The House of a Thousand Candles

by Meredith Nicholson

This classic romantic thriller contains all the elements of a good mystery story: an isolated mansion inhabited by mysterious creatures, a handsome hero, duels, ghosts, and an old-fashioned shoot-out.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Classics, Audiobook, Adventure, Romance, Historical Fiction

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1905

About the author

Meredith Nicholson was a best-selling author, a politician, and a diplomat.

Reviews

[Sawsan · Rating 3 out of 5]

enjoyable novel written at 1905
a combination of mystery, suspense and romance
a young man who travels a lot around the world finds himself obliged to live at his grandfather's house for one year according to his late grandfather's will, the house of a thousand candles is unfinished mansion, creepy, full of secrets, noises and rumors of hidden treasures

[Thom Swennes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story of drama and intrigue, written and first published in 1905, isn’t anything like the title would suggest. Jack Glenarm is a happy-go-lucky young man touring the world and avoiding the daily drudgery of work and life that he knows that he will have to someday face when he receives a letter informing him of his grandfather’s sudden and unexpected death. He rushes back to New York and is informed by an old schoolmate and old rival (who is now acting as executor to his grandfather’s will) that under the terms of the will he has to travel and reside in his grandfather’s estate in Indiana. This parochial stipulation may not have been such a burden for most people but Jack was a wanderer by nature and this demand would prove very difficult. Meredith Nicholson mixes a colorful group of characters in a small town setting, adds emotion, love and greed, creating a highly memorable and readable narrative. I suppose the highest tribute I can pay to this author and his work is that in closing the book on its final page the thought entered my mind: “I would like to go to Indiana!” What greater tribute can I give?

[MarilynLovesNature · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 STARS! This is one of my favorite mysteries of all times. I thought it took place in England because the description gave me that feeling but I happened to read the GR summary almost a year later and from that learned the mansion was located in Indiana, so am adding this corrected information.
In the 19th Century, a young man inherits an old mansion from his grandfather and once he arrives there, many interesting and mysterious happenings occur. Highly recommended!

[Larry Piper · Rating 3 out of 5]

My spouse recently found an old newspaper from 1905 behind a mirror on an old piece of furniture we had bought in Cambridge when we were newly weds, back in the dark ages. Interestingly, the paper was from Baltimore, the city of my birth. How it got into a mirror on a bureau in Cambridge, MA is a mystery.

Anyway, one of its pages listed some books one might buy as Christmas presents. The list had little summaries. I decided to check a few of them out. I could find several of the authors listed, but not the books listed with them, with one exception. I did find The House of a Thousand Candles by Meredith Nicholson. Actually, that's not quite true. I found a couple of the others, but only in pay form. I won't pay for books on kindle unless I actually own them, i.e. can lend them or give them away with impunity.

Whatever, this book is a sort of gothic novel, I suppose. A young man inherits a strange old, unfinished mansion in the Indiana woods, but only on the proviso that he lives in the house for a full year, that he doesn't have a bunch of live-in guests, and that he doesn't leave, other than for short trips into town (an easy 2-mile walk--yes people used to walk to get places and 2 miles wasn't all that unusual.) to the post office and such like.

As soon as he gets to the house, someone tries shooting him through the window. He begins to hear weird sounds, e.g. foot steps in the walls. He hears snatches of conversation that tells him people are out to get him. People think there's buried treasure of some sort in the house, but no one can find it. There's a girls school, run by nuns, protestant ones no less, just on the other side of the wall, and at least one of the school's inhabitants is bewitching. And so forth.

This is not deathless literature, and is obviously dated. Some of the attitudes expressed in the book are a bit creepy to a more modern sensibility (e.g. attitudes toward women and "rubes", i.e. midwesterners--oh wait some folks still think we're ignorant rubes [I have midwestern roots and lived in both Kansas and Ohio for extended periods of time]). But it's an interesting enough yarn and perfectly fine escapist literature, even if the main character is a bit of an ass. I've read much worse.

[The Phoenix · Rating 4 out of 5]

A man must follow his grandfather's wishes laid out in his Will in order to receive his inheritance.
Mystery, love, treasure hunt, devious people, secrets, etc... All ending with revelation and evil men thwarted.
I'll be honest. There were parts that I missed in the audiobook cuz I fell asleep. I almost gave up, but then it started getting interesting. And stayed interesting till the end.

[Anna Karras · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a donation to the library, and it was an old book, and I have a weakness for old books, and the title sounded gothic and intriguing, so I read it. The book I have was published in 1905 and it has color plates in it. It tells the story of John Glenarm, who after blowing through his inheritance, gets called back home to the U.S. when his grandfather dies. He has been left the house and everything in it with one stipulation: he must remain in residence at the house for the period of one year or else he loses everything to a young lady who resided next door at the convent school.

This book was fun - it had a big creepy house that made strange noises, secret passage ways, people trying to kill Glenarm, a wonderful valet named Bates, and the lovely lady next door who confounds him.

[Aslıhan Çelik Tufan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yeşilçam senaryosu tadında 1900'lü yıllardan gelen şahane bir kitapla karşınızdayım.

Sadece mumlarla aydınlatılan, devasa kütüphanesi ve gizemlerle çevrili bir ev, evin sahibi büyükbaba vefatı sonrası hayal ve hovarda torununa şartlarla dolu bir vasiyetname bırakır.

Vasiyetnamedeki şartları yerine getirmek ve bu gizem deryasında boğulmadan kıyıya varmak mümkün olacak mıdır?

Temposu hiç azalmayan, merak dozu oldukça yerinde bir modern klasik benim gözümde.

Yormayacak, sizi alıp başka bir aleme taşıyacak bir okuma yapayım diyorsanız, buyursunlar. Kitap aynı isimle beyazperdeye de aktarılmış, belki kitabın ardından filmine de şans vermek istersiniz.

Keyifli okumalar 🌼

#readingismycardio #aslihanneokudu #okudumbitti #2021okumalarım #okuryorumu #kitaptavsiyesi #neokudum #mayakitap #binmumluev #meredithnicholson #dünyaedebiyatı #çevirikitaplar

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A capital adventure with a young gentleman banished to a house of mystery, with a reticent valet and a hated executor to look after him. He expects to find himself bored until he realizes his life is in imminent danger. Added to the mix is the saucy child Olivia, of the red tam-o'-shanter; his friend Larry Donovan, devotee of Ireland; Reverend Stoddard, who preaches at the next-door girls's school, and Sister Theresa, who heads that school. And, of course, enemies Murphy and Ferguson...and is Bates, the valet, friend or foe?
Plenty of action in this humorous tale and a final surprise that is both touching and hilarious.

[Vincent · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as an e-book. At first, I thought it was a well-researched historical novel. It wasn't until the second chapter that I realized it was actually written in 1905. It is the story of a wayward young man who inherits a house and estate from his eccentric grandfather. The will stipulates that he must live in the house, in rural Indiana, for one full year. When he arrives, he finds that the house has secrets, as do all of the main characters. It is an engrossing detective story, that leaves the reader wondering until the climactic conclusion.

[Patrick S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

It takes a bit for the story and characters to develop, but the book eventually offers an enjoyable mix of adventure, suspense, and romance. Nicholson's style also makes it easy to get drawn into the story. Despite being published in the very early part of the 20th century, this book holds up quite nicely today.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stellar mystery, of the kind without the guts and gore but will still give you goosebumps. The tone is light and easy to read, and the characters are nuanced enough to give the story some texture.

[Dorcas · Rating 2 out of 5]

I saw this while browsing ebay just after I had finished reading The House of a Thousand Lanterns. How could I read about 1,000 lanterns and not 1,000 candles, right? Besides, I like obscure books. There's very few opinions out there so I don't feel swayed by popular opinion or shy of hurting an author's feelings. :) Anyway, you can read it for free on Openlibrary so I decided to give it a go.

IN A NUTSHELL:
A young, irresponsible man inherits his grandfather's estate with stipulations. He has to live there for one year and never leave town, he has to clean up his wild ways, and if he forms any romantic attachment to a certain individual he loses everything.

Rumor has it that there is treasure hidden in the house, and knowing the old man (an architect), it seems a likely thing he would do for amusement. Most of the house is unfinished and there are sounds of footsteps in the walls at odd times. Compound that with shots in the dark and chases through the snow and you have a general feeling of the book,

Well, as promising as it sounds, it was a no go for me. I did read the whole thing but it was rather dreadful. Oh, the writing was ok, but I never liked the characters, I thought the main character was a bit of a jerk and he pretty much stayed that way. The mystery was ok, but nothing thrilling and slightly predictable. Romance was very 'meh'. I couldn't see why the girl was attracted to him and all she had to do was grow up and he was like a hound dog on a coon's trail.

Bottom line: Check it out on OpenLibrary but don't rush to ebay to buy it unless you've read the author's other works and like his style. (yes, Meredith is a HE). It was just ok for me.

CONTENT:

SEX: None
PROFANITY: Very Mild
VIOLENCE: A shoot out during "seige" and general knockabouts throughout.

MY RATING: G-PG

[Julie Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young man who never got along with his grandfather suddenly gets word that his grandfather has died and left him his property, with a set of conditions. Realizing his fondness for his deceased relative, the young man determines to fulfill the conditions, one of which is living for a year at the house his grandfather built. Once there, attempts begin upon his life and he meets some interesting locals while trying to solve the mystery ... among whom is a precocious school girl from a nearby boarding school. Interesting and involving so far. I am listening to the LibriVox reading (librivox.org).

Update: This was an extremely enjoyable book with a secret tunnel, mistaken identities, dastardly villains, and love. I liked the narration quite a bit as well. Recommended for anyone who would like a book with mystery, adventure, and just a touch of romance from the early 1900s.

[Marina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like classics and I enjoy mysteries, so this should have been right up my alley, but - nope. First of all, it was overly long - 400 pages for such a story are waaay too much. 200 would have been enough.

The story could have been interesting: a young ne'er-do-well inherits an unfinished mansion from his grandfather, who was an architect and would have wanted for the grandson to follow the same career path. The terms of the will are bizarre to say the least: the young slacker must stay in the house for one year, without ever leaving it nor hosting guests. If he fails to do that, young Marian Devereux, niece of a nun friend of the deceased, is to inherit the house. If the two marry in the next five years, none of them inherits. The grandfather died without leaving much money behind, but the villagers believe he left a huge amount of money hidden somewhere in the house.

Unfortunately, despite its being promising, the book is boring. The characterization is not brilliant, no character really stands out. I wouldn't recommend it.

[LadyCalico · Rating 4 out of 5]

I needed to read a book written before 2006 by an author starting with N for an alphabetical Author Challenge, found this one in the search, and got a pleasant surprise. I never heard of this book either, but It was a best-seller...in 1905. It was a very pleasant mystery/romance with an artfully developed plot, a house as one of the main characters, an anti-hero hero who needs to grow up a lot during the course of the novel, loads of action but nobody gets killed (only because everybody is a bad shot), a narration with a dose of jaundiced humor, and the pale romance plot being very secondary to the bolder mystery plot. Many reviewers hated the book because the hero was an unlovable jerk, but I found him to be a lovable jerk and giggled at his many candid self-deprecation remarks in the narrative. I found the whole book to be a most entertaining page-turner with a well-structured mystery plot, interesting characters, and a hoot, besides.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars/5 stars

[Bev · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are several reasons why I grabbed up The House of a Thousand Candles by Meredith Nicholsoan from the local library Friends of the Library Bookstore a couple years ago: it's a vintage mystery (written in 1905); it takes place in Indiana (that's where I'm from and where I am); and it promised a "classic romantic thriller" with "all the elements of a good mystery story." There were lots of reasons to read it now (or at least this year): my very own Vintage Mystery Challenge (for the number in the title); the What's in a Name Challenge (a kind of house); the Death by Gaslight Challenge (Victorian era mysteries); the A-Z Mystery Authors Challenge (letter "N"); the Criminal Plots Challenge (book written by an author from where I live); and the adult summer reading challenge from my local library (a book with an Indiana connection). As you can see, it's all about the challenges.

The story line really did seem to promise a great deal. John Glenarm has been wandering around through Europe and Africa, blithely spending the inheritance left him by his father--getting into scrapes and having all sorts of adventures. He's just come to the end of his finances and determined to settle down and practice his profession (engineering) when he receives word that his grandfather has died and he must return home to learn the contents of the will. He is dismayed to find his old classmate and rival, Arthur Pickering, is the executor of his grandfather's will and holds sway over his inheritance. The old gentleman's final wishes are simple: In order to inherit, John must go to live in Glenarm House in Indiana for a period of one year and live a quiet and sober life. If he doesn't then the inheritance will go to one Marian Devereaux....someone of whom John has never heard. There is also and odd clause which states that if John and Marian happen to marry within a five-year period of John's agreeing to the terms of the will then the entire fortune will be given to a local school.

John determines that since he had been such a ne'er-do-well while his grandfather was living, he will do his best to live up to the gentleman's wishes after death. He settles into the house in Indiana and that's when the fun begins. During his tenancy, John is shot at, hears mysterious noises in the house, has run-ins with intruders and ghostly sightings, discovers secret passages, and begins to fall in love with a girl who seems to treat the house as her own. And before it's over, he will suspect nearly everyone of being in league against him and there will be an old-fashioned shoot-out.

There are many reasons why this story should have been a success--lots of action and intrigue--but it fell a little flat for me. I wasn't very invested in the main character. Quite often when you have a hero who is represented as a bad boy, you find that he is really a lovable rogue. I felt like John was supposed to be....but he just didn't quite cut it for me. My favorite character was actually Stoddard, the battling minister who stands by his side in the final assault on the house. One thing I will say for John, I totally sympathize with him over feeling betrayed. And I don't quite get why a certain young woman can't understand why he might think she was working against him. If you refuse to explain your actions, what else is a poor guy to do? On the surface, the evidence is very much in favor of his interpretation.

This was a decent read from the turn of last century. It does have an interesting twist at the end and it's always satisfying to see the villain of the piece get what's coming to him. Not quite as exciting as anticipated, but a solid three star outing.

This review was first posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting any portion. Thanks.

[Nathaniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun book to read once, though it gets a bit bogged down in 19th century social conventions and occasionally with action that stretches plausibility. Nicholson evidently had a case of "kitchen sink syndrome" common in inexperienced writers and tries to make this a book of high-society international intrigue with quite a few mystery, adventure, and romance elements, culminating in a (rather contrived) shootout and an (even more contrived) happy ending. All of which, somehow, takes place in Indiana.

And this was really my chief difficulty with this book. Speaking as a former four-year resident of Indianapolis, the thing that I have the most trouble with about this book is the idea that people from Indiana ever talked like they were characters on Downton Abbey , or, indeed, that any part of Indiana hinted at by the fictional Wabana County (especially given its geographic relation to Cincinnati given at one point in the book) could match the description of pastoral woodlands and lakes in which the bulk of the story is set. In this sense, even knowing something about 19th century Indiana history, my greatest difficulty in suspending disbelief comes from the notion that any of this story could happen in a land as stereotypically Middle American as the Indiana that I know, especially when the characters and social class relationships are straight-up British country manor. Consequently, I ended up hearing many of the supporting "lower class" characters, even the Hoosier characters, speaking in Cockney or similar accents in my head because, with few exceptions, I just couldn't imagine them in the given setting. Maybe this is a failing of my cultural education, but it was an issue for me throughout. Unfortunately, it's probably what I'll most remember about this book in hindsight.

[Cynthia Maddox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in 1905, the book is a great example of the early 20th-century mystery with the exception that it is actually a good book. I "read" a Librivox audio version and found it quite entertaining.

Yes, the men are strong and dominate and the women are delicate, gentle people the men feel compelled to protect. However, I don't get the feeling that Marion is a shrinking violet at all. She just isn't a dominant character. It is simplistic and the stereotypical elements for the period don't detract from the story if one keeps in mind this is not a treatise of early 20th century attitudes but a fun mystery with plenty of suspense and humor.

For those who didn't check, Meredith Nicholson was a man so the slant of the story is certainly to be expected. He was writing a story for males. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meredit...

I won't recount the beginnings since it is done ad nauseam in the comments. I won't give spoilers either. I'll just say it contains all the elements of an old-fashioned mystery. There's the strange inheritance, the creaky old house, sounds in the walls, mysterious break-ins, secret tunnels, weird butler, criminals, shysters, and a silly hero who falls in love with a woman who is equally silly.
The author did a great job with the dialogue between the males in the story. There are quite a few jokes and jibes that I found highly entertaining. However, I'm not sure modern readers will get some of them. I have 4 brothers and it was familiar.

If you're someone who enjoys reading books set in the early 1900s you'll enjoy this book. If you're looking for high tension, violent action, and sex you probably want to skip it.

[Jeff Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here is another Project Gutenberg/Librivox gem.

This novel written in 1905 tells the story of a young man who wastes his fathers inheritance in traveling the world gets notice that his rich grandfather has died and left him in his will. The will is not without stipulations and the young man must live in the house for a year without leaving the area. Apparently also his rich grandfather apparently had little assets at the time of his death and there are other odd stipulations.

Sounds like a typical intro to a haunted house scenario, but it is none of that. It certainly includes lots of mystery involving the uncompleted house, the missing wealth, the servant, and the townspeople unhappy with the previous owner. Mix into that the impetuous youth who wants to do his grandfather proud and the subsequent attempts on his life and you have a first class story and a story well told. The people you are meant to like you really like and the villains you dispose as it should be.

The Librivox version is narrated quite well and the narrator does a very good job as the story told from the young mans perspective.

[J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This free ebook from the Gutenberg Project is something of a period piece, reflecting the thoughts and mores of the early 1900s. It's also as much a romance as a mystery or adventure, and the novel doesn't end until the relationship between the hero and heroine has been finalized, a number of pages past the resolution of the mystery. Modern readers may have trouble with the mystery's solution (yes, I saw it coming at the halfway mark) and the lack of realistic consequences for such situations as defiance of the law and fire fights.

That said, this is a fine old story if accepted for what it is, a rollicking adventure with a twist of mystery and a dash of romance. The writing is surprisingly modern, and reads more like the style of today rather than a book a hundred years old. I found it easier reading and more delightful than many more modern stories, including the styles of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.

I can heartily recommend The House of a Thousand Candles to readers of history, historical mystery, and romance, or anyone just looking for a good old-fashioned romping adventure.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was written in early 1900s and is set in Indiana. A young man has returned from overseas travels when he finds out his grandfather is dead. According to the will, the grandson has to stay in the house for one year and not leave or he will lose all the money. As soon as he arrives, someone starts trying to kill him and the house is messed up. Apparently, his grandfather was supposed to have hidden treasure and the whole town knows it. Lots of action, romance, and mystery with a great twist in the end. Worth the read.

[Maeve · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is an excellent free audiobook of this read by a volunteer who is the perfect narrator available through LibriVox: http://librivox.org/the-house-of-a-th...

This is a fun mystery that doesn't take itself too seriously and has delightful characters. A nice light piece great for beach reading or long car rides.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was great, very suspenseful and entertaining, but I wanted to punch Nicholson for the way he wrote the end of the romance story. It's elaborated nicely right up to the moment of climax, and then he skips over what should have been a gratifying conclusion, to give us a super-lame epilogue instead.

[Sana Fatima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! The way the author had the conversations flowing was the best part. Enough to make you lose yourself in the plot!!

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 4 out of 5]

If he wants to inherit his grandfather's estate, John Glenarm must stay at a country house in Indiana for at least a year without leaving. His grandfather did not approve of his grandson's wandering ways, so he devised this clause in the will to force his grandson to put down some roots. On his first night in the country house, John is shot at through the open window of the dining room. This begins an adventure that includes espionage, fugitives, hidden treasure, and a family secret that will change John's entire life. In the middle of all the mystery is Marian Devereux, who will inherit the entire estate if John fails to stay in the country for the entire year.

I loved this mystery adventure! There are so many layers to the mystery, and half the time nobody knows what is going on. There are a lot of shady characters in the background who are up to no good. A few of the characters are total mysteries, and we don't know whether they are good or bad until the very end. They might be allies to John, or they might be enemies, secretly working against him. I loved the suspense!

I liked the silly flirtations between Marian and John. They are a couple of wild characters and their mood swings certainly keep things interesting. I also really liked that Marian is a musician. That was a pleasant surprise, and gave the reader an insight into her character. Seeing John's reaction to her music also gives us a new layer to his personality.

I didn't really like John. He is always losing his temper, shouting and screaming at people, banging his fists on the table, threatening people, grabbing the butler by the collar and throwing him down on the floor. Learn some self-control, dude. Not my idea of a hero.

[Orçun Güzer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eski usül bir gizem romanı için gereken tüm öğeler var: Elektriksiz metruk bir malikâne, mum ışığının loş ortamı, gizli geçitler, saklı kapılar, geceleri duyulan tıkırtılar, davetsiz misafirler, gizli bir hazine, miras şartı olarak evde kalmak zorunda olan genç bir adam, ona karşı kurulan kumpas ve farklı yüzlerle ortaya çıkan gizemli bir kadın. Biri hariç romandaki tüm sürprizleri tahmin ettim; buna rağmen, son 50 sayfaya kadar merakımı uyanık tutmayı başardı. 1905'ten artık klasik sayılan bir gizem romanı (polisiye değil) okumak istiyorsanız, rahat bir okuma olsun, içinde aşk ve mizah sosu da olsun diyorsanız, bu kitap biçilmiş kaftan. Yazarın çok akıcı bir üslubu var, çeviri de bu hızı kesmiyor. Yine de bitince, "tahmin ettiğim gibi" demekten kendimi alamadım.

[Leeann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely incredible. Oh sure, it was classic 1900-too many descriptions writing, and the plot slowed in places. Okay fine- the plot was ridiculous and took on themes definitely of the past.

But that’s precisely why I loved it. It’s so ridiculous I laughed at every plot twist and reveal. I was thoroughly entertained by the main character’s insane behavior, the militant clergyman, the creepy/loyal butler, and the young woman who ain’t letting no man boss her around. I had so much fun reading this. I’d recommend to anyone with a sense of humor who doesn’t need all their books to be stunning works of literature. Sometimes, all we want is to have a good time. I would 100% read this again!

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally published in 1905 by a life long Hoosier with a great love for the state. The book has a romantic and adventurous mood. A young man who has been adventuring around the world and has spent his inheritance in these pursuits, is forced by his grandfather's will to stay for one year in the grandfather's half finished and eccentrically designed house on a lake in northern Indiana. There he meets his grandfather's upright but undoubtedly odd valet, a young woman from the girls' school next door, and a variety of local toughs who try to harm him and search his house for an allegedly hidden treasure. The plot got quite wild with gunfights and attacks upon the house and a surprise denouement. It was an easy read with its own charms, but got kind of wild.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this one in audio on the Forgotten Classics podcast.