The Mystery of the Yellow Room

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

1685

Title

The Mystery of the Yellow Room

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Gaston Leroux's classic mystery follows reporter Joseph Rouletabille as he investigates the impossible crime of a woman murdered in a sealed room. Blending supernatural atmosphere with rational deduction, the novel explores themes of obsession, deception, and the limits of human perception, offering a thrilling tale of suspense and intellectual challenge.

Summary up to 500 words

In Gaston Leroux's *The Mystery of the Yellow Room*, reporter Joseph Rouletabille investigates the baffling murder of Mathilde Stangerson in a room hermetically sealed from the outside. Witnesses, including the victim's father, Monsieur Stangerson, and the loyal concierge Daddy Jacques, testify that the door was locked from the inside, the windows were barred, and no secret passages existed. Despite these impenetrable defenses, the murderer vanished without a trace after striking Mathilde with a bullet and leaving a bloody handprint on the wall. The narrative weaves through the terrified perspectives of the suspects and the detective, Frédéric Larsan, as Rouletabille meticulously examines footprints, bloodstains, and the psychology of the crime. He discovers that the room was not entirely dark, contrary to initial claims, and that the victim had moved her sleeping arrangements to avoid a specific threat. The investigation reveals a complex web of deceit involving a swindler known by multiple names, a hidden child, and a villain manipulating events from the shadows. Rouletabille's analysis exposes a mastermind who used cunning rather than magic to orchestrate the tragedy. The story culminates in a revelation that redefines the nature of the crime, exposing the true identity of the killer as the victim's estranged husband, Jean Roussel, also known as Ballmeyer. He had returned from America, posing as a wealthy suitor, to reclaim his wife and destroy her new life with Robert Darzac. The novel stands as a testament to the power of observation and reason against seemingly insurmountable odds, leaving readers with a profound sense of how perception can be manipulated and how the truth often lies beneath layers of carefully constructed lies.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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data/epubs/pg1685.epub

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2026-06-30 10:39 UTC

Categories

• Fiction
• Mystery