Richard Austin Freeman known as R. Austin Freeman was a British writer of detective stories, mostly featuring the medico-legal forensic investigator Dr. Thorndyke. He claimed to have invented the inverted detective story (a crime fiction in which the commission of the crime is described at the beginning, usually including the identity of the perpetrator, with the story then describing the detective's attempt to solve the mystery) and used some of his early experiences as a colonial surgeon in his novels.
A large proportion of the Dr. Thorndyke stories involve genuine, but often quite arcane, points of scientific knowledge, from areas such as tropical medicine, metallurgy and toxicology.
The ongoing adventures of detective John Evelyn Thorndyke, M.D.
Originally a medical doctor, Dr. Thorndyke turned to the bar and became one of the first forensic scientists--referred to as a 'medical jurispractitioner.'
Dr. Thorndyke's solutions were based on the method of collecting all possible data and making inferences from them before looking at any of the protagonists and motives in the crimes.
He is usually assisted by his friend, Christopher Jervis and the resourceful Nathaniel Polton, his crinkly-faced lab technician.
Table of Contents
The Vanishing Man
John Thorndyke's Cases
The Mystery of 31 New Inn
The Red Thumb Mark
The Eye of Osiris
The Uttermost Farthing
The Case of the White Footprints
The Great Portrait Mystery
Helen Vardon's Confession
The Kimberley Fugitive
A Silent Witness
The Silkworms of Florence
The Singing Bone
The Submarine Boat
The Red Thumb Mark -
Diamonds are missing and incredibly, the safe has been left untouched, all except for two blood smeared thumb prints and the inevitable presence of a mysterious Mr X. Will Dr Thorndyke, the erudite master of insight, solve the enigma of the red thumb mark?
John Thordyke's Cases -
A collection of detective stories. From robbery and murder to mayhem, Dr. Thorndyke is called on to solve the mysteries...
The Eye of Osiris -
First published in 1911, The Eye of Osiris adds the charm of Old London to this fine detective story by R. Austin Freeman.
The Mystery of 31 New Inn -
When a Doctor is called to the bedside of a mysterious sick man by the name of Graves, a strange and sinister plot involving poisoning is uncovered. But who is this Graves; a man well travelled who seems to have such a fear of doctors? And who is the villainous Mr Weiss into whose care Graves has been assigned? Dr. Thorndyke is summoned to help solve the mystery...