The Mystery of the Clasped Hands: A Novel

"The Mystery of the Clasped Hands: A Novel" by Guy Boothby is a fictional work written in the early 20th century. The story revolves around two friends, Godfrey Henderson and Victor Fensden, both of whom are artists with contrasting personalities and lifestyles. As they navigate the bohemian atmosphere of London, they find themselves entangled in a mystery involving a beautiful Italian girl, Teresina, who becomes the model for Godfrey's new painting, sparking a complicated emotional scenario. The opening of the novel introduces readers to Godfrey and Victor's tongue-in-cheek conversation as they explore a foreign restaurant in Soho. Their differing perspectives on life and art are immediately apparent, with Victor's adventurous and cosmopolitan spirit contrasting sharply with Godfrey's more conventional views. The narrative swiftly shifts as Victor reveals he has found the perfect model for Godfrey's painting. The moment they meet Teresina, described as stunningly beautiful, Godfrey is captivated. This themes of love, artistic aspiration, and the potential consequences of their friendship are set in motion, hinting at the complexities that will define their relationships as the story unfolds. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Guy Newell Boothby was a prolific Australian novelist and writer, noted for sensational fiction in variety magazines around the end of the nineteenth century. He lived mainly in England. He is best known for such works as the Dr Nikola series, about an occultist criminal mastermind who is a Victorian forerunner to Fu Manchu, and Pharos, the Egyptian, a tale of Gothic Egypt, mummies' curses and supernatural revenge. Rudyard Kipling was his friend and mentor, and his books were remembered with affection by George Orwell.