The Man Who Fell Through the Earth

Name: The Man Who Fell Through the Earth
Author: Carolyn Wells

A successful lawyer relocates to a prestigious office on Madison Avenue, where he becomes intrigued by his neighbor, Amos Gately, the esteemed president of the Puritan Trust Company. One day, during a brewing snowstorm, he witnesses a violent altercation through the clouded glass of Gately's office door, culminating in a gunshot and a woman's scream. Rushing to investigate, he finds Gately's office empty, with no sign of the individuals involved, only the lingering smell of gunpowder. Confused and anxious, he contemplates reporting the incident but hesitates due to the lack of concrete evidence. His competent stenographer, Norah, urges him to investigate further, believing Gately has been shot by a woman. They search the luxurious offices for clues, discovering a hatpin that suggests a female presence. Despite their efforts, they find no trace of the people involved or the weapon used. The lawyer decides to contact the bank for assistance, while Norah remains behind to gather more information. The mystery deepens as they grapple with the inexplicable disappearance of the individuals involved in the violent confrontation, leaving them both bewildered and determined to uncover the truth behind the incident.

By Carolyn Wells · First published 1907 · Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction, Detective Fiction · 18 chapters · 82,716 words

First lines

One of the occasions when I experienced "that grand and glorious feeling" was when my law business had achieved proportions that justified my removal from my old office to new and more commodious quarters. I selected a somewhat pretentious building on Madison Avenue between Thirtieth and Fortieth Streets, and it was a red-letter day for me when I moved into my pleasant rooms on its top floor.

The Puritan Trust Company occupied all of the ground floor and there were also some of the private offices of that institution on the top floor, as well as a few offices to be let.

What this Textopian page supports

The Man Who Fell Through the Earth is listed on Textopian as a novel by Carolyn Wells, dated 1907 CE.

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Work type: Novel
Author: Carolyn Wells
Date: 1907 CE
Language: English
Genres: Mystery, Science Fiction, Detective Fiction, Adventure
Length: 82,716 words
Structure: 18 chapters, 2,240 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

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Work identity for The Man Who Fell Through the Earth by Carolyn Wells
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Discussion starters

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Similar titles

Genres

Mystery — The book is a whodunit novel with the protagonist working to solve a mysterious disappearance, a common theme in the mystery genre.
Science Fiction — The title and concept of a man falling through Earth alludes to scientific abnormalities that are a common element in Science Fiction.
Detective Fiction — The main character, Pennington Wise, is a detective actively investigating a mystery.
Adventure — The book includes sequences of excitement and danger, as common in adventure narratives.