The Case of Miss Dunstable

by Joseph Hocking

Overview

The serene countryside of Somersetshire is shattered by the mysterious disappearance of Miss Jenny Dunstable from her family's ancestral home, Bishop's Acre. Just twenty years old, Jenny is the epitome of grace and beauty, her presence lighting up the grand birthday dance held in her honour. But as dawn breaks, her room is found empty, her bed unslept in, and her pretty dress from the night missing.

Bishop's Acre is steeped in history and linked with tales of curses and lost treasures, so the villagers speculate wildly, with some attributing Jenny's disappearance to supernatural forces. The family faces intense scrutiny, and the master of the house, Jenny's uncle Sir George Dunstable, enlists help from outside to uncover the truth. But with no sign of forced entry or struggle, and the doors still bolted from within, everyone is stumped by her vanishing.

Joseph Hocking's classic locked-room mystery, first published in 1923, is a challenge for even the most sharp-witted sleuths.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940186169826
Publisher:	Serling Lake
Publication date:	07/27/2024
Series:	Impossible Crime Classics
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	134,086
File size:	410 KB

About the Author

Joseph Hocking was a prolific Cornish author and United Methodist Free Church minister, renowned for his religious novels. Born in St Stephen-in-Brannel, Cornwall in 1860, he was one of seven children to James Hocking, a tin mine part-owner, and Elizabeth (Kitto) Hocking. His lineage connected him to the esteemed biblical scholar John Kitto.

Hocking's career began with his ordination as a Methodist minister in 1884, a path influenced by Cornwall's strong Methodist tradition. In 1887, while serving in London, he penned his debut novel, Harry Penhale – The Trial of His Faith. Despite having to resign from active ministry in 1909 due to health issues, he remained influential by helping rebuild the United Free Church at Woodford, Essex, with architect Charles Harrison Townsend.

Following his recovery, Hocking became a sought-after preacher across Britain and travelled extensively in the Middle East. Throughout his career, he authored nearly a hundred books, maintaining popularity during his lifetime, though he is less known today. His works often reflected his Methodist ideals and addressed themes like war, patriotism, and anti-Catholic sentiments, with notable titles such as All Men Are Liars and Prodigal Daughters, which were adapted into silent films. The Rebel Heiress also gained attention as a BBC TV series in 1958.

Hocking passed away in St Ives, Cornwall, in 1937. His ashes were interred in the churchyard of his birthplace, St Stephen-in-Brannel.