
CHAPTER I IN THE RAIN
CHAPTER II NUMBER FOUR
CHAPTER III THE NOSE OF DENNIS RIORDAN
CHAPTER IV THE INSPECTOR BRINGS NEWS
CHAPTER V CHING LEE’S ERRAND
CHAPTER VI DEADLOCK
CHAPTER VII GERTIE
CHAPTER VIII GATES OF MYSTERY
CHAPTER IX IN THIN AIR
CHAPTER X THE MAN IN THE SHADOWS
In a rain‑slick district of a restless city, a recently retired officer named McCarty wanders back onto his old beat, drawn by a lone figure stumbling toward the waterfront. The night is thick with mud, flickering lamps, and the echo of distant warehouse doors, setting a gritty, atmospheric backdrop that feels both familiar and unsettling. As McCarty and his former partner, Terry Keenan, pursue the mysterious stranger, the darkness reveals more than just a drunken stumble—it hints at hidden dangers lurking beneath the city’s grime.
The story unfolds like a classic hard‑boiled mystery, mixing sharp dialogue with vivid, rain‑soaked descriptions that pull listeners straight into the puddle‑filled streets. Every footstep and whispered word raises the tension, inviting you to piece together the man’s fragmented mutterings and the secrets they may conceal. With a keen eye for detail and a relentless drive for truth, the narrative keeps you guessing long after the first act, promising a compelling listen for fans of moody, character‑driven crime tales.
Language
en
Duration
~8 hours (480K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
New York: Robert M. McBride & Company, 1924.
Credits
Bob Taylor, Charlene Taylor and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
Release date
2024-02-13
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1883–1924
A prolific early 20th-century mystery writer, she filled magazines and books with clever detectives, secret identities, and fast-moving suspense. She also wrote under several pen names, giving her work an extra layer of literary intrigue.
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