If you like Sherlock Holmes, You’ll like this!

I just got finished reading an awesome mystery book that left me wondering where it was going to end and who the killer really was. It’s another one of those classic, old-time books. It’s called The Mystery of the Hidden Room by an author I’ve never heard of: Marion Harvey.

Firstly, the writing is brilliant! It never ceases to amaze me how detailed and beautiful the writing from the old day generations is. I always end up finding some awesome passage that I feel has to be shared with you all. Here’s a description of the detective in the story. It was so easy for me to picture him the way Harvey described him so splendidly. He writes, “The man who entered the room at that moment and came toward me with extended hand…was a slender, well-dressed young man , well above the medium height, with a pleasant, but rather rugged cast of countenance, whose main features were a tenacious chin and a pair of brilliant black eyes. But when he spoke my name I forgot his appearance. Never had I heard such a melodious voice. It soothed the ear with its mellow richness and remained in the mind long after it had ceased, like the echo of some clear-toned bell. And such was its power that by merely pronouncing my name he had made me believe that he alone of all the world could possibly solve the problem which was well-nigh overwhelming me.” To me, it’s like a lesson in learning how to describe characters in your writing. I’ve always had to take time at describing my characters because it wasn’t something that came easily to me. But the more I read, the more I learn. I’m getting taught by the best of the best.

Anyway, let’s get into the actual story. It follows Carlton Davies as he is summoned one night at the home of his former love, Ruth, who has now married a cruel man due to being manipulated and bribed by him. When Carlton arrives, he finds Ruth in a frazzled state. She has summoned him to her home to warn him about the threats her husband has made against him due to discovering a letter she had been writing to Davies. Is this the case of a jealous husband exacting revenge? Perhaps it could be… As Davies finds out Ruth was writing a letter to him, he requests for her to get the letter from her husband’s study since it could be used against him some day. When Ruth goes to her husband’s study to retrieve it, a sudden scream is heard and Davies runs to the study to find Ruth holding a gun in her hand and her husband, Philip Darwin, dead in his chair. But was it really Ruth who murdered him? There are plenty of reasons why she would, but she’s so sweet and innocent. It just couldn’t be.

From there, we follow the court case and the Sherlock Holmes-style detective, McKelvie, as he slowly unravels the mystery of Darwin’s death. Who did it and why? Many characters are drawn in as suspects until it’s narrowed down to one. And the one who did it is going to shock you. I didn’t see it coming and I generally do.

McKelvie is one awesome detective! When you feel connected to the main characters of a story, you love it even more. Harvey has written an excellent suspense novel that will have you guessing and guessing until the shocking ending when you learn the whole truth of who murdered Philip Darwin. READ THIS BOOK!!! It has superb writing, thrilling, can’t stop reading suspense and very likable characters.

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