A Celebrated Case by Ambrose Bierce
"A Celebrated Case" is a short story written by Ambrose Bierce in 1891. The story follows a man named Marcus who is accused of murdering his business partner, Mr. Fell. Marcus hires a defense attorney named Mr. Horton to represent him in court. As the trial progresses, it becomes clear that there are many conflicting accounts of the events surrounding the murder, and the jury must decide whether Marcus is guilty or not guilty. The story explores themes of justice, morality, and the reliability of witness testimony.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1899 · Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Crime · 626 words
First lines
Way down in the Boom Belt lived Mrs. Roselle; A person named Petrie, he lived there as well; But Mr. Roselle he resided away -- Sing tooral iooral iooral iay.
Once Mrs. Roselle in her room was alone: The flesh of her flesh and the bone of her bone Neglected the wife of his bosom to woo -- Sing tooral iooral iooral ioo.
What this Textopian page supports
A Celebrated Case is listed on Textopian as a short story by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1899 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Ambrose Bierce
- Date: 1899 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Mystery, Suspense, Crime, Drama, Historical
- Length: 626 words
- Structure: 1 section, 18 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Celebrated Case by Ambrose Bierce
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering A Celebrated Case?
- How does this short story by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Mystery first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Not Guilty by Ambrose Bierce
- The Case Of Mr Loftus Deacon by Arthur Morrison
- The Justice And His Accuser by Ambrose Bierce
- That Affair Next Door by Anna Katharine Green
- Doctor Izard by Anna Katharine Green
- Shall He Wed Her by Anna Katharine Green
Genres
- Mystery — The book tells the story of a significant criminal case that involves deception and hidden motives, fitting the mystery genre.
- Suspense — The plot keeps readers on the edge about the outcome of the court case, creating an air of suspense.
- Crime — The plot revolves around a criminal case, making it fit the crime genre.
- Drama — The story deals with high-stakes human struggles, which is a characteristic of the drama genre.
Tags
mystery · thriller · detective · crime · suspense · whodunit · legal · trial · justice · corruption · greed · ambition