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nele_'s review
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
franfernandezarce's review against another edition
3.0
this was okay. the problem with being such a precursor of a specific genre being read today is that it all feels repetitive . the type of case you have seen multiple times before if you go for this genre in specific; of course, those instances might not have happened and probably owe a great deal to this seminal stories. you can't really win in this scenario.
that being said, as relevant to the genre as this story might be, it still felt panifully like a debut. the little quotes at the beginning of each chapter added very little to the actual text despite looking exactly like that cool detail one might want to add to their very first novel.
also, passing my own bar of quality, i figured out the culprit--which means, the mystery wasn't that good. perhaps by 1880s' standards it might have been, but a part of me was expecting a bit more. not to say the mystery itself wasn't clever enough. i only imply the following installments might work around the author's nerves and inexperience to a greater sense of maturity in terms of editing and plotting. i will certainly pick up the next book eventually.
that being said, as relevant to the genre as this story might be, it still felt panifully like a debut. the little quotes at the beginning of each chapter added very little to the actual text despite looking exactly like that cool detail one might want to add to their very first novel.
also, passing my own bar of quality, i figured out the culprit--which means, the mystery wasn't that good. perhaps by 1880s' standards it might have been, but a part of me was expecting a bit more. not to say the mystery itself wasn't clever enough. i only imply the following installments might work around the author's nerves and inexperience to a greater sense of maturity in terms of editing and plotting. i will certainly pick up the next book eventually.
s_z_b's review against another edition
4.0
*3,5*
''Δεν διεκδικώ το αλάθητο για τις απόψεις μου''
Αν και ομολογουμένως πολυλογού η A.K.G, κατάφερε να μου κρατήσει το ενδιαφέρον και να με εκπλήξει.
Βρείτε ολόκληρη την κριτική μου εδώ: http://beinganerdisthenewblack.blogspot.com/2021/05/book-review-leavenworth-case-anna.html
''Δεν διεκδικώ το αλάθητο για τις απόψεις μου''
Αν και ομολογουμένως πολυλογού η A.K.G, κατάφερε να μου κρατήσει το ενδιαφέρον και να με εκπλήξει.
Βρείτε ολόκληρη την κριτική μου εδώ: http://beinganerdisthenewblack.blogspot.com/2021/05/book-review-leavenworth-case-anna.html
ssejig's review
3.0
When an older gentleman dies under mysterious circumstances, suspicion falls on one of the two nieces that lives with him. For some reason, one of the nieces is set to inherit the bulk of his fortune while the other niece is not entirely excluded from the will but she is certainly slighted. The body of Horatio Leavenworth is found with a bullet in the head in the library of his mansion. The house was locked but filled with not only his nieces but also various servants (including one who has come up missing).
Our first person narrator, Mr. Raymond, works with Ebeneezer Gryce (who will become a regular in Green's mysteries) to find out whether, as the evidence seems, niece Eleanor really killed her uncle out of spite.
An interesting story. Definitely a good mystery within the Victorian writing -- a little meandering but worth reading if you like the classics.
Our first person narrator, Mr. Raymond, works with Ebeneezer Gryce (who will become a regular in Green's mysteries) to find out whether, as the evidence seems, niece Eleanor really killed her uncle out of spite.
An interesting story. Definitely a good mystery within the Victorian writing -- a little meandering but worth reading if you like the classics.
barefootsong's review against another edition
3.0
I came across Green while cataloguing some books by her and was intrigued by the fact that she seems to be the first woman to have written a detective story and was a bestseller of her time. The Leavenworth Case is her first novel (after an unsuccessful poetry career) and her most famous so I thought I'd start here. A very interesting early detective story, though naturally very tied up in its Victorian time (originally published in 1878). This book introduces Green's recurring detective character, Ebenezer Gryce, a quite eccentric but sharp detective, predating the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes by a decade.
My one problem was that I read the Project Gutenberg edition, which lacked the diagrams and handwriting samples that are supposed to be included. They're not vital to the plot, most of the clues are described in the main text for the reader who wants to try to solve the mystery along with the detectives. I didn't even notice until more than halfway through the book, when there was a direction to "try for yourself, reader" which caused me to find another edition of the book on Internet Archive and discover what I'd been missing. So if you want the full experience, check to see if your edition has diagrams.
My one problem was that I read the Project Gutenberg edition, which lacked the diagrams and handwriting samples that are supposed to be included. They're not vital to the plot, most of the clues are described in the main text for the reader who wants to try to solve the mystery along with the detectives. I didn't even notice until more than halfway through the book, when there was a direction to "try for yourself, reader" which caused me to find another edition of the book on Internet Archive and discover what I'd been missing. So if you want the full experience, check to see if your edition has diagrams.
whats_margaret_reading's review against another edition
3.0
The Leavenworth Case has many of the hallmarks of a modern mystery novel (and having just read The Chinese Orange Mystery by Ellery Queen I was surprised by similarities of the initial crime). There's the dramatic murder, the inquest, the evidence leading the lesser detectives and reader down the wrong path. There is also a scene where Mr. Gryce uses classic Poirot tactics to gain the confession from the killer. Except, of course, that Poirot is using the original's. Many of the features in The Leavenworth Case would be downright derivative if published today, but this is one of the novels that set the genre, and that so many others have copied unconsciously in some way, shape, or form.
This mystery novel was first published in 1878, and focuses on the violent murder of a New York millionaire. It also introduces the American series detective Ebenezer Gryce, who falls into the major archetypes of 19th century detectives including leaving the narration to another. I was impressed again at how modern 19th century crime novels feel, even when recognizing that these are the works that set the tone for the history of the detective novel.
Once again, Penguin made a good choice to reissue classic short stories (see also Penguin Classics edited by Michael Sim) and novels in the crime genre so enthusiasts can see how the first masters of the detective novel influence the works we read today. Also, like with any good crime fiction, this is a downright entertaining and suspenseful piece.
This mystery novel was first published in 1878, and focuses on the violent murder of a New York millionaire. It also introduces the American series detective Ebenezer Gryce, who falls into the major archetypes of 19th century detectives including leaving the narration to another. I was impressed again at how modern 19th century crime novels feel, even when recognizing that these are the works that set the tone for the history of the detective novel.
Once again, Penguin made a good choice to reissue classic short stories (see also Penguin Classics edited by Michael Sim) and novels in the crime genre so enthusiasts can see how the first masters of the detective novel influence the works we read today. Also, like with any good crime fiction, this is a downright entertaining and suspenseful piece.
mirificmoxie's review against another edition
3.0
3 Stars
*A genre-defining mystery that hasn’t aged well*
As I worked my way through various classic Mystery novels, I came across the name Anna Katharine Green. It turns out that she was a successful Mystery novelist. Not only was she a best-selling author and one of the first female Mystery writers, she was one of the first Mystery writers AT ALL. That’s right; this book was a best seller a decade before [a:Arthur Conan Doyle|2448|Arthur Conan Doyle|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1495008883p2/2448.jpg] published his first Sherlock Holmes story! The great [a:Agatha Christie|123715|Agatha Christie|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1589991473p2/123715.jpg] listed Green as a major influence to her writing. And having read The Leavenworth Case, it is clear that Green’s influence reached many writers and the genre as a whole.
Although the story is a bit rough around the edges, it is clear to see how this book has many elements that became hallmarks of detective fiction including the locked room mystery, the death in a grand house, the amateur sleuth, the red herrings, the framework of accurate (for the time) criminal law, and the use of deductive reasoning to reach a conclusion beyond the sight of the other characters involved. And these are things that usually get attributed to Doyle. It was surprising to learn that for years I’ve been giving Doyle far too much credit for laying the foundational work of the genre. Oh, certainly Doyle still had a profound impact on the genre and created one of the greatest and best known literary characters. But he was already building on the work of others. And Anna Katharine Green deserves far more credit and recognition than she gets.
As an interesting side note, this story particularly in the beginning, reminded me of the Lizzie Borden case. They both have a father figure cold-bloodedly murdered with the daughter/niece in the house and claiming to have seen nothing, a disputed inheritance, and a similar time period – followed by a lot of circumstantial evidence and clash between the likely possibility of a young, genteel woman being a murder and the society dissonance of accepting said young, genteel woman being capable of such violence. (See [b:The Trial of Lizzie Borden|40538605|The Trial of Lizzie Borden|Cara Robertson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1550418564l/40538605._SY75_.jpg|62941264] for more details.) Of course, The Leavenworth Case was published in 1878, and the Borden murders did not occur until 1892. It isn’t as if Green ripped her story from the day’s headlines. And the cases veer from each other upon closer examination. But the start of the story gave me deja vu.
So why has Green’s work fallen off the modern radar? Well, she experienced more than her share of criticism, and most of it seemed to be because she was a woman. When The Leavenworth Case first hit it big, people kept asking if something so good could really have been written by a woman. It was supposedly even debated in the Pennsylvania State Senate if a woman could really have written it. As the years went by and Green’s career continued, the criticism towards her work became more and more harsh. Many (male) writers including [a:T.S. Elliot|16337354|T.S. Elliot|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], [a:Arthur Bennett|7181380|Arthur Bennett|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], and [a:Raymond Chandler|1377|Raymond Chandler|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1206535318p2/1377.jpg] all actively demeaned Green’s work.
Admittedly, the story is quite dated now. Few books maintain easy readability a century and a half later. And yes, the characters are melodramatic. But then again, that Gothic melodrama was hugely popular at the time. I had more issue with the story being almost entirely composed of dialogue. That did cause the pace of the story to be slow. And yes, the female characters were the stereotypical dramatic, hysterical, delicate dolls that society idealized at the time. Again, it clearly played to the audience of the time – even if I do prefer my heroines to have way more agency, gumption, and common sense.
It’s tough to say what my overall verdict is. The plot was interesting enough, but it was weighed down by the dramatic circumlocution. And as I mentioned, the story hasn’t aged well. But I am absolutely glad that I read it and can now give proper credit where credit is due. And despite its flaws, I would recommend it to anyone wanting a clear picture of how Whodunits came to be.
RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 3 Stars
Writing Style: 3 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 2 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 3 Stars
Level of Captivation: 3 Stars
Originality: 4 Stars
*A genre-defining mystery that hasn’t aged well*
As I worked my way through various classic Mystery novels, I came across the name Anna Katharine Green. It turns out that she was a successful Mystery novelist. Not only was she a best-selling author and one of the first female Mystery writers, she was one of the first Mystery writers AT ALL. That’s right; this book was a best seller a decade before [a:Arthur Conan Doyle|2448|Arthur Conan Doyle|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1495008883p2/2448.jpg] published his first Sherlock Holmes story! The great [a:Agatha Christie|123715|Agatha Christie|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1589991473p2/123715.jpg] listed Green as a major influence to her writing. And having read The Leavenworth Case, it is clear that Green’s influence reached many writers and the genre as a whole.
“It is not for me to suspect but to detect.”
Although the story is a bit rough around the edges, it is clear to see how this book has many elements that became hallmarks of detective fiction including the locked room mystery, the death in a grand house, the amateur sleuth, the red herrings, the framework of accurate (for the time) criminal law, and the use of deductive reasoning to reach a conclusion beyond the sight of the other characters involved. And these are things that usually get attributed to Doyle. It was surprising to learn that for years I’ve been giving Doyle far too much credit for laying the foundational work of the genre. Oh, certainly Doyle still had a profound impact on the genre and created one of the greatest and best known literary characters. But he was already building on the work of others. And Anna Katharine Green deserves far more credit and recognition than she gets.
“You must never, in reckoning up an affair of murder like this, forget who it is that most profits by the deceased man's death.”
As an interesting side note, this story particularly in the beginning, reminded me of the Lizzie Borden case. They both have a father figure cold-bloodedly murdered with the daughter/niece in the house and claiming to have seen nothing, a disputed inheritance, and a similar time period – followed by a lot of circumstantial evidence and clash between the likely possibility of a young, genteel woman being a murder and the society dissonance of accepting said young, genteel woman being capable of such violence. (See [b:The Trial of Lizzie Borden|40538605|The Trial of Lizzie Borden|Cara Robertson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1550418564l/40538605._SY75_.jpg|62941264] for more details.) Of course, The Leavenworth Case was published in 1878, and the Borden murders did not occur until 1892. It isn’t as if Green ripped her story from the day’s headlines. And the cases veer from each other upon closer examination. But the start of the story gave me deja vu.
So why has Green’s work fallen off the modern radar? Well, she experienced more than her share of criticism, and most of it seemed to be because she was a woman. When The Leavenworth Case first hit it big, people kept asking if something so good could really have been written by a woman. It was supposedly even debated in the Pennsylvania State Senate if a woman could really have written it. As the years went by and Green’s career continued, the criticism towards her work became more and more harsh. Many (male) writers including [a:T.S. Elliot|16337354|T.S. Elliot|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], [a:Arthur Bennett|7181380|Arthur Bennett|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], and [a:Raymond Chandler|1377|Raymond Chandler|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1206535318p2/1377.jpg] all actively demeaned Green’s work.
Admittedly, the story is quite dated now. Few books maintain easy readability a century and a half later. And yes, the characters are melodramatic. But then again, that Gothic melodrama was hugely popular at the time. I had more issue with the story being almost entirely composed of dialogue. That did cause the pace of the story to be slow. And yes, the female characters were the stereotypical dramatic, hysterical, delicate dolls that society idealized at the time. Again, it clearly played to the audience of the time – even if I do prefer my heroines to have way more agency, gumption, and common sense.
It’s tough to say what my overall verdict is. The plot was interesting enough, but it was weighed down by the dramatic circumlocution. And as I mentioned, the story hasn’t aged well. But I am absolutely glad that I read it and can now give proper credit where credit is due. And despite its flaws, I would recommend it to anyone wanting a clear picture of how Whodunits came to be.
RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 3 Stars
Writing Style: 3 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 2 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 3 Stars
Level of Captivation: 3 Stars
Originality: 4 Stars
nutti72's review
4.0
It's an interesting book for a number of reasons. It was written by a woman. It was also published ten years before Sherlock Holmes and yet it's Arthur Conan Doyle we remember.
tctimlin's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
sweetjaneeyre's review against another edition
Παραφράζοντας τα λόγια ενός φαφλατά θείου θα πω, "υπάρχουν βιβλία που τα διαβάζεις πριν τον ύπνο και υπάρχουν βιβλία που σε βάζουν για ύπνο, θες δεν θες". Ε, η Υπόθεση Λέβενγουορθ ανήκει ξεκάθαρα στην δεύτερη κατηγορία.