The Dark House, by George Manville Fenn.
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It would be hard to praise this book highly enough. It is in essence a
murder and detection mystery, the sort of thing that great mid-twentieth
century writers like Agatha Christie wrote so well. This is a quite
masterly book, a short one at that, a book full of suspense and
surprises. Unusual to find such a book dating from the 19th century!
An extremely wealthy but reclusive man has died, leaving an eccentric
will which hints at great riches hidden somewhere in the house. Most of
the people at the reading of the will did not know the deceased in
person, but had received kindnesses from him, for instance by the
payment of school and university fees. The principal beneficiary, a
great-nephew, also did not know him. The only two people who really
knew him were the old lawyer who dealt with his affairs, and an old
Indian servant. Yet when the will had been read, and they all went to
where the treasure--gold, jewels and bank-notes--were supposed to be
hidden, nothing could be found.
There are an unusual number of deaths, by murder and in self-defence, as
the story unfolds, and we are left in total suspense until the very end
of the very last chapter. The person who works out where the treasure
must be, and how it got there, does not come on the scene until almost
the last chapter, and even then he has to go on business to America
before he can come in and explain his theory, which proves to be right.
This book makes an excellent audiobook, and you will certainly like it.
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THE DARK HOUSE, BY GEORGE MANVILLE FENN.