The Hand in the Dark
The Hand in the Dark, published in 1920, is a country-house detective novel. The Heredith family's moat-house, built on a site soaked in centuries of bloodshed, is hosting a dinner party when a shot is heard upstairs and the young wife of the heir is found dead. The local police make an arrest, but the family brings in a private investigator who distrusts the obvious explanation and works instead from small physical facts: a scrap of cloth, the behavior of a door, the time it takes to climb a staircase. Arthur J. Rees was an Australian-born writer living in England, and his book belongs to the moment when the puzzle-plot was replacing the sensation novel in crime fiction. The full text is available to read online in your browser on Vinteuil, and the first chapter is free.
Start reading right away, without signing up. The complete text is included in Vinteuil Reading, or yours forever with a one-time purchase.
Frequently asked questions about The Hand in the Dark
The Hand in the Dark by Arthur J. Rees can be read online on Vinteuil, directly in your browser. The first chapter is free for everyone; the complete book is included in Vinteuil Reading ($4.99/month or $39.99/year) or yours forever for $2.99.
Can I read The Hand in the Dark online?
Yes. The Hand in the Dark opens right on this page, in a reader designed for long reading: adjustable text size, light, sepia and dark themes, a clickable table of contents and your place saved when you are signed in. No download or app is needed.
Is The Hand in the Dark free to read on Vinteuil?
The first chapter of The Hand in the Dark is free, without an account. To read the whole book, either buy its online reading for $2.99 (£2.99 in the UK) and keep it forever, or subscribe to Vinteuil Reading for $4.99/month (£4.99/month in the UK) or $39.99/year, with 1 month free for new subscribers. The subscription opens every book in the library and can be cancelled at any time.
Is The Hand in the Dark in the public domain?
Yes. The Hand in the Dark by Arthur J. Rees is a public-domain work. Vinteuil offers a carefully prepared digital edition made for comfortable reading on screen.
How long does it take to read The Hand in the Dark?
About 7 h 07 min of reading, at an average reading pace. Your place is saved automatically when you are signed in, so you can read in several sittings and on several devices.
What kind of book is The Hand in the Dark?
The Hand in the Dark by Arthur J. Rees is filed under "Mystery" in the Vinteuil library.
