The Corner House

"The Corner House" by Fred M. White is a novel written in the early 20th century. The narrative unfolds around Gordon Bruce, a young doctor who finds himself embroiled in a web of mystery and intrigue linked to the enigmatic Countess Lalage and the foreboding, abandoned property known as the Corner House. The story explores themes of love, deception, and the haunting secrets of the past. At the start of the novel, the setting is established with a stark contrast between the vibrant social life outside Number 1, Lytton Avenue, and the dark, mysterious presence of the Corner House next door. The narrative introduces Countess Lalage, a captivating figure who throws lavish parties, and her relationship with Gordon Bruce, who is drawn to both her beauty and the unsettling aura surrounding her. The opening chapters describe eerie occurrences, including a child's vision of a terrible face in the Corner House's window, suggestive of a past tragedy that still lingers. As Bruce is drawn deeper into the Countess's world, complications arise, hinting at secrets and crimes that may connect them all. Overall, the beginning sets the stage for a gripping story filled with suspense and emotional tension. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Fred Merrick White (1859–1935) wrote a number of novels and short stories under the name "Fred M. White" including the six "Doom of London" science-fiction stories, in which various catastrophes beset London. These include The Four Days' Night (1903), in which London is beset by a massive killer smog; The Dust of Death (1903), in which diphtheria infects the city, spreading from refuse tips and sewers; and The Four White Days (1903), in which a sudden and deep winter paralyses the city under snow and ice. These six stories all first appeared in Pearson's Magazine, and were illustrated by Warwick Goble. He was also a pioneer of the spy story, and in 2003, his series The Romance of the Secret Service Fund was edited by Douglas G. Greene and published by Battered Silicon Dispatch Box.