The Philadelphia Item says: "This book is quite up to the level of the high standard which Mr. Hume has set for himself in 'The Mystery of a Hansom Cab' and 'The Rainbow Feather.' It is a brilliant, stirring adventure, showing the author's prodigious inventiveness, his well of imagination never running dry."
ttle sweetheart some occasion for jealousy. He resolved to mend his ways and shun the too fascinating society of the enchantress. Shaking off his moody feeling, he came forward to assist Morley. The host was a little man, and could not reach the gifts that hung on the topmost boughs of the tree. Giles being tall and having a long reach of arm, came to his aid.
"That's right, that's right," gasped Morley, his round face red and shining with his exertions, "the best gifts are up here."
"As the best gifts of man are from heaven," put in Mrs. Parry, with her usual tact.
Morley laughed. "Quite so, quite so," he said, careful as was everyone else not to offend the lady, "but on this occasion we can obtain the best gifts. I and Ware and Mrs. Morley have contributed to the tree. The children have their presents, now for the presents of the grown-ups."
By this time the children were gorged with food and distracted by many presents. They were seated everywhere, many on the floor, and the roo
Unlike some of his extraordinary mysteries this story, disappointingly mediocre and unplausibly plotted, lacks in the innate qualities found in Hume's writings. Entanglement of relationships, convolutions in the plot and competition in romance infused in the story, were ineptly sketched. Specially, poor portrayal of the character of Morley and Olga led me to the accurate guessing of the murderer right at the beginning. Although this book can cause a great deal of excitement for the occasional mystery readers, it certainly fails to fit for experienced mystery readers.
