
The Greene Murder Case (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. A Philo Vance MysteryBy S. S. Van DineLength12h 3m
About this audiobook
The Greene Murder Case is among S. S. Van Dine's most architecturally intricate Philo Vance mysteries, combining the fair-play puzzle of the Golden Age detective novel with a distinctly Gothic atmosphere. Set largely within the oppressive Greene mansion, the novel traces a sequence of deaths among a bitter, declining New York family, turning inheritance, resentment, and hereditary decay into clues as important as fingerprints. Van Dine's prose is urbane, allusive, and deliberately intellectual, reflecting the interwar taste for detection as a refined contest of reason. S. S. Van Dine was the pseudonym of Willard Huntington Wright, an American critic, editor, and art theorist whose wide learning shaped the polished, sometimes ostentatious manner of his fiction. During a period of illness, Wright immersed himself in detective literature and emerged not only as a practitioner but as a theorist of the genre, later formulating influential rules for mystery writing. Philo Vance's aestheticism and analytic detachment clearly reflect Wright's own cultivated sensibility. This novel is recommended for readers who enjoy classic detective fiction at its most formal, cerebral, and atmospheric. Those drawn to Agatha Christie, Ellery Queen, or the history of the puzzle mystery will find it both an absorbing crime story and a revealing document of its literary moment.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
GenreMystery and Thriller
Length12 hrs 3 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateJan 1, 2024
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1A Son of Mars (Annotated)
2Introduction
3Synopsis
4Historical Context
5The Greene Murder Case
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6Chapter I. A Double Tragedy
7Chapter II. The Investigation Opens
8Chapter III. At the Greene Mansion
9Chapter IV. The Missing Revolver
10Chapter V. Homicidal Possibilities
11Chapter VI. An Accusation
12Chapter VII. Vance Argues the Case
13Chapter VIII. The Second Tragedy
14Chapter IX. The Three Bullets
15Chapter X. The Closing of a Door
16Chapter XI. A Painful Interview
17Chapter XII. A Motor Ride
18Chapter XIII. The Third Tragedy
19Chapter XIV. Footprints on the Carpet
20Chapter XV. The Murderer in the House
21Chapter XVI. The Lost Poisons
22Chapter XVII. Two Wills
23Chapter XVIII. In the Locked Library
24Chapter XIX. Sherry and Paralysis
25Chapter XX. The Fourth Tragedy
26Chapter XXI. A Depleted Household
27Chapter XXII. The Shadowy Figure
28Chapter XXIII. The Missing Fact
29Chapter XXIV. A Mysterious Trip
30Chapter XXV. The Capture
31Chapter XXVI. The Astounding Truth
32Analysis
33Reflection
34Memorable Quotes