R. Austin FreemanCríticas

An entertaining collection of golden age mysteries, particularly those featuring Dr. Thorndyke.

I like the old school mysteries from time to time. Not earth-shattering but clever plots written nicely.

3.5*

While the 'who' in this case seemed quite obvious to me, the 'how' baffled me. I got the strong feeling that Freeman's mysteries will mostly focus on the method of the crime (which is okay with me!).

While I enjoyed this 4th book in the Dr. Thorndyke series, it seemed unlikely to me that Jervis (who first enters Dr. Thorndyke's employment during the course of the book) couldn't make some connections that struck me as obvious such as his patient Graves had a specific type of injury to his right eye and Jeffery Blackmore had an injury to one of his eyes!.

3.5*

This short story collection contains 5 stories:
The Case of Oscar Brodski
A Case of Premeditation
The Echo of a Mutiny
A Wastrel's Romance
The Old Lag

As the preface explains, with the exception of the final story ("The Old Lag"), these stories were written to show that "The reader's curiosity is concerned not so much with the question "Who did it?" as with the question "How was the discovery achieved?" ... Would it be possible to write a detective story in which from the outset the reader was taken entirely into the author's confidence, was made an actual witness of the crime and furnished with every fact that could possible be used in its detection? Would there be any story left when the reader had all the facts? I believed that there would..."

Nowadays, this type of crime story is not uncommon but Freeman was the first to show that it could be commercially successful with "The Case of Oscar Brodski". While I had a good time reading all the stories, I must admit that my personal taste is for the more traditional approach as shown by the fact that I liked "The Old Lag" the best of the 5.

Good collection of short mystery stories.

While I quite enjoyed the second section, which involved Dr. Thorndyke and his investigation, the book as a whole felt like a short story which had been extended (perhaps due to pressure from the publisher?) to make it into a proper novel. I didn't dislike the first (and longer) section but it was unnecessary for the elucidation of the mystery.

4.5*
This entry in the Dr. Thorndyke series combined a great example of Thorndyke at work with the sort of adventure story that I love. Young Jasper Gray gets innocently caught up in the schemes of a group of ruffians and manages to save a beautiful girl. Thorndyke & Jervis are asked by their old friend Brodribb to assist him regarding a missing client. Due to certain features surrounding this disappearance, the reader is instantly aware that these two narratives are related though none of the main characters know this. It was such fun watching as Thorndyke proceeds to collect facts which slowly but surely build up the case and eventually the 2 plots become one story.

Freeman has had dual narratives before in the Thorndyke series but mostly in 2 completely separate sections. This book has the two points of view interwoven and it is done in such a skillful way - each plot line has its own interest (and I can see how some readers would prefer one over the other depending on personal taste) but the switch between them was handled smoothly.

This book requires the reader to be familiar with the first book of the series, "The Red Thumb Mark". While the book in and of itself probably deserves a 3.5*, the connections to the previous case were enough to make me round up instead of down. Poltron, Dr. Thorndyke's assistant, has some snazzy devices in this one but, as always, Thorndyke's methodical method of examining evidence and checking his private hypotheses are what I like most about this series.

I do like Freeman's philosophy, voiced by Thorndyke at the conclusion of this book:

"Believe me, Jervis, the great purveyor of human happiness is not philanthropy, which seeks to soften the lot of the unworthy, but justice, which secures to the worthy the power to achieve their own happiness, by protecting them from the wrong-doer and the social parasite."

This 21st entry in the Dr. Thorndyke series wasn't a mystery at all. I guess it could be called a suspense or better yet a crime novel. Though Thorndyke enters the story rather late and the reader doesn't get to see him doing much investigating, it was entertaining to see him at work in the courtroom. The main character, Andrew Barton, was a complete imbecile and while at first I could understand his motivations, he quickly lost my sympathy & is one of the main reasons this book only gets 3* from me.

3.5*

Pretty good entry in the Dr. Thorndyke series even if I did spot the solution fairly early on.

OK mystery but the main "twist" seemed obvious to me.

My edition has this cover but isn't annotated & was from Feedbooks:
http://www.feedbooks.com/book/2140/the-stoneware-monkey

While I always enjoy Dr. Thorndyke, the culprit in this entry in the series seemed quite obvious to me almost immediately. I found the narrator of this book, Rupert Mayfield, almost unbelievably obtuse, though of course he had emotional attachments which interfered with his ability to think clearly...

Thorndyke is in prime form in this entry in the series. The main reason I didn't rate this higher was the fact that I managed to figure out most (though not all) of the solution before the big reveal.

3.5☆

Quite a good collection of short mystery stories.

almost jumped the shark w the love affair between Jervis and the girl
faith restored during the exhibition at trial of difference between genuine and forged fingerprints

This is a collection of excellent novels and stories featuring Dr Thorndyke, a barrister and medical doctor who is a close observer and good at seeing what his observations imply, like Sherlock Holmes but better. Also like Holmes, he can be very secretive about his deductions, so that the narrators of the stories, often Dr Jervis, are baffled until the great detective explains all.

A wealthy but disreputable businessman is found murdered in his fourth floor flat, an aluminum dagger shoved into his back. Although the windows were open, the room was locked from the inside. It's a mystery for the brilliant Dr. John Thorndyke!

This is definitely a book of two halves. The first half is narrated by Dr. Thorndyke's factotum Nat Polton, and tells of his experiences after leaving home, which end fairly disastrously through no fault of his own (or would have done if not for the doctor). The second half, told by Dr. Jervis, involves a suspicious death caused by a fire - it turns out, not surprisingly, that this is connected with the first half in a way that most readers will work out fairly quickly, although the full story is not clear until Thorndyke's final exposition. I think it would be best to read this after most of the other Thorndyke stories, as readers will find Polton's story more interesting after they have already met him a few times.½

Dr Thorndyke latest client is a Reuben Hornby. Diamonds that were kept in his Uncle's safe have been stolen.. The keys were kept by his Uncle John Hornby. But a bloody finger print left in the safe points to Reuben Hornby. Who proclaims his innocence. Thorndyke is helped by old friend Dr Jervis.
An interesting historical mystery.
Originally published in 1907

The first part of the story is from the pov of Robert Mortimer, bank clerk, as he discovers a body on a church steps. In his shock he is befriended by John Gilliam, a gambler. But once his fortune has gone Gilliam is discovered dead, an apparant suicide. But Gilliam's cousin is not convinced and asks Dr Thorndyke to investigate.
An entertaining historical mystery

Dr Jervis is staying at The Larches, Burling, at the practice of Dr Hanshaw while he takes a holiday. Apart from Mrs Hanshaw, there is Dr Hanshaw's sister, Mrs Halden. Her son Fred, niece by marriage Miss Lucy Hamden, and expected is her fiance Douglas Winter. Thorndyke is called in to find a missing person.
An interesting short mystery.

Artist model Edith Grant has been discovered dead on a train. Last seen with her, painter Harold Stopford has been arrested.
Quite an implausible cause of death

Mr John Bellingham, archaeologist, goes missing when visiting his cousin Mr Hurst. Several years later bones are found in various ponds. But who do they belong to. Dr Thorndyke investigates.
An interesting mystery