The Stillwater Tragedy - Softcover
Widely considered the first published murder mystery novel, The Stillwater Tragedy, first published in 1880, is set in a small New England manufacturing town whose tranquility is disturbed first by the murder of one of its prominent citizens followed soon thereafter by a general strike of all the trades-unions. As the story develops, Richard Shackford, the murdered man's nephew, finds himself inextricably caught up in both these events.
“The writer of the above-named work, has in this surpassed his previous efforts. ‘The Queen of Sheba,’ ‘Majorie Daw,’ and ‘Prudence Palfrey,’ which we have, from time to time, noticed in these pages, all possess charms of style and unexpected situations that at once rivet the attention. ‘The Stillwater Tragedy’ is a combination of all the elements which we found to admire in the previous volumes of this accomplished writer, and we have read these pretty little volumes with infinite relish, and wit a decided with for more of the same sort. The tale, though of a comparatively commonplace character, is told in such a manner that one is bound to read to the end.” -The Western Antiquary, Volume 5, June, 1885
“In this novel, Mr. Aldrich’s power and charm as a storyteller are shown most attractively. The life and characters of a New England manufacturing town are depicted with singular accuracy and felicity; the smoldering discontent among workingmen and the strike in which it culminated are portrayed with admirable skill; while the tragedy itself, the unraveling of the mystery surrounding it, and the love which illuminates the whole story, are described with the firm and delicate touch in which Mr. Aldrich is almost unrivaled. Both the story, and the exquisite grace and skill with which it is told, cannot fail to make it very popular.” -The Churchman, Volume 42, June 3, 1880
“The rare charms of the book, its daintiness of style, its almost marvelous realism of detail, its subtle and delicious humor, and above all its manly and masterly treatment of the characters of Richard and Margaret, and of their sweet, wholesome love story.” -New York Evening Post
“Exquisitely graceful and witty, thoroughly artistic, eminently interesting, and like everything of Mr. Aldrich’s, delightfully clever.” -Hartford Courant
“Mr. Aldrich’s skill is shown at its best in this story.” -The New York Times
“A highly interesting detective story; sometimes vaguely recalling ‘La Corde au Cou’ and other tales of the unraveling of obscure crimes – a specialty in which M. Gaboriau stood unrivaled. But the resemblance is but superficial...In ‘The Stillwater Tragedy,’ the clever detective is too clever by half, reminding one more of Mark Twain’s detectives than of ‘M. Le Coq,’ or old ‘Tirauclair,’ and it is the sensible and blameless hero who himself unwinds the meshes in which the too zealous detective had all but enfolded him.” -The Westminster Review, January, 1885
“Rightly regarded as Aldrich’s best and most ambitious novel...Has a somewhat complicated plot that requires space and time for its development to its natural conclusion and contains some very dramatic situations. The characters, too, are more numerous and more skillfully portrayed....The novel shows Aldrich’s power of invention and portrayal far more than any other work of prose fiction that he produced....His fiction is fresh and simple, wholesome and entertaining....This, assuredly, is no insignificant achievement.” -The Methodist Review, Volume 99, January, 1917
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About the Author:
Thomas Aldrich was a literary lion of the nineteenth century in the United States. His masterpieces inspired countless others, including Mark Twain who based some of his Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer adventures on ideas put forth by Aldrich. Aldrich wrote a number of books, mainly fiction, but also notable poetry and history.
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- PublisherCreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
- Publication date2013
- ISBN 10 1491060328
- ISBN 13 9781491060322
- BindingPaperback
- Number of pages284
- Rating
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