The Fletcher, J. S. (Joseph Smith) 1863-1935 creator text utu 2006 monographic en 1 online resource : multiple file formats "The Middle of Things" by J. S. Fletcher is a mystery novel written in the early 20th century. The story revolves around Richard Viner, a young gentleman who finds himself entangled in a murder mystery when he discovers a body in a dark passageway near his home. The opening chapters introduce a clever interplay between Viner and his aunt, Miss Bethia Penkridge, who has a fascination with sensational fiction, which runs parallel to the unfolding real-life crime. At the start of the novel, Viner spends an evening reading to his aunt, only to later witness a shocking murder as he takes his customary late-night stroll. The victim is soon identified as Mr. Ashton, a man of mysterious background and wealth, who has just arrived from Australia. As the police investigate, and Viner becomes a key witness, the story unfolds with layers of intrigue surrounding Ashton's life, including references to a secret that could potentially impact influential families in England. The opening portion effectively sets up a highly engaging mystery filled with suspense and various characters whose connections to the deceased promise further developments in the plot. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Release date is 2006-02-01 Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Mary Meehan, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team Original publication data not identified Detective and mystery stories PR Original publication data not identified https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/9902 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/9902 UtSlPG 260607 20260610133237.0 9902