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Miss Cornelia Van Gorder Trilogy #1
The Man in Lower Ten
Lawrence Blakely, an attorney-in-law carrying important papers, stumbles on a murder aboard a train. Meanwhile, his bag containing the valuable documents has been stolen, along with his clothes, and he's being accused of the killing when the train is wrecked. Blakely and a mysterious young woman may be the car's only survivors.
251 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1906
281 people are currently reading
1324 people want to read
About the author
Mary Roberts Rinehart
532 books416 followersMysteries of the well-known American writer Mary Roberts Rinehart include
The Circular Staircase
(1908) and
The Door
(1930).
People often called this prolific author the American version of Agatha Christie. She is considered the source of the phrase "The butler did it," though the exact phrase doesn't appear in her works, and she invented the "Had-I-But-Known" school of mystery writing.
Rinehart wrote hundreds of short stories, poems, travelogues, and special articles. Many of her books and plays were adapted for movies, such as The Bat (1926), The Bat Whispers (1930), and The Bat (1959). Critics most appreciated her murder mysteries.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Ro...
People often called this prolific author the American version of Agatha Christie. She is considered the source of the phrase "The butler did it," though the exact phrase doesn't appear in her works, and she invented the "Had-I-But-Known" school of mystery writing.
Rinehart wrote hundreds of short stories, poems, travelogues, and special articles. Many of her books and plays were adapted for movies, such as The Bat (1926), The Bat Whispers (1930), and The Bat (1959). Critics most appreciated her murder mysteries.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Ro...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 217 reviews
April 2, 2017
I have a soft spot for closed door mysteries, and ones taking place on a moving train are extra spine tingling. This one held a lot of promise. A man murdered in his train berth, stolen forgery notes, an irresistibly beautiful woman who holds the heart of two best friends, a broken and bloody necklace. Set in the early 1900's, when cars are referred to as "machines" and many unfortunate and outdated racial terms are still employed.
Lawyers Blakely and McKnight feature as the main characters, with Blakely the faithful narrator and the character most implicated in the mystery as it was he who was meant to be sleeping in lower ten, the berth in which the dead man is found. I'm not sure if the gentlemen appear in other books by this author; their friendship and teamwork are pretty charming as is the presence of Blakely's controlling housekeeper.
This is my first reading of Mary Roberts Rinehart, who is sometimes referred to as the American Agatha Christie and who is credited with the phrase "the butler did it". While her writing is quite readable and often humourous, this mystery felt overly busy with many people taking trips here and there and my brain didn't stick completely where perhaps it should have in order to keep me totally on par with the unraveling of clues. Perhaps she hadn't quite come into her own, this being her first novel. I am interested in reading more of her better known works, such as The Circular Staircase.
2.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Dover Publications for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Lawyers Blakely and McKnight feature as the main characters, with Blakely the faithful narrator and the character most implicated in the mystery as it was he who was meant to be sleeping in lower ten, the berth in which the dead man is found. I'm not sure if the gentlemen appear in other books by this author; their friendship and teamwork are pretty charming as is the presence of Blakely's controlling housekeeper.
This is my first reading of Mary Roberts Rinehart, who is sometimes referred to as the American Agatha Christie and who is credited with the phrase "the butler did it". While her writing is quite readable and often humourous, this mystery felt overly busy with many people taking trips here and there and my brain didn't stick completely where perhaps it should have in order to keep me totally on par with the unraveling of clues. Perhaps she hadn't quite come into her own, this being her first novel. I am interested in reading more of her better known works, such as The Circular Staircase.
2.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Dover Publications for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 29, 2018
http://www.crimesegments.com/2018/04/...
I needed something a bit tame so I rummaged through my shelves and chose this book, which blends mystery, humor, dark atmospheric moments and romance in the telling and ends up being a satisfying read, meaning I never guessed the "who" at any point in time although my inner armchair-detective self made several attempts. Actually, mine is not the paperback edition, but a genuine (albeit pretty banged up) first, complete with onionskin paper over the frontispiece and the lovely illustrations done by Howard Chandler Christy. In this story, a young attorney named Lawrence Blakely recounts the "queer freak of the demons of chance" that set him off on the "most remarkable period" of his life, when a routine trip turns into a set of events that could find an innocent Blakely doing prison time for murder.
My personal favorite of Rinehart's books is The Album (1933) which I read as a kid and never, ever forgot because of the whole axe-murderer thing (I'm a sucker for a good axe murder) and the mystery leading up to the identity of the killer. Since then I've probably read it about three times. While I didn't find The Man in Lower Ten to be nearly as exciting and polished as that one (which is no surprise given it's her earliest book-length work), it was still a lot of fun. The romance isn't too in your face, although I must say that Blakely spends a lot of time worrying about how to shield the reputation of the woman in the case -- how very Victorian we still are after the turn of the century here in America! I also noticed right away that there are several places where we see this country on the edge between old and modern, for instance, in the use of automobiles vs. horse carts and hansom cabs. One word of warning -- in 1905 our modern sensibilities about race were, of course, not in play, and I did get a bit of a jolt coming across words like "darky" and "Jap."
All in all, it's a fun read, and had this been my first introduction to Rinehart's work, I'd probably go on to read more. As it is, I've read several of her books so in my opinion, while the stories may seem a bit thin to modern readers, she's an American mystery novelist worth exploring.
I needed something a bit tame so I rummaged through my shelves and chose this book, which blends mystery, humor, dark atmospheric moments and romance in the telling and ends up being a satisfying read, meaning I never guessed the "who" at any point in time although my inner armchair-detective self made several attempts. Actually, mine is not the paperback edition, but a genuine (albeit pretty banged up) first, complete with onionskin paper over the frontispiece and the lovely illustrations done by Howard Chandler Christy. In this story, a young attorney named Lawrence Blakely recounts the "queer freak of the demons of chance" that set him off on the "most remarkable period" of his life, when a routine trip turns into a set of events that could find an innocent Blakely doing prison time for murder.
My personal favorite of Rinehart's books is The Album (1933) which I read as a kid and never, ever forgot because of the whole axe-murderer thing (I'm a sucker for a good axe murder) and the mystery leading up to the identity of the killer. Since then I've probably read it about three times. While I didn't find The Man in Lower Ten to be nearly as exciting and polished as that one (which is no surprise given it's her earliest book-length work), it was still a lot of fun. The romance isn't too in your face, although I must say that Blakely spends a lot of time worrying about how to shield the reputation of the woman in the case -- how very Victorian we still are after the turn of the century here in America! I also noticed right away that there are several places where we see this country on the edge between old and modern, for instance, in the use of automobiles vs. horse carts and hansom cabs. One word of warning -- in 1905 our modern sensibilities about race were, of course, not in play, and I did get a bit of a jolt coming across words like "darky" and "Jap."
All in all, it's a fun read, and had this been my first introduction to Rinehart's work, I'd probably go on to read more. As it is, I've read several of her books so in my opinion, while the stories may seem a bit thin to modern readers, she's an American mystery novelist worth exploring.
July 7, 2025
3.5-Stars.
Right out of Agatha Christie, but predating her by some 20 years, the crime in this mystery occurs on a train. Lawrence Blakeley is an attorney traveling home from a client meeting and carrying some papers that will make the difference in securing a conviction in a forgery case. Due to a mix-up, another man takes his berth in lower ten, and during the night that man is murdered.
Why is he murdered? Was the intended victim meant to be Blakeley? The papers have also been stolen. Are the murder and theft connected? Who is the beautiful girl Blakeley is so taken with on the train, and how does she figure into the intrigue? All questions raised in the first couple of chapters and, of course, all answered at the end, with a lot of revelations and red herrings in between.
With an atmosphere and style that reminded me of Wilkie Collins, I was drawn right in to this story and unable to connect all the dots until the last chapter reveal. A lovely break and great fun.
Right out of Agatha Christie, but predating her by some 20 years, the crime in this mystery occurs on a train. Lawrence Blakeley is an attorney traveling home from a client meeting and carrying some papers that will make the difference in securing a conviction in a forgery case. Due to a mix-up, another man takes his berth in lower ten, and during the night that man is murdered.
Why is he murdered? Was the intended victim meant to be Blakeley? The papers have also been stolen. Are the murder and theft connected? Who is the beautiful girl Blakeley is so taken with on the train, and how does she figure into the intrigue? All questions raised in the first couple of chapters and, of course, all answered at the end, with a lot of revelations and red herrings in between.
With an atmosphere and style that reminded me of Wilkie Collins, I was drawn right in to this story and unable to connect all the dots until the last chapter reveal. A lovely break and great fun.
October 17, 2018
This one was a great old mystery from the Golden Age days. Twists and turns, missing evidence, suspected hero and fair lady, and abandoned houses that aren't actually abandoned--this one's got it all.
The audiobook on Librivox is well narrated and easy to listen to.
The audiobook on Librivox is well narrated and easy to listen to.
February 13, 2015
This book was first published in 1909, so all the caveats about different cultural norms apply. That said, it is quite readable today and gives an interesting look at a time removed from ours by almost a century with an emotional tenor that is timeless.
Want to read
January 17, 2019Synopsis: lawyer Lawrence Blakely is delivering some documents by train; the ride is very eventful.
June 16, 2019
These very early mysteries don't get the publicity that they should. I freely admit that later writers have done a better job of creating plot, and, in some instances, have created better, more fully-fleshed characters. But that doesn't mean these aren't entertaining reading.
I think the writing style is the best of Rinehart. The beginning made me think of Rex Stout and Archie's breezy sarcasm.
The characterizations are not fully fleshed, neither are they flat. I would call them more like very good caricatures. This isn't part of a series and more's the pity, because I would have liked to see them again. This is a very strong 3-stars.
I think the writing style is the best of Rinehart. The beginning made me think of Rex Stout and Archie's breezy sarcasm.
McKnight is gradually taking over the criminal end of the business. I never liked it, and since the strange case of the man in lower ten, I have been a bit squeamish.The narrator is Lawrence Blakely, Richey McKnight's partner in the law firm of Blakely and McKnight. Circumstantial evidence has him become the suspect in the murder of the man in lower ten. Of course, the reader knows this isn't possible. There are many twists and turns to the case, most of which I easily followed, some of which went in a totally unexpected direction so that I wondered if I had been paying attention.
...
McKnight could tell the story a great deal better than I, although he can not spell three consecutive words correctly. But, while he has imagination and humor, he is lazy.
The characterizations are not fully fleshed, neither are they flat. I would call them more like very good caricatures. This isn't part of a series and more's the pity, because I would have liked to see them again. This is a very strong 3-stars.
October 1, 2017
Written by Mary Roberts Rinehart, "the American Agatha Christie," this was the first detective novel to crack national bestseller lists. According to The New York Times, "[Rinehart's] literary distinction lies in the combination of love, humor, and murder that she wove into her tales … She helped the mystery story grow up." The Man in Lower Ten was Rinehart's debut novel, and it remains a thrilling tale of homicide, mayhem, romance.
Attorney Lawrence Blakely is on a train bound to deliver some important papers to a client. While on the way he ends up switching train berths with another man who mistakenly falls asleep in his. The next morning that man is found murdered and the murder weapon is found in the berth that Lawrence was sleeping in. That's all I'm going to say about the plot setup because the whole switching berths thing becomes a little more complicated than that and you really just need to read it.
I found this picture of a train berth from the early 1900s that I imagine is just like the ones described in the book. It even shows the nets that passengers would put their personal belongings in.
This is only the second book I've read by Mary Roberts Rinehart and I liked it quite a bit. It seems a lot of people say this book is weak compared to her later books, but having previously read The After House I can say that story-wise I prefer this one. That's not to say that this one wasn't without its faults and I can see just from reading the two books how her writing improved over time. The dialog in this one was tedious to follow at times, and at a couple of points it was hard to follow what was happening. I also wasn't all that crazy about the romantic aspect of the book. It was a bit too insta-love for me and I really couldn't see why all the men were so crazy about the lady in question as she lacked personality. Thankfully that was a small part of the story.
The best part of the book for me was while they were on the train. After that there is a lot of running here and there to try to solve the mystery. The mystery itself was pretty good, but I never felt like it kept me guessing. From the very beginning there was no question in my mind as to the fact that the killer was one of three people, simply because of one particular item that was found that proved to be key evidence. In the end the solution to the mystery felt rather anticlimactic. I would like to read more of Rinehart's work because I feel like I just haven't yet read her at her best.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Dover for giving me a copy of this book for review.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
Attorney Lawrence Blakely is on a train bound to deliver some important papers to a client. While on the way he ends up switching train berths with another man who mistakenly falls asleep in his. The next morning that man is found murdered and the murder weapon is found in the berth that Lawrence was sleeping in. That's all I'm going to say about the plot setup because the whole switching berths thing becomes a little more complicated than that and you really just need to read it.
I found this picture of a train berth from the early 1900s that I imagine is just like the ones described in the book. It even shows the nets that passengers would put their personal belongings in.
This is only the second book I've read by Mary Roberts Rinehart and I liked it quite a bit. It seems a lot of people say this book is weak compared to her later books, but having previously read The After House I can say that story-wise I prefer this one. That's not to say that this one wasn't without its faults and I can see just from reading the two books how her writing improved over time. The dialog in this one was tedious to follow at times, and at a couple of points it was hard to follow what was happening. I also wasn't all that crazy about the romantic aspect of the book. It was a bit too insta-love for me and I really couldn't see why all the men were so crazy about the lady in question as she lacked personality. Thankfully that was a small part of the story.
The best part of the book for me was while they were on the train. After that there is a lot of running here and there to try to solve the mystery. The mystery itself was pretty good, but I never felt like it kept me guessing. From the very beginning there was no question in my mind as to the fact that the killer was one of three people, simply because of one particular item that was found that proved to be key evidence. In the end the solution to the mystery felt rather anticlimactic. I would like to read more of Rinehart's work because I feel like I just haven't yet read her at her best.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Dover for giving me a copy of this book for review.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
January 4, 2024
5 stars. This book is hilarious and absolutely baffling—typical Mary Roberts Rinehart—and I love it. ;P It’s so cool how the humour is so constant that the whole book is neither creepy, disturbing, nor distressing, despite dealing with murder and several different sins. In fact, the first two times I read it I didn’t even realize the amount of sorrow and seriousness it dealt with because of the sarcasm and ridiculous situations the MC constantly finds himself in.
Speaking of the MC, Lawrence Blakeley is a pretty great guy overall. He’s not the bravest man but he steps up and shows up and that counts, really. And I love his noble heart and his devoted love for Allison. Also, his relationship with Richey McKnight is epic. Idk, I just love 1800s books about male best friends. They’re so cute. Also, 1800s books about confirmed bachelors are also the best. Again, they’re so cute. ;P The aforementioned Richey is a cool fellow. Sam is fun, and Allison is awesome, and Mrs. Klopton is a hoot. Oh! And little Hochkiss is quite an enjoyable SC. :)
The story itself is delightfully puzzling, with its different mysteries intertwining into a four-head hydra. The mystery of the stolen notes, of the murder, of the swapped beds, of the four different women—and the suspense of Lawrence being on the verge of arrest for over half the book—makes for a very fast-paced read. As mentioned above, I really enjoy all the ridiculous situations he and his fellow amateur detectives get involved in as they try to solve the case, and as Lawrence tries to navigate his relationship with his newfound lady love. ALSO, I love all the references to daily life and train travel in the early 1900s!
Content: Some language, some smoking & drinking, a few kisses; a man tries to marry another girl when already married; a woman is a common-law wife; also a couple murders & a suicide.
A Favourite Humorous Quote: It occurred to me that with my one serviceable hand holding the ladder, I was hardly in a position to defend myself, that I was about to hoist a body that I am rather careful of into a danger I couldn't see and wasn't particularly keen about anyhow. I don't mind saying that the seconds it took me to scramble up the ladder were among the most unpleasant that I recall.
Speaking of the MC, Lawrence Blakeley is a pretty great guy overall. He’s not the bravest man but he steps up and shows up and that counts, really. And I love his noble heart and his devoted love for Allison. Also, his relationship with Richey McKnight is epic. Idk, I just love 1800s books about male best friends. They’re so cute. Also, 1800s books about confirmed bachelors are also the best. Again, they’re so cute. ;P The aforementioned Richey is a cool fellow. Sam is fun, and Allison is awesome, and Mrs. Klopton is a hoot. Oh! And little Hochkiss is quite an enjoyable SC. :)
The story itself is delightfully puzzling, with its different mysteries intertwining into a four-head hydra. The mystery of the stolen notes, of the murder, of the swapped beds, of the four different women—and the suspense of Lawrence being on the verge of arrest for over half the book—makes for a very fast-paced read. As mentioned above, I really enjoy all the ridiculous situations he and his fellow amateur detectives get involved in as they try to solve the case, and as Lawrence tries to navigate his relationship with his newfound lady love. ALSO, I love all the references to daily life and train travel in the early 1900s!
Content: Some language, some smoking & drinking, a few kisses; a man tries to marry another girl when already married; a woman is a common-law wife; also a couple murders & a suicide.
A Favourite Humorous Quote: It occurred to me that with my one serviceable hand holding the ladder, I was hardly in a position to defend myself, that I was about to hoist a body that I am rather careful of into a danger I couldn't see and wasn't particularly keen about anyhow. I don't mind saying that the seconds it took me to scramble up the ladder were among the most unpleasant that I recall.
April 16, 2019
This has about everything you would expect from a Victorian mystery, a stunningly beautiful heroine whom everyone loves, a hero who’d do anything for her, and a rejected lover who’s a perfect gentleman. These perfect people supported by a wonderful cast become entangled in a web of tragedy, mayhem, and murder. Actually, I liked some of the supporting characters almost better than the hero and heroine. Probably, because they interject much-needed dashes of humor into the story. There are so many mysteries tangled together that I couldn’t sort them out, but it was fun trying.
I do find that it was more fun the first time through. Maybe, because I wasn’t so focused on figuring out the culprit, this time around I caught a few more weaknesses. That didn’t keep it from being a fun mystery though, even the second time through.
I would recommend it. There are a few curse words throughout it.
I do find that it was more fun the first time through. Maybe, because I wasn’t so focused on figuring out the culprit, this time around I caught a few more weaknesses. That didn’t keep it from being a fun mystery though, even the second time through.
I would recommend it. There are a few curse words throughout it.
March 27, 2013
4.5 stars. An intricate, fun old-fashioned mystery! Lawrence Blakely, a lawyer traveling by train with some important documents, is forced by circumstances to go to sleep in the wrong berth, and wakes up in yet another wrong berth to discover that the man in the first one has been murdered, the important documents have been stolen, and he's been left in possesion of only the presumed murderer's clothes, shoes...and murder weapon! Following the wreck of the train, Blakely must join forces with some other survivors of the disaster, who may possibly be mixed up in the case, to find the real murderer before he's arrested for the crime himself. There's plenty of puzzling physical clues and several different suspects who have different motives to kill different people—so which one of them killed the man who actually ended up dead? There's some delightful comic relief, especially connected with the characters of Hotchkiss, the eager amateur detective who's determined to solve the mystery himself, and Johnson, the professional detective who dutifully shadows the under-suspicion Blakely. A good read for a classic-mystery enthusiast!
February 21, 2013
Lies, murder, romance, a train wreck?
Lawrence Blakeley has a disagreeable task, he has to deliver a statement and some forged bank notes to Pittsburgh.
The lawyer ends up in a muddle of adventure which leads to him being labeled a murderer... First he loses everything, clothes, shoes, and worst of all the bag with the bank notes; and then he finds a murdered man in his berth and guess what, the murder weapon is also found in his possession...
Then there's Ms. West his colleague's mysterious love interest...
Lawrence Blakeley has a disagreeable task, he has to deliver a statement and some forged bank notes to Pittsburgh.
The lawyer ends up in a muddle of adventure which leads to him being labeled a murderer... First he loses everything, clothes, shoes, and worst of all the bag with the bank notes; and then he finds a murdered man in his berth and guess what, the murder weapon is also found in his possession...
Then there's Ms. West his colleague's mysterious love interest...
March 28, 2022
A proper romp of a book very similar in plot to The 39 Steps (in my opinion)
A jolly young chap, on business, catches the Pullman back to Washington, but theft, deception and murder all take place in the course of a night - closely followed by a deadly train crash.
Lucky to escape with only a broken arm, our hero sets out to recover what is rightly his, right some wrongs, put some bad eggs behind bars, keep his best friend happy, get the girl and clear his name PHEW!
Like I said a romp of a book, packed with Mary Roberts Rinehart's trademark wit.
A jolly young chap, on business, catches the Pullman back to Washington, but theft, deception and murder all take place in the course of a night - closely followed by a deadly train crash.
Lucky to escape with only a broken arm, our hero sets out to recover what is rightly his, right some wrongs, put some bad eggs behind bars, keep his best friend happy, get the girl and clear his name PHEW!
Like I said a romp of a book, packed with Mary Roberts Rinehart's trademark wit.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2023
This one was rather convoluted, with many characters, different venues and a train wreck. But if you stick with it to the end all the varied strands come together and it makes sense. I have to say, though, the solution was a bit of a disappointment. That's why I give it three stars.
January 28, 2018
True, the technology is different (one photocopier could have changed the whole course of the book), and some of the manners. But it's still amazing to think that this was written more than a century ago. Lawyer Lawrence Blakeley is sent to Pittsburg to get a deposition from a millionaire; as he returns home with the important documents, he's involved in a train robbery, a murder, and a train wreck, from which he escapes with a lovely but troubled young woman. Instantly smitten for the first time, he tries to protect her reputation. There are two other mysterious women on the train, just among the few survivors, and also some men who want to get the documents Lawrence carried.
October 6, 2017
see review on another edition
November 17, 2019
Entertaining enough, but the mystery itself was lacking. It's appealing mostly as a period piece and it's fun on that level.
August 4, 2020
All of Mary Roberts Rinehart books are intimate time capsules. Much like reading Edna Ferber short stories, you get a glimpse into a distant time (turn of the previous century) and place (often Pittsburgh) through the eyes of a woman who pays attention to human nature and also how humans actually live. Tiny details about how lives are lived at the time stand out in her works that I can only attribute to her being a woman with a sharp eye, knife-point wit, and life experiences (e.g., nurse in WWI) that give her a particular/peculiar perspective that enriches both her stories and her readers.
January 31, 2021
If you’re looking for a straight-up mystery, try The Man in the Lower Ten by Mary Roberts Rinehart. Rinehart is one of the grand dames of mystery from last century. Her mystery novels are usually very well done and smart; the more romantic thriller ones aren’t nearly as good (too much romantic hysteria).
Attorney Lawrence Blakely has to take important documents to a client in Pittsburgh and depose the client. On his return trip, there is a mix-up in berths and another man takes his assigned bed in lower ten. When Blakely wakes up, he discovers his own clothes replaced by another man’s suit, his suitcase containing the important documents stolen, and the man in lower ten dead—stabbed in the heart. The mystery only grows when there is a terrible train accident and many of the occupants of that train car—both possible suspects and witnesses—are missing and presumed dead. Blakely finds himself suspected in the murder of the man in lower ten and races to prove his innocence, find the documents, and discover the connection between the murdered man and a beautiful young woman on the train with whom he is besotted.
This novel is fairly short, under 200 pages, just the right length for this mystery. It is intriguing and I enjoyed it, although Blakely, the narrator, is annoying. For a lawyer, he isn’t all that smart sometimes. He’s way too blinded by his immediate attraction to the mysterious woman (and fellow survivor) on the train. She’s clearly involved somehow but he keeps telling himself, oh, no, she’s too delightful and sweet to be involved in this crime. His obstinate refusal to question her about her connections to the unsavory people involved in this criminal affair gets exhausting. As much as I enjoyed this, I was happy to have it end due to the “I wuv her SOOOOO much” nonsense.
This book was written in 1906 and that is fascinating. It’s well worth reading novels written a century ago because the story and prose gives readers a glance into daily life. I didn’t get some of the witticisms and cultural references—while contemporary readers would have understood them, readers a century later are puzzled—but I liked the contrast between modern now and modern then. Blakely owns the house he lives in and has four servants (at least one lives in the house with him) to keep his life running smoothly. There’s a really good joke here about men needing all this support (and all of them—with the exception of the stable boy—are women) but I’ll not to make it (I’ll just laugh to myself). When he’s on the train, the Pullman porters are all men and all African-American. At one point, Blakely refers to his porter as a “darky.” (Not verbally.) Considering this book was written not long after the Civil War, it’s surprising that’s the only instance of casual racism I found. Although I’ve read a lot of her books and Rinehart’s prose rarely includes racist language or plots. After the train wreck, I kept waiting for first responders to swarm the area but that doesn’t happen. People died or stumbled from the wreck (as Blakely and the young lady do) and seek out their own medical assistance. When they finally make it into a small rural village, a woman sees them in the street and tells them to go to her house and eat breakfast and try to recover. Her directions to her house: “Turn at the second pigsty to the left!” I thought: what? But the characters knew exactly what she meant—a literal pigsty. What we would maybe refer to as a pig pen, the farmer’s wife meant pigsty because it didn’t mean (yet) what it does today—a messy, cluttered, slovenly space. There were several times in the novel I caught myself thinking, “why don’t they just take a taxi/rent a car?” Ha. Cars weren’t popular yet (only Blakely’s partner had one; Blakely himself preferred polo ponies) and when the characters did need to get somewhere quickly, they ended up hiring a horse and buggy. I also don’t think electricity was all that widespread yet because they often lit candles at night. There was a certain amount of midnight prowling around and flashlights would have really been helpful for them.
This is a decent mystery and introduction to the author Mary Roberts Rinehart. My other favorites by her: The Swimming Pool and The Yellow Room. I haven’t read these in a while, but I remember really liking them: Miss Pinkerton, The Album, and The Bat.
Attorney Lawrence Blakely has to take important documents to a client in Pittsburgh and depose the client. On his return trip, there is a mix-up in berths and another man takes his assigned bed in lower ten. When Blakely wakes up, he discovers his own clothes replaced by another man’s suit, his suitcase containing the important documents stolen, and the man in lower ten dead—stabbed in the heart. The mystery only grows when there is a terrible train accident and many of the occupants of that train car—both possible suspects and witnesses—are missing and presumed dead. Blakely finds himself suspected in the murder of the man in lower ten and races to prove his innocence, find the documents, and discover the connection between the murdered man and a beautiful young woman on the train with whom he is besotted.
This novel is fairly short, under 200 pages, just the right length for this mystery. It is intriguing and I enjoyed it, although Blakely, the narrator, is annoying. For a lawyer, he isn’t all that smart sometimes. He’s way too blinded by his immediate attraction to the mysterious woman (and fellow survivor) on the train. She’s clearly involved somehow but he keeps telling himself, oh, no, she’s too delightful and sweet to be involved in this crime. His obstinate refusal to question her about her connections to the unsavory people involved in this criminal affair gets exhausting. As much as I enjoyed this, I was happy to have it end due to the “I wuv her SOOOOO much” nonsense.
This book was written in 1906 and that is fascinating. It’s well worth reading novels written a century ago because the story and prose gives readers a glance into daily life. I didn’t get some of the witticisms and cultural references—while contemporary readers would have understood them, readers a century later are puzzled—but I liked the contrast between modern now and modern then. Blakely owns the house he lives in and has four servants (at least one lives in the house with him) to keep his life running smoothly. There’s a really good joke here about men needing all this support (and all of them—with the exception of the stable boy—are women) but I’ll not to make it (I’ll just laugh to myself). When he’s on the train, the Pullman porters are all men and all African-American. At one point, Blakely refers to his porter as a “darky.” (Not verbally.) Considering this book was written not long after the Civil War, it’s surprising that’s the only instance of casual racism I found. Although I’ve read a lot of her books and Rinehart’s prose rarely includes racist language or plots. After the train wreck, I kept waiting for first responders to swarm the area but that doesn’t happen. People died or stumbled from the wreck (as Blakely and the young lady do) and seek out their own medical assistance. When they finally make it into a small rural village, a woman sees them in the street and tells them to go to her house and eat breakfast and try to recover. Her directions to her house: “Turn at the second pigsty to the left!” I thought: what? But the characters knew exactly what she meant—a literal pigsty. What we would maybe refer to as a pig pen, the farmer’s wife meant pigsty because it didn’t mean (yet) what it does today—a messy, cluttered, slovenly space. There were several times in the novel I caught myself thinking, “why don’t they just take a taxi/rent a car?” Ha. Cars weren’t popular yet (only Blakely’s partner had one; Blakely himself preferred polo ponies) and when the characters did need to get somewhere quickly, they ended up hiring a horse and buggy. I also don’t think electricity was all that widespread yet because they often lit candles at night. There was a certain amount of midnight prowling around and flashlights would have really been helpful for them.
This is a decent mystery and introduction to the author Mary Roberts Rinehart. My other favorites by her: The Swimming Pool and The Yellow Room. I haven’t read these in a while, but I remember really liking them: Miss Pinkerton, The Album, and The Bat.
October 3, 2017
This was kind of an odd one. I love Mary Roberts Rinehart – but this one was not quite up to where I expected it to be. Unfortunately it's one of those books where the unsolved mystery is more interesting than the solution. It's a great setup – rather dull lawyer fellow (with vivid best friend – I liked that the kind of boring one was the narrator) goes off to get some very important papers for a very important case, and on the train ride home has them stolen. And also comes in as the best suspect for a murder in his Pullman car. Luckily for him, the train suffers a horrific accident, so he has the chance to avoid immediate investigation, and also to fall in love – with his best friend's girl.
The writing is entertaining; characterization works, and all the red herrings and wrong suspects that litter the landscape make for a good yarn. Everything eventually pulls together and gets cleared up – and I admit to disappointment at the wrap-up. Sometimes the journey is just more fun than the destination.
One warning: this is very much of its time. In a couple of ways, actually – it startled me when the narrator talks about choosing a hansom cab; the involvement of the train made me think for some reason that it was a Golden Age book, from the forties or so. Then there's the line "Pittsburg without smoke wouldn't be Pittsburg, any more than New York without prohibition would be New York." So – Pittsburgh used to be spelled without the "H", and it's during Prohibition. Check.
But just in case you go into this thinking it's just a very well-written historical mystery that uses some great details to let you know when it's set – well, reality will hit you like the Ice Bucket Challenge when words are used to refer to non-white races that would probably not be used today, even by the most dedicated anti-anachronistic writer. Yeah. It was first published in 1909. Things were different then. It can be (to use a period-appropriate adjective) delightful – but it can be cringe-worthy as well. Which was also the case with a few remarks about women, too, which – come now, Ms. Rinehart.
The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.
The writing is entertaining; characterization works, and all the red herrings and wrong suspects that litter the landscape make for a good yarn. Everything eventually pulls together and gets cleared up – and I admit to disappointment at the wrap-up. Sometimes the journey is just more fun than the destination.
One warning: this is very much of its time. In a couple of ways, actually – it startled me when the narrator talks about choosing a hansom cab; the involvement of the train made me think for some reason that it was a Golden Age book, from the forties or so. Then there's the line "Pittsburg without smoke wouldn't be Pittsburg, any more than New York without prohibition would be New York." So – Pittsburgh used to be spelled without the "H", and it's during Prohibition. Check.
But just in case you go into this thinking it's just a very well-written historical mystery that uses some great details to let you know when it's set – well, reality will hit you like the Ice Bucket Challenge when words are used to refer to non-white races that would probably not be used today, even by the most dedicated anti-anachronistic writer. Yeah. It was first published in 1909. Things were different then. It can be (to use a period-appropriate adjective) delightful – but it can be cringe-worthy as well. Which was also the case with a few remarks about women, too, which – come now, Ms. Rinehart.
The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.
June 9, 2012
I think by now that everyone knows I'm hooked on Mary Roberts Rinehart. After being introduced to her last year by Yvette of in so many words..., I don't think it's been possible for me to get enough of the twists and turns she develops her mysteries with. I've even found myself rooting for the couples that Roberts pushed together as they faced danger and possible death.
I think it's also safe to assume that most of us realize that just because you love an author, doesn't mean you are going to love every book they wrote. I'm a huge Agatha Christie fan, but I don't love every Poirot book she did. Now that's not to say I don't enjoy reading them, because I do. I still think the worst book from an author like Agatha Christie or Mary Roberts Rinehart is still better than half the crap that comes out now. I guess I'm going to have to put The Man In Lower Ten in that category for me. It was good, but not nearly as good as others I've read by her.
I really thought I was going to enjoy this one more than I did. I adore mysteries set on a train and the fact that the train scene ends with a horrific derailment had me all a flutter. I even really enjoyed the premise of this one for me, and I wish I could tell you a specific reason why this one didn't do it for me as much as others have. I think part of it may have been the frantic pace the characters seemed to be stuck in. Everything was moving and developing so quickly that I don't think I was really ever able to pay attention to everything that was going on. I actually don't know, I think I'm grasping at straws to explain away my lack of interest in this one. I guess I'm just going to chalk it up to not every book is meant for every person. I can't even say it's not worth reading, because as I stated earlier, it's still better than most of what's out there. I would just start with some of her other books first.
I have already finished two other Rinehart books since I read this, and am about done with a third, and I have to say that so far, The Man In Lower Ten is a bit of a aberration from my normal reaction to her writing.
I think it's also safe to assume that most of us realize that just because you love an author, doesn't mean you are going to love every book they wrote. I'm a huge Agatha Christie fan, but I don't love every Poirot book she did. Now that's not to say I don't enjoy reading them, because I do. I still think the worst book from an author like Agatha Christie or Mary Roberts Rinehart is still better than half the crap that comes out now. I guess I'm going to have to put The Man In Lower Ten in that category for me. It was good, but not nearly as good as others I've read by her.
I really thought I was going to enjoy this one more than I did. I adore mysteries set on a train and the fact that the train scene ends with a horrific derailment had me all a flutter. I even really enjoyed the premise of this one for me, and I wish I could tell you a specific reason why this one didn't do it for me as much as others have. I think part of it may have been the frantic pace the characters seemed to be stuck in. Everything was moving and developing so quickly that I don't think I was really ever able to pay attention to everything that was going on. I actually don't know, I think I'm grasping at straws to explain away my lack of interest in this one. I guess I'm just going to chalk it up to not every book is meant for every person. I can't even say it's not worth reading, because as I stated earlier, it's still better than most of what's out there. I would just start with some of her other books first.
I have already finished two other Rinehart books since I read this, and am about done with a third, and I have to say that so far, The Man In Lower Ten is a bit of a aberration from my normal reaction to her writing.
October 12, 2009
In 1909 this book was a top 10 best seller for the year. Famous as the grand dame of the American mystery genre ("the butler did it..." is attributed to Rhinehart), I have stumbled over references to her books and plots a number of times. I was curious to read it and found it an exquisite period piece that allows you to be swept into the world of 1909 America that is modern enough for you to see the rich details and differences with 100 years ago. Mundane descriptions and actions about traveling in a sleeper coach are fascinating and provide a vivid account of every day life.
The mystery starts in a Pullman coach and involves a sympathetic and attractive, bachelor, lawyer who is traveling with valuable papers. He finds his sleeper, the lower-ten, occupied by another man and upon waking the next morning discovers the other man murdered, his documents and clothes missing, and blood stains on his bed linens. Suspicion falls on the lawyer and then the train wrecks, allowing the lawyer and the beautiful, young, fresh-faced, modern, plucky but devastating feminine heroine to escape and begin clearing his name. Of course suspicion is thrown on everyone and Rhinehart isn't above using spooky and creepy scenes of candles, mysterious stranger, and darkened buildings to build the suspense and atmosphere.
But despite the characters, and wonderful descriptions, F. Scott Fitzgerald was right when he wrote in This Side of Paradise about Mary Roberts Rhinehart: “My God! Look at them, look at them—Edna Ferber, Gouverneur Morris, Fanny Hurst, Mary Roberts Rinehart—not producing among ’em one story or novel that will last ten years."
It is hard to read through this novel because of the melodramatic and overly sentimental nature of the writing. Perhaps in the right hands, a wonderful screen play could be created, but alone the writing makes it clear why it hasn't stood the ravages of time.
The mystery starts in a Pullman coach and involves a sympathetic and attractive, bachelor, lawyer who is traveling with valuable papers. He finds his sleeper, the lower-ten, occupied by another man and upon waking the next morning discovers the other man murdered, his documents and clothes missing, and blood stains on his bed linens. Suspicion falls on the lawyer and then the train wrecks, allowing the lawyer and the beautiful, young, fresh-faced, modern, plucky but devastating feminine heroine to escape and begin clearing his name. Of course suspicion is thrown on everyone and Rhinehart isn't above using spooky and creepy scenes of candles, mysterious stranger, and darkened buildings to build the suspense and atmosphere.
But despite the characters, and wonderful descriptions, F. Scott Fitzgerald was right when he wrote in This Side of Paradise about Mary Roberts Rhinehart: “My God! Look at them, look at them—Edna Ferber, Gouverneur Morris, Fanny Hurst, Mary Roberts Rinehart—not producing among ’em one story or novel that will last ten years."
It is hard to read through this novel because of the melodramatic and overly sentimental nature of the writing. Perhaps in the right hands, a wonderful screen play could be created, but alone the writing makes it clear why it hasn't stood the ravages of time.
March 1, 2017
Murder, suicide, forged papers, a train derailment. This is one entertaining book. It’s also very (intentionally) funny. There is some melodrama as well. This book was first published in 1909, and it was clearly a different world. This is reflected in the writing.
There are a few spots were the action is not crystal clear, but becomes clear in further reading of the text. I think this is the author’s style. This was my first Mary Roberts Rinehart. I would read along and feel as if I missed something, then all would be clear a few paragraphs later.
I enjoyed this book. The edition I found was an old “short” Dell with a cover price of 45 cents from 1964. The cover art is similar to that by the artist William Teason who did many Agatha Christie covers for Dell. It could have been someone trying to copy his style. This edition is nicely illustrated inside by a different artist.
There are a few spots were the action is not crystal clear, but becomes clear in further reading of the text. I think this is the author’s style. This was my first Mary Roberts Rinehart. I would read along and feel as if I missed something, then all would be clear a few paragraphs later.
I enjoyed this book. The edition I found was an old “short” Dell with a cover price of 45 cents from 1964. The cover art is similar to that by the artist William Teason who did many Agatha Christie covers for Dell. It could have been someone trying to copy his style. This edition is nicely illustrated inside by a different artist.
Read
November 24, 2016Edging more into thriller than mystery (and driven by some major-league coincidences), this was moderately entertaining (though I probably wouldn't have picked it up if I'd known most of the story revolved around people being wrongly suspected and having to clear their name, which isn't a plotline I enjoy).
January 21, 2024
A una quarantina di anni fa, a più di 40 anni dalla morte, risale la biografia di Mary Rinehart dal titolo "Improbable fiction", scritta da Jan Cohn. Questo ci fa già capire A. cosa aspettarci dai romanzi di questa scrittrice (arzigogoli a pioggia) e B. l'influenza e l'eredità che questa scrittrice nata in età vittoriana ha lasciato ai giallisti venuti dopo di lei: si continuava a discutere della sua produzione a 40 anni dalla morte, e ancora oggi è tra le gialliste più ristampate insieme ad Agatha. Questo romanzo è ancora acerbo: se non erro è del 1907 e fu il suo primo mystery/thriller, e già nel successivo "La scala a chiocciola" la penna si sarebbe (r)affinata. È però interessante poiché è una storia che risente ancora molto dell'influenza gotica nella descrizione degli ambienti e delle emozioni dei personaggi (in un passaggio si parla del battito del cuore del protagonista omaggiando E.A.Poe, cosa che avrebbe fatto più tardi anche John Dickson Carr nei racconti con protagonista il mefistofelico Bencolin), ma con uno sguardo a quello che poi sarebbe diventato il genere nei decenni successivi, fino alla sua stagione d'oro tra le due guerre mondiali. C'è qua e là un singulto protofemminista, c'è una volontà di ibridare il mystery con il romanzo d'azione anche se con risultati altalenanti, si apprezza anche un'ironia à la Fitzgerald (anzi, è provato che Fitzgerald, più giovane di lei di una ventina d'anni, si ispirò a Rinehart, quantomeno nei suoi primi racconti). Si può dire che le ingenuità di Rinehart hanno quindi aiutato il mystery a svilupparsi? Sì. E non è tutto. Piccola curiosità: in un mondo che negava (e per certi versi nega ancora oggi) il concetto di cancro/tumore indorando la pillola e rinominandolo "male incurabile" o "il male oscuro", Rinehart fu la prima donna a parlare pubblicamente di cancro al seno (nel CINQUANTOTTO, signori e signore), dalle pagine di un giornale, invitando alla prevenzione e tentando di sbaragliare certe puzzose retoriche.
October 27, 2019
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley but all opinions provided are my own.
Attorney and bachelor Lawrence Blakeley’s returning from a trip to Pittsburgh with evidence in a case involving forgery. On the train, he’s robbed, accused of the murder of a man in berth lower 10, and injured in a subsequent train crash. Once he returns home, dazed, he, his law partner, and an amateur detective named Hotchkiss must piece together who took the evidence/who murdered the man in lower 10/and who framed Lawrence for the crime.
Complicating this high-stakes, delightfully complicated mystery is the three women who circulate throughout the mystery, one of whom—Alison West—quickly captures Lawrence’s heart and rouses his protective instincts. How is she involved with the murder and does she care for Lawrence in return?
Throughout The Man in Lower Ten, Rinehart deliciously makes use of foreshadowing to amp up suspense. This mystery has a lot of moving parts which she handles adeptly, and I wasn’t sure of the murderer’s identity until Lawrence was sure. I’d enjoy reading the novel again, now that I know all the secrets.
But as impressive as the mystery actually is, the narrator’s occasionally racist language and misogynistic actions are off-putting and offensive, and while Alison’s a pretty nuanced character (and her actions, to me, often suspicious & therefore interesting), the other females seem pretty flat and easily reduceable to their one prominent characteristic. I wanted more firsthand from the women, especially since the women are central to the mystery and the romance between Lawrence and Alison is no small part of the book.
This was my first time reading a Mary Roberts Rinehart book, and I’m excited to have discovered a new-to-me female mystery writer honing her craft at the beginning of the twentieth century. And one who shows a lot of promise based on this debut, even if I have reservations about it.
Attorney and bachelor Lawrence Blakeley’s returning from a trip to Pittsburgh with evidence in a case involving forgery. On the train, he’s robbed, accused of the murder of a man in berth lower 10, and injured in a subsequent train crash. Once he returns home, dazed, he, his law partner, and an amateur detective named Hotchkiss must piece together who took the evidence/who murdered the man in lower 10/and who framed Lawrence for the crime.
Complicating this high-stakes, delightfully complicated mystery is the three women who circulate throughout the mystery, one of whom—Alison West—quickly captures Lawrence’s heart and rouses his protective instincts. How is she involved with the murder and does she care for Lawrence in return?
Throughout The Man in Lower Ten, Rinehart deliciously makes use of foreshadowing to amp up suspense. This mystery has a lot of moving parts which she handles adeptly, and I wasn’t sure of the murderer’s identity until Lawrence was sure. I’d enjoy reading the novel again, now that I know all the secrets.
But as impressive as the mystery actually is, the narrator’s occasionally racist language and misogynistic actions are off-putting and offensive, and while Alison’s a pretty nuanced character (and her actions, to me, often suspicious & therefore interesting), the other females seem pretty flat and easily reduceable to their one prominent characteristic. I wanted more firsthand from the women, especially since the women are central to the mystery and the romance between Lawrence and Alison is no small part of the book.
This was my first time reading a Mary Roberts Rinehart book, and I’m excited to have discovered a new-to-me female mystery writer honing her craft at the beginning of the twentieth century. And one who shows a lot of promise based on this debut, even if I have reservations about it.
October 6, 2018
I picked up this book accidentally as I mistakenly took it to be Agatha Christie 's book under her Mary something pseudonym. I couldn't help thinking throughout that this was certainly quite unlike Agatha, but still read on thinking maybe at some time she had been to the US. The dialogues were witty and the story kept running to in the same way her stories do. The clues were given differently and the end was not a great shocker though it did tie up the strings nicely. The book made for four stars as far as readability and story world was concerned. The romance was slightly Victorian and *warning* *spoilers ahead* it irritated me that any sins of the female were washed off merely because a) she was a female b) a young and personable female c) a female of high society d) he was in love with her. All the above reasons seem to be to detract from the professed honour but the hero seems to think they define honour. I guess that's the gap in today's and the Victorian type of thinking. I have come across such shades in Christie books but she's never actually had anyone condone any criminal on the virtue of being a female. At least I haven't read any of hers along these lines. That's why I found it surprising and chalked it up to being a very early Agatha creation. It wasn't till I actually looked up on Goodreads that I found this was a different author. Also, the hero's idea of being loyal to his friend was strange to say the least.
Anyway, the story made for a gripping and enjoyable read.
Anyway, the story made for a gripping and enjoyable read.
January 13, 2022
Krimi-Klassiker von einem amerikanischen Bäsle von Agatha Christie. Der Vorstellungstext erklärt die Konfliktlage ganz gut. Closed-Room-Crime in einem fahrenden Zug, der auch noch übelst verunglückt. Der Hauptheld ist ein notorischer Junggeselle, sein Partner und Jugendfreund der Womanizer, dessen Attraktivität auch zu einer traumatischen Erfahrung bei Jung-Blakeley geführt hat. Die rätselhafte Fremde im Zug ist die jüngste Flame wegen der B für den Kollegen bei der Beweisübermittlung in einem Fälschungsfall einspringen musste. Aufgrund seines Beschützerinstinkts will B die unerreichbare Traumfrau aus den Ermittlungen draußen halten, was die Lage des unter Mordverdacht stehenden Anwalts wie die Auflösung stark verkompliziert. Bei mir kostet Bs Getue, die sonst ganz nette Geschichte einen Stern.
November 15, 2017
While I realize this was written several decades ago, before forensics became so much more important to solving crimes, I didn't understand why the private detective got to hang on to the evidence--why on earth didn't the police have the evidence in their possession? They seemed to think it was OK for the private detective to have it.
November 16, 2022
This was a disappointment after having loved The Circular Staircase so much. Much heavier on the mystery/thriller elements and lighter on the humor. The mystery in mysteries is almost incidental to me. I care less about genre than about engaging writing and interesting characters. The writing here was still good, but I didn't find myself much caring about anybody.
Narrator was fine.
Narrator was fine.
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