Five Free Kindle E-book Classic Mysteries Written in the 1800s
I think it’s interesting to read some of the earliest mysteries and science fiction and see what has changed in the genres over the centuries. Some are as enthralling as the day they were published and some….not so much. Here are five free Kindle e-book mysteries from some of the writers who popularized the genre and inspired those who came later. Barnes and Noble links are included, but they are $0.99 as of 7/2/2013.
The Cask of Amontillado (1846) – Edgar Allan Poe (short story) – Amazon, Barnes & Noble
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I started this, but I ended up liking it. It’s a REALLY short story. I think it could have benefitted from explaining what the offence was that had been committed against the narrator, but it’s a creepy (in a good way) short read from the perspective of the perpetrator. More of a thriller than a mystery.
The Woman in White (1859) – Wilkie Collins – Amazon, Barnes & Noble
Of the five books here, I found this one to be the most of a slog. It’s long, and there is a lot of “women are to be pretty and helpless”, but if you can get past that it’s a well thought out plot, and the way the amateur detective goes about uncovering the evidence seemed pretty believable. The main perpetrator reminded me a lot of Agatha Christie’s perpetrator in The Man In the Brown Suit, but I don’t know if that was an homage or coincidental on her part.
Crime and Punishment (1866) – Fyodor Dostoyevsky – Amazon, Barnes & Noble
Parts of this book drag a bit, but it was an interesting look at Russian life during that time. The names can get a bit confusing (not because they’re Russian, but because each person has several different names, all used interchangeably depending on the person speaking). It’s different from many mysteries in that we get the point of view of the killer, but there is definitely murder, and detectives, and uncovering of evidence, and then resolution. It was a little uncomfortable to witness the effect the crime has on the killer’s mind, but definitely fascinating. Plus, there’s the advantage of being able to say “oh, you know, just reading a little Dostoyevsky” to anyone you want to impress. Fair warning: It’s REALLY long.
The Leavenworth Case (1878) – Anna Katharine Green – Amazon, Barnes & Noble
The first novel of of one of the earliest mystery writers in America (at least according to Wikipedia). It has many elements of what I usually think of as the typical English mystery – a murder of a wealthy person in a locked house, secrets of those who may stand to gain from his death, a side of romance, unexpected twists and turns in the plot, and ending with the detective eliciting a confession from the guilty party. Some of the language feels a bit dated, and there are a few typos, but definitely worth a read.
The Sign of the Four (Sherlock Holmes #2) (1890) – Arthur Conan Doyle – Amazon, Barnes & Noble
This is one of my favorite Sherlock Holmes mysteries, and it’s free! Fantastical elements in a story that stretches back in time and halfway across the world. Holmes and Watson are in fine form, despite the distraction of a fair lady…
Bonus: Not free, you’ll have to shell out $0.99 for this book, but if you want to read about Holmes from the beginning, there is:
A Study in Scarlet (Sherlock Holmes Vol.1) (1887) – Arthur Conan Doyle – Amazon, Barnes & Noble
Have you read any of these books? Still enjoyable despite the 100 – 150 years they’ve been around?