The Circular Staircase - Rinehart, Mary Roberts

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Résumé :
First serialized in 1907 and then published as a book in 1908, Mary Roberts Rinehart's The Circular Staircase is the popular mystery story about the dowager Rachel Innes as she reveals and prevents a series of strange crimes at the home she has rented for the summer. The Circular Staircase was Rinehart's first bestseller and was the originator of the popular had I but known genre of mystery writing, where the main character narrates the tale and foreshadows impending doom and tragedy while reflecting on what they might have done differently if only they had known what was to come. Rinehart was inspired to write this tale after visiting a Gothic revival castle in Virginia and sets her story in a similarly mysterious old house in the country. The main character, Rachel, is an older woman who has raised her niece and nephew, who are now adults and have convinced her to leave her city home behind for the summer and vacation with them in the country. What follows is a masterfully written and suspenseful tale of murder, arson, kidnapping, and mysterious intruders sneaking about in the night that continues to thrill readers over a century later.

Biographie:
American author Mary Roberts Rinehart, also known as the American Agatha Christie, was born on August 12, 1876, and died on September 22, 1958. The Circular Staircase, Rinehart's debut mystery novel, introduced the had I but known narrative approach. Although the exact phrase does not occur in Rinehart's book The Door (1930), she is regarded as the creator of the the butler did it story device. As one of the first women to visit the front lines in Belgium during World War I, she also worked to share the tales and experiences of these troops. Mary Ella Roberts, who is now known as Rinehart, was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's Allegheny City. Olive Louise, Mary's sister who is four years Mary's junior, went on to become well-known as a children's book author and nationally syndicated newspaper columnist. Her father was a frustrated inventor, and the family experienced frequent monetary issues throughout her youth. Mary was just 19 years old when her father committed suicide. She was trained to use her right hand because she was left-handed at a time when that was improper. Her autobiography, titled My Story, was first published in 1931 and then rewritten in 1948.

Sommaire:
Mary Roberts Rinehart was an American writer born on August 12, 1876, in Allegheny, Pennsylvania. Often referred to as the American Agatha Christie, she is best known for her contributions to the mystery genre. Rinehart's first mystery novel, The Circular Staircase, published in 1908, introduced the had I but known narrative style, which became a hallmark of suspense writing. Over the course of her career, she became a prolific author, publishing a variety of works, including novels, plays, and short stories, many of which were centered around mystery and intrigue. Rinehart's works were widely popular during her lifetime, and she was a significant figure in the early development of the modern mystery novel. She married Dr. Stanley Rinehart in 1896, and the couple had four children: Stanley Jr., Alan, Frederick, and Elizabeth. Rinehart received numerous accolades for her work, including a Special Edgars Award for her contributions to the genre. She passed away on September 22, 1958, in New York City at the age of 82, leaving behind a lasting legacy in the world of mystery writing....