Anna Katharine Green (1846-1935) was one of the first mystery writers in the United States and was hugely popular in her time. Called "the mother of the detective novel", she was known for her well-plotted, character-driven stories, and this novel is no exception. A tale of two families, betrayal, revenge, and murder, THE CIRCULAR STUDY, written in 1902, is still an engrossing and compelling work.