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2026-11-01 06:19:36 GMT

The Prisoner in the Opal
A pretty American implores wine enthusiast Ricardo to alter his plans for an upcoming visit to vineyards in France to protect her friend, who she fears is threatened by ominous occult forces. He tries to evade responsibility, only to find that his plans have been switched for him. Thrust unanticipated among unfamiliar guests at the chateau, including, unexpectedly, the pretty American, he witnesses odd events and senses sinister intrigue. The uneasy gathering erupts into chaos when two young women vanish.
Famous Parisian detective Inspector Hanaud is in the area investigating a series of young women gone missing, and now he’s faced with another disappearance and a murder. Confusing clues are gathered from detective work, coincidences, and chance conversations, while complex characters who hide secrets ranging from amusing to insidious to satanic rotate into the picture. Hanaud desperately tries to prevent another murder of a witness as the group races to find her.
https://standardebooks.org/ebooks/a-e-w-mason/the-prisoner-in-the-opal
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#opal #prisoner #american #inspectorhanaud #france #ricardo #famousparisian
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2026-10-21 05:07:59 GMT

The Mystery of the Barranca
William Thornton and Robert Seyd are two American friends who share an interest in mining. They make an agreement that whoever finds a good prospect has to contact the other so that they can work together to exploit the mine. The day to honor this pact finally comes when Robert finds a rich copper mine in Guerrero, Mexico.
On the way to the mine, William is struck by the beauty of an elegant young woman, accompanied by a large Siberian wolfhound, at a local train station. As the train approaches, the dog leaps onto the tracks. Robert, acting quickly, gets the dog to safety in the nick of time. The girl’s companion—the nephew of the general who owns the land under the mine—offers the American duo men and mules to transport their equipment to their destination.
What appears to be a stroke of good luck ends up becoming a prelude to a seemingly endless wave of challenges, as the bad omens surrounding the mine, and the general's animosity towards Americans, threaten to lead William and Robert down a path of treachery and darkness.
https://standardebooks.org/ebooks/herman-whitaker/the-mystery-of-the-barranca
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#mystery #robert #williamthornton #american #mexico #guerrero
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2026-10-21 04:41:18 GMT

The Emperor of Portugallia
Jan Andersson is a poor crofter. The only thing that brings him joy is his daughter Glory, but when the family finds itself in need of money, she moves to Stockholm to look for a job. At first Jan is despondent, especially as Glory very quickly stops sending letters. But as time goes on, Jan begins to piece together what happened to Glory in Stockholm—though his conclusions differ wildly from everyone else’s.
Blending family drama with social critique, Selma Lagerlöf explores the ways in which community and generational relations can be affected by forces both beyond and within our control, and how redemption is possible, if we so choose.
Lagerlöf considered titling the novel A Swedish King Lear, alluding to the generational conflicts central to both the novel and the play. Today The Emperor of Portugallia is considered a classic of Swedish literature, with multiple adaptations, including the now lost 1925 Hollywood film The Tower of Lies and a 1992 series for Swedish public television.
https://standardebooks.org/ebooks/selma-lagerlof/the-emperor-of-portugallia/velma-swanston-howard
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#portugallia #glory #janandersson #swedish #stockholm #kinglear #selmalagerlof #tower
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2026-10-21 04:15:26 GMT

Suspense
Theo Trist and Brenda Gilholme have known one another since childhood. Trist has become a renowned war correspondent for influential newspapers in London and Paris, dispatched to dangerous areas of the globe to report on the most terrible events imaginable. Brenda, until now in the shadow of her sister, a celebrated society beauty, has lived the life of the mind, immersing herself in studies of languages, mathematics, theology, and political economy—a life which Victorian society doesn’t value for its daughters, but which Trist admires in the observant and analytical Brenda. Mrs. Wylie, a mutual friend who has supported each of them throughout their formative years, knows that their respective intelligence, and their senses of honor, duty, and self-sacrifice, set them apart from their peers and drive them to make the most of themselves. Those same strengths also divide and distance them from one another—and, as Mrs. Wylie knows, time is on no one’s side.
Suspense is one of Henry Seton Merriman’s more philosophical novels. In meta-commentary, the author makes plain his acceptance of Victorian views on social roles, expectations, and responsibilities, while also celebrating those who are courageous enough to stand apart from that society to live their own lives. Though an earlier of Merriman’s works, it still displays the intricate plotting, character development, and attention to place and history which are characteristic of his later works. Though its narrative and dialogue fit squarely within the framework of contemporary Victorian fiction, Suspense nevertheless demonstrates the best of that structure, even as Merriman shows with his subsequent works his desire and capability to rise above it.
https://standardebooks.org/ebooks/henry-seton-merriman/suspense
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#suspense #brendagilholme #trist #merriman #victorian #setonmerriman #wylie #henryseton #theotrist #though
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2026-10-17 03:45:51 GMT

Moral Letters to Lucilius
Seneca was a Stoic philosopher and statesman in Rome’s early post-Augustan era. He was Nero’s tutor, and then his advisor when Nero became emperor in 54 CE. After Seneca retired from public life, he wrote a series of letters to his friend Lucilius, the procurator of Sicily. These letters were circulated right before Seneca’s death in 65 CE, when Nero forced him to commit suicide for his alleged involvement in a conspiracy.
These letters, which were written for widespread publication as well as directly to Lucilius, mainly focus on guiding the reader to a life well-lived. At times, the advice is regarding specific personal issues, such as when he gives a review of a book written by Lucilius. Other letters give Seneca’s thoughts on broader issues like slavery, independence of thought, and virtue. Through all of them, his Stoicism shines through, whether in his metaphysics (like when he writes on “the god within us”) or in his focus on how virtue is the only good. His diverse interests are also on display, as when he addresses current events (like the burning of Lyons), or when he speculates on science (like when he offers his thoughts on animal instincts).
These letters have been popular and influential since their initial circulation, and were widely read from the Roman period, up through the Middle Ages, and into the Renaissance, where Michel de Montaigne used them as a model for his Essays. They remain highly regarded today for their practical and sage advice.
https://standardebooks.org/ebooks/seneca/moral-letters-to-lucilius/richard-m-gummere
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#lucilius #moralletters #seneca #nero #middleages #rome #stoic #sicily #lyons #essays
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