June 2022 Wrap Up

Books Read:

Before the Fact by Francis Iles (1932)
5/5 stars  (my review here)

The Honorable Algernon Knox, Detective by E. Phillips Oppenheim (1913/1920)  3/5 stars (my review here) 

The Zeppelin's Passenger or Mr. Lessingham Goes Home by E. Phillips Oppenheim (1918)  4/5 stars (my review here)

The Amiable Charlatan by E. Phillips Oppenheim (1915)  4/5 stars (my review here)

The Great Impersonation by E. Phillips Oppenheim (1920)  4/5 stars  (my review here)

Ambrose Lavendale, Diplomat by E. Phillips Oppenheim (1920)  3/5 stars 
My review for this will be published later, paired with the Oppenheim thriller that I'm currently reading.

Audio Books Completed:

Armadale by Wilkie Collins (1866)  5/5 stars  (my review here) 

The Leavenworth Case by Anna Katharine Green (1878)  3/5 stars (my review here)

Did Not Finish:
The Golden Bowl by Henry James

I have thoroughly enjoyed James in the past, and was enjoying this one as well.  However, it's a rather dense and meaty book and I felt like I was missing a lot, and that it didn't work well on audio.  I own it, so I'm sure I'll read it at some point.

Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

I've read this several times, and listened to a few hours, but I just wasn't in the mood for tragedy.

The Inevitable Millionaires by E. Phillips Oppenheim

I've been on an Oppenheim binge of late, but this lighthearted story wasn't what I wanted it.  I dropped it and went on to a more serious novel of suspense and espionage.

The Leavenworth Case

The Leavenworth Case

Anna Katharine Green
1878
3/5 stars

Wealthy Horace Leavenworth is found murdered in his locked library. Naturally, his household is suspected, and evidence points to one of his nieces, Eleanor.

The narrator is a young lawyer, Mr. Raymond, who has no experience is mysteries or murders. The police detective, Mr. Gryce, enlists Raymond's help because he is a gentleman, and as such will be welcome in places that Gryce would not be. While Raymond hates the thoughts of playing spy, he has become extremely interested in protecting Eleanor's reputation, so agrees. 

The Leavenworth Case, Green's first published novel, is a well-penned mystery with appealing characters and a twisty plot, and did keep me guessing until the denouement. The deduction of the culprit, though, seems to rely more on guesswork than on clues shown to the reader.  Despite only deserving an average rating, it's an enjoyable read, not only for the story but for the picture of life among certain classes in the U.S. during the late nineteenth century.

Armadale by Wilkie Collins

frontispiece illustration by G.H. Thomas

Armadale

Wilkie Collins

1866

5/5 stars

The plot of this complicated novel is to difficult to convey in a few lines, yet makes perfect sense by being slowly revealed while reading.  The main premise is that the lives and fate of Miss Lydia Gwilt and two young men, both named Alan Armadale, are bound together by a single act of revenge and the evils engendered by that act.  There are many side issues that come about as a result, and other characters that feature largely, but all is central to this trio and the web of deceit, manipulation, and regret that surround them.

This Victorian melodrama is simply one of the best of the many that I've read.  Collins, who always writes well, excels in this novel at distinctive personalities, descriptive passages, and gripping situations.  I was captured from the beginning, and completely wrapped-up in the plot for the entire 30 hours of the audio book.  Collins creates sympathetic and complex characters, with believable motives, strengths and flaws.  The plot, while far-fetched, is so twisty, compelling, and enjoyable that incredulity is a nonissue.  While the book intrigues by  discussions of religion, subtle commentary on society, unpopular views of Victorian womanhood, and a question of superstition versus rationality, it ultimately satisfies with a moving ending worthy of the build-up.  I highly recommend it for fans of the genre.

Two More by Oppenheim

the Parkers and Walmsely
illustrated by Will Grefé

I introduce E. Phillips Oppenheim in this previous post. 

An Amiable Charlatan (U.S. title)
(Original UK title: The Game of Liberty)

1915

4/5 stars

An English gentleman, Paul Walmsley, becomes infatuated with a young American woman that he sees regularly at a restaurant.  One evening, her father -- Joseph H. Parker, the amiable charlatan of the title -- abruptly enters the restaurant, suddenly sits at Walmsley's table, begins eating his food, and asks Walmsley to play along.  After this unusual introduction, Walmsley meets Miss Eve Parker, and falls deeply in love with her, despite learning that she and her father are "adventurers".  When these adventures seem to be only cons, Walmsley's desire to marry Eve allows him to turn a blind eye.  When theft becomes an issue, though, Walmsley finds it hard to balance his morals with the apparent amorality of the Parkers.  

This is a funny and charming set of stories with likable characters, a good twist, and solid prose.  The various plots are amusing, with Walmsley watching (and sometimes helping) his prospective father-in-law get in and out of scrapes with Scotland Yard, professional criminals, and even designing young women.  My only complaint is that Eve doesn't figure enough as the book progresses, and is a less dynamic character than the two men.  In general, though, An Amiable Charlatan  is a truly entertaining experience and I definitely recommend it to those who enjoy the light and innocent style of popular Edwardian novels.

Dominey and von Ragenstein,
illustrated  by Nana French Bickford 

The Great Impersonation

1920

4/5 stars

Sir Everard Dominey left England in disgrace eleven years ago, went to Africa, and continued his profligate lifestyle there.  Now, in 1913, he runs across an old acquaintance from his school days, the German nobleman Leopold von Ragenstein .  Their similarity in looks had always been commented on, but now, Dominey's dissipation has left him just a shadow of what von Ragenstein has become.

Von Ragenstein, a thorough patriot, was undertaking work for the government as a Commandant in German East Africa, but has now been instructed to find a way to insinuate himself in English high society.  The opportunity is too good to be missed, and he takes on the identity of his doppelganger and goes to London, certain that Dominey's decade-long absence will make his task easy.

This serious adventure-espionage-drama is a darn fine yarn.  I enjoyed it completely, from compelling start to thrilling finish.  Oppenheim writes well enough that I cared for the characters, was surprised several times, and thought about the plot when I wasn't reading.  I can't rate it a full five stars, but I undoubtedly got five stars-worth of enjoyment from it.

Two by E. Phillips Oppenheim

E. Phillips Oppenheim
1866-1946

E. Phillips Oppenheim was a prolific English author of best-selling adventures, thrillers, and mysteries written between 1887 and 1943.  While his novels are certainly not fine literature, they are generally well-written, and can be quite entertaining for those who appreciate this combination of time-period and genre.

The Honorable Algernon Knox, Detective

1913/1920

3/5 stars

This quick read is a set of loosely connected short stories featuring a society gentleman, Algernon Knox.  Most of these were published in Hearst's Magazine in 1913, with the complete collection published in book form in 1920.  

Knox is not a detective exactly, but a man who falls into situations of mystery, danger ,and adventure.  After accidently foiling a plot to steal state secrets from his uncle, a Cabinet Minister, Knox begins to appreciate that he has unexpected brains and abilities, and to relish the chance to use them for the good of others and for the protection of Britain.

The abrupt change in Knox from a vapid young fool to a useful tool of His Majesty's Government is unconvincing, but his character is appealing and sympathetic.  The tales are light (though not light-hearted), dated, and often unbelievable, but generally a good deal of fun as Knox outwits opponents much more skilled in diplomacy and espionage.

The Zeppelin's Passenger or Mr. Lessingham Goes Home

1918

4/5 stars

Published toward the end of World War I, this romantic-espionage-drama features Phillipa, a ferociously patriotic woman living in an English coastal town.  Her husband, Sir Henry, at sixteen years her elder, is apparently too old to be accepted for military duty, and she is both ashamed and angry at  his apparent indifference to his life of civilian inactivity.

Into this situation falls (literally, out of a zeppelin) a German spy, calling himself Lessingham.  He brings letters from Phillipa's twin, an inmate of a German prison, and tries to convince her, for the sake of her brother's well-being, to assist him in his mission.  Knowing that her quiet seafront locale can hold no secrets worth more than her brother's life, she abandons her firmly held convictions and agrees -- but at what cost?

This is a melodramatic but entertaining tale, with all three main characters, though under-developed, being likable and sympathetic, with believably human motives.  Oppenheimer, while obviously burning with patriotism, still admits that the German forces have men just as gentlemanly as the British, and has Phillipa express a wish for peace for all.  The romance is very Edwardian, almost cold to a 21st Century view, but is still effective as an important factor.  Overall, while certainly not a literary treasure, it's an enjoyable read, as well as an enlightening insight into the popular culture of the time. 

Before the Fact by Francis Iles

Before the Fact
Francis Iles
1932
5/5 stars

Lina McLaidlaw is swept off her feet by the charming, handsome, and slightly disreputable Johnnie Aysgarth.  As she is 28, an intellectual, and not considered a beauty, her parents are convinced that Johnnie is after her for money only.  Nonetheless, Johnnie's apparent sincerity wins her confidence and they are married.  As time goes on, however, Lina begins to notice a streak of amorality in her husband, which worsens until she begins to suspect him of a serious crime.

This novel of psychological suspense is gripping from the first two lines: 

"Some women give birth to murderers, some go to bed with them, and some marry them.  Lina Aysgarth had lived with her husband for nearly eight years before she realized that she was married to a murderer."

As the plot advances, the reader follows Lina's discoveries, fears, compromises, and gradual mental strain, and watches as Johnnie tugs unhappily at the leash she holds.  A sense of dread permeates the story, leaving the reader tense and anxious, awaiting the next event.  Iles (pseudonym of Anthony Berkeley Cox, who wrote cozier Golden Age mysteries under the name of Anthony Berkeley) is an excellent writer, creating prose that is intelligent, convincing, and engrossing.  Before the Fact is memorable and well-worth reading for those that appreciate an atypical crime drama.

May 2022 Wrap-Up

Books Read:
The Dark Island by Vita Sackville-West (1934)  4/5 stars
This serious character study shows the life of Shirin in four episodes: one each at the ages of 16, 26, 36, and 46.  The writing is wonderful, intelligent, and gripping, but the bleak and grim themes keep it from being a book one "enjoys".  It is not a novel I would recommend universally, but it was still a thought-provoking and memorable read.

Audio Books Completed:

The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (1927)  3/5 stars

These are less intriguing than earlier short stories, vary in quality overall, and some in particular have not aged well.  They do contain some iconic moments, though, and are worth reading for the devoted Holmes fan, if only for completeness.

Baroness Orczy

Lady Molly of Scotland Yard by Emmuska Orczy (1910)  4/5 stars

These fun Edwardian short stories of mystery and adventure feature Lady Molly, one of the female agents of Scotland Yard. In the tales, Lady Molly often depends more on a knowledge of human nature than on physical clues, but her deductions are sensible and logical, and, for the most part, don't strain credibility.  Her devoted friend, Mary, narrates the account, and while Mary's over-abundant praise is sometimes annoying, Lady Molly of Scotland Yard is still well-written, nicely plotted, and entertaining. 

The Wintringham Mystery by Anthony Berkeley (1927)  4/5 stars

Though sometimes convoluted, this Golden Age mystery is generally well-written, completely entertaining, and quite intriguing.   

The Two Destinies by Wilkie Collins (1876)  4/5 stars  (my review here)

That Affair Next Door by Anna Katharine Green (1897)  4/5 stars  (my review here)

Lost Man's Lane by Anna Katharine Green (1898)  4/5 stars  (my review here)

The Circular Study by Anna Katharine Green  (1900)  4/5 stars (my review here)

Did Not Finish:
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (1847)
My discussion is here.

Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert (1857)

This is a fantastic book -- if translated by Lydia Davis -- and I was looking forward to listening to it on audio.  I found, though, that I couldn't appreciate Flaubert's painstaking, detailed writing and his stunning ability to turn a phrase by listening.  I wrote a long discussion (here) when I read it 2011, and would encourage anyone that hasn't read this classic to read that post before picking up the book.

Warriors, Queens, and Intellectuals by Joyce E. Salisbury from the Great Courses series
This is a group of 36 lectures subtitled "36 Great Women Before 1400" that, having majored in history, I was very much looking forward to hearing.  The blurb explains that these lectures will allow the listener to experience a "another side of history" by spotlighting 36 extraordinary women and how they influenced history. Unfortunately, Professor Salisbury does not do this. Instead, a woman is introduced (sometimes from sketchy sources), a bit of general background history given, then that particular historical woman is shoehorned into the discussion, often as a periphery figure.  I felt that Warriors, Queens, and Intellectuals did not live up to it's promise, nor to the quality I have come to expect from the Great Courses.