Rope by Patrick Hamilton

For the mere sake of adventure, danger, and the “fun of the thing,” Wyndham Brandon persuades his weak-minded friend, Charles Granillo, to assist him in the murder of a fellow undergraduate, a perfectly harmless man named Ronald Raglan. They place the body in a wooden chest, and to add spice to their handiwork, invite a few acquaintances, including the dead youth’s father, to a party, the chest with its gruesome contents serving as a supper table. The horror and tension are worked up gradually; thunder grows outside, the guests leave, and we see the reactions of the two murderers, watched closely by the suspecting lame poet Rupert Cadell. Finally, they break down under the strain and confess their guilt.

Characters:

• Wyndham Brandon - A wealthy, charming and intelligent young man who is also a cold-blooded murderer.
• Charles Granillo - Brandon's friend and accomplice in the murder
• Kenneth Raglan
• Leila Arden - close friend of the murdered victim
• Sir Johnstone Kentley - father of the murdered victim
• Mrs Debenham - Sir Johnston’s sister
• Rupert Cadell - Former teacher to Brandon and Granillo
• Sabot/Mrs. Wilson - Brandon and Granillo’s hired help

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