The Starvel Hollow Tragedy

Name: The Starvel Hollow Tragedy
Author: Freeman Wills Crofts

The Starvel Hollow Tragedy follows Ruth Averill, a young woman who confronts devastating loss when her uncle and household perish in a fire, prompting an investigation that uncovers dark family secrets and questions about her true lineage. As the truth unfolds, Ruth must navigate the implications of her identity and the legacy of her family's past.

By Freeman Wills Crofts · First published 1920 · Genre: Mystery, Crime, Thriller · 20 chapters · 102,748 words

First lines

Ruth Averill moved slowly across the drawing room at Starvel, and stood dejectedly at the window, looking out at the Scotch firs swaying in the wind and the sheets of rain driving across the untidy lawn before the house.

The view was even more depressing than usual on this gloomy autumn afternoon. Beyond the grass-grown drive and the broken-down paling of posts and wire which bounded the grounds, lay the open moor, wild and lonely and forbidding. A tumble of dun-coloured sedgy grass with darker smudges where rock outcropped, it stretched up, bleak and dreary, to the lip of the hollow in which the dilapidated old house had been built.

What this Textopian page supports

The Starvel Hollow Tragedy is listed on Textopian as a novel by Freeman Wills Crofts, dated 1920 CE.

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

Work type: Novel
Author: Freeman Wills Crofts
Date: 1920 CE
Language: English
Genres: Mystery, Crime, Thriller, Detective Fiction, Literary Fiction
Length: 102,748 words
Structure: 20 chapters, 1,671 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

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Discussion starters

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Similar titles

Genres

Mystery — The plot revolves around a crime that needs to be solved, typical of the mystery genre.
Crime — The narrative focuses on criminal activities and their consequences.
Thriller — The story contains suspenseful elements that keep readers engaged and on edge.
Detective Fiction — The protagonist likely engages in investigative work to uncover the truth behind the tragedy.