The Hunchback of Westminster

"The Hunchback of Westminster" by William Le Queux is a fiction novel written in the early 20th century. The narrative follows private detective Hugh Glynn, who embarks on a thrilling and treacherous investigation involving mysterious manuscripts from a deceased Spanish priest. The story intricately weaves themes of intrigue, betrayal, and the quest for hidden treasures, ultimately shaping a complex plot revolving around the enigmatic character Don Jose Casteno. At the start of the novel, Glynn recounts his monotonous career as a private investigator until the arrival of Don Jose Casteno, who presents him with an urgent and dangerous mission concerning a treasure valued at millions. This encounter occurs amidst a tempestuous night in London, which sets a foreboding tone for the unfolding drama. Casteno persuades Glynn to bid for a set of manuscripts at an auction that hold significant importance, hinting at betrayal and foreign intrigue. As the plot thickens, we see a web of deception involving familiar figures, a kidnapping, and the unsettling realization that darker forces are at play in the quest for these precious documents. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

William Tufnell Le Queux was an Anglo-French journalist and writer. He was also a diplomat, a traveller, a flying buff who officiated at the first British air meeting at Doncaster in 1909, and a wireless pioneer who broadcast music from his own station long before radio was generally available; his claims regarding his own abilities and exploits, however, were usually exaggerated. His best-known works are the anti-French and anti-Russian invasion fantasy The Great War in England in 1897 (1894) and the anti-German invasion fantasy The Invasion of 1910 (1906), the latter becoming a bestseller.