In "The Shadow of the Rope" by Ernest William Hornung, readers are taken on a thrilling journey through the life of a man wrongly accused of a crime he did not commit. The story is full of suspense and intrigue as the protagonist fights to prove his innocence and uncover the true culprit. Hornung's writing is captivating, it sets a dark and foreboding tone that keeps the reader on edge throughout the book.

The characters are well-developed and complex, each with their own motivations and secrets that add depth to the story. The relationships between them are both heartwarming and heartbreaking, making the reader invested in their fates. The plot is full of twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end, and the resolution is both satisfying and unexpected.

Hornung's writing style is eloquent and immersive, drawing the reader into the world he has created and making them feel like they are a part of the story. Overall, "The Shadow of the Rope" is a gripping and emotional tale of perseverance, justice, and the power of the human spirit.

Book Description:
Rachel Minchin stands in the dock, accused of murdering the dissolute husband she was preparing to leave. The trial is sensational, and public opinion vehemently and almost universally against her. When the jury astonishes and outrages the world with a vedict of Not Guilty, Rachel quickly finds herself in need of protection. It comes in the form of a surprising offer of marriage from a mysterious stranger who has sat through every day of her trial. The marriage to this intriguing stranger, Mr. Steel, is by mutual agreement to be a platonic one, the only condition of which is that neither is ever to question the other about the past. The two travel to Steel’s remote country estate, where Rachel accidentally discovers that her second husband’s past was somehow intertwined with her first husband’s history – but how, exactly, and why he determined to marry her, Steel will not say. As her doubts about her husband increase, local busybodies threaten to unearth Rachel’s own past. And that is the least of the secrets that comes to light as this entertaining mystery unfolds. (Introduction by Christine Dufour)