Mary Roberts Rinehart 
The Bat 

The Bat Mary Roberts Rinehart — The Bat is a three-act play by Mary Roberts Rinehart that was first produced by Lincoln Wagenhals and Collin Kemper in 1920. The story combines elements of mystery and comedy as Cornelia Van Gorder and guests spend a stormy night at her rented summer home, searching for stolen money they believe is hidden in the house, while they are stalked by a masked criminal known as ‘the Bat’. The Bat’s identity is revealed at the end of the final act.

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Mary Roberts Rinehart was a prolific author often called the American Agatha Christie. She is considered the source of the phrase ‘The butler did it’, although she did not actually use the phrase herself, and also considered to have invented the ‘Had-I-But-Known’ school of mystery writing.Rinehart wrote hundreds of short stories, poems, travelogues and special articles. Many of her books and plays were adapted for movies, such as The Bat (1926), The Bat Whispers (1930), and The Bat (1959). While many of her books were best-sellers, critics were most appreciative of her murder mysteries.