The Mystery Girl

In Short

This novel is a classic puzzle-mystery set in the quiet, intellectual enclave of Corinth. When the newly elected college president, John Waring, is found dead in his locked study, suspicion falls upon a mysterious, aloof young woman who appeared in town just days before. As the investigation deepens, the story weaves together threads of missing wills, family secrets, and the quiet tensions of a small-town social hierarchy. It remains a notable example of the "Golden Age" American detective story, defined by its intricate setup and the intellectual dominance of its lead investigator.

The Story

The story begins in the self-satisfied atmosphere of Corinth, a town revolving around its university. The college has just elected a new president, John Waring, a man of traditional values. Into this insular community arrives an enigmatic young woman, Anita Austin, who quickly earns the nickname "Miss Mystery." Her arrival coincides with the arrival of Emily Bates, a widow to whom Waring is engaged. When Waring is introduced to Anita at a tea, he is visibly shaken, dropping his teacup in a moment of unexplained terror.

Shortly thereafter, Waring is found dead in his study. The room is locked from the inside, with no apparent way for an assailant to have entered or exited. His secretary, Gordon Lockwood, and the household staff are left to deal with the aftermath as legal representatives and police struggle to make sense of the scene. Suspicion immediately turns toward Anita, who was spotted near the house on the night of the death. She possesses a ruby and a sum of money that she refuses to explain, further fueling the rumors of her involvement.

As the investigation proceeds, the stakes rise with the discovery that Waring’s will has vanished. A greedy distant cousin, Maurice Trask, arrives in town, intent on claiming the estate and pushing for a quick resolution that favors his own interests. The narrative follows the efforts of the local attorney, Mr. Cray, and the arrival of the renowned detective Fleming Stone, who is brought in to solve the impossible crime. Stone, accompanied by his assistant Fibsy, methodically questions the witnesses, including the stoic secretary Lockwood and the observant, if somewhat spiteful, locals like Miss Bascom.

Through a series of interviews and the discovery of physical evidence—including strange marks on the back of a chair and a crimson stain on a volume of poetry—Stone begins to piece together the truth. Meanwhile, the romance between Anita and Lockwood develops amidst the shadow of the murder investigation. Lockwood, convinced of Anita's innocence, attempts to protect her from the scrutiny of the law.

Ultimately, the resolution is found within the family history. Anita reveals that she is, in fact, John Waring’s daughter. Her presence in town was a bid to connect with her father. Stone deduces that Waring’s death was not a murder at all, but a suicide; the president, finding himself in an impossible personal situation, chose to end his life in a manner that would protect the university’s reputation and his own dignity. The "crimson stain" on the book was the result of his final, tragic moment. The inheritance is settled, Trask is pushed aside, and Anita and Lockwood find a path toward a life together, leaving the mysteries of Corinth behind them.

How It Unfolds

The arrival of a stranger Miss Mystery arrives in Corinth, instantly sparking curiosity due to her grave, uncanny demeanor and refusal to answer personal questions. Her presence disrupts the quiet social order of the town and catches the attention of the Adams family, who provide her with lodging.

The locked-room tragedy John Waring, the newly elected college president, is found dead in his study, which remains locked from the inside. The impossibility of the situation baffles the household and the local authorities, who cannot explain how a murderer could have escaped.

The web of suspicion The investigation focuses on Anita, as her secretiveness and the discovery of valuables in her possession cast her as a prime suspect. Local busybodies and the greedy heir Maurice Trask attempt to manipulate the narrative to suit their own suspicions and financial interests.

The detective’s intervention Fleming Stone arrives to apply his analytical rigor to the case, methodically disregarding the gossip to focus on physical details. He interrogates the household, slowly dismantling the theories of murder and uncovering the hidden connections between the victim and the newcomer.

The final revelation Anita chooses to reveal her true identity as Waring’s daughter, which shifts the perspective of the entire investigation. Stone confirms that the death was a self-inflicted tragedy intended to preserve the president’s honor, allowing the remaining characters to move toward a resolution.

The People

Anita Austin is the central enigma. She is young, beautiful, and fiercely private, wanting only to be left alone to sketch. Her status as a social outsider makes her an easy target for suspicion, but she holds the key to the mystery through her secret familial connection to the victim.

John Waring is the dignified, conservative president of the university. He is a man of principle who carries the weight of his institution’s reputation, leading him to a desperate, solitary end when his past unexpectedly catches up with him.

Fleming Stone is the calm, highly intelligent detective who cuts through the emotional noise of the case. He represents the voice of objective truth, refusing to be swayed by the rumors or the greed of the other characters.

Gordon Lockwood is the loyal, steady secretary who finds himself in love with Anita. He serves as both a protector and a witness, his devotion to Anita often conflicting with his duty to the truth.

Maurice Trask acts as the antagonist. Driven by financial greed rather than justice, he attempts to use the mystery to secure the Waring inheritance, representing the cynical forces that threaten the characters' happiness.

In Its Own Voice

“She saw a mere slip of a girl, young, slender, and very alert of manner.”

The narrator provides this initial description when the protagonist first arrives at the railway station, setting the stage for her role as an object of intense local curiosity.

“I am of Truesdell blood, as Mr. Trask surmised. But, also, I am of Waring blood. Doctor John Waring was my father.”

Anita finally drops her guard near the conclusion of the story, providing the vital piece of information that transforms the investigation from a murder hunt into a family tragedy.

What It's Really About

At its core, the book explores the tension between public reputation and private identity. The town of Corinth prides itself on being a bastion of intellect and propriety, yet the plot reveals that the most prominent figures are often burdened by hidden pasts and unspoken needs. The mystery serves as a mechanism to peel away the veneer of "satisfied superiority" that the townspeople wear. It asks whether one can truly ever know the interior life of another, even a husband or a father. Ultimately, the story argues that duty and honor—even when misplaced—are the primary drivers of human action, often leading to consequences that no outsider can fully grasp without looking past the surface of the puzzle.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy the classic structure of 1920s detective fiction—where the appeal lies in the intellectual challenge of a locked room and the interplay of distinct, slightly eccentric characters—will find this a rewarding experience. It captures the specific, slightly stilted charm of the period’s mystery writing, where the prose is formal and the mystery is treated as a high-stakes logic game.

However, a modern reader should be prepared for the social attitudes typical of the era. The book reflects the period's rigid class and gender expectations, which occasionally manifest in the way characters speak to and about one another. The dialogue, particularly among the townspeople, leans into a certain brand of regional, slightly dated vernacular that serves to heighten the insular feeling of the setting. While the pacing is consistent with the genre's tendency toward long, descriptive interviews, the slow build-up is a feature of the style rather than a flaw. If you enjoy the sensation of stepping into a well-ordered, vintage puzzle where the answer is hidden in plain sight, you will appreciate the methodical precision of this story. It is a time capsule of a specific way of thinking about mystery, and it remains a sturdy, clever example of its kind.