The Unbidden Guest by E.W. Hornung

The Unbidden Guest is a novel by E.W. Hornung that tells the story of a young man named Raffles who becomes involved in a series of crimes and adventures with his friend Bunny Manders. The book follows their exploits as they attempt to outwit the police and evade capture while committing various heists and other criminal activities. Along the way, they encounter a number of colorful characters and face numerous challenges that test their skills and ingenuity.

By E.W. Hornung · First published 1894 · Genre: Mystery, Crime, Adventure · 21 chapters · 73,394 words

First lines

Arabella was the first at the farm to become aware of Mr. Teesdale's return from Melbourne. She was reading in the parlour, with her plump elbows planted upon the faded green table-cloth, and an untidy head of light-coloured hair between her hands; looking up from her book by chance, she saw through the closed window her father and the buggy climbing the hill at the old mare's own pace. Arabella went on reading until the buggy had drawn up within a few feet of the verandah posts and a few more of the parlour window. Then she sat in doubt, with her finger on the place; but before it appeared absolutely necessary to jump up and run out, one of the men had come up to take charge of the mare, and Arabella was enabled to remove her finger and read on.

What this Textopian page supports

The Unbidden Guest is listed on Textopian as a novel by E.W. Hornung, dated 1894 CE.

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

• Work type: Novel
• Author: E.W. Hornung
• Date: 1894 CE
• Language: English
• Genres: Mystery, Crime, Adventure, Thriller
• Length: 73,394 words
• Structure: 21 chapters, 1,602 paragraphs
• Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

Good citation fit

• Work identity for The Unbidden Guest by E.W. Hornung
• 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 Unbidden Guest?
• How does this novel by E.W. Hornung fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
• Where does Mystery first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

• A Bad Night by E. W. Hornung
• The Man Who Was Nobody by Edgar Wallace
• The Cardinal Moth by Fred M. White
• The Closed Book by William Le Queux
• Wednesday The Tenth by Grant Allen
• The Biter Bitten by John Arthur Barry

Genres

• Mystery — The narrative revolves around unexplained events and the protagonist's quest to uncover the truth.
• Crime — The plot involves criminal activities and their investigation.
• Adventure — The protagonist embarks on a journey, facing challenges and risks.
• Thriller — The story contains elements of suspense, tension, and excitement.

Tags

mystery · suspense · crime · thriller · detective · intrigue · plot twist · narrative · character study · psychological · tension · unreliable narrator

Contents

• THE GIRL FROM HOME
• A BAD BEGINNING
• AU REVOIR
• A MATTER OF TWENTY POUNDS
• A WATCH AND A PIPE
• THE WAYS OF SOCIETY
• MOONLIGHT SPORT
• THE SAVING OF ARABELLA
• FACE TO FACE
• THE THINNING OF THE ICE
• A CHRISTMAS OFFERING
• "THE SONG OF MIRIAM."
• ON THE VERANDAH
• A BOLT FROM THE BLUE
• A DAY OF RECKONING
• A MAN'S RESOLVE
• THE TWO MIRIAMS
• THE WAY OF ALL FLESH
• TO THE TUNE OF RAIN
• THE LAST ENCOUNTER
• "FOR THIS CAUSE."

More by E.W. Hornung

• Mr. Justice Raffles (1909)
• Dead Men Tell no Tales (1894)
• No Hero (1894)
• The Shadow of the Rope (1902)
• Stingaree (1894)
• The Camera Fiend (1897)
• The Shadow of a Man (1906)
• Witching Hill (1904)
• All works by E.W. Hornung