02145cam a22003013u 450000100060000000300070000600500170001300600020003000700050003200800410003704000110007804100170008905000070010610000320011324500270014526400510017230000470022333600260027033700260029633800360032250000310035850800790038952012450046853400450171365300250175885600430178399900170182613158UtSlPG20260610133318.0mcr n260607r2004||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d  aUtSlPG 7aen2iso639-1 4aPR1 aHocking, Joseph,d1860-193714aThe Weapons of Mystery 1aSalt Lake City, UT :bProject Gutenberg,c2004  a1 online resource :bmultiple file formats  atextbtxt2rdacontent  acomputerbc2rdamedia  aonline resourcebcr2rdacarrier  aRelease date is 2004-08-10  aProduced by Suzanne Shell, Charlene Taylor and PG Distributed Proofreaders  a"The Weapons of Mystery" by Joseph Hocking is a novel written in the late 19th century. The story revolves around Justin Blake, a young author who finds himself drawn into a web of mystery and intrigue after receiving an invitation to spend Christmas at the home of an old friend, Tom Temple. As Blake arrives, he encounters a cast of intriguing characters, including the enigmatic Herod Voltaire and the beautiful Gertrude Forrest, both of whom will play critical roles in his journey.  At the start of the novel, Justin is introduced as a bachelor living alone, recently come into a fortune and pursuing a literary career. He receives a letter from Tom Temple inviting him to join the festivities at Temple Hall. After a brief encounter with Gertrude, his fellow traveler on the train, and an unsettling meeting with Miss Staggles, a meddlesome older woman, Justin arrives at Temple Hall, where he is introduced to other guests. Tension mounts as he senses a rivalry with Voltaire, who seems to take an interest in Gertrude. The opening sets the stage for a blend of romance and mystery, hinting at dark themes of obsession, mesmerism, and a struggle for control over both love and free will. (This is an automatically generated summary.)  nOriginal publication data not identified  aMesmerism -- Fiction40uhttps://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/13158  c54548d54548