Audiobook · read by volunteers
Middle of Things
J. S. Fletcher (1863–1935)
Read by Nathalie J. · 29 chapters · 7 h 24
About the book
Viner has a habit of taking a late-night stroll round Markendale Square, and one evening it plunges him into something far stranger than he could have imagined. A murder, an impostor and a collection of secret papers combine to puzzle even the police. A man named Hyde claims he is innocent, but can he be believed? What is the meaning of the veiled woman and the diamond ring? J. S. Fletcher, one of the most prolific detective writers of the early twentieth century, builds his mystery step by step, with clues that seem to point in several directions at once. Nathalie J. reads the twenty-nine chapters in about seven and a half hours. This is a fine puzzle for lovers of classic English detective fiction who enjoy following the trail alongside the characters.
Introduction
Joseph Smith Fletcher (1863-1935) was an English writer of Yorkshire origins who published a huge number of books, including histories of his home county, novels and, above all, detective stories. He turned to crime fiction in the later part of his career, and his work became so popular that he was regarded as one of the leading mystery writers of his day. Several of his novels were praised by prominent readers of the time, and they are now enjoyed again by lovers of the golden age of detective fiction.
The Middle of Things was published in 1922. Its central figure, Viner, becomes caught up in a crime during one of his regular evening walks, and the story that follows combines the elements that readers of the period expected: a murder, a case of false identity, secret documents and a mysterious woman. Fletcher's approach is that of the patient puzzle-maker rather than the thrill-seeker. The solution depends on the careful accumulation of detail, and the pleasure for the reader lies in trying to assemble the clues before the author reveals them.
The novel offers a picture of English life in the years just after the First World War, with its urban squares, professional men and tightly organised social worlds. Its pace is more measured than that of modern thrillers, but it moves forward steadily and holds the attention.
This LibriVox recording is read by Nathalie J. It runs for about seven hours and twenty-four minutes and is divided into twenty-nine chapter files. It is well suited to long evenings and to anyone who likes a mystery in the old style.
Public domain
J. S. Fletcher died in 1935: the work is in the public domain in Switzerland, more than 70 years after the author’s death.
The LibriVox volunteers dedicated this recording to the public domain.
Sources : LibriVox page · Files at the Internet Archive · Original text