The Bradys' Chinese Clew; Or, The Secret Dens of Pell Street

by Francis Worcester Doughty

"The Bradys' Chinese Clew; Or, The Secret Dens of Pell Street" by Doughty is a detective novel written in the early 20th century. The story focuses on two detectives, Old King Brady and his partner Young King Brady, as they navigate the intrigues of Chinatown in New York while searching for a missing young woman and uncovering a mysterious treasure related to hidden pension funds. At the start of the narrative, set during a heavy thunderstorm, the Bradys are in Chinatown waiting for a contact regarding a case that involves Ed Butler, a young man whose sister has eloped with a Chinese man and stolen important family papers. Ed arrives, but shortly after meeting the Bradys, he falls into a trap that leads to a secret underground lair, revealing deeper mysteries concerning the secret Chinese society and the lost treasure. As the Bradys investigate, they encounter dangers, including treachery from within the Chinese community, and discover that non-Chinese individuals have also become entangled in this web. The opening sets up a suspenseful and complex plot filled with twists and dark secrets waiting to be unraveled.