Cover of The Wyvern mystery

The Wyvern mystery

a novel

  • 1869 first published
  • 322 pages
  • 26 editions
  • 🎧 15 h 12 min free audiobook

The Wyvern mystery is an 1869 gothic fiction novel by Sheridan Le Fanu. Key subjects include Elopement, orphans, fathers and sons and conflict of generations.

5 Open Library readers have it on their want-to-read list. It has been published in 26 editions. On Project Gutenberg it was downloaded 622 times in the last 30 days.

At about 322 pages, most readers finish it in 5–6 hours. It is in the public domain, so you can read it free on Project Gutenberg or listen to the 15 h 12 min LibriVox audiobook.

About The Wyvern mystery

"The Wyvern Mystery" by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu is a novel written in the late 19th century. The story unfolds around the young character Alice Maybell, who is preparing to return to her home at Wyvern after visiting her aunt, grappling with love and family dynamics within the ancestral estate. The narrative hints at underlying tensions involving Alice’s relationships with the enigmatic Squire Fairfield and her circumstances that evoke both romance and mystery. At the start of the novel, we are introduced to Alice Maybell, a pretty yet troubled young woman, as she bids farewell to her aunt before embarking on her journey home. Her mixed emotions are evident through her interactions, particularly her concern about the Squire’s disposition. Alice exhibits an unspoken anxiety about her life at Wyvern, with her thoughts lingering on someone named Ry, suggesting a romantic entanglement that complicates her situation. Additionally, the arrival of Squire Fairfield's sons puts Alice in a complex position, setting the stage for a tale that encompasses passion, secrecy, and the apprehensions of a young woman navigating her world and the expectations placed upon her. The opening chapters lay the groundwork for the unfolding mystery surrounding her relationships and the dynamics of the estate.
Summary from Project Gutenberg (automatically generated)

Free audiobook

The Wyvern mystery — LibriVox recording, 15 h 12 min in 65 sections.

Public-domain recording by volunteer readers. Listen online, download MP3s or stream from the Internet Archive.

Themes, setting & tropes

Genres

Subjects

  • Elopement
  • Orphans
  • Fathers and sons
  • Conflict of generations
  • Inheritance and succession
  • Psychological
  • Family life
  • Gothic
  • Women sleuths mystery & detective
  • Psychological fiction
  • Domestic fiction
  • Gothic fiction

Publisher

Quick answers

Who wrote The Wyvern mystery?

The Wyvern mystery was written by Sheridan Le Fanu and first published in 1869.

What genre is The Wyvern mystery?

It is usually shelved as Gothic Fiction.

How long is The Wyvern mystery?

The median edition has 322 pages, about 5–6 hours of reading at 250 words per minute.

Is The Wyvern mystery free to read?

Yes. It is in the public domain in the United States and can be read free on Project Gutenberg in EPUB, Kindle and HTML formats.

Is there a free audiobook of The Wyvern mystery?

Yes — LibriVox volunteers recorded it; the recording runs 15 h 12 min.

What books are similar to The Wyvern mystery?

Readers who like it often enjoy We Have Always Lived in the Castle, The Dead Secret and The Haunting of Hill House.

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