The Message

by Louis Tracy

The message begins amid the elegance and charm of Cowes during regatta week, where a yachting atmosphere conceals undercurrents of hidden histories and unsettling truths. Initially light in tone, the narrative introduces a character whose charisma and curiosity lead to a brief, seemingly casual interaction with a young woman seeking assistance. This encounter becomes the entry point into a shadowy world linked to West Africa, suggesting unresolved legacies and the echo of exploitation. A mysterious object—a calabash—emerges as a symbol of past entanglements, carrying a cryptic message that propels the characters into deeper conflict. The story’s early chapters contrast picturesque seascapes with the slow reveal of threatening forces lurking behind polite society. The sudden appearance of a figure from the global slave trade injects moral tension and danger into what first appeared to be a romantic or leisurely setting. As the layers begin to unravel, the narrative sets the stage for a confrontation between appearance and reality, where adventure merges with historical reckoning and personal discovery.

280 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1908

About the author

Louis Tracy (1863 - 1928) was a British journalist, and prolific writer of fiction. He used the pseudonyms Gordon Holmes and Robert Fraser, which were at times shared with M.P. Shiel, a collaborator from the start of the twentieth century.

Around 1884 he became a reporter for a local paper - 'The Northern Echo' at Darlington, circulating in parts of Durham and North Yorkshire; later he worked for papers in Cardiff and Allahabad.

During 1892-1894 he was closely associated with Arthur Harmsworth, in 'The Sun' and 'The Evening News and Post'.

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Thrillers are so much my thing, and this one kept going at breakneck speed. The love story is itself in constant peril, but that is nothing compared to the peril brought to the hero and heroine by the almost-chance discovery of both an ancient riddle and a modern rebellion-for-profit scheme. At first I was a little worried that it would be racially slanted, but he does not slip into the error of assuming the natives are stupid because they are of color. In fact, each race he runs up against are worthy opponents, and are not easily conquered. The mystery is strung out throughout the book, nearly as long as the suspense is.

[Carol Spears · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is racist and bigoted and many things that we are not supposed to be now.

That being said, it is also very much like those Saturday movies -- not the early movie, the horror movies, more like the afternoon movies where British soldiers try to quell the native problem in one of their jungle satellites and everyone asks the girl to marry him.

This is an adult book -- there was at least one thing that made me wince some. But, like those old movies, this book was mostly fun and quite the page turner.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Can anyone stop Arthur Warden from marrying Evelyn Dane.
Too much in the vernacular, irritating, boring and sometimes incomprehensible