Uncle Abner, Master of Mysteries by Melville Davisson Post

Internet Archive

"It would be the beginning of justice," said Abner, "if every man followed the standard that God gives him."

In rural Virginia of the early 1800s, Uncle Abner, a stalwart, God-fearing landowner, applies his wits to solving a variety of unusual crimes, in pursuit of justice for both the guilty and the innocent. Told through the eyes of Abner's young nephew, these short stories are fascinating mysteries, beautifully written.

The only place that Uncle Abner is currently available for free is Internet Archive. Books here are usually converted from scans, so often contain formatting glitches and typos, but this copy I have linked to appears to be clean enough to read without trouble. (A 99¢ edition is available for Kindle.)

My review of this book.

The Railway Children by E. Nesbit

Project Gutenberg

After their father suddenly goes away from home, Bobbie, Peter and Phyllis and their mother move to the country. The three children become fascinated with the railway that runs near their new home, which leads to their making many new friends and eventually solving the mystery of Father's disappearance.

According to customer reviews, the free Kindle version of this book is missing the poems written by the characters in the story, so I've linked to the Project Gutenberg edition only.

The Street of Seven Stars by Mary Roberts Rinehart

Kindle | Project Gutenberg

Mary Roberts Rinehart is best known for her mysteries (which will also be featured on Toll Free Books in posts to come!) but this is a beautiful non-mystery novel, set in Vienna just before World War I. Romance, scandal, heartbreak and humor surround a group of American students and artists living in the old city, and the various characters that come and go from the once-grand old house where they board.

The Magnificent Ambersons by Booth Tarkington

Kindle | Project Gutenberg

Booth Tarkington's most famous novel, one of his two Pulitzer Prize winners, is an often-overlooked American classic. George Amberson Minafer, the spoiled, selfish heir of a wealthy and prominent family, sacrifices his devoted mother's chance at happiness to his own mistaken family pride, and eventually must learn from his mistakes the hard way as the Ambersons' fortunes crumble during the tumult of the Industrial Revolution. A well-crafted story and a fascinating look at changing times make this a novel well worth reading.

My review of this book.

The Virginian by Owen Wister

Project Gutenberg

Not the first Western novel, but perhaps the one that did the most to catapult the genre into public notice. The character of the nameless "horseman of the plains," the Virginian, as seen through the eyes of the nameless narrator; the Virginian's courtship of New England-bred schoolteacher Molly Wood; and his eventual showdown with the villainous Trampas, fill the episodic plot of Wister's famous novel.

The free Kindle edition is missing all songs lyrics and poetry quoted within the story, so I've linked to the Project Gutenberg edition only.

Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott

Kindle | Project Gutenberg

In an England in turmoil with King Richard the Lionhearted absent, Sir Wilfred of Ivanhoe struggles to regain his inheritance and his true love amidst political intrigue, kidnappings, jousts, and more. One of the most splendid old swashbuckling adventure stories, with a many-layered plot and dozens of colorful characters!

I haven't read through the free Kindle edition from cover to cover myself, but I've paged through it and it appears to be cleanly formatted, with a linked table of contents, and epigraphs, poetry etc. included. The customer reviews don't mention any formatting issues. The "with images" versions of the Project Gutenberg edition have illustrations by Maurice Greiffenhagen.

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie

Project Gutenberg

Agatha Christie's very first mystery novel introduced the character of her most famous detective, the round-headed, precise little Belgian Hercule Poirot, with a plot in what would become her classic style: A weathly elderly lady is poisoned at her country house full of relatives and guests, many of whom had motives for wishing her out of the way, and Poirot must determine the culprit in time to save an innocent man.

A free edition is not currently available for Kindle. Note that the Project Gutenberg edition does contain the illustrations helpful to the plot: a diagram of a house and a scrap of handwriting (if you select the "with images" version).

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

Kindle | Project Gutenberg

One of the most charming "talking animals" books for children, The Wind in the Willows chronicles the adventures of the Mole, the Water Rat, the Badger, the pompous Mr. Toad, and others, by woods, village and stream. (An alternate Project Gutenberg edition contains color illustrations by Paul Bransom.)