The Middle of Things [Hardcover]

J.S. Fletcher (Author), 1stWorld Library (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2006

Purchase one of 1st World Library's Classic Books and help support our free internet library of downloadable eBooks. Visit us online at www.1stWorldLibrary.ORG - - On that particular November evening, Viner, a young gentleman of means and leisure, who lived in a comfortable old house in Markendale Square, Bayswater, in company with his maiden aunt Miss Bethia Penkridge, had spent his after-dinner hours in a fashion which had become a habit. Miss Penkridge, a model housekeeper and an essentially worthy woman, whose whole day was given to supervising somebody or something, had an insatiable appetite for fiction, and loved nothing so much as that her nephew should read a novel to her after the two glasses of port which she allowed herself every night had been thoughtfully consumed and he and she had adjourned from the dining-room to the hearthrug in the library. Her tastes, however, in Viner's opinion were some-what, if not decidedly, limited. Brought up in her youth on Miss Braddon, Wilkie Collins and Mrs. Henry Wood, Miss Penkridge had become a confirmed slave to the sensational. She had no taste for the psychological, and nothing but scorn for the erotic. What she loved was a story which began with crime and ended with a detection - a story which kept you wondering who did it, how it was done, and when the doing was going to be laid bare to the light of day. Nothing pleased her better than to go to bed with a brain titivated with the mysteries of the last three chapters; nothing gave her such infinite delight as to find, when the final pages were turned, that all her own theories were wrong, and that the real criminal was somebody quite other than the person she had fancied.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Joseph Smith Fletcher (1863-1935) was a journalist and the author of over 200 books. Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, he studied law before turning to journalism. His earlier works were either histories or historical fiction, and he was made a fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He didn’t start writing mysteries until 1914, though before he died he had written over 100 in the genre. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: 1st World Library - Literary Society (January 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1421810492
• ISBN-13: 978-1421810492
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Truth is Stranger Than Fiction, June 18, 2008

By 

Samantha Glasser "Maliejandra" (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The MIddle of Things (Hardcover)

A wealthy man named Ashton is found murdered in an alley, apparantly robbed for his jewelry and pocketbook. The police believe they have the killer, a young man who the next morning tries to pawn one of the stolen rings. Viner, however, the man who discovered the body and who is friends with the accused, believes otherwise. It is a quick race to find the real guilty party in order to save an innocent man. But none of the information is completely clear; the victim has a mysterious past and there is no rational motive. His charge, a young girl named Miss Wickham, proves to be of little help and Ashton had no close friendships. It is up to the lawyers and Viner to unravel the mystery that has roots in royalty.

Another exciting J. S. Fletcher murder mystery, The Middle of Things keeps the reader guessing until the very end. The story features several Fletcher staples, such as a curious and bored average citizen, a case of mistaken identities, and a believable ending. The style is a bit dated, but it is not so antiquated as to be foreign or difficult. Fans of mysteries and Fletcher's writing alike will not be disappointed.

3.0 out of 5 stars Good but not great, October 3, 2010

By 

Mary "Commuter" (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Middle of Things (Kindle Edition)

It will keep you interested, but you'll forget about it the minute you walk away. Not one of his better mysteries.