The Gold Bag

The Gold Bag is a 1911 Golden Age mystery with all the pleasures of early detective fiction: an impossible crime, a naive but endearing hero, and the shadow of a greater mind he idolizes. Young detective Herbert Burroughs has built his career emulating the legendary Fleming Stone, and when a millionaire is found dead in his New Jersey study, Burroughs sees his chance to prove himself. The only clue? A woman's gold-mesh bag left behind at the murder scene. The suspects gather like chess pieces: the victim's niece Florence Lloyd, beautiful and next in line for the fortune, who admits the bag is hers. Her fiancé Gregory Hall, charming but suspect. The household staff, each with their own secrets. Burroughs is drawn to Florence's innocence even as evidence seems to point toward her guilt. When the clues prove too tangled for even his determination, the young detective must turn to the master and risk everything, including his heart, to learn the truth. Carolyn Wells was one of the earliest American women to master the detective novel, and this early entry in her Fleming Stone series showcases her gift for tight plotting and romantic intrigue.