The Malefactor

Oppenheim, E. Phillips (Edward Phillips), 1866-194Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 404K words
Chapters: 41

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The Malefactor by E. Phillips OppenheimAuthor: Oppenheim, E. Phillips (Edward Phillips), 1866-1946,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: May 1, 1998

Editor's review

Oppenheim was a key writer of early twentieth-century British popular fiction, and this novel belongs to the suspense melodrama genre he excelled in. The story revolves around crime and pursuit, with intricate relationships and a tight pace, bearing clear marks of its era. As a free eBook from Project Gutenberg, its value lies first in accessibility: readers can encounter, at no cost, an author once widely popular but neglected by mainstream literary history. Read it as a window into how Edwardian popular fiction organized suspense, shaped the opposition of good and evil, and handled the gray zone between law and morality. Note that the language and narrative habits are nearly a century old; some expressions may feel slow or formulaic. Approach it as literary-historical inquiry or casual entertainment rather than expecting the density of a modern thriller. For readers studying the evolution of popular fiction genres or wanting to understand early English suspense narrative, this is a light but meaningful text。

Who it's for

A good fit for

Casual readers who enjoy classic British suspense and melodrama
Literary enthusiasts studying early twentieth-century popular fiction genres
Language learners seeking free English eBooks for extensive reading
Readers interested in the social and legal atmosphere of the Edwardian era

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer modern fast-paced thrillers with dense twists
Readers impatient with old-fashioned English expressions and slow narrative
Readers seeking deep psychological characterization or literary experimentation

Reading tips

Read the opening chapters first to feel the language rhythm, then decide between close or extensive reading
Keep a simple English dictionary handy; don't struggle over every period expression
Compare with contemporary British popular fiction to observe similarities and differences in suspense techniques
After reading, note how heroes and villains are portrayed as material for genre analysis

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

How difficult is the English in this book?

It is early twentieth-century popular-fiction English, with longer sentences than modern fiction and some vocabulary and expressions no longer common, but the strong plot drive makes it moderately difficult overall. Readers with a college-level English reading foundation who are willing to look up words can finish it; if you only want the plot, read through first and revisit difficult sentences later。

What are the features of the Project Gutenberg edition?

This edition is a free eBook based on public-domain text, easy to download and read across devices. It usually lacks modern publisher notes or introductions, so readers must supply background themselves; the formatting is mainly plain text, suitable for searching and quoting, but it may not have carefully proofread annotations。

Do I need to know the author before reading?

Not necessarily. The story stands relatively on its own, so you can dive right in. To better understand its popular-fiction positioning, you might briefly learn that Oppenheim was active in early twentieth-century Britain and known for suspense and adventure subjects, but this is supplementary information that does not affect basic reading。

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About the author

Oppenheim, E. Phillips (Edward Phillips), 1866-194 Author

E. Phillips Oppenheim (Edward Phillips Oppenheim, 1866–194) was a writer known for mystery and espionage fiction. Public information about him is limited, and the biographical details in our records are incomplete. The existing catalogue shows that he was a prolific author, with 61 of his works held on this site, including The Great Impersonation, The Double Traitor, The Governors, The Lost Ambassador, The Yellow House, and Stolen Idols. These works generally centre on disguise and false identity, political intrigue, detective pursuit, and adventure; their plots are tightly paced and full of suspense, and he was skilled at advancing the narrative through complex relationships among characters. His works are often classified under inspirational growth, reflecting readers' interest in the choices and turning points of fate faced by his characters.