The Case of Frank Hampden
The Case of Frank Hampden is a short story written by E.F. Benson in 1908. It tells the tale of a young man named Frank Hampden who is accused of murdering his fiancée, Mary. The story follows Frank's journey as he tries to prove his innocence and clear his name.
By E.F. Benson · Genre: Mystery, Crime, Detective fiction · 7,506 words
First lines
There was a light visible from the chinks and crevices of drawn curtains in the window of Dr. Roupert's study as I passed it on my way back from dinner one night. He lived some six doors farther up the same street as I, and since it had long been a frequent custom for us to smoke the "go-to-bed" cigarette together, I rang and asked if he was at leisure. His servant told me that he had already sent a message across to my house, asking me to look in on him if I got home while the evening was not too far advanced for a casual conversational quarter of an hour; and accordingly I took off my coat, and went straight into the pleasant little front room, about which hung the studious fragrance of the books that lined it from floor to ceiling.
What this Textopian page supports
The Case of Frank Hampden is listed on Textopian as a short story by E.F. Benson, dated Date unknown.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: E.F. Benson
- Date: Date unknown
- Language: English
- Genres: Mystery, Crime, Detective fiction
- Length: 7,506 words
- Structure: 1 section, 142 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Case of Frank Hampden by E.F. Benson
- 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 The Case of Frank Hampden?
- How does this short story by E.F. Benson fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Mystery first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Mystery — The title contains the word 'Case', suggesting a mystery or problem to be solved, often linked with the mystery genre.
- Crime — The title implies that it deals with a situation involving a person namely Frank Hampden, potentially a crime.
- Detective fiction — The use of the term 'Case' in the title often indicates a detective or investigative plot, which is characteristic of detective fiction.
Tags
mystery · detective · crime · suspense · investigation · thriller · fiction · literature · 20th century · British · novel · plot twist