The Leavenworth Case (1878)

The Leavenworth Case. Anna Katharine Green. 1878. 439 pages.

The Leavenworth Case (1878) is the first mystery novel by Anna Katherine Green. It is definitely a detective story. It's told in first person from the point of view of a young man (a lawyer) who becomes fascinated in a murder case. He's on the scene, supposedly, to comfort the grieved nieces (Mary, Eleanore) of the victim, Horatio Leavenworth. The details of the crime are reviewed and presented early in the novel. One of the ladies becomes the main suspect in the murder, but the narrator feels certain of the young lady's innocence. He begins working closely with the detective on the case, Ebenezer Gryce. He follows his own instincts in a way, but he also follows clues provided by Gryce. He stumbles upon even more clues. But even though his efforts are proving worthwhile, the truth is slow in coming.

I enjoyed this one. I didn't LOVE it, but, it certainly was an interesting read! I would have liked to know more about the narrator, however. I'm not really used to reading mysteries with first person narratives.

Quotes:

"The murderer? Whom do you suspect?" I whispered. He looked impassively at the ring on my finger. "Every one and nobody. It is not for me to suspect, but to detect."

No conclusion is valuable which is not preceded by a full and complete investigation.

It is not enough to look for evidence where you expect to find it. You must sometimes search for it where you don't. 

Read The Leavenworth Case

• If you enjoy mystery or detective stories
• If you enjoy Victorian literature, classics
• If you enjoy amateur detective stories

© 2013 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews