The Circular Staircase, by Mary Roberts Rinehart

Описание: When spinster Rachel Innes rents a sprawling country mansion for the summer, she expects tranquility—not a corpse at the bottom of a circular staircase and a series of terrifying midnight intruders. As the body count rises and her family falls under suspicion, Rachel must transform into a sharp-witted investigator to navigate hidden panels and sinister secrets. This 1908 classic is the definitive "old dark house" mystery, blending spine-tingling dread with a surprisingly modern, dry wit.

Listening to this audiobook is a masterclass in atmospheric suspense. The first-person narrative pulls you into the shadows of the Sunnyside estate, making every creak of the floorboards feel immediate and chilling. It’s a fast-paced, high-stakes puzzle that pioneered the thriller genre, perfect for listeners who want to experience the gripping origins of the modern whodunit in a single, immersive sitting.

0:00 INTRODUCTION
0:11 CHAPTER 1: I TAKE A COUNTRY HOUSE
13:50 CHAPTER 2: A LINK CUFF-BUTTON
26:10 CHAPTER 3: MR. JOHN BAILEY APPEARS
34:33 CHAPTER 4: WHERE IS HALSEY?
44:26 CHAPTER 5: GERTRUDE’S ENGAGEMENT
54:56 CHAPTER 6: IN THE EAST CORRIDOR
1:05:19 CHAPTER 7: A SPRAINED ANKLE
1:16:21 CHAPTER 8: THE OTHER HALF OF THE LINE
1:33:57 CHAPTER 9: JUST LIKE A GIRL
1:47:20 CHAPTER 10: THE TRADERS’ BANK
2:01:00 CHAPTER 11: HALSEY MAKES A CAPTURE
2:09:49 CHAPTER 12: ONE MYSTERY FOR ANOTHER
2:24:58 CHAPTER 13: LOUISE
2:44:43 CHAPTER 14: AN EGG-NOG AND A TELEGRAM
2:53:39 CHAPTER 15: LIDDY GIVES THE ALARM
3:03:02 CHAPTER 16: IN THE EARLY MORNING
3:11:29 CHAPTER 17: A HINT OF SCANDAL
3:24:14 CHAPTER 18: A HOLE IN THE WALL
3:34:46 CHAPTER 19: CONCERNING THOMAS
3:43:12 CHAPTER 20: DOCTOR WALKER’S WARNING
3:53:33 CHAPTER 21: FOURTEEN ELM STREET
4:10:03 CHAPTER 22: A LADDER OUT OF PLACE
4:16:55 CHAPTER 23: WHILE THE STABLES BURNED
4:28:22 CHAPTER 24: FLINDERS
4:36:46 CHAPTER 25: A VISIT FROM LOUISE
4:49:56 CHAPTER 26: HALSEY’S DISAPPEARANCE
5:03:35 CHAPTER 27: WHO IS NINA CARRINGTON?
5:12:10 CHAPTER 28: A TRAMP AND THE TOOTHACHE
5:24:23 CHAPTER 29: A SCRAP OF PAPER
5:37:01 CHAPTER 30: WHEN CHURCHYARDS YAWN
5:47:19 CHAPTER 31: BETWEEN TWO FIREPLACES
5:56:20 CHAPTER 32: ANNE WATSON’S STORY
6:07:11 CHAPTER 33: AT THE FOOT OF THE STAIRS
6:29:21 CHAPTER 34: THE ODDS AND ENDS