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+--- Thread: A Lancer Gilt-Edge Gothic (/showthread.php?tid=818)
A Lancer Gilt-Edge Gothic - AliceChell - 08-24-2010
I am currently reading (and enjoying) a Lancer Gilt-edge Gothic. Are there many of these about? This is the first one I've come across. The claim made for these books on the back cover is this, 'Another prestige Gothic mystery of high literary merit and great entertainment value.'
The book's title is The Shadow of the Rope, and the author E.W. Hornung. I find this book to be noteworthy in several ways that I wanted to share.
The copyright page indicates its publication date as 1966, however, upon googling the author's name I discovered his birth/death to be 1866-1921. Also, that the book was first published in 1902.
(This author is also the creator of a character called "Raffles", a gentleman thief about whom a series of popular books were written back in the day.)
(One more little tidbit of gossip--E.W Hornung was married to Constance Doyle, his good friend Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's sister.)
In fact, the author's writing style is reminiscent of the creator of Sherlock Holmes.
Anyway, here is a portion of the book description from the back cover.
"Accused of the murder of her own husband, Rachel Minchin is freed by a jury only to be rescued from a lynch mob by the enigmatic Steel, who lures her into a strange mockery of marriage and life on a fabulous estate. . . Rachel realizes that only when the real murderer is found can she ever escape . . . The Shadow of the Rope."
I am only on chapter four, but I have a good feeling about this book. It seems like a keeper!
RE: A Lancer Gilt-Edge Gothic - AliceChell - 09-03-2010
Well, I was wrong. It isn't the first time, I assure you, and probably won't be the last. The Shadow of the Rope was a pretty good mystery, and quite well-written but not much of a gothic.
I remember it being stated on this forum that during the publishing boom various types of stories (albeit worthy ones) were passed off as gothics that didn't really deserve the name. This story was one of them.