That Affair Next Door

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

21617

Title

That Affair Next Door

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

In 1895 New York, a lonely widow discovers a young woman has entered the supposedly empty Van Burnam mansion. When the woman is found dead under a fallen cabinet, the family's brother-in-law is arrested for murder. As the investigation unfolds, secrets about the family's past, the victim's identity, and the detective's own biases are revealed in a gripping tale of suspicion and redemption.

Summary up to 500 words

In Anna Katharine Green's *That Affair Next Door*, the narrative begins with Amelia Butterworth, a lonely widow in Gramercy Park, who witnesses a young couple entering the long-vacant Van Burnam house on a September night. The next morning, she discovers the house shuttered and finds a woman crushed to death beneath a heavy cabinet. Detective Mr. Gryce initially suspects Howard Van Burnam, the victim's husband, arresting him for the murder. However, Howard insists the deceased is not his wife, who had been missing. Amelia's keen observations and the testimony of the Van Burnam daughters, Caroline and Isabella, complicate the case. As the investigation unfolds, it is revealed that Howard had been attempting to separate his brother, Franklin, from his wife, who had threatened him. The true culprit is Randolph Stone, a man Howard had befriended. Stone, who had previously attempted to kill Amelia, is identified as the murderer. He had let the victim into the house, intending to kill her, but she died accidentally under the furniture. Howard is eventually cleared of the murder charge, though he remains haunted by the tragedy. The novel explores themes of class, gender, and the reliability of perception, highlighting the dangers of prejudice and the importance of listening to those often overlooked, such as the solitary widow Amelia. The story serves as a critique of the detective genre's reliance on intuition over evidence, showcasing Green's mastery of the mystery form.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

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Categories

• Fiction
• Mystery