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Cover of The Beetle

Mystery & Crime · Fantasy · Fiction

The Beetle

by Richard Marsh

Four narrators confront an uncanny pursuer in a feverish Gothic mystery of London.

10 hr estimatedB1–B2 Linden levelRead now availability24 chapters
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Overview

About this book

Four narrators pursue an uncanny figure whose power threatens a prominent politician and those around him. This sensational Gothic mystery relies on colonial fears, racialized language and gender anxieties that require critical period context.

First published
1897
Language
English
Copyright status
Public domain

English level

B1–B2 · Steady progress

The Beetle is calibrated from 41,401 sampled words across 24 chapters: sentences average 22.4 words, 35.1% exceed 24 words and 5.6% of words are nine letters or longer.

Explore the B1–B2 level →

Sentence rhythm

What the prose asks

Extended sentences averaging 22.4 words, with 13.1% reaching 40 words or more

Vocabulary

What may slow you down

5.6% of sampled words contain nine or more letters; names and period vocabulary still vary by chapter

Reading rhythm

Medium commitment

Regular chapter-sized stopping points support a steady plan. About 20 calm 30-minute sessions.

Suggested approach

Read with momentum

Pause at paragraph breaks, restate long sentences in your own words and use the guide for historical context

Best starting point

Begin with chapter one

The full text is ready with speech, lookup and saved progress.

CEFR-aligned Linden estimate · high confidence · sampled full text · Calibrated 2026-09-08 · Provisional, not an exam certification.

Table of contents

24 chapters

  1. 01The Beetle · Part I22 min
  2. 02The Beetle · Part II21 min
  3. 03The Beetle · Part III21 min
  4. 04The Beetle · Part IV21 min
  5. 05The Beetle · Part V21 min
  6. 06The Beetle · Part VI21 min
  7. 07The Beetle · Part VII21 min
  8. 08The Beetle · Part VIII21 min
  9. 09The Beetle · Part IX21 min
  10. 10The Beetle · Part X21 min
  11. 11The Beetle · Part XI21 min
  12. 12The Beetle · Part XII21 min
  13. 13The Beetle · Part XIII21 min
  14. 14The Beetle · Part XIV21 min
  15. 15The Beetle · Part XV21 min
  16. 16The Beetle · Part XVI21 min
  17. 17The Beetle · Part XVII21 min
  18. 18The Beetle · Part XVIII21 min
  19. 19The Beetle · Part XIX21 min
  20. 20The Beetle · Part XX22 min
  21. 21The Beetle · Part XXI22 min
  22. 22The Beetle · Part XXII21 min
  23. 23The Beetle · Part XXIII21 min
  24. 24The Beetle · Part XXIV14 min
Portrait of Richard Marsh

Related author

Richard Marsh

An English popular novelist whose crime, horror and adventure stories brought uncanny threats into late-Victorian London.

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