Mary Roberts Rinehart was a prolific writer that is often referred to as the American Agatha Christie. Rinehart's mystery novels are still treasured by millions of readers today and she is the source of the famous phrase "The butler did it." Rinehart's most famous books include The Circular Staircase, The Bat, The Case of Jennie Brice, and The Door.

The Man in Lower Ten, published in 1909, centers around Lawrence Blakeley, a lawyer who becomes entangled in the mystery surrounding a murder in which he is suspected of committing.