
A London couple living in the quiet, almost identical houses of Linden Gardens find their routine upended when a young, well‑educated stranger appears by mistake at their door. He claims to be looking for a home, and after a brief, charming conversation the couple signs him to a seven‑year lease on their own property—something the husband needs to fund his own move. Yet his wife is instantly uneasy, convinced that the newcomer hides a purpose beyond the ordinary, and her distrust fuels a growing tension in the household.
Meanwhile, the husband, a club regular, overhears a conversation that links the mysterious tenant to a man he once met in Geneva, a fellow of striking personality and conversation. The coincidence hints at a broader network of secrets, prompting the narrator to dig deeper into the stranger’s background and the odd circumstances surrounding his arrival. As curiosity intensifies, the ordinary veneer of suburban life begins to crack, promising a tangled web of intrigue that beckons listeners onward.
Language
en
Duration
~8 hours (505K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Etext produced by Juliet Sutherland, Charlie Kirschner and PG Distributed Proofreaders HTML file produced by David Widger
Release date
2006-01-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1864–1927
A hugely popular early master of spy fiction, he turned fears of invasion and international intrigue into fast-moving stories that gripped readers before the First World War. His books helped shape the mood of his age, mixing journalism, suspense, and a flair for dramatic danger.
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