
The Middle Temple Murder
'The Middle Temple Murder' Summary
Midnight. A lonely courtyard. The dead body of a stranger—a prosperous looking, well dressed, elderly man is found in Middle Temple Lane, London. This is one of England's ancient Inns of Court where barristers were traditionally apprenticed and carried on their work. Middle Temple is just a few minutes walk away from busy Fleet Street and the Thames Embankment. In the dead man's pocket is a piece of paper with the name and address of a young barrister. One of the first people to reach the crime scene is the investigative reporter, Frank Spargo, who writes for a leading London newspaper, The Watchman. Spargo is puzzled. Why would such a person be wandering about here at this hour? This extraordinary discovery draws Spargo into a labyrinthine web of intrigue, murder and crime in high places.
The Middle Temple Murder by Joseph Smith Fletcher was first published in 1919 and is a great example of the classical English detective story. Joseph Smith Fletcher initially embarked on a career in law but soon switched to journalism. He was also a gifted poet and his first published work was a book of poetry. He went on to write some very notable books of historical fiction and history. This led to his becoming a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.
However, he turned to writing mysteries in 1914, the era which is considered the Golden Age of Detective Fiction. He wrote more than 100 detective novels which were extremely well received and gave him good financial returns.
Fletcher's style may seem a little dated, and since it was written more than a century ago, there are elements which may seem politically incorrect to us, but he manages to create a sinister atmosphere and keeps you guessing till the end. Being the work of a writer of history, The Middle Temple Murder is also full of interesting nuggets of information and ambiance that evoke the London of the early 1900s. It is also an early example of the “procedural” crime story, where the facts become available to the reader in a logical sequence yet the identity of the criminal is kept hidden.
If you enjoy the vintage mystery story full of atmosphere and one that presents a nice little puzzle, The Middle Temple Murder is certainly a great choice!
Book Details
Authors

J. S. Fletcher
England
Joseph Smith Fletcher (7 February 1863 – 30 January 1935) was an English journalist and author. He wrote more than 230 books on a wide variety of subjects, both fiction and non-fiction, and was...
Books by J. S. FletcherDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
Related books

Black Dwarf by Sir Walter Scott
The Black Dwarf, set amidst the rugged Scottish Borders during Queen Anne's reign, delves into a world of family feuds, dark secrets, and the enigmati...

Black Cat Vol. 03 No. 08 May 1898 by Various
This volume of "The Black Cat" magazine, published in May 1898, presents a collection of five short stories that delve into various themes of the maca...

Judith Lee - Pages From Her Life by Richard Marsh
The intriguing world of Judith Lee, a woman whose existence is shrouded in mystery. From the first page to the last, this captivating novel takes read...

Silent Witness by R. Austin Freeman
In the heart of the night, Dr. Humphrey Jardine stumbles upon a lifeless body during a solitary walk near Hampstead Heath. However, when he returns to...

Hand of Fu-Manchu by Sax Rohmer
This book follows the continuing adventures of Nayland Smith and Dr. Petrie as they confront the nefarious Dr. Fu Manchu. The novel centers on the evi...

The Mystery of the Yellow Room by Gaston Leroux
One of the first locked room mysteries, The Mystery of the Yellow Room focuses on a supposedly impossible crime which has been committed within a lock...

Bernice by Susan Glaspell
Bernice, a captivating and larger-than-life woman, tragically dies, leaving behind a profound void in the hearts of those who knew her. The mystery su...

Señal de los Cuatro by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
En "La Señal de los Cuatro", Sherlock Holmes y el Dr. Watson se enfrentan a un enigma intrigante. Una mujer solicita la ayuda de Holmes para visitar a...

Killing Time by Donald E. Westlake
In a small town in upstate New York, Tim Smith, a local private investigator with a knack for gathering dirt on the town's powerful figures, finds him...

Thrill Book Vol. I No. 7, June 1, 1919 by Greye La Spina
This book is a collection of thrilling stories that will keep you on the edge of your seat. From spine-tingling mysteries to heart-pounding adventures...
Reviews for The Middle Temple Murder
No reviews posted or approved, yet...