Showing results by author "E. Phillips Oppenheim" in All Categories

Journey through the riveting tale of Jacob Pratt, a man who, after standing bond for his brother, loses everything. Left to grapple with his debts, Jacobs life takes a drastic turn when his brother finally restores his financial stability two years later. As he navigates his newfound wealth, Jacob must contend with the complexity of revenge, rewards, and unrequited love. This story, narrated by Richard Kilmer, explores how money cant always buy happiness or the hearts desire.

Nicholas Goade, the Scotland Yard detective, takes a well earned rest after his recent work in arresting single-handed a notorious criminal who had for five years defied the police forces of New York and London. He has been awarded a cheque for $25,000 and six months leave of absence and is enjoying a touring holiday in the West of England in his ancient Ford car with his companion Flip, a small, fat, white dog. But his holiday soon becomes “a busman's holiday”, as he himself puts it, as at each turn he is called upon to deal with crimes.

An Englishman is enjoying his dinner at Stephano's, at which he is a regular diner. A man enters quickly, sits at his table, starts eating his food, and hands him a packet underneath the table! So begins Paul Walmsley's acquaintance - and adventures - with American adventurer Joseph H. Parker and his lovely daughter, Eve.

East Africa, 1913. The disgraced English aristocrat Everard Dominey stumbles out of the bush and comes face to face with his lookalike, the German Baron von Ragastein. Months later, Dominey returns to London and resumes his glittering social life. But is it really Dominey who has come back - or a German secret agent seeking to infiltrate English high society?

Venture into the intriguing world of Stirling Deane, who has struck it rich after selling the Little Anna Gold Mine he discovered in South Africa. Now at the helm of the company he sold the mine to, Deanes past catches up with him when an old acquaintance from his South African days emerges, claiming to possess the original deed to the mine. The plot thickens when the man is mysteriously murdered and the alleged deed goes missing. As a negotiator Deane hired to retrieve the deed is accused and sentenced to death, the question remains where is the lost deed?

This is a story about Jacob Pratt who "stood bond” for his brother and then lost all his money and was unable to pay his debts. Two years later his brother is finally able to restore him to an enviable financial position. Jacob rewards those who stood beside him during his time of trials and attempts to get even with those who had cast him aside. He finds that revenge is not always sweet. Even though Jacob has plenty of money, he is unable to win the girl of his dreams.

When a businessman is gruesomely murdered, all fingers point towards his business partner, Oliver Hilditch. Known for his legal prowess, defense attorney Francis Ledsam steps in to save Hilditch from the noose, securing a not guilty verdict. However, the victory is short-lived when Hilditchs wife reveals that her husband is a perpetrator of even more heinous crimes than murder. Now, Ledsam is caught in a moral quandary, torn between his feelings for a captivating woman and his overwhelming urge to seek justice, regardless of the personal cost. (Summary by Richard Kilmer)

Meet Phillip Romilly, an underprivileged London art teacher, who is betrayed by his girlfriend Beatrice and his wealthy cousin Douglas. In a fit of rage, he murders Douglas, disposing of his body in a canal, and proceeds to steal his identity. Unbeknownst to Phillip, Douglas had booked a trip to America, leading him on an unexpected journey across the sea. Under the guise of Douglas Romilly, Phillip checks into the luxurious Waldorf Hotel in New York, only to vanish an hour later, adopting yet another identity. It appears that Douglas too, was escaping his own web of financial troubles. Dive ...

Neap-Tide Madness is the strange story of Sir Jaspar Slane's visits to the Dormy House in Norfolk. One foggy evening Slane glimpses the figure of a man emerge from the mist carrying a hunting rifle. The figure raises his gun and shoots at Slane from close quarters, narrowly misses him and vanishes again into the mist. When he makes it back to the Dormy House, Slane learns that the loose madman is the mysterious Mark Rennett - a fishman and hunter who lives in a ramshackle cottage on the marshes with his extraordinarily beautiful wife.

Journey with Paul Walmsley, a well-known regular at Stephanos, as his peaceful dinner is interrupted by a fast-acting stranger who not only steals his meal but also hands him a mysterious packet beneath the table. This encounter marks the start of exhilarating adventures with the enigmatic American adventurer, Joseph H. Parker and his charming daughter, Eve. Please note that there is an alternative narration for section 8, both renditions are equally compelling and we invite you to enjoy either or both.

Dive into a complex and thrilling tale of espionage set against the backdrop of World War I. This riveting narrative unfolds through intriguing characters, leaving you torn between the cunning spy and his unyielding pursuer. Box with the Broken Seals is considered one of Oppenheims finest works. (Summary by Richard Kilmer)

Dive into the intriguing world of Herbert Wrayson, a bachelor who stumbles upon a mysterious young lady in his flat one evening, searching through his belongings. Mistaking his apartment for the one above, belonging to his neighbor Morris Barnes, she flees to correct her mistake. However, she reappears at Wraysons door later that night, terrified and weak, begging for his assistance to navigate the unlit hallway. As they step outside, they encounter a chilling scene - Morris Barnes, strangled to death in a hansom. As Wrayson learns more about the young woman, who happens to be the estranged ...

Join Sanford Quest, the world-renowned criminologist, as he embarks on a perilous mission to solve the haunting murder of Lord Ashleighs daughter. Little does he know, his pursuit of justice will thrust him into a deadly game of cat and mouse with an enigmatic mastermind criminal. Narrated by Richard Kilmer.

The Great Secret is a suspenseful espionage novel in which a wealthy English gentleman is drawn into a deadly conspiracy when he is asked to hide a fugitive. As he navigates a world of spies, secret societies, and unexpected danger, his quiet life is forever changed.

The Devil’s Paw is a gripping espionage thriller set in the aftermath of World War I. When a beautiful young woman is suspected of being a traitor, and an injured soldier hides secrets of his own, a tangled web of intrigue, patriotism, and deception unfolds.

Stolen Idols is a supernatural adventure wrapped in mystery and legend. When Gregory Ballaston steals one of two ancient temple statues, he unwittingly unleashes a series of eerie and terrifying events. Is the legend true? Will the separation of the idols bring disaster? A thrilling tale of treasure hunting, curses, and the thin line between myth and reality.

The Vanished Messenger is a tense and suspenseful mystery set against the backdrop of a looming European war. When an American carrying a crucial document disappears after a train wreck in England, British authorities scramble to uncover the truth before war breaks out. A thrilling tale of espionage, deception, and high-stakes diplomacy.

The Seven Conundrums is seven different short stories. A mysterious man employs three desperate entertainers who have financial problems. The three accept his work proposal, not knowing if they are on the side of good or evil. As they work for the mystery man, they don't know if he is a thief, police, or both, making them spies, guardians, protagonists, and victims of curious adventures. After all, conundrums do not necessarily have a right or reasonable solution by their nature. In the end, however, all becomes known to the trio.

Stirling Deane has sold the Little Anna Gold Mine which he discovered in South Africa. The sale has made him a rich man and the head of the company to which he sold the mine. A former acquaintance from his days in South Africa has shown up and claims that he has the original deed to the mine and that he is in fact the owner of the mine. Shortly after a meeting with Deane, the man is found murdered and the deed he claims to have had is missing. Another man which Deane hired to negotiate the return of the deed to Deane is accused of the murder, tried, and sentenced to death.

A conference of European nations is being held in the Hague. England has not been invited to attend. Some think war is about to break out. Mr. John P. Dunster, an American, is traveling to the Hague with an important document that may prevent the outbreak of war when he mysteriously disappears after a train wreck in England. Richard Hamel is asked by the British government to attempt to solve the mystery of Dunster’s disappearance and prevent the outbreak of war in Europe.