess and the tale comes to an abrupt end.
Not the best of Wells' considerable canon, but worth reading for its place among classic mysteries of that latter 19th, early 20th century.
January 2, 2018
This was an audio book for a long drive. Not a particularly good choice. I thought it would be interesting to read a detective story before the era of fingerprints and DNA evidence. It wasn't very interesting. Or believable.
An heiress is murdered on the night before her wedding. As the entire wedding party is there they all become suspects. Yet nobody calls the police?!? The coroner does the inquest?!? The 'detective' is just a lawyer who clearly doesn't have to spend any time on his day job and is just sleuthing around for fun?!? All the suspects are questioned and they are all suspicious because they all lie about something. (Though why would they be obligated to tell the truth to some random guy who is curious?) All the suspects are questioned again and this time they come clean?!? All the suspects are then cleared. Poor amateur lawyer/sleuth can't solve the mystery so they pull in a famous detective, who then picks the only character left that hasn't been eliminated as a suspect because he's been virtually ignored for the entire book even though he's the only one that had a decent motive?!? He is accused, he obligingly confesses, then explains in great detail why he committed the murder, then kills himself, but slowly enough so that he can dictate a will before he dies?!?
An heiress is murdered on the night before her wedding. As the entire wedding party is there they all become suspects. Yet nobody calls the police?!? The coroner does the inquest?!? The 'detective' is just a lawyer who clearly doesn't have to spend any time on his day job and is just sleuthing around for fun?!? All the suspects are questioned and they are all suspicious because they all lie about something. (Though why would they be obligated to tell the truth to some random guy who is curious?) All the suspects are questioned again and this time they come clean?!? All the suspects are then cleared. Poor amateur lawyer/sleuth can't solve the mystery so they pull in a famous detective, who then picks the only character left that hasn't been eliminated as a suspect because he's been virtually ignored for the entire book even though he's the only one that had a decent motive?!? He is accused, he obligingly confesses, then explains in great detail why he committed the murder, then kills himself, but slowly enough so that he can dictate a will before he dies?!?
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