Master tales of mystery, Volume 1 (of 3) by Francis J. Reynolds
"Master tales of mystery, Volume 1 (of 3)" by Francis J. Reynolds is a collection of mystery short stories written in the early 20th century. The anthology gathers notable contemporary authors to deliver puzzle-driven crime and suspense tales, opening with Anna Katharine Green’s “Room No. 3,” and promises compact cases, rising peril, and clever unravelings. The opening of the collection presents an editor’s introduction celebrating “problem or mystery tales,” a contents list
of featured writers, and then launches into Green’s “Room No. 3.” At Three Forks Tavern, Miss Demarest insists her mother spent the night there, while the landlord Quimby, his wife, and clerk Jake deny it and claim the mother died by accident in the nearby woods; the register is blank and the room’s wallpaper doesn’t match Demarest’s memory. Deputy Hammersmith remains suspicious, spends the night in the disputed Room 3, survives a deliberately set fire, rescues the maid Huldah while shots are fired at him, and discovers beneath the blue paper a layer of pink scrolls matching Demarest’s description. With Quimby and his wife missing, Jake seized, and Mrs. Quimby reappearing deranged with a stolen diamond chain, Huldah—spurred by jealousy—admits the room was secretly repapered, exposing a house plot of theft and cover‑up and validating Demarest’s account, setting the stage for further inquiry. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Editor | Reynolds, Francis J. (Francis Joseph), 1867-1937 |
|---|---|
| Title | Master tales of mystery, Volume 1 (of 3) |
| Original Publication | New York: P. F. Collier & Sun, 1889, copyright 1915. |
| Contents | Anna Katharine Green: Room no. 3. The gray lady. The thief. Midnight in Beauchamp Row. The little steel coils. The staircase at Heart's Delight -- Harold Frederic: The path of Murtogh -- Sir Gilbert Parker: There is sorrow on the sea -- S.R. Crockett: The smugglers of the Clone -- W. Clark Russell: That there Mason -- Mary Cholmondeley: The hand on the latch -- Frank R. Stockton: The stories of the three burglers -- William Hamilton Osborne: A suspicious character -- John A. Moroso: Angelo. |
| Credits | Al Haines |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PN: Language and Literatures: Literature: General, Criticism, Collections |
| Subject | Fiction |
| Subject | Detective and mystery stories |
| Category | Text |
| EBook-No. | 77811 |
| Release Date | Jan 29, 2026 |
| Most Recently Updated | Jan 30, 2026 |
| Copyright Status | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 676 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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