The rat trap by William Le Queux
QR code
"The rat trap" by William Le Queux is a novel written in the early 20th century. Set amid Continental hotel glamour that shades into menace, it follows well-off cosmopolitan Frank Aylmer as he becomes entangled with the captivating Eileen Quentin, her older, courteous “husband” Richard, and their unsettling companion Martyn. A bold jewel robbery and the arrival of an overbearing American millionaire widen the social circle and hint at a deeper web
of jealousy, deception, and crime that is likely to extend from Ostend to London. At the start of the novel, Aylmer and his younger friend Claude Peyton meet Eileen, Richard Quentin, and Richard’s dour friend Martyn at Ostend’s Hôtel Continental, where Aylmer is swiftly captivated. Eileen and Aylmer dance, Martyn shows thinly veiled hostility, and Quentin remains placidly indulgent. A daring dinner-hour jewel raid robs a bejeweled widow and strips Eileen’s room, prompting Aylmer to suspect an inside accomplice. The brash millionaire Cyrus J. Whitefield appears, openly flirts with Eileen, and departs after promising a future London visit, while Martyn scowls and Quentin stays unruffled. Aylmer then witnesses Eileen in tears after a private clash with Martyn and decides to stay, as Peyton shrewdly deduces that Martyn loves her and she fears him. In a confidential walk, Eileen reveals the central twist: she and Quentin only pretend to be married—an arrangement born of his guardianship and her need for protection, with a promise he will free her if real love arrives. She asks Aylmer to be her friend, hints at a coming invitation to their Hampstead home, and he leaves England resolved to help her, their next meeting already secretly planned. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Download for free
For your e-reader or reading app — Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, Calibre etc.
Kindle → Use Send-to-Kindle
Kobo, Nook etc. → Transfer via USB
Phone, tablet or computer → Open in a reading app
Other formats & older devices
There may be more files related to this item.
About this eBook
| Author | Le Queux, William, 1864-1927 |
|---|---|
| LoC No. | 30021776 |
| Title | The rat trap |
| Original Publication | New York: The Macaulay Company, 1930. |
| Credits | an anonymous Project Gutenberg volunteer |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PR: Language and Literatures: English literature |
| Subject | Detective and mystery stories |
| Subject | Robbery -- Fiction |
| Subject | Hotels -- Fiction |
| Subject | Gangs -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 77737 |
| Release Date | Jan 19, 2026 |
| Last Update | Jan 21, 2026 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 460 downloads in the last 30 days. |
Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free!