Showing results by author "Mary Roberts Rinehart" in All Categories

Rachel Innes, a middle-aged spinster, has barely settled in at the country house she has rented for the summer when a series of bizarre and violent events threaten to perturb her normally unflappable nature. A strange figure appears briefly in the twilight outside a window. At night, a rattling, metallic sound reverberates through dark halls, and - most disconcerting of all - the body of a strange man is found lying in a pool of blood at the bottom of a circular staircase.

Elizabeth Bell runs a quiet household, with no family and no more than the usual number of servants. She passes her time thinking about crime and working on her biography of a relative. When a young cousin comes to stay, life in the house becomes uncharacteristically lively. First, cousin Judy burns a hole in Miss Bell's desk. Next, they spy a burglar on the staircase - a shadowy figure who vanishes without a trace. And finally, Sarah, the nurse, takes the dogs for a walk and never returns.

“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.” So begins The Circular Staircase, a book which has been hailed as the best novel by the most important American woman mystery writer of our time.

Elizabeth Bell runs a quiet household, with no family and no more than the usual number of servants. She passes her time thinking about crime and working on her biography of a relative. When a young cousin comes to stay, life in the house becomes uncharacteristically lively. First, cousin Judy burns a hole in Miss Bell's desk. Next, they spy a burglar on the staircase—a shadowy figure who vanishes without a trace. And finally, Sarah, the nurse, takes the dogs for a walk and never returns. She is found savagely murdered, and she will not be the last to die.

A young lawyer survives a ghastly train wreck only to be accused of murdering a man who accidentally fell asleep in the wrong berth! This is another whirlwind of a whodunit by the author of The Circular Staircase.

As far as Carol Spencer is concerned, the war has spoiled everything. She and Don had been engaged for years and were on the verge of marriage when he was shot down in the South Pacific, leaving Carol on the verge of spinsterhood at 24. She wants to take some kind of job in the war effort, but her invalid mother demands that Carol accompany her to the family's summer home in Maine. But when they arrive at the faded mansion, they find it completely locked up. The servants are gone, the lights are dark - and there is a body in the closet.

Step into a world where a well-meaning but clumsy lawyer finds himself entangled with a charming duo of old maids and a captivating young woman. To unravel the mysteries surrounding The White Cat—a back-alley political club known for its dubious deals, frothy beers, and the occasional murder—hell need to channel the skills of his detective and journalist friends. Join us for this intriguing adventure filled with humor and suspense. (Introduction by Robert Keiper)

Published in 1914, Street of Seven Stars follows the enchanting journey of Harmony Wells, a talented and naive American girl who travels to Austria to pursue her passion for the violin. With dreams of a vibrant music career, Harmony finds herself alone after her friends return home, determined to continue her lessons. In the bustling city of Vienna, she crosses paths with Peter Byrne, an American doctor dedicated to his ambition of mastering surgery. As he cares for an orphan boy in a local hospital, Peter feels compelled to guard Harmony from the darker realities of urban life. Together, they...

In an elaborate house known as the Cloisters, Maud Wainwright rules supreme. The queen of society in the small town of Beverly, she has a table long enough to seat 100, and she keeps an iron grip on the guest list. Her right-hand woman is Pat Abbott, a local girl who is beautiful, innocent, and kind. Pat has no idea how cutthroat high society can be, but she's about to get a deadly first lesson.

The house called Sunset has been Marcia's summer home for her entire life. Both of her parents died there, and she and her brother spent their youth exploring its rambling hallways and seaside grounds. They love the old house, but Marcia's sister-in-law has never taken to it. Juliette loathes the sea, and soon comes to loathe her husband as well. After they divorce, Juliette pays a final visit to Sunset, demanding alimony. She is there for a few tense days before she disappears. It takes them a week to find her body.

In Poor Wise Man, Mary Roberts Rinehart masterfully weaves a tale of romance and suspense against the backdrop of early 20th Century America, rife with political intrigue. As readers delve into the lives of the characters, theyll encounter the strikingly different worlds of Lily Cardew—fresh from her humanitarian efforts with the Red Cross during the war—and William Wallace Cameron, a brave and principled pharmacy clerk navigating the challenges of an industrial town. Their complicated relationship unfolds amidst the contrasts of wealth and poverty, providing a vivid exploration of ...

Step back into the early days of The Great War with Amazing Interlude. Sara Lee finds herself cozily seated by the fire in her aunt and uncles home, knitting a baby afghan, while her heart flutters at the thought of her beau, Harvey, who is ready to propose. But just as the warmth of home envelops her, the scene shifts dramatically. Sara Lee is whisked away into a magical realm, becoming the princess of an enchanting forest filled with adventure. There, she encounters Henri, a prince as peculiar as the woods themselves. Yet, just as swiftly, reality returns, and Sara Lee is back by the fire, ...

Join three spirited middle-aged ladies as they embark on a series of delightful adventures that will keep you laughing and inspired. From unexpected mishaps to joyful discoveries, follow their journeys filled with friendship and fun. - Summary by Sandra More Tish stories The Amazing Adventures of Letitia Carbery More Tish Proof-listeners IdaLee & Maria Kasper

Dive into the delightful world of Letitia Tish Carberry, created by Mary Roberts Rinehart, who penned six charming books chronicling the lively escapades of this elderly heroine and her spirited group of friends. This particular installment, the third in the series, emerges from Rineharts experiences as a war correspondent in Belgium during World War I. With humor and heart, these stories capture the adventures and misadventures of Tish and her cronies, a narrative that even inspired a 1942 film starring Marjorie Main. Join us for a journey filled with wit and wisdom through the incredible ...

Join two of the early twentieth centurys beloved writers in this delightful duet of essays that explores gender dynamics with warmth and humor. While the perspectives may feel a bit dated, the wit and charm remain timeless. Summary by David Wales.

Join Letitia, Aggie, and Lizzie as they dive headfirst into a whirlwind of mystery and mischief! These three spirited spinster ladies find themselves embroiled in a series of hilarious escapades—from solving a murder at the hospital to reuniting star-crossed lovers, and even dealing with a scruffy dog that might just be a little flea-ridden. Experience the laugh-out-loud moments and thrilling adventures of Letitia Carberry, brought to life by Sandra More. Explore more stories at LibriVox, including Tish The Chronicle of Her Escapades and Excursions.

Mary Roberts Rinehart (1876-1958) was a prolific American writer of popular mysteries. The Circular Staircase was originally published in 1908 and includes all the elements of the classic whodunit – mysterious events, ghostly apparitions, things that go bump in the night and murder.

Tish Carberry reluctantly takes her two best friends, Aggie and Lizzie, on a camping trip into the hills of their Midwestern American town, only to fall in with outlaws on the lam from a train robbery! Comic adventure ensues. - Summary by Matt Pierard

Mary Roberts Rinehart is claimed to have invented the "Had I but known" mystery genre. When Agnes Blakiston rented the old parsonage at Miss Emily's request she soon came to regret it. Was the house haunted? Did Miss Emily have a secret so terrible she would rather die than reveal it? To find the answers you will need to listen.

Dangerous Days opens in a still neutral America, though within a year the country will have joined the European alliance against the Central Powers in the first world war. Clayton Spencer, a successful industrialist and owner of a munitions plant, finds himself facing several problems: not only anarchism and German sabotage, but also the prospect of a deteriorating marriage, and of a son who all too often shares his mother's frivolous and essentially self-concerned point of view. How far will America's entry into the war change such views? What will it mean for Spencer, for his family, and for...