The Leavenworth Case by Anna Katharine Green [PDF]
by InfoBooks
Anna Katharine Green published The Leavenworth Case in 1878, and it immediately captured the public's imagination. This novel is widely recognized as one of the foundational works of American detective fiction. Green wrote it years before the Sherlock Holmes stories appeared, proving that the genre had deep roots in American literary tradition as well.
If you're curious about where modern mystery novels got their start, this is the book to explore. Download the free PDF and discover a suspenseful murder investigation that still holds up after more than a century. You'll find tight plotting, surprising twists, and a cast of characters that feels remarkably modern for the 1870s.
The Leavenworth Case rewards patient readers with a carefully constructed puzzle and a satisfying resolution. Green's prose is clear and engaging, making this an accessible entry point into Victorian-era literature. Give it a chance and you might find yourself hooked on the very first chapter.
The Leavenworth Case by Anna Katharine Green
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Information: The Leavenworth Case
- Author: Anna Katharine Green
- Publication Date: 1878
- Main Characters:
- Everett Raymond: A young lawyer who becomes deeply involved in the Leavenworth murder case, driven by his romantic interest in one of the suspects.
- Ebenezer Gryce: A seasoned and methodical detective who leads the official investigation into Horatio Leavenworth's murder.
- Eleanore Leavenworth: One of Horatio's two nieces and a prime suspect, whose secretive behavior casts suspicion on her throughout the case.
- Mary Leavenworth: Horatio's other niece, beautiful and seemingly composed, who also falls under suspicion as a potential heir to the fortune.
- Horatio Leavenworth: A wealthy New York gentleman whose murder in his locked library sets the entire mystery in motion.
- Brief Summary: The Leavenworth Case tells the story of the murder of wealthy New York businessman Horatio Leavenworth, found shot dead in his locked library. His two nieces, Mary and Eleanore, both stand to inherit his fortune and quickly become the prime suspects. Lawyer Everett Raymond, smitten with Eleanore, works alongside veteran detective Ebenezer Gryce to solve the case. The investigation reveals hidden love affairs, secret marriages, and a trail of deception that keeps the reader guessing until the final pages. Green weaves a tightly plotted narrative that balances courtroom drama with classic whodunit suspense.
- Thematic Analysis: The novel explores themes of social class, gender expectations, and the tension between appearances and reality in Gilded Age America. Green examines how wealth and respectability can mask dark secrets, and how the justice system navigates cases where the suspects are prominent members of society. The book also raises questions about loyalty, romantic obsession, and the lengths people will go to in order to protect those they love.
- Historical Context: Published in 1878, The Leavenworth Case arrived during the Gilded Age, a period of rapid industrialization and growing wealth inequality in the United States. Anna Katharine Green, a Vassar graduate, was one of the first women to write detective fiction, predating Agatha Christie by over four decades. The novel sold over 750,000 copies and was used by Yale Law School as an example of circumstantial evidence, cementing its influence on both literature and legal education.