Lost Man's Lane: A Second Episode in the Life of Amelia Butterworth
by Anna Katharine Green
Amelia Butterworth (2), Ebenezer Gryce (9)
On This Page
Description
Ever since my fortunate-or shall I say unfortunate?-connection with that famous case of murder in Gramercy Park, I have had it intimated to me by many of my friends-and by some who were not my friends-that no woman who had met with such success as myself in detective work would ever be satisfied with a single display of her powers, and that sooner or later I would find myself again at work upon some other case of striking peculiarities. As vanity has never been my foible, and as, moreover, I show more never have forsaken and never am likely to forsake the plain path marked out for my sex, at any other call than that of duty, I invariably responded to these insinuations by an affable but incredulous smile, striving to excuse the presumption of my friends by remembering their ignorance of my nature and the very excellent reasons I had for my one notable interference in the police affairs of New York City. Besides, though I appeared to be resting quietly, if not in entire contentment, on my laurels, I was not so utterly removed from the old atmosphere of crime and its detection as the world in general considered me to be. Mr. Gryce still visited me; not on business, of course, but as a friend, for whom I had some regard; and naturally our conversation was not always confined to the weather or even to city politics, provocative as the latter subject is of wholesome controversy. show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Recommendations
DeusXMachina Ancient women detectives
Member Reviews
Detective Ebenezer Gryce makes sleuthing spinster Amelia Butterworth an offer she can’t refuse: a chance to investigate a second case, this time in the Berkshires. It’s a delight to see the pair wheedle and manipulate each other!
In this sequel to That Affair Next Door, Miss Butterworth — as nosy and determined as ever, although more humble than before — pushes herself onto the children of a dear, departed schoolmate of hers so as to be onsite to look around. And she does as fine a job as any policeman! I really enjoyed this slyly humorous novel even if author Anna Katherine Green’s denouement was completely unbelievable. I docked the book a star for the silly ending, but the novel was still a delight, and I don’t regret show more reading this funny, incisive gem at all. I look forward to reading the final one in the series, The Circular Study. show less
In this sequel to That Affair Next Door, Miss Butterworth — as nosy and determined as ever, although more humble than before — pushes herself onto the children of a dear, departed schoolmate of hers so as to be onsite to look around. And she does as fine a job as any policeman! I really enjoyed this slyly humorous novel even if author Anna Katherine Green’s denouement was completely unbelievable. I docked the book a star for the silly ending, but the novel was still a delight, and I don’t regret show more reading this funny, incisive gem at all. I look forward to reading the final one in the series, The Circular Study. show less
Spoiler warning: Don't read reviews or murder mysteries if you don't want to know the ending.
I liked this mystery, and I'm glad to have discovered AK Green as a true predecessor of Agatha Christie. Amelia Butterworth (loved that name before I even started reading) is a not always likable, sometimes snobbish, headstrong and clever woman, and her female and amateurish intuition makes a great foil to the methodical approach of Inspector Gryce.
Didn't like the ending, though. The perpetrator wasn't hard to guess in the first place - if everyone is described as somewhat flawed and unlikable and only one person is consistently pictured as smart, kind and misunderstood, that's probably the one. Even worse was the explanation/motivation for the show more crime, though. Even if sudden insanity is believably rooted in the dark recesses of a character, if it's never foreshadowed and comes out of the blue only at the very end of the plot, it will always appear as a deus ex machina. show less
I liked this mystery, and I'm glad to have discovered AK Green as a true predecessor of Agatha Christie. Amelia Butterworth (loved that name before I even started reading) is a not always likable, sometimes snobbish, headstrong and clever woman, and her female and amateurish intuition makes a great foil to the methodical approach of Inspector Gryce.
Didn't like the ending, though. The perpetrator wasn't hard to guess in the first place - if everyone is described as somewhat flawed and unlikable and only one person is consistently pictured as smart, kind and misunderstood, that's probably the one. Even worse was the explanation/motivation for the show more crime, though. Even if sudden insanity is believably rooted in the dark recesses of a character, if it's never foreshadowed and comes out of the blue only at the very end of the plot, it will always appear as a deus ex machina. show less
Miss Amelia Butterworth is approached by detective Gryce for help in an investigation. The disappearance of four people in the last five years from the same village. A village which houses the children of an old school friend. So she invites herself to visit.
An enjoyable mystery.
Originally written in 1898.
An enjoyable mystery.
Originally written in 1898.
Ratings
Members
- Recently Added By
Lists
Female Protagonist
1,056 works; 56 members
Books Read in 2019
4,052 works; 108 members
Author Information
95+ Works 2,451 Members
Some Editions
Series
Work Relationships
Common Knowledge
- Original title
- Lost Man's Lane: A Second Episode In The Life Of Amelia Butterworth
- Original publication date
- 1898
- People/Characters
- Ebenezer Gryce; Amelia Butterworth
- First words
- A word to my readers before they begin these pages. (Preface)
Ever since my fortunate---or shall I say unfortunate?---connection with that famous case of murder in Gramercy Park, I have had it intimated to me by many of my friends---and by some who were not my friends—that no woman wh... (show all)o had met with such success as myself in detective work would ever be satisfied with a single display of her powers, and that sooner or later I would find myself again at work upon some other case of striking peculiarities. (Text) - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)May the dust lie lightly on thy breast under the shadow of the Flower Parlor, through which thy footsteps passed with such dread in the old days of thy youthful beauty and innocence!
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 49
- Popularity
- 612,781
- Reviews
- 3
- Rating
- (3.72)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 20
- ASINs
- 6
