The Room With The Tassels

Name: The Room With The Tassels
Author: Carolyn Wells

A group of friends gathers in a New York parlor, engaging in a spirited discussion about spiritualism and the existence of ghosts. Eve Carnforth passionately advocates for the belief in spirits, citing influential figures and historical precedents. Her skepticism is met with resistance from Wynne Landon, who dismisses the idea as outdated and fraudulent. The conversation shifts as new guests arrive, including Vernie Reid, a lively young woman who shares her own experiences with ghostly antics at school. The group debates the nature of ghosts, with various opinions emerging about their reality and significance. Professor Hardwick, a newcomer, expresses a desire for firsthand experience with the supernatural, prompting a suggestion to find a haunted house for an investigation. The idea excites the group, leading to plans for a summer outing to explore the paranormal. They agree to approach the venture with sincerity and open-mindedness, despite differing beliefs. As they discuss logistics, the dynamics of the group reveal personal connections and underlying tensions, setting the stage for potential revelations and conflicts during their ghostly quest. The narrative intertwines humor and philosophical inquiry, exploring themes of belief, skepticism, and the human fascination with the unknown.

By Carolyn Wells · First published 1908 · Genre: Mystery, Detective Fiction, Suspense · 18 chapters · 79,152 words

First lines

"But I _know_ it's so, -- for Mrs. Fairbanks saw it herself, -- and heard it, too!"

The air of finality in the gaze levelled at Braye defied contradiction, so he merely smiled at the girl who was doing the talking. But, talking or silent, Eve Carnforth was well worth smiling at. Her red hair was of that thin, silky, flat-lying sort, that spells temper, but looks lovely, and her white, delicate skin, -- perhaps the least bit hand-painted, -- showed temperament while her eyes, of the colour called beryl, -- whatever that is, -- showed all sorts of things.

What this Textopian page supports

The Room With The Tassels is listed on Textopian as a novel by Carolyn Wells, dated 1908 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: Carolyn Wells
Date: 1908 CE
Language: English
Genres: Mystery, Detective Fiction, Suspense
Length: 79,152 words
Structure: 18 chapters, 1,977 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for The Room With The Tassels by Carolyn Wells
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 Room With The Tassels?
How does this novel by Carolyn Wells fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Mystery first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Mystery — This book by Carolyn Wells is a classic mystery novel and belongs to the Pennington Wise series, featuring detective characters solving puzzling crimes.
Detective Fiction — The storyline revolves around solving a murder with detective characters Pennington Wise and Zizi, making it a part of the Detective Fiction genre.
Suspense — The narrative of the book retains an element of suspense throughout, as it is focused on unfolding the mystery of a homicide.