"No Attempt at Ornament"

THE HOLLADAY CASE.
By Burton E. Stevenson.
Harper & Brothers [US].
1904. 298 pages. 3s. 6d. [UK].
Online HERE and HERE.

Stevenson was a competent mystery maven:

A readable story of a mysterious murder is written by Mr. Burton E. Stevenson, and named The Holladay Case. As is generally the case with this class of fiction, the dramatic quality of the story is of more importance than the literary finish, and Mr. Stevenson tells it straightly enough, with no attempt at ornament.

We do not wish to give away the plot, so will merely remark that the teller is an American, and that of the solicitors for the defence, one is honeymooning in the last chapter, and another is making subtly expressed proposals—which are intelligently understood. — "Notes on New Books," THE BOOKMAN [U.K.] (April 1904; scroll to page 33, bottom left).

Resources:
- Two previous ONTOS articles concerning Stevenson are HERE and HERE.

Category: Detective fiction