The Yellow Crayon

The Yellow Crayon is a work of detective fiction and espionage set in the aftermath of World War I. The novel follows the character James Meredith a British lawyer who is drawn into a complex web of intrigue and espionage. Meredith becomes entangled in a case involving stolen military secrets international espionage and a mysterious woman named Madame Ypsilanti.The title of the novel The Yellow Crayon refers to a yellow crayon used by a spy to mark secret messages on the back of postage stamps. The story is filled with elements of espionage espionage networks and international conspiracies which were popular themes in literature during the early 20th century particularly in the wake of World War I and the heightened interest in spy stories.As with many of E. Phillips Oppenheim's works The Yellow Crayon combines elements of mystery romance and adventure. It captures the atmosphere of the post-war era and the intrigue of espionage making it a typical example of Oppenheim's writing style and subject matter.