classic adventure

Book Review: Heart of Midlothian

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The Heart of Midlothian by Walter Scott

The Heart of Midlothian
by Walter Scott

4 out of 5 stars

Jeanie Deans is horrified to learn that her sister, Effie, has been arrested on a charge of child-murder. Effie insists that she is innocent and that her baby was taken from her immediately after his birth. Effie refuses to tell anyone who the father is. The lawyers assure Jeanie that there is a loophole in the law and that if Jeanie will only testify that her sister told her about the pregnancy before the child was born, then Effie cannot be prosecuted under the law. But Jeanie is from a staunchly religious family and she feels that she cannot tell a lie under oath. Effie is condemned to death, and Jeanie undertakes a long and dangerous journey to London to seek a pardon directly from the king.

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Book Review: The House of a Thousand Candles

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The House of a Thousand Candles by Meredith Nicholson

The House of a Thousand Candles
by Meredith Nicholson

4 out of 5 stars

If he wants to inherit his grandfather’s estate, John Glenarm must stay at a country house in Indiana for at least a year without leaving. His grandfather did not approve of his grandson’s wandering ways, so he devised this clause in the will to force his grandson to put down some roots. On his first night in the country house, John is shot at through the open window of the dining room. This begins an adventure that includes espionage, fugitives, hidden treasure, and a family secret that will change John’s entire life. In the middle of all the mystery is Marian Devereux, who will inherit the entire estate if John fails to stay in the country for the entire year.

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Book Review: The Golden Snare

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The Golden Snare by James Oliver Curwood

The Golden Snare
by James Oliver Curwood

4.5 out of 5 stars

Phillip is an officer with the Royal Mounted in Canada, tracking down a rumor about a murderer named Bram who is hiding in the wilds. Bram is well known to be a madman, a murderer, and the owner of a pack of ferocious wolves. Phillip meets with an eyewitness who shows him a strange rabbit snare that Bram left behind. The snare is made from a woman’s golden hair. This propels Phillip to travel into the wild and barren wastelands of the north, searching for an answer to the mystery of the golden hair.

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Classic Book Review: A Study in Scarlet

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The First Adventure of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

The First Adventure of Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Scarlet
by Arthur Conan Doyle, Vincent Mallié (Artist),Mike Kennedy (Editor)

5 out of 5 stars

Dr. Watson is searching London for affordable rooms and his old colleague mentions that Sherlock Holmes is looking for rooms too. They are introduced and decide to become roommates at 221B Baker Street. Watson quickly discovers that Holmes is eccentric in many ways, and they are soon hot on the trail of a murder mystery. Holmes has a unique way of tracking down clues, and Watson is eager to help.

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Book Review: Kenilworth

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Kenilworth by Walter Scott

Kenilworth
by Walter Scott

4 out of 5 stars

Robert Dudley, the Earl of Lancashire, has a secret marriage with Amy Robsart. He is keeping it hidden from Queen Elizabeth I, hoping to win favor at court and perhaps a crown of his own. His lies are supported by his evil servant, Varney, who schemes on his behalf. Together they keep Amy locked up at Cumnor Place, hiding her from the world. The noble Tressilian discovers their plots and tries to assist Amy, but she loves her husband and won’t move against him. At court, Walter Raleigh gains the favor of the Queen, and famously lays down his cloak over the mud for her. Tressilian tries to present a case against the Earl of Lancashire at court, but his plans are foiled by the scheming Varney.

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Book Review: The Ninth Earl

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The Ninth Earl by Jeffery Farnol

The Ninth Earl
by Jeffery Farnol

3 out of 5 stars

In the 1790s, George is a lawyer who is tasked with assisting Jasper Shrig to investigate a murder which took places decades ago. Jasper has many agents in the area, listening to old tales of the Earl and the scandal of years ago that may have led to his death. George is entirely confused about the mystery, but he meets a young lady, Clyte, and the two begin a vexatious flirtation. At first they annoy and tease each other, but gradually their irritation turns to love.

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Book Review: Short Stories from Robert Louis Stevenson

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The Rajah's Diamond by Robert Louis Stevenson

The Rajah’s Diamond
by Robert Louis Stevenson

4 out of 5 stars

A British General receives a large diamond for services performed for a Rajah during a foreign war. The diamond tempts everyone who comes into contact with it, ruining their lives. The general, his wife, her secretary, a clergyman, a landlord, a bank clerk, and finally a prince all own the diamond for a short time. Their destinies are intertwined; their lives forever changed.

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Classic Book Review: The Woman in White

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The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

The Woman in White
by Wilkie Collins

5 out of 5 stars

Walter Hartright is an art teacher who is hired to give drawing lessons to two sisters at a grand estate. He falls in love with one of them, Laura, but knows that he is too poor and lowly to be considered as a suitor. She is already engaged to Sir Percival, and so Walter tries to hide his love for her. However, a mysterious woman dressed all in white warns them against Sir Percival, claiming that he is a villain. Walter follows the clues to discover the identity of the woman in white and find out what terrible secret she is hiding.

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Classic Review: Tale of Two Cities

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A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

A Tale of Two Cities
by Charles Dickens

5 out of 5 stars

Dr. Manette is released from the Bastille after years of unlawful incarceration. He is restored to health by his daughter, Lucie, and they live happily in England. Lucie is courted by a young man calling himself Charles Darnay to hide to his noble family name. When the French Revolution takes hold of Paris, Charles Darnay returns to help an old servant who is in trouble, and he is embroiled in the violence of the revolution. Lucie and Dr. Manette travel from London to Paris, but the tides of the revolution are stronger than they imagine.

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Classic Book Review: The Courts of the Morning

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The Courts of the Morning by John Buchan

The Courts of the Morning
by John Buchan

4 out of 5 stars

In this spin-off of the Richard Hannay series, we follow Hannay’s friend, Sandy Arbuthnot. Hannay himself only has a small part at the beginning where he sort of introduces the story, and Sandy takes it from there. Sandy runs into Archie Roylance and Janet vacationing on their honeymoon in South America. They join with old General Blenkiron in a small South American country to stop a business tycoon from staging a coup that could make political trouble all over the world. In the middle of a miner’s rebellion and all-out war with the government, Sandy meets the lovely Barbara. But there is no time for love when you have just kidnapped the most dangerous man in South America and are holding him hostage at a hideout in the jungle called “The Courts of the Morning”.

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