18 books like The secret house
Room 13
After having spent almost three years in prison Johnny Gray is released, only to be dismayed to find that his ladylove has been pressured by her father, an old friend of his, into marrying another man. Soon after, Johnny discovers that the bridegroom is actually a suspected counterfeiter and the son of a notorious criminal plotting to ruin his friend by exposing his nefarious past. Johnny is…
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The door with seven locks
As a practical joke, Sub-Inspector Dick Martin, about to retire, is asked to find a stolen library book. Before long, Dick finds himself intrigued by the nature of the book—and the attractiveness of Sybil, the librarian. Now in private practice, Dick accepts a job that requires him to chase an elusive nobleman, Lord Selford, across the world and is subsequently surprised to find that his favorite…
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The avenger
When a severed head is discovered, Mike Brixan of the Foreign Office is asked to return from Europe and assist in apprehending the murderer, known as “The Headhunter.” The trail leads to Chichester and the set of a motion picture crew located on an English manor. Brixan discovers that the scriptwriter has a connection with both The Headhunter and an unscrupulous neighbor with a history of…
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The Council of Justice
The Red Hundred, an anarchist organization led by a woman of unmatched oratorical skill known as the Woman of Gratz, has set its sight on the destruction of several British institutions. The Four Just Men, a band of wealthy gentlemen notorious for punishing those unreachable by conventional justice, appear to be the only group capable of opposing them. After thwarting The Red Hundred’s plans by…
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Terror Keep
Mr. J. G. Reeder, employed by the Department of Public Prosecutions, has developed a reputation for solving difficult criminal cases using his unique understanding of human nature, which he calls his “criminal mind.” After a notorious bank robber and murderer escapes from prison, Mr. Reeder must match wits with Crazy John Flack, the “cleverest crook in the world,” who previously vowed to kill the…
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The three just men
Having recently been pardoned by the British government, the Just Men continue their mission to bring criminals to justice, but now by employing mostly legal means. London has been terrorized with the death of several men connected with Doktor Oberzohn, the head of an international cartel, with the deaths thought to have been caused by an escaped venomous snake. After forming a detective agency,…
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The Man Who Knew
John Minute, formerly an unscrupulous African mining magnate, has flown to England, but can’t escape his past. Constantly threatened by blackmailers, he fears death and financial ruin. At the suggestion of the commissioner of police, “The Man Who Knows” is hired to assist in determining the source of these threats. But after John is murdered, suspicion is cast on his nephew, who calls on The Man…
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The Square Emerald
Leslie Maughan, recognized for her keen mind, has unofficially been promoted to Scotland Yard’s first female investigator. Chancing upon a book of poetry once owned by a Peter Dawlish, convicted forger, Leslie delves into the details of the convict’s case and becomes convinced of Peter’s innocence. Befriending Peter after his release from prison, Leslie discovers a link between him, a lady of…
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Running blind
"It'll be simple", they said at the Department. "You'll just be a messenger boy". But to Alan Stewart, on a deserted road in Iceland with a murdered man at his feet, it looks anything but simple. Someone very ruthless is after the innocent-looking parcel he carries, and Kenniken, a Russian agent with the best of reasons for hating him, has followed him to Iceland.
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The tightrope men
Giles Denison's life is turned upside down when he awakes to find himself in a luxurious hotel in Oslo and, peering into the bathroom mirror, discovers the face of another man! He has been kidnapped from his flat in London and transformed into famous Finnish scientist, Dr Harold Feltham Meyrick. Compelled to adjust to his new persona (including meeting his daughter) and to play out the role…
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Blue Hand
Jim Steele, a clerk for a prominent London attorney, has the distasteful task of assisting a notorious client, Digby Groat, who stands to inherit the Jonathan Danton fortune. Danton’s infant daughter and closest heir, Dorothy, was thought to have died in a boating accident twenty years ago. Adding to the mystery, Dorothy’s mother, Lady Mary Danton, also disappeared around the same time. Jim…
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The House Without a Key
Published in 1925, The House Without a Key introduces the kindly detective Charlie Chan, conceived by Earl Derr Biggers as a counter to the “Yellow Peril” stereotypes common in the era’s society. John Quincy Winterslip, having been sent by his family to convince his aunt to return to Boston, arrives in Honolulu to find that a rich family member with a shady past has been murdered. Detective…
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The Emperor's candlesticks
The Emperor's Candlesticks (1899) is a historical novel by Baroness Orczy and was her first book as an author.
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The melody of death
Gilbert Standerton learns that he has been disinherited by his cantankerous uncle, and is forced to find a way to provide for his newly-wedded high-society wife. After quitting his appointment at the Foreign Office, he develops a new interest in the stock market, and takes an avid interest in the antics of a gang of safe-cracking burglars. His wife becomes concerned as he frequently begins…
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L'affaire Lerouge
Le jeudi 6 mars 1862, surlendemain du Mardi gras, cinq femmes du village de La Jonchere se presentaient au bureau de police de Bougival.
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Dead Men Tell No Tales
The classic story ties together themes of adventure and romance. Hornung's traditional writing style is incredibly descriptive and can be often relaxing to read. The story of Dead Men Tell No Tales doesn't rush but rather takes it's time to develop characters and provide indulgent details for readers. The tale of Mr. Cole and Ms. Eva is an excellent addition to any library and showcases some of…
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The Talleyrand Maxim
The “Talleyrand Maxim” holds that “With time and patience, the mulberry leaf is turned into satin.” The adage has the character of guidance for life for an ambitious legal clerk, Linford Pratt. Unlike most people, he decides to take extreme measures to get what he believes is his due.
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At the Villa Rose, in Four acts
The place: Aix-les-Bains, a lakeside town in southeast France, popular for vacations of the well-to-do.
The players:
(1) The young Englishman, Harry Wethermill, who, after a brilliant career at Oxford and at Munich, had applied his scientific genius and made a fortune for himself at the age of twenty-eight.
(2) Mr. Ricardo, approaching the fifties in age; a widower — "a state greatly to his…
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