
The Flying Fifty-Five (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. An Aviation Espionage Thriller of Betrayal, Bravery, and High-Stakes Criminal EnterprisesBy Edgar WallaceLength10h 47m
About this audiobook
Edgar Wallace's *The Flying Fifty-Five* is a brisk crime thriller in which speed, secrecy, and criminal ingenuity generate an atmosphere of continual pursuit. Its title evokes the glamour and danger of modern transport, while the narrative moves through a recognizably Wallacean world of concealed identities, illicit schemes, endangered reputations, and investigators attempting to impose order upon rapidly shifting events. Written in the economical, highly visual manner associated with popular interwar fiction, the novel privileges suspense, sharply timed revelations, and dialogue-driven characterization over extended psychological analysis. It belongs to the formative period of British sensation and detective literature, when technological modernity, urban mobility, and organized crime offered both compelling subjects and metaphors for social unease. Wallace brought to the book an unusual combination of journalistic immediacy and immense professional experience. Born in 1875, he worked as a war correspondent and newspaper writer before becoming one of the most prolific authors of twentieth-century popular fiction. His reporting cultivated a taste for concise description, rapid transitions, and plots shaped by competing testimonies and hidden motives. Those qualities, together with his familiarity with crime reporting and metropolitan life, helped him produce fiction that is accessible without being structurally careless and sensational without abandoning narrative logic. Readers interested in the development of British crime fiction will find *The Flying Fifty-Five* especially rewarding. It offers an energetic example of Wallace's craft: compact, cinematic, and designed to sustain curiosity from one episode to the next. The novel is recommended both to devotees of classic detective and adventure fiction and to readers seeking a vivid literary expression of the modern fascination with speed, risk, and the elusive boundary between respectable society and the criminal underworld.
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
Rating★★★★ 3.7 (43)
Includes Goodreads, Amazon
GenreMystery and Thriller
Length10 hrs 47 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateSep 15, 2022
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1The Flying Fifty-Five (Annotated)
2Introduction
3Synopsis
4Historical Context
5I. — THE GIRL TRAINER
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6II. — THE NEW HEAD LAD
7* * * * *
8III. — WHY STELLA GAMBLED
9IV. — A BACKER OF HORSES
10V. — THE WINNER OF THE TRIAL STAKES
11VI. — THE NEW LAD BETS
12VII. — LORD FONTWELL GIVES HIS ORDERS
13VIII. — THE COVENTRY STAKES
14IX. — THE RACE FOR THE COVENTRY
15* * * * *
16X. — THE HONOURABLE CLAUDE BARBERRY
17XI. — "HELL AND IRON" AT HOME
18XII. — THE HUNT CUP
19* * * * *
20XIII. — AN UNWELCOME VISITOR
21XIV. — BILL GOES HOME
22* * * * *
23* * * * *
24XV. — THE SUNDERFIELD COLLIERY
25XVI. — A MORNING GALLOP
26XVII. — BILL GIVES ADVICE
27XVIII. — HER LADYSHIP'S GUESTS
28XIX. — MR. URQUHART GIVES AN OPINION
29XX. — FOLLY FARM
30XXI. — THE WONDERFUL CHARLES
31XXII. — THE STEWARD'S CUP
32XXIII. — STELLA WINS MONEY
33XXIV. — THE STORY OF URQUHART'S SON
34XXV. — "A DIVORCE HAS BEEN ARRANGED"
35XXVI. — SIR JACQUES CHANGES HIS MIND
36* * * * *
37XXVII. — SIR JACQUES MAKES A DISCOVERY
38XXVIII. — A REJECTED PROPOSAL
39XXIX. — THE CHAMPAGNE STAKES
40XXX. — JEBSON'S CLUB
41XXXI. — THE GAYNESS OF AUNT ELIZA
42XXXII. — THE SAFE IN THE WALL
43XXXIII. — RACING EDUCATION
44XXXIV. — THE ARRIVAL OF MRS. BROWN
45XXXV. — THE RUNNING OF TEN SPOT
46XXXVI. — THE PORTRAIT
47XXXVII. — A WRONG NOMINATION
48XXXVIII. — GOLDY LOCKS
49XXXIX. — "SEVEN HILLS—NOT QUALIFIED."
50XL. — MR. JEBSON RECEIVES A COMMISSION