Room 13

"Room 13" by Edgar Wallace is a novel written in the early 20th century. It appears to be a fast-paced crime thriller centered on an ex-convict, a reformed mastermind, and a revenge plot that tangles forged banknotes with a ruthless marriage scheme. The story’s key figures include Johnny Gray (recently released from Dartmoor), the devoted father Peter Kane, his daughter Marney, and the vindictive Emanuel Legge with his elusive son Jeff, the “Big Printer.” Expect shifting loyalties, blackmail, and a deadly cat-and-mouse across England’s prisons, suburbs, and hotels. The opening of the story follows Johnny Gray in Dartmoor, where prison gossip points to the notorious counterfeiter Jeff Legge. After Johnny receives word that Marney will marry “Major Floyd,” he is abruptly released and hurries to Peter Kane’s home, only to discover at the wedding that the groom is actually Jeff in disguise. Keeping calm to protect Peter, Johnny extracts information from Lila, a maid secretly working for the Legges, and confronts Emanuel on a train, where the old man tries to murder him by pushing him into a tunnel; Johnny survives and returns to London. Meanwhile, at their hotel, Jeff reveals his identity and vengeful purpose to Marney, who locks herself away as Jeff and Emanuel plot to regain control, with Lila’s sudden arrival hinting at fresh complications.

Room 13, by Edgar Wallace. Republished by OpenStories from Project Gutenberg eBook #76168.