Books › The Leavenworth case
The Leavenworth case
a lawyer's story
475 pages
An atmospheric, foundational locked-room mystery that methodically unravels the deceptive nature of circumstantial evidence within a wealthy household.
What it feels like
Reading this foundational nineteenth-century mystery feels like stepping into a gaslit puzzle where every shadow hides a secret. The mood is highly atmospheric and suspenseful, wrapping the reader in the claustrophobic elegance of a locked Manhattan mansion where suspicion taints familial bonds. The narrative unfolds at a steady, methodical pace, driven by an analytical tone that meticulously weighs the fallibility of circumstantial evidence. Despite its vintage, the prose remains remarkably smooth and fresh, guiding the reader through a labyrinth of inheritance, greed, and hidden motives. It is an incredibly satisfying experience for those who delight in classic detective work and the slow, deliberate untangling of a complex, high-society web.
- Mood
- atmospheric
- claustrophobic
- intriguing
- Tone
- analytical
- suspenseful
- earnest
- methodical
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- fallibility of evidence · family secrets · wealth and suspicion · the pursuit of truth
- The writing
- Smooth, fresh, and highly readable despite its nineteenth-century origins.
- The arc
- Moves from the initial shock of a high-society tragedy through a labyrinth of suspicion to a satisfying, methodical revelation.
- Who it's for
- Fans of foundational locked-room mysteries who love watching a methodical investigation untangle circumstantial evidence.
Content notes
- murder
- gun violence
About the book
Horatio Leavenworth is a New York merchant whose material wealth is matched by his eminence in the community and reputation for good works. He is also the guardian of two striking nieces who share his Fifth Avenue mansion. Mary, her uncle's favorite, is to inherit his fortune at his death. As this mystery opens, that lamentable event has just occurred. Leavenworth has been shot to death and circumstances point to one of his young wards.
Circumstantial evidence points in one direction; but is that the trail to follow? Not to give anything away, but Yale University used this book in its law school to demonstrate the fallability of such evidence.
Description from Open Library.
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