Miss Cornelia Van Gorder

This is the story of how a middle-aged spinster lost her mind, deserted her domestic gods in the city, took a furnished house for the summer out of town, and found herself involved in one of those mysterious crimes that keep our newspapers and detective agencies happy and prosperous. For twenty years I had been perfectly comfortable; for twenty years I had had the window-boxes filled in the spring, the carpets lifted, the awnings put up and the furniture covered with brown linen; for as many summers I had said good-bye to my friends, and, after watching their perspiring hegira, had settled down to a delicious quiet in town, where the mail comes three times a day, and the water supply does not depend on a tank on the roof. And then -- the madness seized me. When I look back over the months I spent at Sunnyside, I wonder that I survived at all. As it is, I show the wear and tear of my harrowing experiences. I have turned very gray -- Liddy reminded me of it, only yesterday, by saying that a little bluing in the rinse-water would make my hair silvery, instead of a yellowish white. I hate to be reminded of unpleasant things and I snapped her off. "No," I said sharply, "I'm not going to use bluing at my time of life, or starch, either."

The Man in Lower Ten by Mary Roberts Rinehart is a classic mystery novel and the first book in The Miss Cornelia Van Gorder Mysteries series. Blending suspense, wit, and keen social observation, the novel exemplifies Rinehart's influential style, often credited with shaping the modern American detective story. The story unfolds aboard an overnight train traveling from Chicago to New York, where an unexpected murder is discovered in the lower berth of a sleeping car. The victim's identity, the locked-room–like circumstances, and the confined setting create an atmosphere of mounting tension. With the train racing toward its destination, time becomes a critical factor in uncovering the truth. At the center of the investigation is Miss Cornelia Van Gorder, a sharp-minded, independent woman whose intelligence and composure set her apart from conventional amateur detectives of the era. Assisted by her capable companion, Lizzie Allen, Miss Van Gorder applies logic, observation, and courage to untangle a web of secrets involving political intrigue, stolen documents, and hidden identities. Rinehart skillfully uses the enclosed setting of the train to heighten suspense while exploring themes of deception, trust, and the contrast between public respectability and private wrongdoing. The novel's brisk pacing and cleverly constructed clues keep readers engaged until the final revelation. The Man in Lower Ten remains a landmark work in early twentieth-century mystery fiction. It is both an entertaining puzzle and an important example of a pioneering woman writer redefining the detective genre through strong female characters and inventive storytelling.

When Rachel takes a country house for the summer with her niece and nephew, she expects to fill her days with relaxing social activities. But these plans take a turn for the sinister when, on the second night, a dead body is found at the bottom of the house's circular staircase. Mary Roberts Rinehart's The Circular Staircase is credited with creating the "Had I But Known" genre of detective fiction.

Lawrence Blakely, attorney-at-law, sets off by train to deliver valuable documents in a criminal case. His ride will be eventful. Along the way he'll encounter romance, treachery, a train wreck, even a murder in which he'll be implicated. Who's after Blakely and his papers -- why? The first detective novel to appear on national bestseller lists, THE MAN IN LOWER TEN is still a great read almost ninety years after its publication. It has all the thrills of a contemporary whodunit and a satiric edge that gently mocks the conventions of male detective fiction.

A routine business trip goes awry when attorney Lawrence Blakeley finds himself accused of murder. Knowing himself innocent, Blakeley's explanations are complicated by his attraction to a beautiful young woman with her own motive for murder, and the sudden derailment of his train.Mary Roberts Rinehart's The Man in Lower Ten was enormously successful upon publication, and was one of the first detective novels to become a bestseller.HarperPerennial Classics brings great works of literature to life in digital format, upholding the highest standards in ebook production and celebrating reading in all its forms. Look for more titles in the HarperPerennial Classics collection to build your digital library.