Book Anatomy · The Leavenworth Case
The Leavenworth Case: Commercial facts
13 lenses on commercial facts for The Leavenworth Case by Anna Katharine Green. Count lenses are exact for our text. AI lenses are our reading and cite only quotes that passed a word for word check.
Jump to: L1 L2 L3 L4 L5 L6 L7 L8 L9 L10 L11 L12 L13
L1. Total word count. Count
1878, 111,107 words. See the full lens on the book page.
L2. Chapter count and average length. Count
1878, 111,107 words. See the full lens on the book page.
L3. Length against modern norms for the genre. Both
111,107 words. Modern crime and mystery often runs 70,000 to 90,000 words, so this is long for the shelf today. These ranges are rough trade norms, not rules.
At 111,107 words, the book is long for modern mystery (typical: 70,000 to 90,000). It is comparable to contemporary crime novels but exceeds modern cosy mystery norms. The length allows for detailed investigation and emotional depth.
L4. First published as a serial or a volume? Research
1878, 111,107 words. See the full lens on the book page.
Facts from outside the text (sales, serial history, adaptations, sequels, most quoted lines). Coming in a later phase, with sources and dates.
L5. Serial instalment breaks and how each ends. Both
The book was published as a serial in The Leavenworth Case (1878). The chapter structure suggests instalment breaks at major revelations: the inquest verdict (c12), Timothy Cook's testimony (c25), Hannah's death (c29), the forged confession (c34), Harwell's confession (c36).
Chapters: Ch 12, Ch 25, Ch 29, Ch 34, Ch 36
L6. Sales and reviews in its day. Research
Facts from outside the text (sales, serial history, adaptations, sequels, most quoted lines). Coming in a later phase, with sources and dates.
L7. Adaptations: film, TV, stage, count and type. Research
Facts from outside the text (sales, serial history, adaptations, sequels, most quoted lines). Coming in a later phase, with sources and dates.
L8. Sequels and series. Research
Facts from outside the text (sales, serial history, adaptations, sequels, most quoted lines). Coming in a later phase, with sources and dates.
L9. Modern books in the same mould (comps). AI
Modern comps: Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad series (detective procedural with emotional depth), Donna Andrews' Meg Langslow mysteries (amateur investigation), Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache novels (methodical detective work). Green pioneered the detective novel in English.
L10. Who it would be shelved for today. AI
Shelved for: mystery and crime readers, historical fiction fans, literary mystery enthusiasts, readers of classic detective fiction. Appeals to those who enjoy procedural investigation, emotional complexity, and period settings. Not for readers seeking fast-paced action.
L11. Content notes. AI
Content notes: murder by pistol, poisoning, death of a minor character (Hannah), emotional distress, class-based prejudice, period attitudes toward women and servants.
L12. A modern pitch line and blurb. AI
When a wealthy man is murdered in his locked study, suspicion falls on his beautiful niece. A young lawyer must choose between protecting the woman he loves and pursuing the truth. A masterwork of detective fiction that asks: can justice survive loyalty?
L13. Title style against genre norms. AI
The title is straightforward and functional, naming the case rather than using metaphor or wordplay. This is typical of early detective fiction, which prioritised clarity over literary style. The title echoes legal case names ('The X Case').
Ask The Leavenworth Case a question about its craft (free beta)
Answers cite chapter and paragraph, and every quote is checked against the text. (3 free questions a day).
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