SOME RECENT FICTION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 275, 14 August 1920, Page 11

SOME RECENT FICTION

"The Man Who Fell Throuah the Earth." Miss Carolyn Wells, tlio author of "Tho Man Who Fell Through the Earth" (New York, George Doran and Co.), is nn exceptionally skilled concocter of notion of the "detective" genre. Her latest story displays considerable ingenuity alike in tie imagining of the central mystery, tho murder in his office of a

highly respectable financier, and tho working out of a clever and complicated plot. The inevitable detective who rejoices in tho name of Penny Wise, possesses an assistant, named Ziri, an abnormally gifted young lady, whose methods of crime detection are decidedly novel. Tho story is liberally packed with sensation, the murdered man eventually being proved to have been a German agent, and to have been accidentally killed by an official of tho United State? Secret Service, who falls down a manhole, is carried into the East Kivcr, and when extricated therefrom and taken to a hospital is found to have lost his memory. This gentleman, tho manner of whoso disappearance explains tho curious title of_ the story, is a mast engaging personality, who well .deserves his good luck in escaping death, and finally, being rewarded with tho hand of a lovely heiress. Miss Wells writes somo sprightly dialogue, and ns a "detective" hsr novel makes excellent reading for a" few spare hours.

"The Emblems of Fidelity." "The Emblems of Fidelity," by .Tames Lniio Allen (Eveleigh Nash, per Whitcombe and Tombs), is a story told in letters. An eminent English novelist, ■ivtho is also an enthusiastic gardener, writes to a young American author, expressing delight in the latter's books, and incidentally requesting the American to send him tho roots of 6ome ferns mentioned in one of his stories. As a matter of fact, the ferns only existed- in the American author's imagination, but lie endeavours to supply a substitute. The story turns upon (lie misadventures of the American in procuring and dispatching! the desired roots. Mr. Allen's story, though slight in motif, is» amusing enough, but it is but poor stuff to come from the pen to which wo owo "Tho Choir Invisible." "The Immortal Flame." The sceiio of Miss Marie Bjelko Petersen's novel, \ "The Immortal Flame' (N.Y., Horpey and Bros.), is laid on the sea coast near.Sydney, but of distinctive) local colour there is but little.. It is sincerely to bo hoped that American readers will not accept tUo etory as a characteristic examplo of Australian fiction, for it is a terribly tawdry production, alike in plot and style, in-

deed, it recalls, in its stagey sentiment, tho once-popular fiction of tho "Bow Bells" and "Young Lady's Journal" school, A beauteous young lady is persecuted hy a wicked English lord, who has known her in England, and has got uomo mysterious hold over her, and who comes out to Australia with his invalid, but devoted wife. The persecuted givl is kidnapped by the aristocratic villain, but rescued by a gallant and handsome Australian cousin, an ex-Guardsman. The heroine is in the habit of repairing to ti cliff overlooking tho sea, and there indulging in lengthy rhapsodies on life and love with nlteronto lamentations over toe cruelties of fnte. Miss Petersen has, I should sov, based her style on that of Miss Mono (torelli plus -a flavour of that of Mrs Florence Barclay, but only succeeds in suggesting memories of the threepenny Jioyeletto of the "Something to Rend 5 ' type of. the pre-war and pre-paper shori. age days.

"Christopher Laird." In "Christopher Laird" (Dodd. Mend «nd Co.. N.Y.), Mr. Sydney M'Cnll. who wrote that powerful novel, "Truth Dexter."' rives his renders a pleasantlytold story, the hero of which leaves his noma in the Carolina mountain country as ft .youth, and comes to live with ms sisters in a neighbouring city. Christopher is an ingenuous, ill-educated lad, but possesses a heart of gold. Not. contented wi.th being the good nngel of his own family, he •exhibits a dMn. tPTKRbd hut sincerely helpful interest m the affairs of his neighbours. Indoent and without worldly ambition, bo Is, nevertheless, a' born naturalist, and is successful in. tmin in pni'mng reciig■Tiiticn as an authority on his pet subject, Also, lie has his romance, in which a youim lady of much hiriier social station is concerned, and although for a time the path of true lovo 1 is rock strewn, it has an eminently satisfactory finding. Mr. Dextcr's pictures of quiet, everyday life in a small Southern town are bright and convincing, and tile minor characters are more carefully drawn than is usual in this class of fiction. "Lost With Lieutenant Pike." "Lost With Lieutenant Pike." bv Edwin L. Sabin The Lippincotl Co., per Whiteonibo and Tombs), is a volume of "The Trail Blazers" series. It is a story of adventure, specially intmulod tor youthful entertainment, nnd is based upon the historic story of Lieutenant Pike and his fellow-explorers, who fought their wav to the mountains of Colorado (tho famous Pike's Peak is pained after tho head of the party), and kid the foundations of civilisation and settlement in Iho Far West. Tho story is generously provided, with oxeitirig incidents, in which take part some very likeable lads, as well as the explorers and military men, and is not without a certain historical and educational interest, as well. as being what boy renders would call a rattling yarn. /Some well-drawn illustrations and an excellent portrait of tho famous Pike add to the interest of tho narrative.