The Vanished Messenger

E. Phillips Oppenheim

Mystery novel by E. Phillips Oppenheim involving a handicapped art collector. The book concerns recently demobbed and down on his luck Major Owston, who becomes the bodyguard of the deformed amoral art collector Martin Hews. Enabled by his enormous wealth to buy the worlds most beautiful works of art. Hews is plunged into a bitter rivalry with a gang leader simply known as Joseph. This is a thrilling and tense story of a struggle between master brains, of gang wars, of deceit, of murder, while the sinister Martin Hews sits in his fortified treasure house, and the love story of Beatrice lends romance and beauty. It presents a fascinating picture of unexpected turns and twists.

The Way of These Women

E. Phillips Oppenheim

England has not been invited to attend a conference of European nations in the Hague. Some think war is about to break out. The Vanished Messenger presents the international intrigue and conspiracy of the Powers against England to separate her from her colonies. Mr. John P. Dunster, an American, is traveling to the Hague with an important document that may prevent the outbreak of war when he mysteriously disappears after a train wreck in England. Richard Hamel is asked by the British government to attempt to solve the mystery of Dunsters disappearance and prevent the outbreak of war in Europe. Intriguing spy novel with a murder, espionage and dramatic denouement nicely plotted and fully developed characters.

The Wicked Marquis

E. Phillips Oppenheim

If you havent discovered the joys of Oppenheims mysteries there is a good place to start. Wealthy playwright and playboy Jermyn Annerley is smitten by the beautiful and talented actress Sybil Cluley. She is very successful but her life is devoted to the care of her young sister who has been ill. At Jermyns country estate, Sybil runs into Lord Lakenham, a roguish playboy who is equally in love with her, but also knows something of her past. Jermyn proposes, much to the chagrin of his lovely cousin Lucille, who has had her eye on him for many years. Lakenham and Lucille conspire to end the engagement. Sybil is broken hearted, but puts her sisters welfare above her own. Then Lakenham is murdered in the billiard room. A romance has become a murder mystery.

The Worlds Great Snare

E. Phillips Oppenheim

A breathtaking tale of intrigue, romance, and revenge from one of the twentieth centurys most prolific and popular authors of suspense. The Wicked Marquis is a story of privilege and the attempt to keep what has been lost. Marquis will go to any length to get enough money to enjoy his title, including forcing one of his daughters to marry an unsuitable candidate with money. Although this novel was published in 1919, its setting and subject is more consistent with a pre-war period. The morality of the Marquis, and his attitude towards other people, is clearly a product of the 19th century. The droit du seigneur is even invoked several times in the story. There is an interesting interplay among the characters regarding the evolution of morals, the rights of women, the effect of rigid moralism, and religious inflexibility.

The Wrath to Come

E. Phillips Oppenheim

The mystery by E. Phillips Oppenheim (1866-1946) starts out in the Sierra Nevada mountains, 500 miles from San Francisco, at a gold mining camp. Bryan came to America from England, chasing a man who may have papers which explain Bryans mysterious origins. Enter heroine, the beautiful orphan Myra Mercier who is arriving to the camp where women are not allowed. Murder and mayhem ensue before the pair escapes to San Francisco. Bryan abandons Myra and travels back to England alone, where he takes up residence in the country, near the home of Lady Helen, the ward of Lord Wessemer. Bryan seeks to improve himself, and his status, in order to win the hand of the beautiful, but cold, Lady Helen. Finally, Myra makes her way to England as a actress, and Bryan decide who to wed.

The Yellow Crayon

E. Phillips Oppenheim

E. Phillips Oppenheim (1866-1946) was an internationally renowned author of mystery and espionage thrillers. His novels and short stories have all the elements of blood-racing adventure and intrigue and are precursors of modern-day spy fictions. 1924s The Wrath to Come is one of his novels that are fascinating extrapolations of the political dangers that faced Europe and America in the first half of the twentieth century. This novel is very occasionally mentioned as being the weird book that seems to predict WWII. Written in the lull between the two great wars it postulates a German/Japanese alliance and the main plot revolves around Britain trying to shanghai America into foreign intrigue. The novel is extremely exciting reading and Oppenheim keeps the action moving along swiftly, as he always did.

The Yellow House

E. Phillips Oppenheim

A detective and very mysterious story. Mr. Sabin is called out of blissful retirement to search for his missing wife. He believes Lucille to be kidnapped by members of a secret society of aristocrats. It is interesting to watch Mr. Sabin control himself and walk with such dignity and aristocratic bearing and tact, even as he plots to save his own life and reunite with his beloved Lucille. The Yellow Crayon presents a fascinating picture of the political mindset of the day to go along with the twists and turns of the story. Readers of Mr. Oppenheims novels may always count on a story of absorbing interest, turning on a complicated plot, worked out with dexterous craftsmanship.

The Zeppelins Passenger

E. Phillips Oppenheim

A World War I tale of espionage in a fictional backwater area in England with no apparent military value called Dreymarsh. The story begins with Dreymarsh residents discovering an observation car from a German zeppelin along with a Homburg hat near Dreymarsh. This discovery triggers a range of events and introduces a myriad of characters which all make for a rather delightful mystery. Oppenheim was famous for his hundreds of spy and espionage novels. He is considered one of the originators of the thriller genre, his novels also range from spy thrillers to romance, but all have an undertone of intrigue. The Zeppelin Passenger is the most audacious German spy story with a strong hint of romance that Mr. Oppenheim has heretofore written.