The Mischief-Maker cover

The Mischief-Maker

Rating 3.2
Word count
527K words
Chapters
53

Tags

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 Mischief-Maker by E. Phillips OppenheimAuthor: Oppenheim, E. Phillips (Edward Phillips), 1866-1946,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Sep 1, 2005

Editor's review

Oppenheim was a major figure in early twentieth-century British popular fiction, known for tightly plotted, suspenseful novels. The Mischief-Maker continues his signature blend of adventure and intrigue, built around an elaborate swindle and a battle of wits between the characters, with brisk pacing and sharp dialogue. As a free Project Gutenberg ebook, it is an easy entry point into Edwardian popular literature. Readers will feel the narrative pull of old-fashioned thrillers and catch glimpses of the period's social manners and moral assumptions. It suits casual reading on a commute or a journey, an effortless plot-driven ride. Note that the novel is in English and carries the language habits and narrative pace of a century ago, which poses some difficulty for contemporary readers, but for that very reason it offers a window onto the evolution of English popular fiction.

Who it's for

A good fit for

  • Readers who enjoy classic English thrillers and intrigue plots
  • Readers who want to encounter early twentieth-century British popular fiction in the original
  • Those with intermediate or better English reading ability who like plot-driven stories
  • Learners who need free public-domain English reading for spare moments

Not a good fit for

  • Readers with weak English who struggle to finish original English novels
  • Serious readers who prefer profound literary themes and complex psychology
  • Readers expecting modern narrative pacing and contemporary values

Reading tips

  1. Read the first two chapters to see whether the language level and pacing suit you, then decide whether to read straight through or selectively.
  2. Keep a vocabulary notebook for recurring period expressions and review it after finishing.
  3. Use an audiobook or text-to-speech alongside the text to reduce reading fatigue.
  4. After each chapter, briefly retell the plot to help keep the characters and intrigue threads straight.

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.

Contents

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 17
  18. 18
  19. 19
  20. 20
  21. 21
  22. 22
  23. 23
  24. 24
  25. 25
  26. 26
  27. 27
  28. 28
  29. 29
  30. 30
  31. 31
  32. 32
  33. 33
  34. 34
  35. 35
  36. 36
  37. 37
  38. 38
  39. 39
  40. 40
  41. 41
  42. 42
  43. 43
  44. 44
  45. 45
  46. 46
  47. 47
  48. 48
  49. 49
  50. 50
  51. 51
  52. 52
  53. 53

FAQ

What English level does this book require?
It is early twentieth-century British popular fiction. Sentence structures are not complex, but there are period expressions and longer descriptive passages. Readers with CET-4 or above who are used to original English novels can generally move along smoothly, and skipping unfamiliar words will not hurt comprehension of the main plot.
What are the features of the Project Gutenberg edition?
Project Gutenberg offers a free public-domain ebook, in this case the original English text, readable on a computer, phone, or e-reader. The edition itself has no modern notes or introduction, so readers must adapt to the original language on their own, but it is easy to obtain and free of cost.
Can I read this without having read other Oppenheim works?
Yes. Oppenheim's popular novels are mostly self-contained, and this book does not depend on earlier ones. Reading it directly poses no obstacle to understanding the plot and can serve as an introduction to his narrative style.
Is this book suitable for learning English?
It can serve as extensive reading material, but is not recommended as an intensive textbook. Its value lies in providing plenty of connected English narrative input to help readers adapt to long-form reading; for systematic study of grammar and expression, use dedicated textbooks or graded readers as well.

Comments

Find this book

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the 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.

More by the same author

Top rated in the same category