New Books.

Taranaki Herald, Volume L, Issue 12280, 12 June 1903, Page 4

New Books.

The Doubling of • Joseph' Brereton.— By Wra. It.^ Hodder. London : Ward Lock & Co., Ltd; New Plymouth, T. R. Hodder. This story has" a strong detective flavour about it. It describes how one Frank Somcrs, under the 'skilful direction " of ' Jersey Craggs, already bearing a striking resemblance to Joseph Brereton completes the resein-. blance by mutilating a finger, ( drawing teeth, and gashing, his thigh/w ith the idea of passing himself off as the real Joseph and thus succeeding, to an estate in- England. The real Joe had left Home oh account of being unabje .to get on with his half-brother. J * He went, to Texas, where Jersey Craggs mat him and conceived the diabolical plot of murdering him and with Sonxers' help possessing, himself of the. wealth that was coming to Jhis , intend- j cd victim. Fortunately Joe escapes .murder by changing bedrooms with his own stockrider, but Craggs. is. not . a> ! wore of his mistake. Someirs, naving boon" thoroughly filtered in , playing his part, goes Homoy 1 and the real Joe also goes at the,~-same "time. They, are ,in Livorpool together, and they make 'their way to Brereton's home about the same time* The real, Jpe, however,, turns back to Liverpool, while tho counterfeit goes on and proceeds ,to tho Sefton Hall, the- homo of the Broroton's half brother, who, being out rabbit shooting, sees his supposed

brother and conceive* the idea of shoot ing him and removing the only obstacle between himself and a sao estate ke shoots and kills Somers, and st iU believing the body to be that of Joe throws it down a disused well. iieie it in discovered through a dispute as to whether a gift which the heroine of the story, Nora O'-Neili, possesses is thought reading or clairvoyance, bhe & ees a seal at the bottom of a -deep well and ihe well .is drained wtth the result that the body is -enscovered, with the seal, which .had, unknown to the owner of the gun, .been hidden m - the barrel. In the ihidst of the excitement of the murder Ik real Joe turns up, but there is a difficulty a : ,bou,t proving his identity, JUe murdered man bears all the marks, that Joe was known to possess, and his identity is only established :«• by thumb marks, wAs a. boy he had impressed his thumb " marison paper and Nora at the right moment discovers the impression. Jersey Craffffs had anticipated' this and had scarred Somers's thumbs. The plo* is cleverly, conceived and cleverly worked out, wth plenty of striking incident. -' - ' h " ' .„ The volume may. be obtained f<>r 6/b from Mr T. 8., Hodder, whose' son, by the way, is the author of, it- It 4» «• story which, once started, will. scarce^ ly be laid down, till it is -finished. ,