The Dark House - A Knot Unravelled by George Manville Fenn AUDIOBOOK

Set in the shadowed grandeur of Victorian London, "The Dark House: A Knot Unravelled" stands among George Manville Fenn’s most atmospheric works. Centered on the strange and somber household of Colonel Capel, the novel opens upon the death of its long-reclusive master, launching a web of intrigue within the shuttered walls of Number 9A, Albemarle Square. In the servants' gloomy hall, whispers circulate—a testament to the house’s eerie seclusion, unmarred for decades by the company of friends or family. When foreign visitors arrive, shrouded in suspicion and mourning customs unfamiliar to English eyes, a sense of foreboding permeates every corner.

Fenn, known for his deft construction of suspense and his acute observation of character, crafts a chilling tale steeped in themes of loyalty, cultural collision, and the ambiguities of inheritance. The cast is rendered with careful attention to social consciousness: from the butler Preenham, grappling with old divides, to Ramo, the dignified Indian servant, whose grief speaks to the colonial histories entwined in Capel’s life and legacy. Here, the extravagant yet desolate drawing rooms—crowded with relics of India's past and England's might—mirror the inner chambers of the family itself: filled with secrets, rivalries, and a persistent sense of unease.

Listeners will find much to appreciate in Fenn’s evocative descriptions, polished dialogue, and steady tightening of suspense. The novel’s atmosphere—a house stilled by death, crowded with louche relatives and mysterious foreigners—evokes both the Gothic and the detective story. "The Dark House" weaves a tale both unsettling and humane, marked by Fenn’s subtle wit and a keen eye for the hidden tensions that animate even the quietest rooms.

Audiobook time & format : 3h27m51s, OPUS, 162 Mo
Audiobook free extract time & format : 5m (see below to listen), WAV
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