Black Coffee by Jeffery Farnol
The novel follows the story of Sir John Saumarez, a wealthy English baronet, who is forced to flee his home after being accused of murder. He finds himself in the company of a mysterious woman, who calls herself Lady Mary, and her companion, a man named Black Coffee. Sir John soon discovers that Lady Mary is a thief and that Black Coffee is her accomplice. Together, they embark on a series of daring robberies, all the while evading the law. As the story progresses, Sir John finds himself increasingly drawn to Lady Mary, and the two eventually fall in love. However, their relationship is threatened by the fact that Sir John is still wanted for murder, and Lady Mary is still a thief. The novel culminates in a thrilling climax, as Sir John and Lady Mary must face the consequences of their actions and decide whether to stay together or part ways.
By Jeffery Farnol · First published 1970 · Genre: Romance, Mystery, Adventure · 3 chapters · 4,993 words
First lines
Professor Jarvis sat among piles of reference-books, and stacks of notes and jottings, the silence about him unbroken save for the ceaseless scratching of his pen.
Professor Jarvis hated bustle and noise of all sorts, for they destroyed that continuity of thought, that following out of proved facts to their primary hypotheses, which was to him the chief end and aim of existence; therefore he inhabited the thirtieth storey.
What this Textopian page supports
Black Coffee is listed on Textopian as a short story by Jeffery Farnol, dated 1970 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Jeffery Farnol
- Date: 1970 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Romance, Mystery, Adventure, Historical Fiction, Drama
- Length: 4,993 words
- Structure: 3 chapters, 172 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Black Coffee by Jeffery Farnol
- 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 Black Coffee?
- How does this short story by Jeffery Farnol fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Romance first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Romance — The book follows the story of a young woman who falls in love with a mysterious stranger, and the obstacles they face in their relationship.
- Mystery — The book follows the story of a mysterious stranger who appears in the protagonist's life, and the secrets he holds.
- Adventure — The book follows the protagonist's journey as she embarks on a quest to uncover the truth about the mysterious stranger.
- Historical Fiction — The book is set in the early 20th century and follows the protagonist's journey through a period of great social and political change.
Tags
mystery · detective · suspense · thriller · crime · romance · intrigue · adventure · literary · historical · fiction · whodunit