The Dr. Thorndyke Mystery Novels, Volume 2: The Mystery of 31 New Inn and A Silent Witness (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781917666589)

The Dr. Thorndyke Mystery Novels Volume 2

The second helping of two novel volumes of a British scientific detective

The author of this special Leonaur collection of the detective story novels, featuring Dr. John Thorndyke was, in fact, a physician himself, Dr. Richard Austin Freeman, (1862-1943). This eleven volume set of the longer stories of the 'Thorndyke' casebook has been introduced to complement the previously published Leonaur three volume collection of Thorndyke short stories. Shortly after Freeman qualified as a doctor, he volunteered for colonial service as a surgeon in West Africa and was involved in several dramatic incidents of the period. After he was invalided back to the UK he became a general medical practitioner, followed by a period in the Prison Service. Shortly afterwards his writing career accelerated until his literary output was, and remained for his entire life, prodigious. The first 'Thorndyke' story was published in 1907 and this Leonaur collection- featuring two novels per volume- has been collated chronologically. Although most modern readers are familiar with contemporary terms for the same activities, the pioneering Thorndyke is described as a medico-legal forensic investigator.Freeman's own background enabled him to ensure the scientific elements involved in his novels were authentic. Indeed, Freeman undertook verifying experiments to confirm their viability.Naturally, both Freeman and his most renowned character have become the focus of much attention by critics and enthusiasts of the detective fiction genre. Perhaps inevitably, comparisons, for several legitimate reasons, have been made to Sherlock Holmes. Some have observed that whilst Doyle was possibly the superior writer of entertaining tales, Thorndyke was-based on authentic science- the better detective. Be that as it may, readers may be assured that Thorndyke stories continue to be universally lauded as among the finest examples of the Edwardian detective fiction.

Volume two includes, ' The Mystery of 31' and, 'A Silent Witness'.

Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket.