The Circular Staircase & The Bat: Miss Cornelia Van Gorder Mystery Novels

by Mary Roberts Rinehart

"The Circular Staircase" – Rachel Innes is a spinster who has had custody of her orphaned niece and nephew since they were children. Halsey and Gertrude talk Rachel into renting a house in the country for the summer. The first night Rachel is there, there is a mysterious trespasser and something falls down the stairs in the middle of the night. The second night, after Halsey and Gertrude have arrived, there is a murder, and Halsey and the friend he has brought to stay disappear. Halsey returns a few days later, without his friend and without an explanation, but by then many other developments have occurred, to the chagrin of the residents. "The Bat" – Elderly, single Cornelia Van Gorder is renting an old, isolated Long Island mansion owned by the estate of Courtleigh Fleming, a bank president who had reportedly died several months before. On a stormy evening, the electricity flickers on and off. Most of the servants, convinced that the house is haunted, have made excuses and fled. According to a news report, a mysterious criminal known as "the Bat" has eluded police in the area.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery

253 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1947

About the author

Mysteries of the well-known American writer Mary Roberts Rinehart include The Circular Staircase (1908) and The Door (1930).

People often called this prolific author the American version of Agatha Christie. She is considered the source of the phrase "The butler did it," though the exact phrase doesn't appear in her works, and she invented the "Had-I-But-Known" school of mystery writing.

Rinehart wrote hundreds of short stories, poems, travelogues, and special articles. Many of her books and plays were adapted for movies, such as The Bat (1926), The Bat Whispers (1930), and The Bat (1959). Critics most appreciated her murder mysteries.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Ro...

Reviews

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

a delightful author who deserves to be remembered

Mary Roberts Rinenart was famous in her day, and deservedly so. Her writing style and technique is familiar yet highly personalized. Her characters are fun and more well drawn out than those created by Christie. This edition has some typo issues but is an exceptional bargain nevertheless. All the entries here deserve a read, particularly the Tish Carbury series.

[Ann Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Bat is an interesting mystery that plays out like a live version of “CLUE” set in the 1920’s. Miss Cornelia Van Gorder, a wealthy spinster rents a summer mansion in an isolated area of the New York countryside. She soon finds herself facing off with a mysterious robber and killer known as “The Bat”. Strange events and haunting occurrences plague the country mansion until Miss Cornelia confronts the man known as “The Bat”.

Definitely this would make an excellent play with lots of interesting characters filled with action and shenanigans all taking place within the country mansion. I learned that this was a play after reading the book.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good way to spend an evening. Each mystery is short (around 100 pages), featuring the 'had-I-but-known' hallmark of Roberts' writing. A little dated; these were written in the early 1900's. I found these to be a fun read.

[Lisa T. Ungerer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two old fashioned mysteries

Reinhardt was familiar to me but this was the first Bentley. Both books hark back to 19th Century themes. A bit old fashioned but cozy.

[Ray · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a slapdash publication of a writer I usually enjoy. Do yourself a favor and get her books separately.