The Paradise Mystery

Name: The Paradise Mystery
Author: J.S. Fletcher

The Paradise Mystery is a classic mystery novel by J.S. Fletcher, first published in 1923. It follows the story of two amateur detectives, John Lexman and his friend, Dr. Paul Harley, as they investigate the mysterious death of a wealthy businessman, Sir John Ledsam. The two men travel to the small village of Paradise, where Sir John had recently purchased a large estate. As they investigate, they uncover a web of secrets and lies, and soon find themselves in a race against time to solve the mystery before the killer strikes again. Along the way, they must contend with a cast of suspicious characters, including a mysterious woman, a sinister doctor, and a strange cult. Will John and Paul be able to solve the mystery in time, or will the killer get away with murder? Read The Paradise Mystery to find out!

By J.S. Fletcher · First published 1921 · Genre: Mystery, Crime Fiction, Thriller · 27 chapters · 76,535 words

First lines

American tourists, sure appreciators of all that is ancient and picturesque in England, invariably come to a halt, holding their breath in a sudden catch of wonder, as they pass through the half-ruinous gateway which admits to the Close of Wrychester. Nowhere else in England is there a fairer prospect of old-world peace. There before their eyes, set in the centre of a great green sward, fringed by tall elms and giant beeches, rises the vast fabric of the thirteenth-century Cathedral, its high spire piercing the skies in which rooks are for ever circling and calling. The time-worn stone, at a little distance delicate as lacework, is transformed at different hours of the day into shifting shades of colour, varying from grey to purple: the massiveness of the great nave and transepts contrasts impressively with the gradual tapering of the spire, rising so high above turret and clerestory that it at last becomes a mere line against the ether. In morning, as in afternoon, or in evening, here is a perpetual atmosphere of rest; and not around the great church alone, but in the quaint and ancient houses which fence in the Close. Little less old than the mighty mass of stone on which their ivy-framed windows look, these houses make the casual observer feel that here, if anywhere in the world, life must needs run smoothly. Under those high gables, behind those mullioned windows, in the beautiful old gardens lying between the stone porches and the elm-shadowed lawn, nothing, one would think, could possibly exist but leisured and pleasant existence: even the busy streets of the old city, outside the crumbling gateway, seem, for the moment, far off.

What this Textopian page supports

The Paradise Mystery is listed on Textopian as a novel by J.S. Fletcher, dated 1921 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: 1921 CE
Language: English
Genres: Mystery, Crime Fiction, Thriller, Detective Fiction, Adventure
Length: 76,535 words
Structure: 27 chapters, 2,843 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for The Paradise Mystery by J.S. Fletcher
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters

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How does this novel by J.S. Fletcher fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
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Similar titles

Genres

Mystery — The title of the book, 'The Paradise Mystery', implies a mystery that needs to be solved.
Crime Fiction — The mystery in the book likely involves a crime that needs to be solved.
Thriller — The mystery in the book is likely to be thrilling and suspenseful.
Detective Fiction — The mystery in the book is likely to involve a detective trying to solve the crime.