''The Club of Queer Trades'' is a collection of stories by
G. K. Chesterton first published in 1905.
Each story in the collection is centered on a person who is making his living by some novel and extraordinary means (a "queer trade", using the word "queer" in the sense of "strange"). To gain admittance one must have invented a unique means of earning a living and the subsequent trade being the main source of income.
Characters
* The Narrator, Charlie "Cherub" Swinburne
*
Basil Grant
Basil (, ; ''Ocimum basilicum'' , also called great basil, is a culinary herb of the family Lamiaceae (mints). It is a tender plant, and is used in cuisines worldwide. In Western cuisine, the generic term "basil" refers to the variety also k ...
* Rupert Grant
Stories
The
framing narrative
Framing may refer to:
* Framing (construction), common carpentry work
* Framing (law), providing false evidence or testimony to prove someone guilty of a crime
* Framing (social sciences)
* Framing (visual arts), a technique used to bring the foc ...
by "Cherub" Swinburne describes his quest for ''The Club of Queer Trades'' with his friend Basil Grant, a retired judge, and Rupert Grant, a private detective who is Basil's younger brother. Each of the stories describes their encounter with one of the trades.
The Tremendous Adventures of Major Brown
First appeared in ''Harper’s Weekly''
47, December 19, 1903
While investigating a case of assault brought by Major Brown, Rupert Grant, the private detective, and his brother Basil stumble upon the Adventure and Romance Agency, Limited, an agency that creates adventures for its clients. The story is notable for prefiguring the concept of the
alternate reality game
An alternate reality game (ARG) is an interactive networked narrative that uses the real world as a platform and employs transmedia storytelling to deliver a story that may be altered by players' ideas or actions.
The form is defined by inten ...
.
The Painful Fall of a Great Reputation
Basil Grant investigates Wimpole, the great raconteur.
The Awful Reason of the Vicar's Visit
First appeared in ''Harper’s Weekly''
48, May 28 & June 4, 1904
"Cherub" Swinburne is asked to investigate the mysterious assault on the Vicar of Chuntsey (in Essex).
The Singular Speculation of the House-Agent
First appeared in ''Harper’s Weekly''
48, June 11 and 18, 1904
Basil Grant investigates the mystery of Lieutenant Keith, whose house, "The Elms", Buxton Common, cannot be found.
The Noticeable Conduct of Professor Chadd
First appeared in ''Harper’s Weekly''
48, June 25, 1904
Basil Grant finds out why Professor Chadd insists on dancing.
The Eccentric Seclusion of the Old Lady
First appeared in ''Harper’s Weekly''
48, July 9 & 16, 1904
Rupert Grant rescues a lady from her kidnappers but cannot understand why she refuses to be rescued. The answer leads to the final unveiling of the mystery of the Club of Queer Trades.
External links
*
*
The Club of Queer Trades 1905 First Edition in volume at Open Library
*
Radio adaptionfrom BBC Radio 4 Extra starring David Warner, Martin Freeman, Geoffrey Whitehead and Vicki Pepperdine.
1905 short story collections
Frame stories
Short stories by G. K. Chesterton
Mystery short story collections
Books by G. K. Chesterton
Harper & Brothers books
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