The Luminous Face

"The Luminous Face" by Carolyn Wells is a compelling mystery where the supposed suicide of Robert Gleason soon reveals a darker narrative of hidden motives and potential murder. The story centers on Doctor Ely Davenport, a doctor marked by his high opinion of himself; Pollard, a figure shrouded in secrecy with ties to Gleason; and Phyllis Lindsay, whose history with the deceased suggests a complicated past. Immediately following Gleason's death, a group of people dissects the case, painting a picture of suspense filled with questions of how someone can be driven to commit such a crime. Next comes a desperate phone call from Gleason himself, claiming he has been shot, which pushes Doctor Davenport to rush to the scene, where the discovery of Gleason's corpse adds more complexity to the puzzling facts surrounding his demise. Right away, this creates a complex network of interactions and possible reasons that will become more apparent as the detective figures out what happened.