Mystery and Crime Adams, Charles Warren: The Notting Hill Mystery. v1. 31 Mar 2026

[GrannyGrump]

A perfect crime?

Insurance investigator Ralph Henderson endeavors to prove that the sinister Baron “R___” murdered his wife, Madame R, for insurance money. Henderson uncovers a complex web of intrigue, including diabolical mesmerism, slow poisoning, gypsy kidnappings, disputed wills, and three interconnected murders.

The Notting Hill Mystery, written under the pseudonym “Charles Felix”, is considered by many to be the first modern full length detective novel. The story is presented through a compilation of documents — diaries, letters, and witness reports. This “forensic” approach would not become common in detective fiction until the 1920s. More atmospheric than mysterious, the book is praised for its intricate plot and for being a true ancestor to modern mystery fiction, focusing on how the crime was committed and proving the perpetrator’s guilt.

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Charles Warren Adams (1833–1903) was an English lawyer, publisher and anti-vivisectionist, now known from documentary evidence to have been the author of The Notting Hill Mystery. He wrote under the pseudonym “Charles Felix”.

George du Maurier (1834–1896) was a French-British cartoonist, illustrator, and novelist. He was known for his work in “Punch” magazine and his 1894 Gothic novel Trilby, featuring the character Svengali.

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Contents were first published in “Once a Week” magazine Nov. 1862 ~ Jan. 1863, and in book form in 1865. This book is in the public domain worldwide.
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