The Corner House

"The Corner House" by Fred M. White is a captivating mystery about a young doctor named Gordon Bruce, whose life takes a dramatic turn when he becomes entangled with the alluring Countess Lalage and the secrets hidden within the ominous Corner House. The early 20th-century novel uses sharp contrasts, revealing the secrets of an abandoned property next to a happening social scene. The story navigates themes of love and hints at a past tragedy through eerie visions and unsettling events linked to the Countess, whose charm hides a dark aura. As Bruce grows closer to her, he discovers there are crimes among the mystery, setting the scene for a complex story packed with mystery and emotional challenges.

Fred Merrick White (1859–1935) wrote a number of novels and short stories under the name "Fred M. White" including the six "Doom of London" science-fiction stories, in which various catastrophes beset London. These include The Four Days' Night (1903), in which London is beset by a massive killer smog; The Dust of Death (1903), in which diphtheria infects the city, spreading from refuse tips and sewers; and The Four White Days (1903), in which a sudden and deep winter paralyses the city under snow and ice. These six stories all first appeared in Pearson's Magazine, and were illustrated by Warwick Goble. He was also a pioneer of the spy story, and in 2003, his series The Romance of the Secret Service Fund was edited by Douglas G. Greene and published by Battered Silicon Dispatch Box.