No Thoroughfare

No Thoroughfare, a collaborative work by Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins, was released in December 1867 as both a stage play and a novel. The narrative centers on two boys from a foundling hospital who are mistakenly given the same name, leading to profound and devastating consequences in their adult lives. Following the death of one, executors are tasked with identifying the rightful heir, which propels them on a perilous journey. This quest takes them from the labyrinthine wine cellars of London, across the treacherous winter Alps, and ultimately to the Mediterranean. The path is fraught with treachery and danger at every turn, until a courageous heroine and a loyal servant intervene, bringing resolution to this intricate tale of mystery, mistaken identity, and inheritance.

Reading ease score: 81.4 (6th grade). Easy to read.