The Cask (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. A Murder MysteryBy Freeman Wills Crofts
Length13h 29m
About this audiobook
First published in 1920, The Cask is a landmark of the interwar detective novel, opening with the discovery of a woman's body concealed in a wine cask shipped from France to London. Crofts constructs the narrative with meticulous attention to timetables, shipping routes, railway connections, and alibis, favoring procedural logic over sensation. Its style is lucid, patient, and architectural, placing it firmly within the emerging Golden Age tradition while retaining the rigor of late Victorian problem fiction. Freeman Wills Crofts, an Irish-born railway engineer before turning to fiction, brought to crime writing an engineer's respect for systems, schedules, and verifiable fact. His professional familiarity with transport networks deeply informs the novel's method: clues are not merely dramatic devices but components in a mechanical puzzle. The Cask, his debut, established the qualities that would define his career—precision, fairness, and an almost scientific faith in detection. This book is recommended for readers who value intellectual discipline in crime fiction. Those interested in the origins of police procedure, transnational investigation, and the classic alibi puzzle will find The Cask both historically important and enduringly absorbing.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
GenreMystery and Thriller
Length13 hrs 29 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateNov 7, 2020
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1The Pirate of Panama (Annotated)
2Introduction
3Synopsis
4Historical Context
5PART I—LONDON
Show all chaptersShow less
6CHAPTER I. A STRANGE CONSIGNMENT
7CHAPTER II. INSPECTOR BURNLEY ON THE TRACK
8CHAPTER III. THE WATCHER ON THE WALL
9CHAPTER IV. A MIDNIGHT INTERVIEW
10CHAPTER V. FELIX TELLS A STORY
11CHAPTER VI. THE ART OF DETECTION
12CHAPTER VII. THE CASK AT LAST
13CHAPTER VIII. THE OPENING OF THE CASK
14PART II—PARIS
15CHAPTER IX. M. LE CHEF DE LA SÛRETÉ
16CHAPTER X. WHO WROTE THE LETTER?
17CHAPTER XI. MM. DUPIERRE ET CIE.
18CHAPTER XII. AT THE GARE ST. LAZARE
19CHAPTER XIII. THE OWNER OF THE DRESS
20CHAPTER XIV. M. BOIRAC MAKES A STATEMENT
21CHAPTER XV. THE HOUSE IN THE AVENUE DE L’ALMA
22CHAPTER XVI. INSPECTOR BURNLEY UP AGAINST IT
23CHAPTER XVII. A COUNCIL OF WAR
24CHAPTER XVIII. LEFARGE HUNTS ALONE
25CHAPTER XIX. THE TESTING OF AN ALIBI
26CHAPTER XX. SOME DAMNING EVIDENCE
27PART III—LONDON AND PARIS
28CHAPTER XXI. A NEW POINT OF VIEW
29CHAPTER XXII. FELIX TELLS A SECOND STORY
30CHAPTER XXIII. CLIFFORD GETS TO WORK
31CHAPTER XXIV. MR. GEORGES LA TOUCHE
32CHAPTER XXV. DISAPPOINTMENT
33CHAPTER XXVI. A CLUE AT LAST
34CHAPTER XXVII. LA TOUCHE’S DILEMMA
35CHAPTER XXVIII. THE UNRAVELLING OF THE WEB
36CHAPTER XXIX. A DRAMATIC DÉNOUEMENT
37CHAPTER XXX. CONCLUSION
38Analysis
39Reflection
40Memorable Quotes
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