The Secret of Chimneys

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

65238

Title

The Secret of Chimneys

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

In a world of high-stakes espionage and political intrigue, Anthony Cade finds himself entangled in a deadly blackmail plot involving stolen royal jewels and a mysterious manuscript. When a body is discovered in London, he must use his wits to dispose of evidence and travel to the historic estate of Chimneys to uncover a conspiracy spanning decades, featuring a cast of spies, actors, and a hidden prince.

Summary up to 500 words

Anthony Cade, a man of action with a penchant for solving puzzles, finds his life upended when he discovers a blackmail victim in London. The victim, an Italian waiter named Giuseppe, was killed after being blackmailed by a woman named Virginia Revel. Anthony realizes the situation is far more complex than it appears, especially when he finds a pistol engraved with Virginia's name at the scene. He devises a plan to dispose of the body and the weapon, taking Virginia with him to the estate of Chimneys, where a significant meeting is scheduled. At Chimneys, Anthony learns that Virginia's husband was a diplomat in Herzoslovakia, a country recently torn apart by revolution. The estate is hosting a gathering involving Count Stylptitch, a French detective named M. Lemoine, and Superintendent Battle of Scotland Yard. The central mystery revolves around the theft of the Crown Jewels of Herzoslovakia. It is revealed that the jewels were not stolen but replaced with paste by a master thief known as 'King Victor,' who operated under the alias Captain O'Neill in Paris. The real jewels were hidden by the Queen, Angèle Mory, a former actress who became Queen Varaga before her death. Anthony discovers that he himself is the long-lost Prince Nicholas Obolovitch of Herzoslovakia, the son of the assassinated King Nicholas IV. His mother was English, explaining his upbringing in England. The 'Memoirs' of Count Stylptitch, which Anthony was supposed to deliver to publishers, contain no clues to the jewels' location because Stylptitch, a cunning old man, opposed the Queen's marriage and likely never knew where she hid the stones. However, the memoirs serve as a distraction to protect the real manuscript containing the true history of the affair. The plot thickens with the arrival of Jimmy McGrath, Anthony's friend, who had been following Anthony's trail. Jimmy helps deliver the fake memoirs to the publishers while Anthony keeps the real ones. The group at Chimneys, including the French detective Lemoine and the Scotland Yard superintendent Battle, piece together the history of the jewel theft, the assassination of the Herzoslovakian royal couple, and the involvement of the revolutionary 'Comrades of the Red Hand.' The climax occurs when Anthony reveals his true identity to Virginia, resolving the mystery of the letters she received, which were written by the Queen using Virginia's name as a cover. The group decides to keep the full truth secret to prevent political fallout, though the public will be told a sanitized version of events. The story concludes with Anthony and Virginia deciding to travel to Herzoslovakia to rule as King and Queen, while Anthony's friend Jimmy takes the opportunity to deliver the fake memoirs for a reward. The novel ends with the burial of the blackmail victim and the departure of the main characters, leaving the fate of the real jewels still somewhat ambiguous but the immediate threat neutralized.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Fiction
• Mystery