Room Number 3 and Other Detective Stories

Anna Katharine Green

A beautiful young woman is interviewed by Coroner Golden and new Deputy sheriff Mr. Hammersmith. Her mother has been found dead in the nearby forest but the woman alleges they both rented rooms in Three Forks Tavern. The landlord Mr. Quimby deny her story. She describes the room her mother was in but a search reveals no room that matches it. But the sheriff believes her and he insists on staying in the tavern overnight while the coroner goes to collect his jury. He has a vague recollection of more than a few odd happenings at this very tavern. This collection brings together a diverse array of Greens mystery and detective stories. It includes: Midnight in Beauchamp Row, The Ruby and the Caldron, The Little Steel Coils, The Staircase at Hearts Delight and more.

That Affair Next Door

Anna Katharine Green

That Affair Next Door focuses on a mysterious murder that has occurred in a quiet neighborhood, incidentally in the house next door to the home of the curious middle-aged amateur sleuth Miss Butterworth. One night around midnight Miss Butterworth sees a man and woman enter the Van Burnam mansion, which is supposed to be empty. The man leaves soon after, but the woman does not. On the following day, Miss Butterworth and a policeman find the body of a woman crushed to death under a cabinet in the parlor. There are way too many coincidences to be realistic, but the competitive sleuthing of Miss Butterworth and Detective Gryce keep the story moving along with seemingly definitive evidence pulling the reader to believe one person after another must be the actual murderer.

The Amethyst Box

Anna Katharine Green

On the night of his wedding, Sinclair flosses a precious curiosity from his collection: an amethyst box, containing a tiny flask of deadly poison and he feels sure it can only be one of two people, his intended wife, or her cousin, Dorothy. He goes to his friend Mr. Worthington and together they fight against time to find who has the poison and stop them using it. Too late, whoever took it has used it and now there is death in the house, is it suicide or murder? The Amethyst Box written by one of the greatest mystery writers of all time Anna Katharine Green and originally published in 1905. She was one of the first writers of detective fiction in America and she is credited with shaping detective fiction into its classic form, and developing the series detective.

The Chief Legatee

Anna Katharine Green

A wealthy young couple very much in love get married. Then she disappears on their wedding day. He is confused as would be expected, and seeks some help in finding her. She was an only child as her older brother disappeared at sea, and her twin sister was killed at age 5 in a fire at school. Lots of twists and turns, as well as a secret society, all show up during the search. Green, as always, holds attention and carries the reader along. Anna Katharine Green Rohlfs (1846-1935) wrote detective fiction and was instrumental in helping shape the genre into its current form by introducing a series detective with an amateur sidekick, as well as a young girl detective. She was one of a handful of women writing detective stories at the time.

The Circular Study

Anna Katharine Green

Anna Katharine Green (1846-1935), known as the Mother of the Detective Novel, is one of the first American writers of detective fiction. She was recognized for realism and well plotted story of her mystery stories. A tale of two families, betrayal, revenge, and murder, The Circular Story, written in 1902, is still an absorbing and notable work. We highly recommend this book to fans of classic detective fiction!

The Doctor, His Wife and the Clock

Anna Katharine Green

A mystery filled with guilt, love and anger led to death. The story is about Ebenezer Gryce, a young, energetic and determined police detective who is entrusted with the investigation of the high-profile murder of Mr. Hasbrouck, a wealthy and influential resident of the Colonnade in Lafayette Place. The only real clue is provided by the victims wife. She woke from a deep sleep and thought she was dreaming. She soon realized that her husband wasnt next to her in bed. While she was looking for him, she heard a voice say from across the dark room, God! What have I done! , which was quickly followed by footsteps and the front door closing. Enjoy this 7th Mr. Gryce book.

The Filigree Ball

Anna Katharine Green

The Filigree Ball centers around the Moore mansion in Washington DC, a creepy house with a terrible library. Over several generations, three dead bodies have been found there on the hearthstone. Aside from bruises from the fall, there were no signs of violence. The police have inspected the death-dealing room and its sinister settee many times over and found no explanation. But its not all those bodies in the library that bring the police to the Moore house this time. Its the suicide of young Veronica Moore, now Mrs. Jeffrey, a bride of only three weeks. Fans of early detective fiction, and Anna Katharine Green in particular, will not want to miss The Filigree Ball.

The Forsaken Inn

Anna Katharine Green

The Forsaken Inn by Anna Katharine Green is an exceptional novel of gothic horror set in late 18th-century Revolutionary America. Told from the perspective of a Mrs. Truax, the owner of an inn, The Forsaken Inn is a locked-room mystery that keeps readers guessing about what has happened. Edwin Urquhart, loved by two sisters, chooses to marry the elder. Arriving at the Forsaken Inn for their honeymoon, they occupy an apartment containing a secret chamber. That night, the young bride is murdered and buried in this secret room. Did her new husband commit the crime or is something much more sinister afoot? Yet, many people saw that bride leave with her husband. How can this be?

The Golden Slipper and Other Problems for Violet Strange

Anna Katharine Green

The Golden Slipper and Other Problems for Violet Strange is a collection of stories by Anna Katharine Green featuring an early edition of that familiar figure, the girl detective. Violet Strange is a pretty young debutante with a wealthy father and the spare time to secretly investigate various matters within her social sphere. Her knowledge of the aristocracy helps the police solve the crimes. Originally published in 1915, The Golden Slipper is the debut entry in the Violet Strange series. Miss Strange proves who is behind a series of high society thefts. It would seem to be one of group of friends known as The Inseparables with suspicion focused on one of the young ladies in particular. A golden slipper is the only clue that will help Violet find who the real thief is.

The House in the Mist

Anna Katharine Green

In The House in the Mist, weary traveler Hugh Austin happens upon a house in a village whilst seeking shelter on a misty night. The house is open, and initially the reception he gets is quite strange to him, he then realizes that he was taken for the relative of a dead man and that the gathering he encounters is a meeting of relatives regarding an inheritance that was left. By the time they find out the deceased had long-held vengeance on his mind, it is too late. The House in the Mist is a short story by Anna Katharine Green which is included in her collection Room Number 3 and Other Detective Stories. She is credited with shaping detective fiction into its classic form, and developing the series detective.

The House of the Whispering Pines

Anna Katharine Green

When a woman is found dead at The Whispering Pines, not only is everyone shocked, but murder is suspected. After all, why would such a well liked young lady put an end to things, or why would anyone want to do away with her? Her vagabond of a brother is suspected, since he has every cause to wish her out of the picture. Her fiancée Elwood Ranelagh also is suspected since he no longer wished to marry her but her sister. So perplexing is the case that the local authorities call in an ace detective from the New York City police force. Sweetwaters with his weak chin and protruding nose impresses no one, until he begins uncovering disturbing new evidence. Published in 1910, this is a good old-fashioned mystery from the Golden Era of the country house genre.

The Leavenworth Case

Anna Katharine Green

Anna Katharine Green (1846-1935) was one of the first mystery writers in the United States. Called the mother of the detective novel, she was known for her intricate, well-plotted stories, and this novel is no exception. Her first and best known novel, The Leavenworth Case became an overwhelming success and was the best seller of the year. The readers are held spellbound until the very last page. We highly recommend this book!

The Mayors Wife

Anna Katharine Green

Miss Saunders is out for an adventure. One, which is full of secrets, hints, and half-lies. One, which will require all of her wits. Miss Saunders, a discreet domestic spy of some kind, is hired by Mayor Packard to look after his unaccountably abstracted wife whilst he goes out of town for a fortnight. The lady is unhappy, and the reason for her grave unhappiness is more serious than you think. A detective novel involving theft, bigamy, a haunted house, lost money, ciphers and code breaking. An American detective-story writer, Greens thrillers are characterized by logical construction and a sound knowledge of criminal law. She was one of a handful of women writing detective stories at the time.

The Millionaire Baby

Anna Katharine Green

Was the little girl, who appears to have been everybodys darling, kidnapped for money? Nobody comes forward asking for a ransom. Did she sneak down to the river and drown? In The Millionaire Baby, a young detective Mr. Trevitt has more than one reason for desperately wanting to solve the mysterious case of little Gwendolen, a millionaires daughter who missed since the afternoon of August the 16th from right under the nose of her nurse. Our detective soon meets the widow living next door, a close friend of the bereft mother. Something does not quite add up with neither mother nor neighbor but then there are several other characters offering clues. Or are they red herrings?

The Mill Mystery

Anna Katharine Green

Early detective novelist Anna Katharine Green was a unique writer in several respects, including the fact that many of the detectives featured in her novels are women. In this mystery, protagonist Constance Sterling takes on the seemingly impossible task of uncovering the true culprits behind the drowning death of a popular well-respected clergyman who is believed to have killed himself. The news is fatal to his fiancée. Why? And why are her two sons behaving in such a sinister manner? The Mill Mystery is a book that can be classified as a sensational novel, as highly spiced as readers of this kind of fiction can desire. Green does an excellent job of giving the readers clues, but not enough clues to make the mystery easily solvable.

The Mystery of the Hasty Arrow

Anna Katharine Green

Anna Katharine Green was one of the first writers of detective fiction in America, received praise for her accurate, well plotted stories. Her novels have always been one of the groundworks of mystery and detective fiction and The Mystery of the Hasty Arrow is a great example of the ingenious and thrilling story. In this novel, a young woman is killed by an arrow in the middle of the museum, so all of the other visitors are closed inside while the crime is investigated! A good classic mystery that we recommend very highly!