Snarled Identities; Or, A Desperate Tangle by Nicholas Carter [PDF]
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Snarled Identities; Or, A Desperate Tangle by Nicholas Carter is a pulse-pounding entry in the legendary Nick Carter detective series that has entertained readers since the late 1800s. Published in 1916 under the New Magnet Library imprint, this novel pits the brilliant detective against one of his most dangerous adversaries: an escaped convict who steals Nick's own identity. If you love classic mystery fiction full of disguises, deception, and daring escapes, this book delivers all of that and more.
In this novel, Green-eye Gordon breaks out of prison, infiltrates Nick Carter's secret base of operations, and begins posing as the detective himself. The result is a tangled web of stolen identities, missing gold, and double-crosses that will keep you guessing until the very last page. You can download the complete PDF for free and dive straight into one of early American fiction's most exciting detective stories.
Nicholas Carter was the collective pen name used by multiple authors who contributed to the Nick Carter series over several decades, making it one of the longest-running detective franchises in publishing history. Snarled Identities captures the energy and inventiveness that made these stories so popular with readers of all ages. Whether you are new to dime novel fiction or a longtime fan of classic mysteries, this is a thoroughly entertaining read.
Snarled Identities; Or, A Desperate Tangle by Nicholas Carter
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Information: Snarled Identities; Or, A Desperate Tangle
- Author: Nicholas Carter
- Publication Date: 1916
- Main Characters:
- Nick Carter: The brilliant and resourceful detective protagonist, known for his mastery of disguise and network of secret safe houses across New York City.
- Green-eye Gordon (Ernest Gordon): The primary antagonist, a sophisticated criminal with distinctive gray-green eyes who escapes prison and impersonates Nick Carter to exact revenge.
- Chickering Carter (Chick): Nick's loyal first assistant and closest colleague, who helps unravel the identity deception at the heart of the case.
- Lane A. Griswold: A wealthy newspaper proprietor who unknowingly hires the fake Nick Carter to recover stolen relief fund money.
- John Simpson: The absconding treasurer who stole eighty thousand dollars in gold from a fire relief fund, triggering the investigation.
- Brief Summary: Nick Carter and his assistant Chick are about to leave for a vacation in the Adirondacks when they discover that the notorious criminal Green-eye Gordon has escaped from Clinton Prison by faking his death in a fire. Gordon, seeking revenge against the detective who put him away, infiltrates Nick's secret halfway house and successfully impersonates him. Posing as Carter, Gordon takes on a case from newspaper magnate Lane Griswold involving eighty thousand dollars in gold stolen by an absconding treasurer named John Simpson. Nick must untangle the web of stolen identities and track down both the impostor and the missing funds before it is too late.
- Thematic Analysis: The novel explores themes of identity, deception, and the thin line between hunter and hunted. Gordon's ability to impersonate Nick raises questions about how much of a person's identity rests on appearance versus substance. The story also examines loyalty and trust, as Nick relies on his network of allies to expose the impostor and reclaim his reputation.
- Historical Context: Published in 1916 by Street and Smith Corporation, Snarled Identities belongs to the New Magnet Library series, a successor to the original Nick Carter Weekly dime novels that began in the 1880s. These stories were part of a broader tradition of inexpensive serialized fiction that made adventure and mystery accessible to working-class readers across America. The Nick Carter character influenced generations of detective fiction and laid groundwork for later pulp heroes.