The Chief Legatee

"The Chief Legatee" by Anna Katharine Green is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story unfolds around the mysterious disappearance of a newlywed bride, Georgian Hazen, who vanishes just hours after her wedding ceremony. Her husband, Roger Ransom, is left bewildered and deeply concerned, leading him to enlist the help of a detective to unravel the mystery behind her sudden flight. The opening of the book introduces us to the immediate crisis as Mr. Ransom reports his wife’s disappearance to the hotel manager and a detective, Mr. Gerridge. The narrative reveals Ransom's frantic search and highlights his unwavering faith in Georgian's love and integrity. Ransom recounts their wedding day and the peculiar behavior leading up to her disappearance, particularly noting her reaction to an unknown man at the wedding. As the plot thickens, details about Georgian’s life and relationships hint at deeper mysteries involving family ties that had long been buried, setting the stage for a suspenseful exploration of love, trust, and identity. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Anna Katharine Green was an American poet and novelist. She was one of the first writers of detective fiction in America and distinguished herself by writing well plotted, legally accurate stories. Green has been called "the mother of the detective novel".