
The Black Box: A Tale of Monmouth's Rebellion
A weary traveller strolling through quiet Dorset lanes stumbles upon a gaunt, bewildered stranger perched beneath a larch. The man’s rambling tale of a shipwreck, a sun‑splashed island, and a deadly encounter with unseen savages spirals from absurdity into something far more unsettling. As the narrator tries to make sense of his companion’s fevered mutterings, the atmosphere thickens with the promise of hidden danger and long‑forgotten secrets.
The story soon shifts from this eerie roadside encounter to the turbulent world of 17th‑century England, where political intrigue and rebellion swirl beneath a veil of superstition. Through vivid narration and crisp period details, listeners are drawn into a world where personal vendettas intertwine with the larger struggle of Monmouth’s Rebellion. The narrative balances suspenseful adventure with a haunting mystery that lingers long after the first act concludes.
Language
en
Duration
~5 hours (317K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
Nov 30, 2016
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
1869–1935
Best known for brisk historical romances, this English journalist-novelist wrote adventure-filled fiction set against real moments from the past. His stories often mix local color, danger, and old-fashioned narrative drive.
View all books
by Philippe Aubert de Gaspé

by Dion Boucicault

by Eliza Fowler Haywood

by Maria Edgeworth

by Lady (Sydney) Morgan

by Friedrich Gerstäcker

by Ben Jonson