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THE RED LEDGER: Thriller
Henri Charlebois is a rich old man who was homeless, ill and destitute many years ago. He keeps a book that he calls the Red Ledger, where he has written names of all people he encountered during his life as a hobo. He has a plan to make his accounts balanced, and debts settled. All those who done him well, will be protected and secured, but those who done him wrong will live to regret it.
Frank Lucius Packard (1877-1942) was a Canadian novelist best known for his Jimmie Dale mystery series. As a young man he worked as a civil engineer for the Canadian Pacific Railway. His experiences working on the railroad led to his writing a series of railroad stories and novels. Packard also wrote number of mystery novels, the most famous of which featured a character called Jimmie Dale, a wealthy playboy by day and a fearless crime fighter by night. Jimmie Dale novels brought the idea of a costume and mask for hero's secret identity, and also established the concept of a hero's secret hideout or lair.
Frank Lucius Packard (1877-1942) was a Canadian novelist best known for his Jimmie Dale mystery series. As a young man he worked as a civil engineer for the Canadian Pacific Railway. His experiences working on the railroad led to his writing a series of railroad stories and novels. Packard also wrote number of mystery novels, the most famous of which featured a character called Jimmie Dale, a wealthy playboy by day and a fearless crime fighter by night. Jimmie Dale novels brought the idea of a costume and mask for hero's secret identity, and also established the concept of a hero's secret hideout or lair.
261 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1926
7 people want to read
About the author
Frank L. Packard
166 books9 followersFrank Lucius Packard was born in Montreal, Quebec and educated at McGill University and the University of Liege. As a young man he worked as a civil engineer for the Canadian Pacific Railway. His experiences working on the railroad led to his writing a series of mystery novels, the most famous of which featured a character called Jimmie Dale.
Frank Packard died in 1942 in Lachine, Quebec and was buried in the Mount Royal Cemetery in Montreal.
Frank Packard died in 1942 in Lachine, Quebec and was buried in the Mount Royal Cemetery in Montreal.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 9, 2017
Interesting premise but a bland leading man.
Henri Raoul Charlebois is a very wealthy man at the time of this novel but that wasn’t always the case. Twenty years back he was sick and hungry, surviving only on the charity of the various people he met as he wandered around the country. And not everyone he encountered was generous either. When his fortunes finally change he sets down the details of those grim days, the good and the bad, in a book known as the Red Ledger. Among those providing aid to Charlebois were the parents of Ewen Stranway. So, with their deaths and the subsequent impoverishment of young college graduate Ewen, Charlebois steps in to return the favor. Stranway is offered a position with the vast world-spanning organization that monitors the many, many people listed in the Red Ledger. Those who are now in need of assistance themselves are given help, usually in combating criminals who threaten them, while the villains of the past are finally brought to justice since they continued their evil ways over the decades and now victimize all of society instead of just one harmless beggar. Practically overnight Ewan comes to head Charlebois' private secret service - and in effect becomes a son to the old man.
Unfortunately the question of how Ewen comes to rate that trust and affection is never really explained. Stranway is frankly, a dud. There's nothing there to warrant any special consideration. Ewen is cultured and morally upright but displays no particular intelligence or charm or humanizing qualities at all.
They say opposites attract but when Stranway falls in love it's with a woman as vaguely defined as himself. The Orchid is the name given to a beautiful female operative of Charlebois. She's competent in her work, like Ewen or perhaps even better, and as with Ewen she seems to have no inner life at all. No likes or dislikes, no quirks or foibles. There's just nothing memorable about either one of them.
Not an unreadable novel by any means, but far from one of Frank Packard’s best works either.
Henri Raoul Charlebois is a very wealthy man at the time of this novel but that wasn’t always the case. Twenty years back he was sick and hungry, surviving only on the charity of the various people he met as he wandered around the country. And not everyone he encountered was generous either. When his fortunes finally change he sets down the details of those grim days, the good and the bad, in a book known as the Red Ledger. Among those providing aid to Charlebois were the parents of Ewen Stranway. So, with their deaths and the subsequent impoverishment of young college graduate Ewen, Charlebois steps in to return the favor. Stranway is offered a position with the vast world-spanning organization that monitors the many, many people listed in the Red Ledger. Those who are now in need of assistance themselves are given help, usually in combating criminals who threaten them, while the villains of the past are finally brought to justice since they continued their evil ways over the decades and now victimize all of society instead of just one harmless beggar. Practically overnight Ewan comes to head Charlebois' private secret service - and in effect becomes a son to the old man.
Unfortunately the question of how Ewen comes to rate that trust and affection is never really explained. Stranway is frankly, a dud. There's nothing there to warrant any special consideration. Ewen is cultured and morally upright but displays no particular intelligence or charm or humanizing qualities at all.
They say opposites attract but when Stranway falls in love it's with a woman as vaguely defined as himself. The Orchid is the name given to a beautiful female operative of Charlebois. She's competent in her work, like Ewen or perhaps even better, and as with Ewen she seems to have no inner life at all. No likes or dislikes, no quirks or foibles. There's just nothing memorable about either one of them.
Not an unreadable novel by any means, but far from one of Frank Packard’s best works either.
April 12, 2018
Some might like to know that there are fonds at the Library and Archives Canada which hold a lot of material on Frank Packard including chapters on the Red Ledger that were not published with the book.
I MAY purchase copies and put them on my blog --Stillwoods.Blogspot.Ca
Doug
PS the previous review is complete and accurate.
I MAY purchase copies and put them on my blog --Stillwoods.Blogspot.Ca
Doug
PS the previous review is complete and accurate.
April 4, 2025
Some say this is not his best work. I really enjoyed the writing and the subject. It was entertaining. You have to keep in mind the time this book was written. I am not sure what the faults are. Well written and moves quickly.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews