The Case of the Dead Skipper
The story revolves around a young sailor who is accused of murdering his skipper. The narrative explores themes of class and social status as it delves into the lives of the sailors on board. The protagonist's innocence is questioned, and he is subjected to various forms of mistreatment by those in positions of authority. As the investigation unfolds, the reader is presented with a complex web of relationships between the characters. The narrative raises questions about justice and morality, leaving the reader to ponder the true nature of guilt and innocence. The story's tone is somber and reflective, mirroring the bleakness of life on board a ship in the late 19th century.
By Arthur Morrison · First published 1891 · Genre: Mystery, Detective, Crime · 3 chapters · 14,202 words
First lines
It is a good few years ago now that a suicide was investigated by a coroner's jury before whom Martin Hewitt gave certain simple and direct evidence touching the manner of the death, and testifying to the fact of its being a matter of self-destruction. The public got certain suggestive information from the bare newspaper report, but they never learnt the full story of the tragedy that led up to the suicide that was so summarily disposed of.
What this Textopian page supports
The Case of the Dead Skipper is listed on Textopian as a novel by Arthur Morrison, dated 1891 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Arthur Morrison
- Date: 1891 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Mystery, Detective, Crime, Thriller, Adventure
- Length: 14,202 words
- Structure: 3 chapters, 194 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Case of the Dead Skipper by Arthur Morrison
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Case of the Dead Skipper?
- How does this novel by Arthur Morrison fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Mystery first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Mystery — The title suggests a crime (death of skipper) that needs to be solved, a key characteristic of the mystery genre.
- Detective — As inferred from the author's profile, most of Arthur Morrison's works are Detective stories revolving around a protagonist solving crime.
- Crime — The plot revolves around a crime (murder), making 'Crime' a relevant genre.
- Thriller — The premise of a deadly crime brings about an element of suspense and excitement that characterizes thrillers.
Tags
mystery · thriller · detective · crime · whodunit · suspense · victorian · london · 19th century · literary fiction · classic · noir