Murder in the Maze

Murder in the Maze follows a barrister's retreat that takes a sinister turn when two brothers are found murdered within a labyrinth, unraveling a complex tapestry of deceit, hidden motives, and concealed identities. As the investigation unfolds, the characters must navigate a web of intrigue to uncover the truth behind the shocking crimes.

By J.J. Connington · First published 1930 · Genre: Mystery, Crime, Thriller · 18 chapters · 95,894 words

First lines

Neville Shandon stood at the window of his brother's study gazing contentedly out over the Whistlefield grounds. This was a good place to recuperate in, he reflected, especially when one could only snatch a couple of days at a time from the grinding pressure of a barrister's practice. His eye travelled slowly over the prospect of greenery which lay before him, lawn beyond lawn, down to where a glint of silver showed where the river cut across the estate. Beyond that came the stretches of the Low Meadows, intersected here and there by the darker green of the hedges; then the long curve of the main road; and at last, closing the horizon, the gentle slope of Longshoot Hill surmounted by its church spire. A bee hummed lazily at the open window; then, startled by a movement, it shot away, the note of its wings growing higher and fainter as it receded in the sunlight. The King's Counsel let his attention wander for a moment to the rooks sailing, in their effortless flight around the tree-crests by the river; then, with something more than apparent reluctance, he turned away from the landscape.

What this Textopian page supports

Murder in the Maze is listed on Textopian as a novel by J.J. Connington, dated 1930 CE.

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

• Work type: Novel
• Author: J.J. Connington
• Date: 1930 CE
• Language: English
• Genres: Mystery, Crime, Thriller, Detective Fiction, Literary Fiction
• Length: 95,894 words
• Structure: 18 chapters, 2,383 paragraphs
• Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

Good citation fit

• Work identity for Murder in the Maze by J.J. Connington
• 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 Murder in the Maze?
• How does this novel by J.J. Connington fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
• Where does Mystery first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

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• The Pit Prop Syndicate by Freeman Wills Crofts
• The Three Taps by Ronald A. Knox
• The Sea Mystery by Freeman Wills Crofts
• The Markenmore Mystery by J. S. Fletcher
• Mystery At Lynden Sands by J. J. Connington

Genres

• Mystery — The plot revolves around a murder investigation, central to the mystery genre.
• Crime — The narrative involves criminal activities and the consequences of murder.
• Thriller — The suspenseful elements and tension throughout the story align with thriller conventions.
• Detective Fiction — The presence of a detective or investigator solving the case is a hallmark of this genre.

Tags

Mystery · Thriller · Detective Fiction · Crime Novel · Whodunit · Classic Mystery · Golden Age Detective · British Literature · 1920s Setting · Small Town Mystery · Amateur Sleuth · Intelligent Plot

Contents

• The Hackleton Case
• The Affair in the Maze
• The Immediate Results
• The Chief Constable
• The Evidence in the Case
• The Toxicologist
• The Pot of Curare
• Opportunity, Method, and Motive
• The Burglary at Whistlefield
• The Third Attack in the Maze
• The Squire's Theories
• The Fourth Attack
• The Dart
• The Forged Cheque
• The Secretary's Affairs
• The Last Attack in the Maze
• The Siege in the Maze
• The Truth of the Matter

More by J.J. Connington

• Mystery at Lynden Sands (1930)
• Nordenholt's Million (1923)
• Tragedy at Ravensthorpe (1936)
• The Case with Nine Solutions (1949)
• The Dangerfield Talisman (1926)
• All works by J.J. Connington