What do you think?
Rate this book
The Three Oak Mystery
While brothers Lexington and Socrates Smith, authority on fingerprints and blood stains, are guests of Peter Mandle and his stepdaughter, they observe a light flashing from the direction of Mr. Jethroe's house. “Come three oaks,” it spells in Morse code. A ghostly figure is seen hurrying across the moonlit lawn. Early next morning the brothers take a stroll, and there, tied to an oak branch, is a body with a purple mark where the bullet struck.
208 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1924
6 people are currently reading
94 people want to read
About the author
Edgar Wallace
2,103 books260 followersRichard Horatio Edgar Wallace (1875-1932) was a prolific British crime writer, journalist and playwright, who wrote 175 novels, 24 plays, and countless articles in newspapers and journals.
Over 160 films have been made of his novels, more than any other author. In the 1920s, one of Wallace's publishers claimed that a quarter of all books read in England were written by him.
He is most famous today as the co-creator of "King Kong", writing the early screenplay and story for the movie, as well as a short story "King Kong" (1933) credited to him and Draycott Dell. He was known for the J. G. Reeder detective stories, The Four Just Men, the Ringer, and for creating the Green Archer character during his lifetime.
Over 160 films have been made of his novels, more than any other author. In the 1920s, one of Wallace's publishers claimed that a quarter of all books read in England were written by him.
He is most famous today as the co-creator of "King Kong", writing the early screenplay and story for the movie, as well as a short story "King Kong" (1933) credited to him and Draycott Dell. He was known for the J. G. Reeder detective stories, The Four Just Men, the Ringer, and for creating the Green Archer character during his lifetime.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
November 3, 2017
Skeletons in Closets and in Other Places Where They Come in Most Unhandy
The Three Oak Mystery (1924) is yet another of Edgar Wallace’s countless potboilers, which he churned out in impressive numbers, often writing non-stop and all the while smoking cigarettes and drinking tea, and yet they are often much better than you should think, just going by his method of writing. Simply meant to entertain and keep their readers going from chapter to chapter with bated breath, they do fulfil their purpose, at least with me, and if you compare them with the output of modern potboiler writers, you might find Wallace much wittier and at least as entertaining as the best of our present-day churners.
The Three Oak Mystery is definitely one of his better novels, since it’s all there: A clever, somewhat dandified sleuth named Socrates Smith, the mysterious murder of a grumpy old man who was obviously afraid of something, a shady neighbour who is obviously hiding his past, a damsel in distress and two men intent on marrying her, and a derelict farm building which once was the scene of a heinous crime. Those were even the days when by cutting two or three telegraph lines you could prevent important news from travelling too fast and when people could end up in illicit lunatic asylums. As soon as you have read into the first two chapters, it is nearly impossible to stop sliding deeper into the mystery.
The only thing that mars the overall impression of a mellow, fast-paced mystery is Wallace’s tendency to introduce important details ex post, which make the reader feel somewhat cheated from time to time and which gives the impression that Wallace was not too careful a planner of his quickly-written tales. Nevertheless, this is a splendid book for whiling away one or two rainy days.
The Three Oak Mystery (1924) is yet another of Edgar Wallace’s countless potboilers, which he churned out in impressive numbers, often writing non-stop and all the while smoking cigarettes and drinking tea, and yet they are often much better than you should think, just going by his method of writing. Simply meant to entertain and keep their readers going from chapter to chapter with bated breath, they do fulfil their purpose, at least with me, and if you compare them with the output of modern potboiler writers, you might find Wallace much wittier and at least as entertaining as the best of our present-day churners.
The Three Oak Mystery is definitely one of his better novels, since it’s all there: A clever, somewhat dandified sleuth named Socrates Smith, the mysterious murder of a grumpy old man who was obviously afraid of something, a shady neighbour who is obviously hiding his past, a damsel in distress and two men intent on marrying her, and a derelict farm building which once was the scene of a heinous crime. Those were even the days when by cutting two or three telegraph lines you could prevent important news from travelling too fast and when people could end up in illicit lunatic asylums. As soon as you have read into the first two chapters, it is nearly impossible to stop sliding deeper into the mystery.
The only thing that mars the overall impression of a mellow, fast-paced mystery is Wallace’s tendency to introduce important details ex post, which make the reader feel somewhat cheated from time to time and which gives the impression that Wallace was not too careful a planner of his quickly-written tales. Nevertheless, this is a splendid book for whiling away one or two rainy days.
July 12, 2025
Leggo in copertina che Wallace fu il primo scrittore a raggiungere lo status di una vera e propria star, la sua produzione fu immensa per l'epoca e, in gran parte, scrisse libri gialli, che vennero in seguito così identificati per il colore che in origine aveva la copertina di questo genere letterario (dettaglio interessante).
Effettivamente a conclusione della lettura noto un abisso in confronto ai gialli moderni.
La trama, pur ben congegnata, è forse un po' prevedibile, i personaggi molto aderenti al loro cliché, i due innamorati addirittura stucchevoli.
Ora, si può facilmente immaginare che negli anni '30 la mentalità corrente potesse accettare soltanto questa tipologia di signorine, giovanotti, investigatori, governanti ecc... però nei libri di Agatha Christie il tutto risulta più armonioso.
Effettivamente a conclusione della lettura noto un abisso in confronto ai gialli moderni.
La trama, pur ben congegnata, è forse un po' prevedibile, i personaggi molto aderenti al loro cliché, i due innamorati addirittura stucchevoli.
Ora, si può facilmente immaginare che negli anni '30 la mentalità corrente potesse accettare soltanto questa tipologia di signorine, giovanotti, investigatori, governanti ecc... però nei libri di Agatha Christie il tutto risulta più armonioso.
December 13, 2015
I chose to read this tale because I was curious about a central personage, his name was Socrates, my favorite philosopher.
Soc for the friends, is an intelligent man he use his intelligence rather than the gun.
He resolves the cases making questions and then a deep and articulated reasoning, like the Three Oak Mystery.
At the centre of the plot there is an hanged man on a oak without his wheelchair, a morse code and the stepdaughter of the victim: John Mandle a retired policeman, a friend of Socrates.
The brother of Socrates, with a "normal" name, Lexington Smith is fallen in love of Molly Templeton, where at the centre of their thoughts there is the love.
As every love story there is a contrast and the name his Robert Stone a colleague of John Mandle.
The most interesting part is when Socrates discovers the first page of a manuscript, probably the cause of the homicide.
Chapters after chapters you will discover that even the omniscient voice does not know the truth and it will come out after a series of discussions which seems to me a socratic discussion.
The peak is when a scientific writer Jetheroe sends a message to Socrates through a chequebook and when Molly is trapped in a mysterious house with a skeleton.
At the end everything will be revealed, even a "prisoner dilemma" and a great surprise for the readers.
Soc for the friends, is an intelligent man he use his intelligence rather than the gun.
He resolves the cases making questions and then a deep and articulated reasoning, like the Three Oak Mystery.
At the centre of the plot there is an hanged man on a oak without his wheelchair, a morse code and the stepdaughter of the victim: John Mandle a retired policeman, a friend of Socrates.
The brother of Socrates, with a "normal" name, Lexington Smith is fallen in love of Molly Templeton, where at the centre of their thoughts there is the love.
As every love story there is a contrast and the name his Robert Stone a colleague of John Mandle.
The most interesting part is when Socrates discovers the first page of a manuscript, probably the cause of the homicide.
Chapters after chapters you will discover that even the omniscient voice does not know the truth and it will come out after a series of discussions which seems to me a socratic discussion.
The peak is when a scientific writer Jetheroe sends a message to Socrates through a chequebook and when Molly is trapped in a mysterious house with a skeleton.
At the end everything will be revealed, even a "prisoner dilemma" and a great surprise for the readers.
August 4, 2007
Your average Edgar Wallace (best known for penning King Kong) potboiler. Wallace was hugely popular in his day -- in fact, I've heard that back in the twenties, one out of four current books in print was a Wallace novel. To say he was prolific is an understatement.
I have a friend who collects the inexpensive A.L. Burt books that published Wallace, among others. I think I passed this on to her when I'd finished it.
I have a friend who collects the inexpensive A.L. Burt books that published Wallace, among others. I think I passed this on to her when I'd finished it.
July 26, 2013
This typical Edgar Wallace mystery, features the wonderfully named detective Socrates Smith, who is clearly a Sherlock Holmes rip-off, with his brother Lexington Smith doubling for Dr. Watson. A nicely convoluted mystery with plenty of incident, murder, forced marriage, kidnapping and so forth a typical day in the world of Edgar Wallace.
April 21, 2024
Like most of Edgar Wallace's works, an easy afternoon's read that doesn't let lit. crit. get in the way of a good story told well.
March 24, 2020
Tipico giallo inglese non memorabile, ma godibile e scorrevole
September 5, 2023
Come per gli altri della serie il romanzo scorre veloce, si intravede il colpevole, si sviluppa la storia d'amore per la consueta piacevole lettura.
November 1, 2023
Un giallo classico, piacevole da leggere.
January 18, 2024
Un giallo piacevole.. La trama è scorrevole ma nulla di eclatante..
“L’omicidio non è un’arte né una scienza, è solo un incidente di percorso.”
“L’omicidio non è un’arte né una scienza, è solo un incidente di percorso.”
May 5, 2025
Un giallo di regolare amministrazione. Privo completamente dell'analisi dei personaggi, ha comunque un discreto ritmo. Senza infamia e senza lode. Voto 5.5
August 16, 2025
Libro scorrevole ed adatto a tutti i tipi di pubblico. Ottimo anche come lettura estiva per adolescenti. La risoluzione del mistero non è stata affatto scontata.
February 7, 2017
This is one of my favorite Edgar Wallace books. There are multiple mysteries to keep one interested, plus a good healthy dose of romance. My only complaint is that there isn't much character development, no big surprises in the way the people act versus their stated reputations, etc. But then this is a pulp mystery so how much can one really expect? As long as one doesn't forget that this is one of the /170/ novels written by Edgar Wallace in his lifetime, one will not be disappointed.
Ex police officer Socrates Smith and his brother Lexington, who is also an amateur sleuth, are invited to spend a weekend at Peter Mandle's country home. Shortly after they arrive the brothers notice many precautions taken against intruders, a message flashed in Morse code, and someone skulking across the lawn. Then the next morning, during a stroll, the Smith Brothers make a startling discovery - the body of their host tied to a tree branch!
The characters are all suspiciously intertwined with one another. Their host, Peter Mandle, an ex Scotland Yard detective who invites both brothers down to stay with him and his beautiful 22 year old stepdaughter Molly Templeton, with whom Mandle obviously has a strained relationship, Bob Stone, another detective turned country neighbor and life long friend of Mandle's, but who also has a growing affection for Molly, and the mysterious Mr. Jetheroe who has only recently moved into the neighborhood from "abroad" who exercises a strange amount of influence over young Molly Templeton form the main cast. Not until the very end do you find out exactly what everyone's relationship to reach other actually is, and how the crimes arose from those relationships.
.
Ex police officer Socrates Smith and his brother Lexington, who is also an amateur sleuth, are invited to spend a weekend at Peter Mandle's country home. Shortly after they arrive the brothers notice many precautions taken against intruders, a message flashed in Morse code, and someone skulking across the lawn. Then the next morning, during a stroll, the Smith Brothers make a startling discovery - the body of their host tied to a tree branch!
The characters are all suspiciously intertwined with one another. Their host, Peter Mandle, an ex Scotland Yard detective who invites both brothers down to stay with him and his beautiful 22 year old stepdaughter Molly Templeton, with whom Mandle obviously has a strained relationship, Bob Stone, another detective turned country neighbor and life long friend of Mandle's, but who also has a growing affection for Molly, and the mysterious Mr. Jetheroe who has only recently moved into the neighborhood from "abroad" who exercises a strange amount of influence over young Molly Templeton form the main cast. Not until the very end do you find out exactly what everyone's relationship to reach other actually is, and how the crimes arose from those relationships.
.
May 26, 2014
Non il miglior Wallace (per quello, leggere il mistero della candela ritorta) però godibile come al solito. Wallace è stato forse l'unico inglese con un pessimo sense of humor e in questo romanzo ogni tanto prova a fare lo spiritoso, con risultati poco apprezzabili. Lui è celebre per non rileggere i suoi libri, motivo per cui sono, qui è là, presenti piccole incongruenze. Dal traduttore mi sarei però aspettato che le correggesse. Vabbè la fedeltà al testo, però è meglio evitare l'effetto WTF? Consigliato per una lettura leggera e ai patiti dell'ambientazione d'inizio secolo.
November 5, 2023
Antologia I Mammut - Dieci sfumature di giallo
Eccomi al secondo E.Wallace e mi sta prendendo sempre più, una lettura scorrevole ed avvincente, i suoi quasi 100 anni non li dimostra proprio, molti indizi seminati qua e là, una descrizione minuziosa dei personaggi, purtroppo non altrettanto dei luoghi che andrò a visitare proprio la settima prossima 🤩. È vero che ho capito l’assassino già dalle prime pagine, ma questo libro è proprio il classico GIALLO, quello che piace a me. 😊
Eccomi al secondo E.Wallace e mi sta prendendo sempre più, una lettura scorrevole ed avvincente, i suoi quasi 100 anni non li dimostra proprio, molti indizi seminati qua e là, una descrizione minuziosa dei personaggi, purtroppo non altrettanto dei luoghi che andrò a visitare proprio la settima prossima 🤩. È vero che ho capito l’assassino già dalle prime pagine, ma questo libro è proprio il classico GIALLO, quello che piace a me. 😊
April 1, 2018
Solider Edgar Wallace Krimi. Nicht übermäßig spannend, nicht besonders überraschend, relativ vorhersehbar. Da ich aber kein großer Krimi-Fan bin, stört mich das nicht. Ich mag Krimis die Anfang des 20. Jhd. oder auch früher, auf dem englischen Land spielen, einfach gerne mal für Zwischendurch.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews