The House of the Whispering Pines

"The House of the Whispering Pines" by Anna Katharine Green is a mystery set in the early 1900s that follows Elwood Ranelagh as he becomes entangled in deception and suspicion following the grim discovery of his bride-to-be, Adelaide Cumberland, lifeless at The Whispering Pines clubhouse. Encountering Carmel Cumberland, the sister of the dead woman, running away from the scene, Elwood is driven to uncover the truth. A story of both love and disloyalty, the novel is a journey into the fallout of decisions long past, all painted with suspense and emotional struggle; Elwood's chance encounter with the burning Whispering Pines after a missed meeting draws him into a puzzling series of events that start with Adelaide's death and the secrets the characters carry. With an intense opening that introduces the key players and foreshadows hidden intentions, the book begins a mystery with unexpected twists.