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The Fate of Fenella
"An adulterous young woman - Her husband's affair with an evil French temptress - A violent murder - A sensational trial - Mesmerism and trances - A lunatic asylum - Jealousy - Revenge"
These are just some of the plot elements of "The Fate of Fenella." But even stranger and more sensational than its wild and fast-paced plot is the novel's composition. An experimental novel, featuring twenty-four chapters, each written by a different bestselling Victorian novelist without collaboration with the other authors, "The Fate of Fenella" remains as fascinating today as when first published in 1892.
This edition, the first since 1892, includes a new introduction by Andrew Maunder placing the novel in the larger context of the 1890s publishing marketplace, as well as extensive notes, and biographies of the twenty-four authors. In addition to its interest as a thrilling tale of mystery and murder, "The Fate of Fenella" is the ideal introduction to the late Victorian popular novel and two dozen of its most famous practitioners.
Contains chapters by: Arthur Conan Doyle, Bram Stoker, Helen Mathers, Justin H. McCarthy, Frances Eleanor Trollope, May Crommelin, F. C. Philips, "Rita," Joseph Hatton, Mrs. Lovett Cameron, Florence Marryat, Frank Danby, Mrs. Edward Kennard, Richard Dowling, Mrs. Hungerford, Arthur a Beckett, Jean Middlemass, Clement Scott, Clo. Graves, H. W. Lucy, Adeline Sergeant, George Manville Fenn, "Tasma," F. Anstey"
These are just some of the plot elements of "The Fate of Fenella." But even stranger and more sensational than its wild and fast-paced plot is the novel's composition. An experimental novel, featuring twenty-four chapters, each written by a different bestselling Victorian novelist without collaboration with the other authors, "The Fate of Fenella" remains as fascinating today as when first published in 1892.
This edition, the first since 1892, includes a new introduction by Andrew Maunder placing the novel in the larger context of the 1890s publishing marketplace, as well as extensive notes, and biographies of the twenty-four authors. In addition to its interest as a thrilling tale of mystery and murder, "The Fate of Fenella" is the ideal introduction to the late Victorian popular novel and two dozen of its most famous practitioners.
Contains chapters by: Arthur Conan Doyle, Bram Stoker, Helen Mathers, Justin H. McCarthy, Frances Eleanor Trollope, May Crommelin, F. C. Philips, "Rita," Joseph Hatton, Mrs. Lovett Cameron, Florence Marryat, Frank Danby, Mrs. Edward Kennard, Richard Dowling, Mrs. Hungerford, Arthur a Beckett, Jean Middlemass, Clement Scott, Clo. Graves, H. W. Lucy, Adeline Sergeant, George Manville Fenn, "Tasma," F. Anstey"
268 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1892
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158 people want to read
About the author
Helen Mathers
86 books6 followersEllen Buckingham Mathews (1853 - 1920) was a popular female English novelist during the late 19th and early 20th century. She was also known as Mrs Reeves after her marriage to Dr. Henry Reeves but was best known under her pen name, Helen Mathers.
She was born in Misterton, Somerset. Her first novel, "Comin' thro' the Rye" was published in 1875. It was partly based on people in her life and on her own early romantic experiences. She also acknowledged Rhoda Broughton as an early influence. She continued to write until her death. Her last novel was published posthumously.
She was born in Misterton, Somerset. Her first novel, "Comin' thro' the Rye" was published in 1875. It was partly based on people in her life and on her own early romantic experiences. She also acknowledged Rhoda Broughton as an early influence. She continued to write until her death. Her last novel was published posthumously.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 1, 2024
Totally wild, very ridiculous, but excellent fun.
February 5, 2025
Well, that was certainly different!!
That the twenty-four chapters of this experimental novel, each written by different successful Victorian authors, were created without collaboration was, sadly, all too obvious.
The plot, a ridiculous melodrama, twisted and turned on the proverbial dime clearly dependent on the whim of the author of the moment. And that plot, such as it was, rested on the notion of hypnotic trances the source and purpose of which was never even hinted at. Seriously??
The characters - venal, mercurial, and undeveloped one and all – were entirely narcissistic and self-serving. The villain strutted from one scenario to another, impossibly avoiding detection, arrest, and even death, twirling her Snidley Whiplash mustache in the best tradition of a cartoon bad guy. The only thing she didn’t do was to wail her ultimate demise by shouting “Curses, … foiled again!” It was, in a word, like a play that was badly written and badly over-acted.
It was a fascinating read, to be sure, and the skill of its authors was obvious but, taken as a whole, THE FATE OF FENELLA was a decided opening night flop for this reader. Not something I could ever recommend that anyone else bother with!
Paul Weiss
That the twenty-four chapters of this experimental novel, each written by different successful Victorian authors, were created without collaboration was, sadly, all too obvious.
The plot, a ridiculous melodrama, twisted and turned on the proverbial dime clearly dependent on the whim of the author of the moment. And that plot, such as it was, rested on the notion of hypnotic trances the source and purpose of which was never even hinted at. Seriously??
The characters - venal, mercurial, and undeveloped one and all – were entirely narcissistic and self-serving. The villain strutted from one scenario to another, impossibly avoiding detection, arrest, and even death, twirling her Snidley Whiplash mustache in the best tradition of a cartoon bad guy. The only thing she didn’t do was to wail her ultimate demise by shouting “Curses, … foiled again!” It was, in a word, like a play that was badly written and badly over-acted.
It was a fascinating read, to be sure, and the skill of its authors was obvious but, taken as a whole, THE FATE OF FENELLA was a decided opening night flop for this reader. Not something I could ever recommend that anyone else bother with!
Paul Weiss
March 10, 2022
I will disabuse anyone who might discover this novel, thinking it's maybe an interesting Victorian precursor to a surrealist exquisite corpse collaborative novel. This is a potboiler, pure and simple. And not a very good one. And if like me you found it in a thrift store and were intrigued by the sullen androgyne on the cover, just go ahead and cut her out with an exacto knife and toss the rest. Maybe go write a book about her yourself. She still needs a book written about her.
The first chapter written by Helen Mathers was colorful enough, with some quirkily musty turns of phrase that brought Fenella to life as a sassy society flibbertigibbet. One can read the following chapters as a Victorian eyebrow-raising by the other authors at Mathers' creation. But eventually Fenella Fatale gets lost in a sleepy Victorian soap opera with yawning gender tropes, and when you finally stop enjoying, in a sardonic way, the straight-laced nastiness of Victorian sexism, racism, nationalism, classism, and general square-headedness, you'll wish you'd been part of the project yourself, so that you could kill off these characters with your own pen.
Update 2/28: Fenella made a delightful guest. https://ghostpaperarchives.com/2022/0...
The first chapter written by Helen Mathers was colorful enough, with some quirkily musty turns of phrase that brought Fenella to life as a sassy society flibbertigibbet. One can read the following chapters as a Victorian eyebrow-raising by the other authors at Mathers' creation. But eventually Fenella Fatale gets lost in a sleepy Victorian soap opera with yawning gender tropes, and when you finally stop enjoying, in a sardonic way, the straight-laced nastiness of Victorian sexism, racism, nationalism, classism, and general square-headedness, you'll wish you'd been part of the project yourself, so that you could kill off these characters with your own pen.
Update 2/28: Fenella made a delightful guest. https://ghostpaperarchives.com/2022/0...
November 14, 2008
Rarely have I been so entertained by a Victorian thriller. Fenella was an experimental novel in which each of the 24 chapters was written by a different author
--without collaboration. Some of the flaws in the experiment are pretty obvious--for example the heroine is described as having dark hair in one chapter, golden hair in another, and "a nimbus of red-brown hair" in yet another. But the funniest thing is the up-and-down sense of drama. In one chapter the hero is gnashing his teeth and uttering passionate cries at his wife's sick-bed, but in the next, when he discovered his son has been abducted by his ex-lover, he can only say "This is a bad business. A very bad business indeed; I would not have had it happen for a year's income."
The tragic ending actually made me weep with laughter.
--without collaboration. Some of the flaws in the experiment are pretty obvious--for example the heroine is described as having dark hair in one chapter, golden hair in another, and "a nimbus of red-brown hair" in yet another. But the funniest thing is the up-and-down sense of drama. In one chapter the hero is gnashing his teeth and uttering passionate cries at his wife's sick-bed, but in the next, when he discovered his son has been abducted by his ex-lover, he can only say "This is a bad business. A very bad business indeed; I would not have had it happen for a year's income."
The tragic ending actually made me weep with laughter.
November 21, 2020
An "experiment in consecutive novel writing", this book is... well. Chaos, really. Hugely melodramtic, drastically inconsistent, confusing, ridiculous, complete shameless Victorian soap opera trash.
I love it.
And whoever decided to have F.Anstey write the final chapter.... GENIUS! INSPIRED! MAGNIFICENT!
Really, The Fate of Fenella is so much fun. The melodrama just relentlessly ramps up beyond the absurd, but it is so self-aware, and you can tell that the people involved just had great fun with it. And in spite of the ridiculousness (because of it?) I still found myself very invested in the story, and read it voraciously in parts.
So good. Will be aggressively recommending it to everyone I know.
I love it.
And whoever decided to have F.Anstey write the final chapter.... GENIUS! INSPIRED! MAGNIFICENT!
Really, The Fate of Fenella is so much fun. The melodrama just relentlessly ramps up beyond the absurd, but it is so self-aware, and you can tell that the people involved just had great fun with it. And in spite of the ridiculousness (because of it?) I still found myself very invested in the story, and read it voraciously in parts.
So good. Will be aggressively recommending it to everyone I know.
February 15, 2025
What a fascinating experiment in writing! Twenty-four authors each taking a chapter, each getting the characters in and out of the most dramatic of circumstances; collectively creating a story of extreme twists and turns that is a hoot to read. It’s not smooth, there’s no character development, and in places it is convoluted and confusing… But it sure was entertaining! I can enthusiastically recommend this to those who enjoy the sensation novels popular in the late 1800s, or any sensational serialized fiction. It may not be great literature but it is great fun.
January 15, 2025
This is not a well-known work, for good reason. Despite its experimental composition, it is a tradition love triangle in which the wayward woman wins the worthy man without trying, and the wayward man dies to allow for the tidy ending.
The eventful, if somewhat predictable, plot twists might form the basis for the sort of forgettable film with which people while away a rainy Sunday afternoon.
The eventful, if somewhat predictable, plot twists might form the basis for the sort of forgettable film with which people while away a rainy Sunday afternoon.
February 7, 2017
The book as such is bad. Like really, really bad. A cheap Victorian novel, with all the sensationalism and rancid morality that the genre entails. I was well aware of the fact before buying the book.
Then why did I do it?
To be honest, I was intrigued by the concept.
This experiment in consecutive writing is the precedent of the cadavre exquis technique widely used later by the surrealists, which I find fascinating.
The book proved quite an interesting read: seeing the 24 authors trying hard to outdo the previous ones in terms of plot twists, drama and hardships for the heroes, trying to keep the story going and the readership captivated for one more chapter, cliffhanger after cliffhanger, makes the plot progress to levels of implausibility beyond absurd, and precisely for that, quite amusing.
It was engaging, too, see how the moral stance and even the gender of the writers let themselves be heavily felt in the character development (more a back-and-forth than any kind of linear progress), and how some of them even dared to try igniting some tiny sparks of revolutionary moral ideas within the strict boundaries set by the milieu and the intended target of the book.
Considering that the underlying topic of the book is marital infidelity, it gives a lot of insight about gender issues in Victorian society. That said, that same historical and social environment constricts tightly the plot development from a very early stage on. Already in the first chapters, once the characters are established and the triggering event of the story happens, the only morally aceptable outcome becomes crystal clear and predictable, and several chapters serve only as yellow plot padding before the inevitable ending.
It is entertaining to muse about how some of the writers must have struggled to keep the story inside the confines set by their previous colleagues, while still adding new thrills that would not force the suspension of disbelief way too much, while at the same time inserting — most of the time rather shoehorning — their own moral ideas and trying to be faithful to their own styles. It must have been exhausting.
The end product is, as its contemporary critics already pointed out, an extremely silly novel, but I think that at the same time it is a very interesting one.
Then why did I do it?
To be honest, I was intrigued by the concept.
This experiment in consecutive writing is the precedent of the cadavre exquis technique widely used later by the surrealists, which I find fascinating.
The book proved quite an interesting read: seeing the 24 authors trying hard to outdo the previous ones in terms of plot twists, drama and hardships for the heroes, trying to keep the story going and the readership captivated for one more chapter, cliffhanger after cliffhanger, makes the plot progress to levels of implausibility beyond absurd, and precisely for that, quite amusing.
It was engaging, too, see how the moral stance and even the gender of the writers let themselves be heavily felt in the character development (more a back-and-forth than any kind of linear progress), and how some of them even dared to try igniting some tiny sparks of revolutionary moral ideas within the strict boundaries set by the milieu and the intended target of the book.
Considering that the underlying topic of the book is marital infidelity, it gives a lot of insight about gender issues in Victorian society. That said, that same historical and social environment constricts tightly the plot development from a very early stage on. Already in the first chapters, once the characters are established and the triggering event of the story happens, the only morally aceptable outcome becomes crystal clear and predictable, and several chapters serve only as yellow plot padding before the inevitable ending.
It is entertaining to muse about how some of the writers must have struggled to keep the story inside the confines set by their previous colleagues, while still adding new thrills that would not force the suspension of disbelief way too much, while at the same time inserting — most of the time rather shoehorning — their own moral ideas and trying to be faithful to their own styles. It must have been exhausting.
The end product is, as its contemporary critics already pointed out, an extremely silly novel, but I think that at the same time it is a very interesting one.
September 3, 2024
Well, I’ve read as much of this as I’m going to. I’m sure you’re familiar with the conceit of this enterprise: a round Robin novel. No plan, just a succession of writers receiving the previous chapters and adding a new one. The result has all the consistency and coherence of the Star Wars sequels. Aside from the novelty of it, and only two writers you are likely to have heard of (Arthur Conan Doyle and Bram Stoker) there is nothing at all to recommend this book. I will say this: kudos for the fact that half the writers were women!
September 20, 2020
This is an ultimately unsuccessful work if considered as a piece of fiction (how could it be otherwise, with such a wild variety of authors specializing in different genres?). However, it's a curiosity, even though I don't think either Conan Doyle or Bram Stoker was particularly engaged. I enjoyed the evidence of jockeying back and forth in both tone and plot.
Lazily, I'm just going to append my reading notes.
Chapter 1: Helen Mathers, minor romance novelist, “fast and slangy” heroines. Sets story in Harrogate, “The Stray” (town park area), heroine (Fenella Ffrench, separated from husband Lord Frank Onslow, has small son Ronny). Frank is introduced as fellow-passenger on coach. Abrupt tense change and flip tone to narrative. Lawyer (as rival to Frank) is mentioned.
---
Chapter 2: Justin H. McCarthy (the younger). Irish nationalist author and politician . Wrote poetry, plays, biography as well as novels.
New character – Clitheroe Jacynth, lawyer & man about town; we are told about an adventure in a gambling den/hashish den in Cairo; he is attracted to Fenella, proposes to her and is refused.
---
Chapter 3: Frances Trollope, sister-in-law to Anthony Trollope; member of Ternan acting family (younger sister Ellen was Charles Dickens’ mistress). Published novels, 1860s onward; Fenella appears to be last publication
Backstory for Fenella – 3 year marriage; wealthy father died; separation, at her insistence, upon the young couple coming to town and jealousies on both sides. Also shows Jacynth sympathizing with her, and having very good relationship with Ronny. Lord Castleton (comic figure introduced in chapter 1, acquaintance of all) gives society's conventional view that she is to blame, though her husband flirted just as much (or more?) than she did.
---
Chapter 4: Arthur Conan Doyle. Picks up on suggestion that Frank had been involved with one Lucille de Vigny, and introduces her in the same hotel where Fenella & Jacynth are staying (busy hotel!). She successfully attracts Frank's attention, and piques jealousy by saying Fenella was with a German rival in London. He succumbs to Lucille, and Fenella bursts out of the bushes, betrayed. She runs off to the station to catch Jacynth before he leaves, and brings him back. Doyle's tone highly melodramatic and full of clichés (Fenella clenches her little hand);one gets the feeling he was perhaps rather contemptuous of the project.
---
Chapter 5: May Crommelin. Prolific novelist; independent but not wealthy Irishwoman, living in England. Wrote to support herself - travel literature and 42 novels.
Fenella sends for her German so as to rub it in with Frank. For some reason, Jacynth goes along with this (reluctantly). Jacynth rescues Ronny falling down a cliff, and Frank is there, trying to thank him. Lucille, on Frank's arm, coos at Ronny causing Fenella to flare up, and Lucille tries to use it to lessen the major bond she sees Ronny providing between Frank and his wife. Enter de Murger, a caricaturish blond German military type. More flipping between present and past tense. Tension at the hotel dinner table.
---
Chapter 6: F.C. (Francis Charles) Phillips. British army officer, actor, theatre-manager, dramatist, barrister, journalist, short story writer and novelist. 40 novels.
Jacynth talks to his sister Helen about Fenella; sister "refuses to know" her because she behaves so unwisely. Jacynth, who has promised an introduction, has to explain this to Fenella, who runs off upset.
---
Chapter 7: "Rita". (Eliza Margaret Jane Humphreys; Mrs. W. Desmond Humphreys). Scottish. Prolific novelist. Interested in the woman question; was early member of a women's club; fairly conservative.
Fenella & Frank shown separately still in love with each other; she goes restlessly to look for him, having carelessly affixed her hair with a dagger; he writes a letter. In hallway he sees a man - unnamed - approach her, then pursue her into the bedroom. Assuming the worst, Frank falls into a wretched sleep; then flees hotel, goes to continent; newspaper headlines (meaning nothing to him): "foreign count murdered in hotel"
----
Chapter 8: Joseph Hatton. Newspaper editor (including Sunday Times); biographer of Henry Irving. Also a couple of dozen novels.
Tone of the novel turns sensationalistic: Lord Frank killed the Count (who is trying to seduce Fenella) in a fit of somnambulism; Fenella witnesses the crime then realizes there is something wrong with F, and covers for him, claiming she killed the Count himself. We get something of the police, the coroner's court, and public reaction. The verdict of "justifiable homicide" is suggested.
---
Chapter 9: Mrs. Lovett Cameron. Romance novelist, conservative. Wrote "The Man Who Didn't" in response to Grant Allen's "The Woman Who Did".
Fenella released upon verdict of justifiable homicide, largely due to Jacynth's efforts as her lawyer. Still loves her but is standoffish because of her "stain of blood"; he persuades her to leave Ronny with him and his sister because of her shattered reputation. She goes to the Channel Islands (Guernsey), where Lord Castleton's yacht appears, having been lent to a friend, namely Frank. They encounter each other in the street.
---
Chapter 10 Bram Stoker.
A quiet-ish chapter in which Frank learns the state of affairs (he is still unaware of the murder) from his friend Lord Castleton, but Castleton then decides not to confide his own conviction that Frank committed the murder (based on a new sleep-walking incident in which Frank replays the murder upon Castleton, with a newspaper!) Frank leaves the Channel Islands, thinking Fenella guilty.
---
Chapter 11: Florence Marryat. Daughter of Captain Marryat; sensational novels; spiritualism & mediums.
Reintroduces Frank’s lover, Lucille de Vigny. She awaits events, hoping the murder scandal will lead to divorce and her union with Frank. Frank has put his country house (“The Grange”) up for let and she takes it, unbeknownst to him. Colonel Uriah B. Clutterbuck, senator & oligarch from US, one of her admirers, visits her there, and is refused. Frank’s gushing love-letter to Fenella (using pet-names), abandoned on the night of the murder, is delivered to the Grange by the Dead-Letter Office; de Vigny reads his poor opinion of her, and vows revenge on Frank & Fenella. Marries Clutterbuck for his money and America; plausibly talks Jacynth’s sister into releasing custody of Ronny to her (basically kidnapping him).
Chapter 12: Frank Danby – actually Julia Frankau, nee Davis, Anglo-Jewish. Wrote a controversial novel, largely a roman-a-clef, about a doctor who was a poisoner; and another, later, as a defence of Wilde (The Sphinx’s Lawyer).
Frank regrets leaving and returns to Fenella. She gets very ill, having completely lost hope. Is delirious. Doctor advises getting Ronny as a way of saving her. This is a rhetorical, purple chapter, all about states of mind.
---
Chapter 13: Mrs. Edward Kennard (Mary Eliza Kennard), specialist in country house fiction (hunting, fishing, etc.) Also interested in automobiles. Related by marriage to the Faber family.
Retrospective of the marriage from Frank’s point of view, wherein he concludes himself largely to blame (though he still does not know he committed the murder himself), and we get a moment of Christian penitence and prayer rather outside the tone of the novel so far. He hurries off to Jacynth’s sister, Mrs. Grandison, to get Ronny, and in the explanations identifies Lucille as the abductor. Goes to London to engage a detective to hunt her down.
---
Chapter 14: Richard Dowling. Irish short story writer & novelist; principal subject matter crime, detective, mystery. Wrote throughout the 80s and 90s.
Frank, in a state of frenzy, goes to Scotland Yard and consults Inspector Brown. Turns out Lucille De Vigny is wanted by the French police for swindling. Brown also knows that de Vigny has just left for America, as Mrs. Clutterbuck, with a small boy in tow. de Vigny is still married to someone in France. Frank heads to America via Ireland; forgets to notify Fenella. She recovers physically, but is amnesiac; no-one tells her about Frank or Ronny. She gets a note from de Vigny, via her lover – your husband has left you forever, and I have taken care you’ll never see your child again.
---
Chapter 15: Mrs. Hungerford (Margaret Wolfe). Irish; light romantic fiction.
Fenella telegraphs for help to Clitheroe Jacynth, despite his former coolness towards her. Castleton tells Jacynth that it was Frank (sleepwalking), not Fenella, who killed the Count. This gives Jacynth great joy. Jacynth goes to Fenella and confirms with her that it was Frank who killed the count. She is convinced Frank is with de Vigny and her child. Jacynth offers to go and find Ronny & Frank and bring them back to her; she is desperate for Ronny, but her memories of Frank during the murder are haunting her.
Chapter 16: Arthur [William] A’Beckett. Journalist (Punch, Sunday Times).
The Clutterbucks in New York. Lucille spends madly, and doesn’t like her husband’s business friends. Clutterbuck appears to be on to her, and makes veiled threats. She has sent Ronny somewhere (he doesn’t know where). Clutterbuck discovers she is already married. Lucille: “As a man of business, how much do you intend to pay me to go away?” Lucille afraid her French husband is going to kill her. She reads a newspaper: Frank is in New York. Frank goes to NY police, who search for Ronny (unsuccessfully). Frank goes out for a walk and, having caught a glimpse at a window, walks somnambulistically into Lucille’s house/apt, and “comes to” with her bending over him.
---
Chapter 17: Jean [Mary Jane] Middlemass – prolific novelist. Times obituary in 1919 is dismissive; her novels’ villains only commit “the more reputable” crimes like murder & forgery; nothing that would raise a blush.
Frank/Lucille confrontation: he loses temper and harms her (slightly), she uses the events to get him carted off to a private madhouse. Lucille’s villain’s soliloquy discloses that her end game is to get Frank back from Fenella. De Vigny pays off an associate who has sent Ronny off somewhere (no details). De Vigny runs into Jacynth & Castleton on the New York street.
---
Chapter 18: Clement Scott – theatre critic & playwright, known for intemperate opinions.
Frank’s despair in madhouse. By wild coincidence, Castleton and an American detective come on visiting day & Frank is released; madhouse owner is detained. After his release, Frank collapses; Castleton tends him; detective is charged with finding Ronny. They sail back to England; Jacynth also comes on board. They leave Ronny (who has been found) in Frank’s cabin to find when he (Frank) wakes up. Also on board, Lucille, under arrest by British police. Final picture is of Fenella, drained but knowing “that Frank was faithful, and that her boy was safe.” Scott has wrapped up the plot!
---
Chapter 19: Clo. Graves. (aka Richard Dehan. Anglo-Irish playwright and novelist). Very early in her career.
On Guernsey, Fenella runs into Lucille & a group of children including Lucille’s child, who is being fostered on the island, her French father being in (a very cruel) prison, still serving his 8-year sentence. Old comrade of the father tells her the story. The story is told without names, and Fenella doesn’t seem to make the connection. Fenella dreams that Lucille de Vigny sets fire to the ship her husband, child and friends are on. She dreams that the ship goes down and Jacynth & Ronny are lost. In her dream, she speaks to her devastated husband and he seems to hear her.
Chapter 20: H.W. Lucy. (Henry W.) Political journalist, Punch and The Observer. Also humorist; wrote short stories.
Meanwhile on the ship... some passengers disembark in Ireland (Lucille tries to, but is prevented by her police guard). Ronnie becomes a favourite with the bosun, and is very close to Jacynth (more so than to his father). Frank has forebodings that he will die young, and wishes now only to make everything up to Fenella. The fire happens, ship is wrecked on the Irish shore, and Ronnie, Frank & Jacynth appear to be the only survivors, the bosun having helped them to climb the mainmast instead of going in the boats, which were swamped in the rough seas.
Chapter 21: Adeline Sergeant. Interested in religious and political matters – Fenianism and the plight of the poor.
Ronny, Frank and Jacynth in Liverpool. Ronny under the weather; Frank dangerously weak. Jacynth telegraphs Fenella to come, but receives no answer. Frank gets anonymous letter from someone who claims to have witnessed the hotel murder and knows Fenella innocent, shielding another. Against Jacynth’s pleadings, Frank goes to meet the informant; Fenella arrives.
Chapter 22: George Manville Fenn. Novelist for juveniles and adults. Biographer of G.A. Henty.
Frank misses the informant (a woman) by 10 minutes; instead of going back to hotel, heads to station and to Guernsey to find Fenella and bring her back to Ronny. He’s in a fugue state due to weakness, quite well described. After a day in bed, Frank goes for a walk in Guernsey, and runs into (a) the storyteller about Lucille’s first husband (turns out to be the husband himself), then (2) Lucille herself, with her daughter. First husband attacks Lucille, and they both go down cliff to seashore; Frank scrambles down after them, thinking no choice but to try to rescue her; he collapses on ledge above them, where she appeals to him to prevent husband from murdering her. (“I am her Fate!”) Frank is “perfectly unable to save”.
Chapter 23: “Tasma”. Jessie Catherine Couvreur, English-Australian novelist. Born England, grew up Tasmania, married a Belgian. Became Times correspondent for Brussels in 1894, after her husband’s death.
In Liverpool, Jacynth, Fenella & Ronny act as a family unit as Ronny recovers. Mostly pov Jacynth, who against better judgment is allowing himself to become surrogate husband and father, & to think of Frank in disparaging terms. Fenella gets telegram announcing Frank is gravely ill, and to come at once. Also picture of Lucille’s demise; she and her husband both swept under by the sea, relieving Frank of the necessity of reporting
Chapter 24: F. Anstey (Thomas Anstey Guthrie). Better known as a humourist.
Lucille appears again! (It seems that Frank, in another fugue state, had actually rescued her, just as he had murdered the Count). She tells Frank the dire truth about his murder, and also that police are on their way to arrest him. A knock at the door: not police, but Fenella and Jacynth; Frank makes Fenella admit she did not commit the murder; he did, but not in a conscious state. Joyful reconciliation with Jacynth standing ruefully by. Police arrive; but instead of arresting Frank, they arrest Lucille again and take her away. Frank (considerately) has heart attack and dies, leaving Fenella and Jacynth to form family with Ronny.
Lazily, I'm just going to append my reading notes.
Chapter 1: Helen Mathers, minor romance novelist, “fast and slangy” heroines. Sets story in Harrogate, “The Stray” (town park area), heroine (Fenella Ffrench, separated from husband Lord Frank Onslow, has small son Ronny). Frank is introduced as fellow-passenger on coach. Abrupt tense change and flip tone to narrative. Lawyer (as rival to Frank) is mentioned.
---
Chapter 2: Justin H. McCarthy (the younger). Irish nationalist author and politician . Wrote poetry, plays, biography as well as novels.
New character – Clitheroe Jacynth, lawyer & man about town; we are told about an adventure in a gambling den/hashish den in Cairo; he is attracted to Fenella, proposes to her and is refused.
---
Chapter 3: Frances Trollope, sister-in-law to Anthony Trollope; member of Ternan acting family (younger sister Ellen was Charles Dickens’ mistress). Published novels, 1860s onward; Fenella appears to be last publication
Backstory for Fenella – 3 year marriage; wealthy father died; separation, at her insistence, upon the young couple coming to town and jealousies on both sides. Also shows Jacynth sympathizing with her, and having very good relationship with Ronny. Lord Castleton (comic figure introduced in chapter 1, acquaintance of all) gives society's conventional view that she is to blame, though her husband flirted just as much (or more?) than she did.
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Chapter 4: Arthur Conan Doyle. Picks up on suggestion that Frank had been involved with one Lucille de Vigny, and introduces her in the same hotel where Fenella & Jacynth are staying (busy hotel!). She successfully attracts Frank's attention, and piques jealousy by saying Fenella was with a German rival in London. He succumbs to Lucille, and Fenella bursts out of the bushes, betrayed. She runs off to the station to catch Jacynth before he leaves, and brings him back. Doyle's tone highly melodramatic and full of clichés (Fenella clenches her little hand);one gets the feeling he was perhaps rather contemptuous of the project.
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Chapter 5: May Crommelin. Prolific novelist; independent but not wealthy Irishwoman, living in England. Wrote to support herself - travel literature and 42 novels.
Fenella sends for her German so as to rub it in with Frank. For some reason, Jacynth goes along with this (reluctantly). Jacynth rescues Ronny falling down a cliff, and Frank is there, trying to thank him. Lucille, on Frank's arm, coos at Ronny causing Fenella to flare up, and Lucille tries to use it to lessen the major bond she sees Ronny providing between Frank and his wife. Enter de Murger, a caricaturish blond German military type. More flipping between present and past tense. Tension at the hotel dinner table.
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Chapter 6: F.C. (Francis Charles) Phillips. British army officer, actor, theatre-manager, dramatist, barrister, journalist, short story writer and novelist. 40 novels.
Jacynth talks to his sister Helen about Fenella; sister "refuses to know" her because she behaves so unwisely. Jacynth, who has promised an introduction, has to explain this to Fenella, who runs off upset.
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Chapter 7: "Rita". (Eliza Margaret Jane Humphreys; Mrs. W. Desmond Humphreys). Scottish. Prolific novelist. Interested in the woman question; was early member of a women's club; fairly conservative.
Fenella & Frank shown separately still in love with each other; she goes restlessly to look for him, having carelessly affixed her hair with a dagger; he writes a letter. In hallway he sees a man - unnamed - approach her, then pursue her into the bedroom. Assuming the worst, Frank falls into a wretched sleep; then flees hotel, goes to continent; newspaper headlines (meaning nothing to him): "foreign count murdered in hotel"
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Chapter 8: Joseph Hatton. Newspaper editor (including Sunday Times); biographer of Henry Irving. Also a couple of dozen novels.
Tone of the novel turns sensationalistic: Lord Frank killed the Count (who is trying to seduce Fenella) in a fit of somnambulism; Fenella witnesses the crime then realizes there is something wrong with F, and covers for him, claiming she killed the Count himself. We get something of the police, the coroner's court, and public reaction. The verdict of "justifiable homicide" is suggested.
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Chapter 9: Mrs. Lovett Cameron. Romance novelist, conservative. Wrote "The Man Who Didn't" in response to Grant Allen's "The Woman Who Did".
Fenella released upon verdict of justifiable homicide, largely due to Jacynth's efforts as her lawyer. Still loves her but is standoffish because of her "stain of blood"; he persuades her to leave Ronny with him and his sister because of her shattered reputation. She goes to the Channel Islands (Guernsey), where Lord Castleton's yacht appears, having been lent to a friend, namely Frank. They encounter each other in the street.
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Chapter 10 Bram Stoker.
A quiet-ish chapter in which Frank learns the state of affairs (he is still unaware of the murder) from his friend Lord Castleton, but Castleton then decides not to confide his own conviction that Frank committed the murder (based on a new sleep-walking incident in which Frank replays the murder upon Castleton, with a newspaper!) Frank leaves the Channel Islands, thinking Fenella guilty.
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Chapter 11: Florence Marryat. Daughter of Captain Marryat; sensational novels; spiritualism & mediums.
Reintroduces Frank’s lover, Lucille de Vigny. She awaits events, hoping the murder scandal will lead to divorce and her union with Frank. Frank has put his country house (“The Grange”) up for let and she takes it, unbeknownst to him. Colonel Uriah B. Clutterbuck, senator & oligarch from US, one of her admirers, visits her there, and is refused. Frank’s gushing love-letter to Fenella (using pet-names), abandoned on the night of the murder, is delivered to the Grange by the Dead-Letter Office; de Vigny reads his poor opinion of her, and vows revenge on Frank & Fenella. Marries Clutterbuck for his money and America; plausibly talks Jacynth’s sister into releasing custody of Ronny to her (basically kidnapping him).
Chapter 12: Frank Danby – actually Julia Frankau, nee Davis, Anglo-Jewish. Wrote a controversial novel, largely a roman-a-clef, about a doctor who was a poisoner; and another, later, as a defence of Wilde (The Sphinx’s Lawyer).
Frank regrets leaving and returns to Fenella. She gets very ill, having completely lost hope. Is delirious. Doctor advises getting Ronny as a way of saving her. This is a rhetorical, purple chapter, all about states of mind.
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Chapter 13: Mrs. Edward Kennard (Mary Eliza Kennard), specialist in country house fiction (hunting, fishing, etc.) Also interested in automobiles. Related by marriage to the Faber family.
Retrospective of the marriage from Frank’s point of view, wherein he concludes himself largely to blame (though he still does not know he committed the murder himself), and we get a moment of Christian penitence and prayer rather outside the tone of the novel so far. He hurries off to Jacynth’s sister, Mrs. Grandison, to get Ronny, and in the explanations identifies Lucille as the abductor. Goes to London to engage a detective to hunt her down.
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Chapter 14: Richard Dowling. Irish short story writer & novelist; principal subject matter crime, detective, mystery. Wrote throughout the 80s and 90s.
Frank, in a state of frenzy, goes to Scotland Yard and consults Inspector Brown. Turns out Lucille De Vigny is wanted by the French police for swindling. Brown also knows that de Vigny has just left for America, as Mrs. Clutterbuck, with a small boy in tow. de Vigny is still married to someone in France. Frank heads to America via Ireland; forgets to notify Fenella. She recovers physically, but is amnesiac; no-one tells her about Frank or Ronny. She gets a note from de Vigny, via her lover – your husband has left you forever, and I have taken care you’ll never see your child again.
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Chapter 15: Mrs. Hungerford (Margaret Wolfe). Irish; light romantic fiction.
Fenella telegraphs for help to Clitheroe Jacynth, despite his former coolness towards her. Castleton tells Jacynth that it was Frank (sleepwalking), not Fenella, who killed the Count. This gives Jacynth great joy. Jacynth goes to Fenella and confirms with her that it was Frank who killed the count. She is convinced Frank is with de Vigny and her child. Jacynth offers to go and find Ronny & Frank and bring them back to her; she is desperate for Ronny, but her memories of Frank during the murder are haunting her.
Chapter 16: Arthur [William] A’Beckett. Journalist (Punch, Sunday Times).
The Clutterbucks in New York. Lucille spends madly, and doesn’t like her husband’s business friends. Clutterbuck appears to be on to her, and makes veiled threats. She has sent Ronny somewhere (he doesn’t know where). Clutterbuck discovers she is already married. Lucille: “As a man of business, how much do you intend to pay me to go away?” Lucille afraid her French husband is going to kill her. She reads a newspaper: Frank is in New York. Frank goes to NY police, who search for Ronny (unsuccessfully). Frank goes out for a walk and, having caught a glimpse at a window, walks somnambulistically into Lucille’s house/apt, and “comes to” with her bending over him.
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Chapter 17: Jean [Mary Jane] Middlemass – prolific novelist. Times obituary in 1919 is dismissive; her novels’ villains only commit “the more reputable” crimes like murder & forgery; nothing that would raise a blush.
Frank/Lucille confrontation: he loses temper and harms her (slightly), she uses the events to get him carted off to a private madhouse. Lucille’s villain’s soliloquy discloses that her end game is to get Frank back from Fenella. De Vigny pays off an associate who has sent Ronny off somewhere (no details). De Vigny runs into Jacynth & Castleton on the New York street.
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Chapter 18: Clement Scott – theatre critic & playwright, known for intemperate opinions.
Frank’s despair in madhouse. By wild coincidence, Castleton and an American detective come on visiting day & Frank is released; madhouse owner is detained. After his release, Frank collapses; Castleton tends him; detective is charged with finding Ronny. They sail back to England; Jacynth also comes on board. They leave Ronny (who has been found) in Frank’s cabin to find when he (Frank) wakes up. Also on board, Lucille, under arrest by British police. Final picture is of Fenella, drained but knowing “that Frank was faithful, and that her boy was safe.” Scott has wrapped up the plot!
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Chapter 19: Clo. Graves. (aka Richard Dehan. Anglo-Irish playwright and novelist). Very early in her career.
On Guernsey, Fenella runs into Lucille & a group of children including Lucille’s child, who is being fostered on the island, her French father being in (a very cruel) prison, still serving his 8-year sentence. Old comrade of the father tells her the story. The story is told without names, and Fenella doesn’t seem to make the connection. Fenella dreams that Lucille de Vigny sets fire to the ship her husband, child and friends are on. She dreams that the ship goes down and Jacynth & Ronny are lost. In her dream, she speaks to her devastated husband and he seems to hear her.
Chapter 20: H.W. Lucy. (Henry W.) Political journalist, Punch and The Observer. Also humorist; wrote short stories.
Meanwhile on the ship... some passengers disembark in Ireland (Lucille tries to, but is prevented by her police guard). Ronnie becomes a favourite with the bosun, and is very close to Jacynth (more so than to his father). Frank has forebodings that he will die young, and wishes now only to make everything up to Fenella. The fire happens, ship is wrecked on the Irish shore, and Ronnie, Frank & Jacynth appear to be the only survivors, the bosun having helped them to climb the mainmast instead of going in the boats, which were swamped in the rough seas.
Chapter 21: Adeline Sergeant. Interested in religious and political matters – Fenianism and the plight of the poor.
Ronny, Frank and Jacynth in Liverpool. Ronny under the weather; Frank dangerously weak. Jacynth telegraphs Fenella to come, but receives no answer. Frank gets anonymous letter from someone who claims to have witnessed the hotel murder and knows Fenella innocent, shielding another. Against Jacynth’s pleadings, Frank goes to meet the informant; Fenella arrives.
Chapter 22: George Manville Fenn. Novelist for juveniles and adults. Biographer of G.A. Henty.
Frank misses the informant (a woman) by 10 minutes; instead of going back to hotel, heads to station and to Guernsey to find Fenella and bring her back to Ronny. He’s in a fugue state due to weakness, quite well described. After a day in bed, Frank goes for a walk in Guernsey, and runs into (a) the storyteller about Lucille’s first husband (turns out to be the husband himself), then (2) Lucille herself, with her daughter. First husband attacks Lucille, and they both go down cliff to seashore; Frank scrambles down after them, thinking no choice but to try to rescue her; he collapses on ledge above them, where she appeals to him to prevent husband from murdering her. (“I am her Fate!”) Frank is “perfectly unable to save”.
Chapter 23: “Tasma”. Jessie Catherine Couvreur, English-Australian novelist. Born England, grew up Tasmania, married a Belgian. Became Times correspondent for Brussels in 1894, after her husband’s death.
In Liverpool, Jacynth, Fenella & Ronny act as a family unit as Ronny recovers. Mostly pov Jacynth, who against better judgment is allowing himself to become surrogate husband and father, & to think of Frank in disparaging terms. Fenella gets telegram announcing Frank is gravely ill, and to come at once. Also picture of Lucille’s demise; she and her husband both swept under by the sea, relieving Frank of the necessity of reporting
Chapter 24: F. Anstey (Thomas Anstey Guthrie). Better known as a humourist.
Lucille appears again! (It seems that Frank, in another fugue state, had actually rescued her, just as he had murdered the Count). She tells Frank the dire truth about his murder, and also that police are on their way to arrest him. A knock at the door: not police, but Fenella and Jacynth; Frank makes Fenella admit she did not commit the murder; he did, but not in a conscious state. Joyful reconciliation with Jacynth standing ruefully by. Police arrive; but instead of arresting Frank, they arrest Lucille again and take her away. Frank (considerately) has heart attack and dies, leaving Fenella and Jacynth to form family with Ronny.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2023
What a train wreck of a book! I enjoyed it very much.
The melodrama is off the charts, with Conan Doyle one of the worst offenders. Each author tries to up the ante, and the result is really quite something. I suppose it wouldn't be a Victorian novel without everybody constantly getting brain fever, but even so, the frequency of characters becoming grievously ill through the sheer force of their unfortunate circumstances seems excessive.
The book is involuntarily funny at times, and it really shows why collaborative writing never caught on. The character of Fenella fluctuates wildly from strong independent woman to damsel in distress wringing her hands and sighing, "If only Frank were here!". Likewise, the mental age of Ronny jumps about.
I love it when one author sets up an obvious hint for continuing plot, and the next author looks at it and goes, "Nah."
I feel sorry for Helen Mathers, the first author. She set up a sensible and promising story. I can imagine her turning the pages and going, "Oh, for Heaven's sake!" at each new preposterous development.
What the heck happened to
I hope the authors had fun writing this novel. I think they really missed a trick in not doing what the collaborating authors of The Floating Admiral did, i.e. have each author write a brief paragraph at the end to say how they imagined the book ending.
The melodrama is off the charts, with Conan Doyle one of the worst offenders. Each author tries to up the ante, and the result is really quite something. I suppose it wouldn't be a Victorian novel without everybody constantly getting brain fever, but even so, the frequency of characters becoming grievously ill through the sheer force of their unfortunate circumstances seems excessive.
The book is involuntarily funny at times, and it really shows why collaborative writing never caught on. The character of Fenella fluctuates wildly from strong independent woman to damsel in distress wringing her hands and sighing, "If only Frank were here!". Likewise, the mental age of Ronny jumps about.
I love it when one author sets up an obvious hint for continuing plot, and the next author looks at it and goes, "Nah."
I feel sorry for Helen Mathers, the first author. She set up a sensible and promising story. I can imagine her turning the pages and going, "Oh, for Heaven's sake!" at each new preposterous development.
What the heck happened to
I hope the authors had fun writing this novel. I think they really missed a trick in not doing what the collaborating authors of The Floating Admiral did, i.e. have each author write a brief paragraph at the end to say how they imagined the book ending.
April 25, 2024
every Victorian sensation novel trope I can remember shoved into one book lol. definitely an essay in this
also I love how the authors had a little fight at the end to decide who Fenella would end up with!
also I love how the authors had a little fight at the end to decide who Fenella would end up with!
June 10, 2018
I know the end was supposed to be tragic but goodness, did I laugh!
February 2, 2025
An entertaining literary experiment!
December 6, 2025
This was a product of its time. An odd experiment that both didn’t quite work and worked quite well.
December 16, 2015
This book is really cool! Some of the chapters are certainly stronger than others, and the ending was a bit weak,but overall I enjoyed the journey and seeing what new elements each author added, and how they tied plot points together that were started by someone else. Definitely a recommended read!
June 10, 2012
Very fun Victorian sensation novel with a twist. 24 chapters written by 24 different writers (including Bram Stoker and Arthur Conan Doyle). Pleasurable and and a bit silly.
October 10, 2014
This was fun, and all the more so for its silliness. Anyone want to write a chain novel with me?
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