Four square Jane

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

75808

Title

Four square Jane

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Edgar Wallace's 'Four Square Jane' introduces a society crook who leaves a distinctive four-square mark at crime scenes. This thrilling mystery follows the hunt for this elusive thief as she outsmarts male detectives and infiltrates high-society gatherings, blending wit, danger, and a twist on the classic gentleman-thief archetype.

Summary up to 500 words

In Edgar Wallace's *Four Square Jane*, the narrative begins at the lavish estate of Mr. Joe Lewinstein, who hosts a grand party despite a storm, fearing the notorious thief known as 'Four Square Jane' will strike. Jane is a society burglar who leaves a distinctive mark of four squares and the letter 'J' at her crime scenes. Lewinstein hires a young American female detective, Miranda, to apprehend the elusive criminal. Meanwhile, Scotland Yard's Detective Peter Dawes investigates a series of robberies targeting Lord Claythorpe, suspecting a partnership between Jane and a fugitive named Jamieson Steele. However, Lord Claythorpe's clerk, Donald Remington, uncovers a darker truth: the masterminds behind the thefts are actually Lord Claythorpe's own daughter-in-law, Joyce, and her husband, Steele. They have been robbing their guardian for years to secure their own fortune. After a dramatic escape involving a drugged detective and a daring rooftop climb, the couple flees to South America. In a final letter, Joyce confesses her identity, explaining that she adopted the 'Four Square Jane' persona to protect her family's wealth. She and Steele have since reformed. The novel is a clever, fast-paced thriller that subverts expectations by revealing the criminal masterminds are the victims' own relatives, turning a tale of high-society crime into a story of familial betrayal and eventual redemption.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Local file path

data/epubs/pg75808.epub

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Categories

• Fiction
• Mystery