The affair at the Semiramis Hotel by Mason, Alfred Edward Woodley [PDF]
by InfoBooks
A. E. W. Mason published The Affair at the Semiramis Hotel in 1917, giving readers a second encounter with the sharp-witted Inspector Hanaud. Set against the glamorous backdrop of a London hotel, this novella packs a full mystery into a short, satisfying read. It is one of those stories that proves you do not need 400 pages to build real suspense.
This novella is available as a free PDF, ready to download and enjoy on any device. Whether you are new to Mason or already a fan of the Hanaud series, this is a perfect entry point. The story moves quickly, the characters are vivid, and the resolution is genuinely clever.
If you enjoy classic detective fiction with sharp dialogue and a puzzle that plays fair with the reader, The Affair at the Semiramis Hotel deserves your time. It is a gem from the golden age of mystery writing that still holds up over a century later.
The affair at the Semiramis Hotel by Mason, Alfred Edward Woodley
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Information: The affair at the Semiramis Hotel
- Author: Mason, Alfred Edward Woodley
- Publication Date: 1917
- Main Characters:
- Inspector Hanaud: A brilliant French detective known for his sharp intellect and methodical approach to solving crimes. He is the central investigator of the mystery.
- Mr. Ricardo: A wealthy gentleman and amateur sleuth who serves as Hanaud's companion and narrator-figure. He is eager but often a step behind Hanaud's deductions.
- Calladine: A fashionable young man who brings the mystery to Hanaud and Ricardo after a disturbing experience at the Semiramis Hotel ball.
- Joan Carew: An opera singer who claims to have witnessed a theft and murder at the hotel. Her account drives the entire investigation.
- Andre Favart: A companion of the opera star Carmen Valeri who is connected to the stolen pearls and ultimately revealed as the criminal.
- Brief Summary: The Affair at the Semiramis Hotel follows Ricardo, a gentleman detective, whose quiet morning is disrupted by Inspector Hanaud and a distressed young man named Calladine. Calladine recounts a strange night at a masked ball where he met Joan Carew, an opera singer who arrived at his rooms claiming she had stumbled upon a theft and a possible murder. Hanaud must determine whether the story is true or the product of a drug-induced hallucination. The investigation leads to stolen pearls hidden in plain sight and a murderer lurking among the suspects.
- Thematic Analysis: The novella explores the thin line between reality and illusion, as Hanaud questions whether Calladine's account is genuine or distorted by mescaline. It also examines class, obsession, and the dangers of the glamorous Edwardian social world, where appearances routinely conceal darker motives.
- Historical Context: Published in 1917 during World War I, the story reflects the last echoes of Edwardian high society before the war changed everything. A. E. W. Mason was himself a British intelligence officer during the conflict, and his knack for intrigue and observation sharpens every page of this novella.