
A meticulous detective’s file opens the story, offering a puzzling case that blends Victorian high society with a chilling death. When a wealthy baron’s wife is found dead under mysterious circumstances, a series of unusually timed life‑insurance policies draws the attention of a private inquiry office. The investigator’s letters reveal a web of overlapping policies, secretive marriages, and a possible habit of somnambulism that may have been deliberately hidden.
Through careful examination of correspondence, witness statements, and ominous laboratory notes, the reader is invited to trace the subtle clues that hint at foul play. The narrative unfolds as a methodical puzzle, demanding close attention to dates, names, and the strange coincidences that bind the characters together. Listeners will be drawn into the suspense of a nineteenth‑century mystery, where every document could turn the tide of the investigation.
Language
en
Duration
~4 hours (271K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Zack Steffens and Marc D'Hooghe (Images generously made available by the Internet Archive.)
Release date
2014-06-30
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
1833–1903
Best known by the pen name Charles Felix, this Victorian writer is now linked to The Notting Hill Mystery, a book often described as one of the earliest full-length detective novels in English. His work feels strikingly modern, using documents, reports, and witness statements to build suspense.
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