The trail of the serpent: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
The trail of the serpent: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.
The trail of the serpent is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Braddon, M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) (1835–1915).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"The Trail of the Serpent" by M. E. Braddon is a novel written in the mid-19th century. The story appears to center on crime, intrigue, and personal downfall, set in the fictional English town of Slopperton. Early key characters include Jabez North, a school usher with hidden depths, and Richard Marwood, a prodigal son implicated in a heinous crime. The book likely explores themes of deception, mistaken guilt, and the dark complexities of human character. The opening of the novel sets a somber, rain-soaked scene in Slopperton, introducing Jabez North, a seemingly virtuous assistant at a boys' academy who harbors secrets and troubling behaviors. The narrative quickly shifts to the return of Richard Marwood, an outcast son, who reunites briefly with his mother and wealthy uncle, only to find himself entangled in a web of suspicion following his uncle's brutal murder. Parallel subplots introduce other troubled souls, such as a desperate woman and her child, and the movements of a mute detective named Peters. Within these opening chapters, the story lays the groundwork for a mystery, focusing on the wrongful accusation of Richard, the suspicion cast on various townsfolk, and the interplay between outward respectability and inner corruption.
Book and edition facts
- Title: The trail of the serpent
- Author credits: Braddon, M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) (1835–1915)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Bankers -- Fiction
- Detective and mystery stories
- Foundlings -- Fiction
- Judicial error -- Fiction
- Murderers -- Fiction
- Mute persons -- Fiction
- Paris (France) -- Fiction
- Serial murders -- Fiction
- Suspense fiction
- Yorkshire (England) -- Fiction
Gutenberg collections
- Category: British Literature
- Category: Crime, Thrillers and Mystery
- Category: Novels
Read this edition
View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.
Sources
More in Books & Authors
Keep reading
