The Middle Temple Murder

Name: The Middle Temple Murder
Author: J.S. Fletcher

A wealthy merchant is found dead in his chambers at the Middle Temple, a London law school. The investigation reveals that he was poisoned with a rare and expensive poison. The police are stumped and the case becomes a sensation in the press. A young lawyer takes on the task of solving the crime, uncovering a complex web of motives and alibis among the merchant's acquaintances.

By J.S. Fletcher · First published 1936 · Genre: Mystery, Detective Fiction, Crime Fiction · 36 chapters · 91,033 words

First lines

As a rule, Spargo left the _Watchman_ office at two o'clock. The paper had then gone to press. There was nothing for him, recently promoted to a sub-editorship, to do after he had passed the column for which he was responsible; as a matter of fact he could have gone home before the machines began their clatter. But he generally hung about, trifling, until two o'clock came. On this occasion, the morning of the 22nd of June, 1912, he stopped longer than usual, chatting with Hacket, who had charge of the foreign news, and who began telling him about a telegram which had just come through from Durazzo. What Hacket had to tell was interesting: Spargo lingered to hear all about it, and to discuss it. Altogether it was well beyond half-past two when he went out of the office, unconsciously puffing away from him as he reached the threshold the last breath of the atmosphere in which he had spent his midnight. In Fleet Street the air was fresh, almost to sweetness, and the first grey of the coming dawn was breaking faintly around the high silence of St. Paul's.

What this Textopian page supports

The Middle Temple Murder is listed on Textopian as a novel by J.S. Fletcher, dated 1936 CE.

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

Work type: Novel
Author: J.S. Fletcher
Date: 1936 CE
Language: English
Genres: Mystery, Detective Fiction, Crime Fiction, Thriller, Legal Thriller
Length: 91,033 words
Structure: 36 chapters, 2,144 paragraphs
Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)

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Similar titles

Genres

Mystery — The plot revolves around solving a murder case, which is central to the mystery genre.
Detective Fiction — The story features a detective character who investigates and solves the crime.
Crime Fiction — The narrative focuses on a criminal act and its investigation.
Thriller — The book contains suspenseful and tense moments typical of a thriller.