The Charing Cross Mystery

"The Charing Cross Mystery" by J. S. Fletcher is a thrilling detective novel from the early 1900s. A young lawyer named Hetherwick finds his life turned upside down when he gets caught up in a strange case: the unexpected passing of Robert Hannaford, a retired police officer, on the last train to Charing Cross. As Hetherwick digs into the details of Hannaford's death, he meets a range of interesting characters and starts to uncover a complicated network of secrets, including clues about a puzzling painting. The story kicks off when Hetherwick overhears a conversation between two men on the train, and one of them suddenly becomes ill and dies, muttering words about a forgotten portrait tied to a mysterious woman. Right away, Hetherwick senses something is wrong when the other man quickly disappears before anyone can help. Little by little, Hetherwick uncovers a potential murder and learns that Hannaford was rumored to be on the hunt for a hidden fortune linked to a secret invention when he died. In search of answers, Hetherwick follows a twisting trail that connects Hannaford's past, his granddaughter Rhona, and a captivating woman from long ago, leading him closer to the surprising truth.