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A tradimento
Edward Phillips Oppenheim (1866-1946), was an English novelist, in his lifetime a major and successful writer of genre fiction including thrillers. Featured on the cover of Time magazine in 1918, he was the self-styled "prince of storytellers. " He composed more than a hundred novels, mostly of the suspense and international intrigue nature, as well as romances, comedies, and parables of everyday life. Perhaps Oppenheim's most enduring creation is the character of General Besserley, the protagonist of General Besserley's Puzzle Box and General Besserley's New Puzzle Box (one of his last works). His work possesses a unique 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. His first novel was about England and Canada, called Expiation (1887); followed by such titles as The Betrayal (1904), The Avenger (1907), The Governors (1908), The Double Life of Mr. Alfred Burton (1913), An Amiable Charlatan (1915), The Black Box (1915), The Double Traitor (1915), The Cinema Murder (1917), The Box with Broken Seals (1919), The Devil's Paw (1920) and The Evil Shepherd (1922).
- GenresClassics
130 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1904
About the author
E. Phillips Oppenheim
560 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 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 29, 2021
Pre-World War I intrigue in high places.
A committee is infiltrated ... but by whom?
With many twists and turns Ducaine eventually works it out and saves the nation!
Perhaps a little dated but none the worse for that.
A committee is infiltrated ... but by whom?
With many twists and turns Ducaine eventually works it out and saves the nation!
Perhaps a little dated but none the worse for that.
March 20, 2019
It's Napoleonic war time - probably during the Third war of Coalition 1805. The French are somehow getting England's not so secret plans to defend itself against French invasion - which Napoleon called off before the Battle of Trafalgar, [Oct 1805] but apparently no one in England knew this, so the hunt was on to find the traitor selling the secret plans. It's a long, sometimes dull story, possibly because there was no invasion, and much more was happening on the continent [lots of battles etc] but it's got a happy ending.
January 19, 2016
I enjoyed this book very much as it held suspense well as the story of intrigue unfolded slowly and often literally in the dark. The selling of England's military secrets/plans to France was the problem and the potential perpetrators/suspects were numerous. Aristocrats, agents, government council and country folk populate this story. This book from 1904 is surprisingly entertaining....and free!
October 25, 2018
A Good Beginning...
The language of the author is very descriptive and the characters are fully developed. As I began reading, I was totally engrossed but as I neared the ending I was hoping for a “blockbuster” however it was not even a sizzle...disappointing.
The language of the author is very descriptive and the characters are fully developed. As I began reading, I was totally engrossed but as I neared the ending I was hoping for a “blockbuster” however it was not even a sizzle...disappointing.
January 31, 2022
Recensione di “Tradimento” di Edward Phillips Oppenheim edito Giogamesh Edizioni
Chi dice la verità? Possiamo essere certi che la verità sia una sola?
In questo giallo tutto è il contrario di tutto e Guy, il protagonista, si renderà presto conto di non potersi fidare di nessuno; forse, nemmeno di se stesso.
Quando mi è stato proposto questo titolo ero un po’ dubbiosa: la trama mi incuriosiva ma qualcosa non mi convinceva del tutto. Per la prima volta, nella mia lunga vita da lettrice, mi sono dovuta ricredere. Il romanzo è coinvolgente sin dalle prime battute. L’atmosfera, per quanto mai del tutto cupa, è sempre tesa.
Il POV in prima persona fa in modo che il lettore si senta totalmente partecipe alla vicenda e a ciò che capita a Guy.
Storie di famiglia si legano al futuro di un’intera nazione, la lealtà verso il proprio paese viene messa in discussione dal proprio senso dell’onore, un amore potrebbe venir sacrificato in nome dell’integrità.
Una storia serrata e intensa che vi lascerà con il fiato sospeso fino all’ultima pagina.
Da leggere!
Chi dice la verità? Possiamo essere certi che la verità sia una sola?
In questo giallo tutto è il contrario di tutto e Guy, il protagonista, si renderà presto conto di non potersi fidare di nessuno; forse, nemmeno di se stesso.
Quando mi è stato proposto questo titolo ero un po’ dubbiosa: la trama mi incuriosiva ma qualcosa non mi convinceva del tutto. Per la prima volta, nella mia lunga vita da lettrice, mi sono dovuta ricredere. Il romanzo è coinvolgente sin dalle prime battute. L’atmosfera, per quanto mai del tutto cupa, è sempre tesa.
Il POV in prima persona fa in modo che il lettore si senta totalmente partecipe alla vicenda e a ciò che capita a Guy.
Storie di famiglia si legano al futuro di un’intera nazione, la lealtà verso il proprio paese viene messa in discussione dal proprio senso dell’onore, un amore potrebbe venir sacrificato in nome dell’integrità.
Una storia serrata e intensa che vi lascerà con il fiato sospeso fino all’ultima pagina.
Da leggere!
February 14, 2022
Un classico giallo d'altri tempi, un po' spionaggio e un po' thriller, che ti coinvolge e ti tiene attaccato alle pagine
March 30, 2022
Mi è piaciuto molto.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews