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The Evil Shepherd
A novel of English life of a melodramatic character, so fascinating and so stirring that the most hardened reader can hardly fail to receive a series of thrills.This book includes a biography and unique bibliography and with images of the author and the covers of his most important books
337 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1922
95 people are currently reading
341 people want to read
About the author
E. Phillips Oppenheim
628 books80 followersEdward Phillips Oppenheim was an English novelist, primarily known for his suspense fiction.
He was born in Leicester, the son of a leather merchant, and after attending Wyggeston Grammar School he worked in his father's business for almost 20 years, beginning there at a young age. He continued working in the business, even though he was a successful novelist, until he was 40 at which point he sold the business.
He wrote his first book 'Expiation' in 1887 and in 1898 he published 'The Mysterious Mr Sabin', which he described as "The first of my long series of stories dealing with that shadowy and mysterious world of diplomacy." Thereafter he became a prolific writer and by 1900 he had had 14 novels published.
While on a business trip to the United States in 1890 he met and married Elise Clara Hopkins of Boston and, on return to England, they lived in Evington, Leicestershire until the First World War,and had one daughter. His wife remained faithful to him throughout his life despite his frequent and highly publicised affairs, which often took place abroad and aboard his luxury yacht.
During World War I Oppenheim worked for the Ministry of Information while continuing to write his suspenseful novels.
He featured on the cover of 'Time' magazine on 12 September 1927 and he was the self-styled 'Prince of Storytellers', a title used by Robert standish for his biography of the author.
His literary success enabled him to buy a villa in France and a yacht, spending his winters in France where he regularly entertained more than 250 people at his lavish parties and where he was a well-known figure in high society.
He later purchased a house, Le Vanquiédor in St. Peter Port, in Guernsey. He lost access to the house during the Second World War when Germany occupied the Channel Islands but later regained it.
He wrote 116 novels, mainly of the suspense and international intrigue type, but including romances, comedies, and parables of everyday life, and 39 volumes of short stories, all of which earned him vast sums of money. He also wrote five novels under the pseudonymn Anthony Partridge and a volume of autobiography, 'The Pool of Memory' in 1939.
He is generally regarded as the earliest writer of spy fiction as we know it today, and invented the 'Rogue Male' school of adventure thrillers that was later exploited by John Buchan and Geoffrey Household.
Undoubtedly his most renowned work was 'The Great Impersonation' (1920), which was filmed three times, the last time as a strong piece of wartime propaganda in 1942. In that novel the plot hinges around two very similar looking gentlemen, one from Britain and the other from Germany, in the early part of the 20th century. Overall more than 30 of his works were made into films.
Perhaps his most enduring creation is the character of General Besserley, the protagonist of 'General Besserley's Puzzle Box' and 'General Besserley's New Puzzle Box'.
Much of his work possesses a unique escapist charm, featuring protagonists who delight in Epicurean meals, surroundings of intense luxury, and the relaxed pursuit of criminal practice, on either side of the law.
Gerry Wolstenholme
He was born in Leicester, the son of a leather merchant, and after attending Wyggeston Grammar School he worked in his father's business for almost 20 years, beginning there at a young age. He continued working in the business, even though he was a successful novelist, until he was 40 at which point he sold the business.
He wrote his first book 'Expiation' in 1887 and in 1898 he published 'The Mysterious Mr Sabin', which he described as "The first of my long series of stories dealing with that shadowy and mysterious world of diplomacy." Thereafter he became a prolific writer and by 1900 he had had 14 novels published.
While on a business trip to the United States in 1890 he met and married Elise Clara Hopkins of Boston and, on return to England, they lived in Evington, Leicestershire until the First World War,and had one daughter. His wife remained faithful to him throughout his life despite his frequent and highly publicised affairs, which often took place abroad and aboard his luxury yacht.
During World War I Oppenheim worked for the Ministry of Information while continuing to write his suspenseful novels.
He featured on the cover of 'Time' magazine on 12 September 1927 and he was the self-styled 'Prince of Storytellers', a title used by Robert standish for his biography of the author.
His literary success enabled him to buy a villa in France and a yacht, spending his winters in France where he regularly entertained more than 250 people at his lavish parties and where he was a well-known figure in high society.
He later purchased a house, Le Vanquiédor in St. Peter Port, in Guernsey. He lost access to the house during the Second World War when Germany occupied the Channel Islands but later regained it.
He wrote 116 novels, mainly of the suspense and international intrigue type, but including romances, comedies, and parables of everyday life, and 39 volumes of short stories, all of which earned him vast sums of money. He also wrote five novels under the pseudonymn Anthony Partridge and a volume of autobiography, 'The Pool of Memory' in 1939.
He is generally regarded as the earliest writer of spy fiction as we know it today, and invented the 'Rogue Male' school of adventure thrillers that was later exploited by John Buchan and Geoffrey Household.
Undoubtedly his most renowned work was 'The Great Impersonation' (1920), which was filmed three times, the last time as a strong piece of wartime propaganda in 1942. In that novel the plot hinges around two very similar looking gentlemen, one from Britain and the other from Germany, in the early part of the 20th century. Overall more than 30 of his works were made into films.
Perhaps his most enduring creation is the character of General Besserley, the protagonist of 'General Besserley's Puzzle Box' and 'General Besserley's New Puzzle Box'.
Much of his work possesses a unique escapist charm, featuring protagonists who delight in Epicurean meals, surroundings of intense luxury, and the relaxed pursuit of criminal practice, on either side of the law.
Gerry Wolstenholme
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 1, 2015
Free download available at Project Gutenberg.
An amazing and surprisingly book, the first book written by Oppenheim I've ever read.
An amazing and surprisingly book, the first book written by Oppenheim I've ever read.
Want to read
January 1, 2015http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5743
Opening: Francis Ledsam, alert, well-satisfied with himself and the world, the echo of a little buzz of congratulations still in his ears, paused on the steps of the modern Temple of Justice to light a cigarette before calling for a taxi to take him to his club. Visions of a whisky and soda—his throat was a little parched—and a rubber of easy-going bridge at his favourite table, were already before his eyes. A woman who had followed him from the Court touched him on the shoulder.
"Can I speak to you for a moment, Mr. Ledsam?"
The barrister frowned slightly as he swung around to confront his questioner. It was such a familiar form of address.
"What do you want?" he asked, a little curtly.
"A few minutes' conversation with you," was the calm reply. "The matter is important."
August 22, 2009
An odd book. Ostensibly a thriller, one is never quite sure where it's heading, but that's one of its virtues, and it ends up being a wonderful and ingenious story. Some may think it dated, but I love this kind of old-fashioned story-telling.
October 20, 2023
"هناك أوقات لا يعرف المرء فيها أيُصدق أم يُكذب!"
"فرانسيس ليدسام" محامٍ إنجليزي بارز له سمعته في الوسط القانوني ومعروف بعدم خسارته أي قضية مهما بدت صعوبتها واستحالت طرق الخروج منها. بعد نجاحه في الدفاع عن مجرم شهير يُفاجئ في نفس الليلة بزيارة من سيدة تخبره أنه أخطأ بمرافعته عن هذا المجرم وأنه أطلق هذا الوحش ثانية للمجتمع الذي ارتكب ما لا يُحصى من الجرائم، لكن المفاجأة هي أن هذه السيدة هي زوجة المجرم! تضع هذه المقابلة فرانسيس في مواجهة حادة مع نفسه وضميره، فهو لم يُكلف خاطره يومًا بالتأكد من براءة من يدافع عنهم، لم يضع الأخلاق ولا الإنسانية في حسبانه أبدًا..مقابلة غيّرت من تفكير ومصير ليدسام بل وستغير في منحى حياته كلها!
رواية تجمع بين الغموض، الجريمة والرومانسية..يقع البطل في معضلة بين حُبـه ومستقبله المهني وضميره الأخلاقي..فكرة لطيفة أفسدها في رأيي عنصر بسيط ألا وهو الإسهاب والإطالة المُبالغ بها في بعض الأجزاء.
تجربتي الأولى مع قلم أوبنهايم المُلقب بـ"أمير رواة القصص"، وحقيقة للكاتب أسلوب مميز جدًا في السرد والوصف والمزج بين الأحداث بطريقة تُشعرك أنك تشاهدًا فيلمًا سينمائيًا هادئًا ويحمل القليل من الغموض. أكثر ما أزعجني بشأن الرواية هي الترجمة..
أخلّت الترجمة برونق وجمال الأسلوب في أجزاء عدة من الرواية، وأضافت بعض التعقيد على أسلوب الكاتب المُتسم بالسهولة والسلاسة! لذا فقد شعرت بالملل يتخلل بين سطور الرواية في أحيانٍ كثيرة.
في النهاية، حتمًا سأكرر القراءة لأوبنهايم من جديد، فبرغم أن فكرة الرواية ليست بالأقوى على الإطلاق، إلا أن أسلوبه سلس ومميز ويشي بالكثير..
"فرانسيس ليدسام" محامٍ إنجليزي بارز له سمعته في الوسط القانوني ومعروف بعدم خسارته أي قضية مهما بدت صعوبتها واستحالت طرق الخروج منها. بعد نجاحه في الدفاع عن مجرم شهير يُفاجئ في نفس الليلة بزيارة من سيدة تخبره أنه أخطأ بمرافعته عن هذا المجرم وأنه أطلق هذا الوحش ثانية للمجتمع الذي ارتكب ما لا يُحصى من الجرائم، لكن المفاجأة هي أن هذه السيدة هي زوجة المجرم! تضع هذه المقابلة فرانسيس في مواجهة حادة مع نفسه وضميره، فهو لم يُكلف خاطره يومًا بالتأكد من براءة من يدافع عنهم، لم يضع الأخلاق ولا الإنسانية في حسبانه أبدًا..مقابلة غيّرت من تفكير ومصير ليدسام بل وستغير في منحى حياته كلها!
رواية تجمع بين الغموض، الجريمة والرومانسية..يقع البطل في معضلة بين حُبـه ومستقبله المهني وضميره الأخلاقي..فكرة لطيفة أفسدها في رأيي عنصر بسيط ألا وهو الإسهاب والإطالة المُبالغ بها في بعض الأجزاء.
تجربتي الأولى مع قلم أوبنهايم المُلقب بـ"أمير رواة القصص"، وحقيقة للكاتب أسلوب مميز جدًا في السرد والوصف والمزج بين الأحداث بطريقة تُشعرك أنك تشاهدًا فيلمًا سينمائيًا هادئًا ويحمل القليل من الغموض. أكثر ما أزعجني بشأن الرواية هي الترجمة..
أخلّت الترجمة برونق وجمال الأسلوب في أجزاء عدة من الرواية، وأضافت بعض التعقيد على أسلوب الكاتب المُتسم بالسهولة والسلاسة! لذا فقد شعرت بالملل يتخلل بين سطور الرواية في أحيانٍ كثيرة.
في النهاية، حتمًا سأكرر القراءة لأوبنهايم من جديد، فبرغم أن فكرة الرواية ليست بالأقوى على الإطلاق، إلا أن أسلوبه سلس ومميز ويشي بالكثير..
July 6, 2016
Gives drying paint a bad rap
This book sucks. It should be renamed A Long Day's Journey Into Nothingness. It is the slowest piece of erudite pulp I have had the misfortune to read, and I didn't come close to finishing it. Don't waste your time. It's a novel filled with hollow characters involved in the pursuit of nothing: a book about nothing. It may have worked for Jerry Seinfeld but not here.
This book sucks. It should be renamed A Long Day's Journey Into Nothingness. It is the slowest piece of erudite pulp I have had the misfortune to read, and I didn't come close to finishing it. Don't waste your time. It's a novel filled with hollow characters involved in the pursuit of nothing: a book about nothing. It may have worked for Jerry Seinfeld but not here.
November 4, 2018
I occasionally like to read mysteries and thrillers from a much earlier day to see the changes that have occurred through the years. The style of writing is much different, as are the customs and the characters. I prefer today's faster paced stories, but this is an interesting change of pace.
December 25, 2025
Very well written and interesting but lacked the spark.
September 26, 2023
3.5 stars for a mystery of sorts.
I guess it's easier to like the book if the crime is clear and the characters are more defined. The ending was too vague tone believable. It was an okay read but maybe those more familiar with the lifestyle of the very rich will identify with the suspect. I will probably pass on another book by Oppenheim.
I guess it's easier to like the book if the crime is clear and the characters are more defined. The ending was too vague tone believable. It was an okay read but maybe those more familiar with the lifestyle of the very rich will identify with the suspect. I will probably pass on another book by Oppenheim.
May 1, 2018
Remarkable story telling.
I enjoyed and reveled in the use of the English written language. It depicted an accurate picture of times long ago. The author magically evolved taking the reader on the journey with him. Well done and well worth reading. Mysterious!
I enjoyed and reveled in the use of the English written language. It depicted an accurate picture of times long ago. The author magically evolved taking the reader on the journey with him. Well done and well worth reading. Mysterious!
May 11, 2019
I want to re-read it already
5 Star for Great Characters and I Loved the Twists and turns. What I think it needs , Nothing but, I would love a follow-up. Maybe , it would be interesting to see what happens next.
5 Star for Great Characters and I Loved the Twists and turns. What I think it needs , Nothing but, I would love a follow-up. Maybe , it would be interesting to see what happens next.
December 27, 2017
Finely crafted tale of duplicity and murder. Well read (Librivox) by Richard Kilmer. Recommended.
July 14, 2019
Well written with a not quite believable plot.
August 24, 2021
Had me guessing
Well written and exceedingly well presented. Kept me guessing about the murders and outcome. The ending was great and exactly the way I would have written it.
Well written and exceedingly well presented. Kept me guessing about the murders and outcome. The ending was great and exactly the way I would have written it.
May 20, 2022
An enjoyable mystery with a great reader.
November 9, 2022
A rather dull read
No real suspense or good characterization. I kept waiting for more. The title is meaningless and has nothing to do with the story.
No real suspense or good characterization. I kept waiting for more. The title is meaningless and has nothing to do with the story.
June 24, 2025
I like this guy's writing. Another good mystery. Who's good? Who's evil?
January 5, 2015
Ever wonder what it would be like if good met evil and then was invited over for dinner and drinks? If evil were interested in the politics and ethics that good was endeavoring to employ? how about if good fell in love with evil’s daughter after her husband who was also evil commits suicide?
Welcome to 1922 and E.P. Oppenheim’s ‘The Evil Shepherd.
Francis Ledsam is one of London’s brightest and most successful defense lawyers.After successfully defending and proving the innocence of his latest client, Ledsam learns from his client that he in fact had committed the heinous murders he had been accused of, and others. Feeling pain at the thought that this monster is on the streets still because of him, Ledsam swears off taking clients that he cannot prove factual innocence of.
It seems that he may have stumbled into a much larger nest of criminals than he was aware. His murderous client’s father in law hunts down Ledsam in a restaurant and advises him that with in the evening, a crime would be committed, and prompts Ledsam to prove his new found goodness.
This is a very interesting book. The premise is fairly simple, man falls in love with the wrong woman, daughter of an enemy. Because of this, good vs evil becomes common topics of discussion over drinks and dinner. Ledsam tries to catch Sir Timothy in criminal action, while Sir Timothy screws with him.
There are a number of very wealthy people in this novel, many of which have become bored with life. This boredom is commonly discussed as the possible fascination that is found in breaking the law, lawlessness being a new thrill that they no longer get from a vanilla lifestyle. Characters go from afternoon cocktails, to en-mass cocaine consumption. pretty easily depending on their caste in life.
It is strange to read a mystery thriller of this sort. Placed in a time where digital communication does not exist, and it required Scotland Yard detectives sitting in boats on a river to stake out a mansion, there is a quaintness that I found very appealing. It did not hurt that the characters were lively, witty and had enjoyable banter. Ultimately, the story surprised me in the end.
Apparently Oppenheim wrote over 100 novels in his lifetime, and I think I will have to pick a few more. His style is undeniably original and expecting great work in alternate novels should be a fair expectation.
I am thinking ‘The Great Impersonation’ (1920), ‘A Modern Prometheus’ (1896), or ‘And Still I Cheat The Gallows’ (1939), all of which sound damned amazing.
The Evil Shepherd is currently public domain and can be found in a variety of standard ebook locations. Can also be purchased in paperback, published by a few different publishing houses, again, because it is public domain.
If anyone I know reads this, let me know. I really want to chat over coffee about it.
--
xpost RawBlurb.com
Welcome to 1922 and E.P. Oppenheim’s ‘The Evil Shepherd.
Francis Ledsam is one of London’s brightest and most successful defense lawyers.After successfully defending and proving the innocence of his latest client, Ledsam learns from his client that he in fact had committed the heinous murders he had been accused of, and others. Feeling pain at the thought that this monster is on the streets still because of him, Ledsam swears off taking clients that he cannot prove factual innocence of.
It seems that he may have stumbled into a much larger nest of criminals than he was aware. His murderous client’s father in law hunts down Ledsam in a restaurant and advises him that with in the evening, a crime would be committed, and prompts Ledsam to prove his new found goodness.
This is a very interesting book. The premise is fairly simple, man falls in love with the wrong woman, daughter of an enemy. Because of this, good vs evil becomes common topics of discussion over drinks and dinner. Ledsam tries to catch Sir Timothy in criminal action, while Sir Timothy screws with him.
There are a number of very wealthy people in this novel, many of which have become bored with life. This boredom is commonly discussed as the possible fascination that is found in breaking the law, lawlessness being a new thrill that they no longer get from a vanilla lifestyle. Characters go from afternoon cocktails, to en-mass cocaine consumption. pretty easily depending on their caste in life.
It is strange to read a mystery thriller of this sort. Placed in a time where digital communication does not exist, and it required Scotland Yard detectives sitting in boats on a river to stake out a mansion, there is a quaintness that I found very appealing. It did not hurt that the characters were lively, witty and had enjoyable banter. Ultimately, the story surprised me in the end.
Apparently Oppenheim wrote over 100 novels in his lifetime, and I think I will have to pick a few more. His style is undeniably original and expecting great work in alternate novels should be a fair expectation.
I am thinking ‘The Great Impersonation’ (1920), ‘A Modern Prometheus’ (1896), or ‘And Still I Cheat The Gallows’ (1939), all of which sound damned amazing.
The Evil Shepherd is currently public domain and can be found in a variety of standard ebook locations. Can also be purchased in paperback, published by a few different publishing houses, again, because it is public domain.
If anyone I know reads this, let me know. I really want to chat over coffee about it.
--
xpost RawBlurb.com
August 18, 2014
The 20's Roar, with Crime and Romance,
Sir Francis Ledsam is a brilliant barrister, whose clientele is mainly of the criminal class. He successfully defends Oliver Hilditch from a charge of murdering his business partner. Shortly after the conclusion of the trial, Hilditch's wife, the beautiful Margaret, tells Ledsam that Hilditch, in fact, is an evil killer. Hilditch invites the lawyer home to dinner where he proceeds to demonstrate how he accomplished the murder. Later that evening, Hilditch is murdered in the same manner, presumably by his wife. End of Chapter One!
This well written novel is a thriller of society. Margaret Hilditch's father is the mysterious Sir Timothy Brast, patron of the SPCA, endower of Hospitals, and apparent criminal mastermind. He and Ledsam match wits and cross swords throughout the book. Post War England is well portrayed, with casual sex and a drug-fueled night life, orgies in country homes, wayward women, and wastrels of all classes.
A recurrent theme from Oppenheim's work during this period was the ennui of the upper class, bored with existence, and always seeking novelty and thrill. In this work, the thrills are provided by boxing matches, and matching wits.
1922
Sir Francis Ledsam is a brilliant barrister, whose clientele is mainly of the criminal class. He successfully defends Oliver Hilditch from a charge of murdering his business partner. Shortly after the conclusion of the trial, Hilditch's wife, the beautiful Margaret, tells Ledsam that Hilditch, in fact, is an evil killer. Hilditch invites the lawyer home to dinner where he proceeds to demonstrate how he accomplished the murder. Later that evening, Hilditch is murdered in the same manner, presumably by his wife. End of Chapter One!
This well written novel is a thriller of society. Margaret Hilditch's father is the mysterious Sir Timothy Brast, patron of the SPCA, endower of Hospitals, and apparent criminal mastermind. He and Ledsam match wits and cross swords throughout the book. Post War England is well portrayed, with casual sex and a drug-fueled night life, orgies in country homes, wayward women, and wastrels of all classes.
A recurrent theme from Oppenheim's work during this period was the ennui of the upper class, bored with existence, and always seeking novelty and thrill. In this work, the thrills are provided by boxing matches, and matching wits.
1922
January 16, 2015
This was a very interesting book in that it was published many years ago. There is a young couple. She has been unhappily married, but no more. Her father has the reputation of being corrupt and evil, and yet he rescues horses, cats, and dogs. The ending might be different than what the reader would expect. One typo--fattier for father toward the end.
February 7, 2017
Francis Ledsam, a self-satisfied successful defense barrister who rarely, if ever, delves into the innocence of his clients has just come off another win...then something happens which gives him pause....and the very intriguing and riveting story unfolds with high intensity. I couldn't put this one down.
January 23, 2014
Tale of an evil man - but is he as evil as people believe. Looks at the difference between morality and the law.
January 16, 2016
I quite enjoyed this book. I will probably download and read more by this author. Amusing, light reading from another era.
April 7, 2017
The reveal of who Sir Thomas really was left some to be desired and other smaller reveals of his character and history were also lackluster. I didn't find the plot to be overwhelmingly gripping. It was fine enough, but the driving force of the intrigue and mystery of the narrative was through the conversation of the characters and not through the action and atmosphere itself. What that means is that Oppenheim could have his characters say whatever he wished them too in order to drive his intended meaning across. He didn't have to craft that action through believable actions and events. I find the use of dialog as the primary means to set the mood and atmosphere of a story to be uncreative and lazy as a writing technique. Character dialogs are made up and so the author can make them say whatever he wants, they don't necessarily have to jive with the reality about them.
I will say though, Oppenheim has a wonderful way with how he presents romance. He didn't have his characters fall in love in an overly flowerly and romantic way, but there was something so succinct and cut to the heart with the romance in this book. The characters expressed their intentions and feelings with such clarity! They said exactly what was on their mind and in a perfectly descriptive way (and right to their significant other, no beating around the bush). I enjoyed that.
I will say though, Oppenheim has a wonderful way with how he presents romance. He didn't have his characters fall in love in an overly flowerly and romantic way, but there was something so succinct and cut to the heart with the romance in this book. The characters expressed their intentions and feelings with such clarity! They said exactly what was on their mind and in a perfectly descriptive way (and right to their significant other, no beating around the bush). I enjoyed that.
December 3, 2018
Another great Oppenheimer mystery thriller!
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews