The Island Mystery

by George A. Birmingham

The Island Mystery By George A. Birmingham

Genres: Classics

202 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1918

About the author

Reverend James Owen Hannay (1865-1950) was born in Belfast and educated at Haileybury and Trinity College, Dublin. He wrote some of his books under the pseudonym George A. Birmingham. His most famous works include: The Spirit and Origin of Christian Monasticism (1903), The Seething Plot (1905), Hyacinth (1906), Benedict Cavanagh (1907), The Northern Iron (1907), The Bad Times (1908), Spanish Gold (1908), The Search Party (1909), Lalage's Lovers (1911), The Major's Niece (1911), The Red Hand of Ulster (1912), The Simpkins Plot (1912), The Adventures of Dr. Whitty (1913), General John Regan (1913), Gossamer (1915), Inisheeny (1920), Send for Dr O'Grady (1923), Found Money (1923), The Great Grandmother (1923), King Tommy (1924), Goodly Pearls (1926), Fidgets (1927), The Hymn Tune Mystery (1930), Wild Justice (1930), and Elizabeth and the Archdeacon (1932).

Reviews

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, this was a delight! Surprising that the best story so far in this anthology I'm reading should be the 100-year-old novel with the boring title written by a man I've never heard of. But it's light as air, very smart, very funny, and feels fairly modern due to its fast pace and sharp dialog. The story itself is simply set out: an American millionaire buys a small Mediterranean island so that he can have his daughter declared its queen, but it turns out to be a strategically valuable spot as WWI breaks out. Shady characters from all over Europe begin to take an interest in the young queen, her eccentric father, and an Irishman who got involved just to watch everything blow up. It isn't, strictly speaking, a mystery at all, and I don't know why it should have been included in a mystery anthology, but I am very glad it was!

[The Celtic Rebel (Richard) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is included in a mystery anthology I am reading. I am still puzzled as to why it was included as there is not much mystery to the book. It is nicely written and has moments of irony and touches of humor that keep it interesting even when some of the characters seem so unreal. I will admit that the book is a slow read. The first part of the book seemed to take me forever to get through. About the middle of the book it picked up some but then drifted back to a slow finish.

[Tim Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A scurrilous intrigue and quite amusing. But the laughs are too far apart. As for the "mystery", I gave up before it happened.

[Louie Flann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lighthearted mystery about a girl who would be queen. Set in pre-WW1 Megalia, our queen confronts sailors and a spy of the Emperor. Tension rises when strange hardware is found in a cave off the coast of her island, Salissa.

Her dad bought the island for her so she could be queen. Now, international powers want the island.

Could it be the stuff in the cave? Does she fall for the 1st Mate on a visiting ship. The answers can be found through reading.

[for-much-deliberation ... · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not much mystery, but it's a pretty good tale...

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute entertaining listening 🎧
A year before WWI an American purchases a island in the Mediterranean Sea for his daughter so she can be queen and the fun begins. A will written romantic, thriller adventure mystery by George A. Birmingham with lots of interesting fun will developed characters. The story line is set in London and the Mediterranean where the daughter becomes queen. She has a lot of interesting fun and then the Germans show up and WWI starts. I would recommend this novella to readers of British mysteries. Enjoy the adventure of reading or listening to books. 2021 📘💕👩‍🦰

[Naticia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet little story with some ridiculous characters and a semi-ridiculous plot. Enjoyable.