The Ultimate Mystery Collection of R. Austin Freeman (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Forensic Mysteries, Dr Thorndyke Cases, and Edwardian Scientific Crime DetectionBy R. Austin Freeman
Length132h 36m
About this audiobook
The Ultimate Mystery Collection of R. Austin Freeman gathers the essential works of one of detective fiction's most methodical innovators, including cases that display his celebrated "inverted" structure: the crime may be revealed early, while the intellectual drama lies in tracing proof. Written in lucid, exact prose, these stories unite forensic detail, legal reasoning, and narrative suspense, standing at a crucial point between Victorian sensation fiction and the Golden Age puzzle mystery. Freeman, trained as a physician and deeply interested in scientific method, brought to crime writing an unusual authority in pathology, microscopy, toxicology, and evidentiary procedure. His most famous creation, Dr. John Thorndyke, reflects this background: a detective whose brilliance depends not on theatrical intuition but on disciplined observation and experiment. Freeman's medical career, colonial experience, and fascination with the limits of circumstantial evidence all helped shape his distinctive literary contribution. This collection is highly recommended for readers who value intellectually rigorous mysteries and the historical foundations of forensic crime fiction. Scholars, enthusiasts of Sherlock Holmes, and admirers of carefully constructed plots will find in Freeman a writer of remarkable precision, restraint, and enduring influence.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A comprehensive Introduction outlines these selected works' unifying features, themes, or stylistic evolutions.
- A Historical Context section situates the works in their broader era—social currents, cultural trends, and key events that underpin their creation.
- A concise Synopsis (Selection) offers an accessible overview of the included texts, helping readers navigate plotlines and main ideas without revealing critical twists.
- A unified Analysis examines recurring motifs and stylistic hallmarks across the collection, tying the stories together while spotlighting the different work's strengths.
- Reflection questions inspire deeper contemplation of the author's overarching message, inviting readers to draw connections among different texts and relate them to modern contexts.
- Lastly, our hand‐picked Memorable Quotes distill pivotal lines and turning points, serving as touchstones for the collection's central themes.
Audiobook details
GenreMystery and Thriller
Length132 hrs 36 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateDec 13, 2023
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Introduction
115The Blue Sequin
2R. AUSTIN FREEMAN - Ultimate Mystery Collection: 9 Novels & 39 Short Stories, including Dr. Thorndyke Series, Romney Pringle Adventures & Other Thriller Classics
116The Moabite Cipher
3SHORT BIOGRAPHY
117The Mandarin's Pearl
4My Learned Brother
118The Aluminium Dagger
5The Suspect
119A Message From the Deep Sea
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6A Lady in the Case
120The Case of Oscar Brodski
7Confidences
121A Case of Premeditation
8The 'Thumbograph'
122The Echo of a Mutiny
9Committed for Trial
123A Wastrel's Romance
10Shoals and Quicksands
124The Old Lag
11A Suspicious Accident
125I. In Which I Make the Acquaintance of Captain Bithery
12The Prisoner
126II. In Which I Set Out for Africa
13Polton Is Mystified
127III. I Hear Strange Stories and Vague Rumours
14The Ambush
128IV. I Visit a Graveyard and Meet a Blind Man
15It Might Have Been
129V. I Encounter a Curious Relic
16Murder by Post
130VI. The Journal of Captain Barnabas Hogg
17A Startling Discovery
131VII. I Form an Absurd Resolution
18The Finger-Print Experts
132VIII. I Make a New Acquaintance
19Thorndyke Plays His Card
133IX. I Bid Farewell to My Friends
20At Last
134X. I Take to the Road
21The Vanishing Man
135XI. I Find Myself Among Enemies
22The Eavesdropper
136XII. I Change My Identity
23John Thorndyke
137XIII. The Golden Pool
24Legal Complications and a Jackal
138XIV. I Am Led Into Captivity
25The Watercress-Bed
139XV. The Aboási Mine
26Sidelights
140XVI. I Assist in a Robbery and Become a Fugitive
27John Bellingham's Will
141XVII. The Last of Bukári Moshi
28A Museum Idyll
142XVIII. I Again Become a Fugitive
29The Sphinx of Lincoln's Inn
143XIX. I Make My Appearance in a New Character
30The New Alliance
144XX. I Join a Party of Bohemians
31The Evidence Reviewed
145XXI. I Meet With Some Old Acquaintances
32A Voyage of Discovery
146XXII. A Catastrophe
33The Crowner's Quest
147XXIII. I Make a Curious Discovery
34Which Carries the Reader Into the Probate Court
148XXIV. I Return to an Old Trade
35Circumstantial Evidence
149XXV. I Set Out Upon My Voyage
36"O! Artemidorus, Farewell!"
150XXVI. I Put Out Into the Darkness
37The Accusing Finger
151XXVII. Ship Ahoy!
38John Bellingham
152XXVIII. In Which I Bid Farewell to the Reader
39A Strange Symposium
153Epilogue
40The End of the Case
154I. In Which the Reader Makes a Genteel Acquaintance
41Preface
155II. In Which I Become Involved in a Tragedy
42The Mysterious Patient
156III. In Which I Am Cast Away
43Thorndyke Devises a Scheme
157IV. In Which I Meet Friends Both New and Old
44"A Chiel's Amang Ye Takin' Notes"
158V. In Which I Enter the Abode of Godliness
45The Official View
159VI. In Which I Meet a Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
46Jeffrey Blackmore's Will
160VII. In Which I Experience Changes of Fortune
47Jeffrey Blackmore, Deceased
161VIII. In Which I Am Presented to My Cousin Percival
48The Cuneiform Inscription
162IX. In Which I Discover a New Enemy
49The Track Chart
163X. In Which I Have a Narrow Escape
50The House of Mystery
164XI. In Which We Approach a Strange Island
51The Hunter Hunted
165XII. In Which the Pirate Shows His Wit and His Heels
52The Blackmore Case Reviewed
166XIII. In Which I Am Marooned
53The Portrait
167XIV. In Which I Explore My New Territory
54The Statement of Samuel Wilkins
168XV. In Which I Find a Key to Unlock My Prison
55Thorndyke Lays the Mine
169XVI. In Which I Play the Eavesdropper
56Thorndyke Explodes the Mine
170XVII. In Which I Encounter a Most Genteel Rascal
57An Exposition and a Tragedy
171XVIII. In Which the Schooner Is Brought to Her Berth
58I. The Beginning of the Mystery
172XIX. In Which Captain Parradine Calls Checkmate
59II. The Finding of the Reliquary
173XX. In Which I Show Much Valour and Little Discretion
60III. "Who Is Sylvia?"
174XXI. In Which Mr. Murking Pilots the Charity To Her Last Berth
61IV. Septimus Maddock, Deceased
175XXII. In Which I Return to an Old Haunt
62V. The Lethal Chamber
176XXIII. In Which I Come to an Anchor at the Bell Inn
63VI. A Council of War
177XXIV. In Which My Cousin Percival Makes a Discovery
64VII. An Unseen Enemy
178XXV. In Which the Bells Are Rung in Shorne Steeple
65VIII. It's an Ill Wind—
179The Motive Force
66IX. Thorndyke Takes Up the Scent
180"Number One"
67X. The Unheeded Warning
181The Housemaid's Followers
68XI. A Chapter of Accidents
182The Gifts of Chance
69XII. Miss Vyne
183By-Products of Industry
70XIII. A Mysterious Stranger
184The Trail of the Serpent
71XIV. A Lonely Woman
185The Uttermost Farthing
72XV. Exit Dr. Jardine
186Preface
73XVI. Enter Father Humperdinck
187I. The Changeling
74XVII. The Palimpsest
188II. The Prison-Breaker
75XVIII. A Visitor From the States
189III. The Brazen Serpent
76XIX. Tenebrae
190IV. The Constable’s Helpmate
77XX. The Hue and Cry
191V. A Votive Candle
78XXI. The Final Problem
192VI. The Emperor’s Keepsake
79XXII. Thorndyke Reviews the Case
193VII. Woman and Superwoman
80Prologue
194VIII. The Good Samaritan
81I. The Crack of Doom
195IX. The “Prison Joseph”
82II. Astra Cura
196X. Peter Mockett’s Legacy
83III. The Covenant
197XI. Aunt Jemima
84IV. The Eleventh Hour
198XII. The Heavenly Twins
85V. On the Brink
199Epilogue
86VI. A Meeting and a Parting
200I
87VII. The Terms of Release
201II
88VIII. "Whom God Hath Joined—"
202III
89IX. Testimony and Counsel
203IV
90X. The Turning of the Page
204The Assyrian Rejuvenator
91XI. A Harbour of Refuge
205The Foreign Office Despatch
92XII. The Hidden Hand
206The Chicago Heiress
93XIII. A Crystal-Gazer and Other Matters
207The Lizard’s Scale
94XIV. Jasper Davenant
208The Paste Diamonds
95XV. The Magic Pendulum
209The Kailyard Novel
96XVI. The Sweated Artist
210The Submarine Boat
97XVII. The Apotheosis of the Titmouse
211The Kimblerley Fugitive
98XVIII. Among the Breakers
212The Silkworms of Florence
99XIX. Illusions and Disillusion
213The Box of Specie
100XX. Cloud and Sunshine
214The Silver Ingots
101XXI. A Dreadful Inheritance
215The House of Detention
102XXII. The Catastrophe
216The Adventure at Heath Crest
103XXIII. The Dead Hand
217How I Acted for and Invalid Doctor
104XXIV. The Gathering Clouds
218How I Attended a Nervous Patient
105XXV. Suspense: And a Discovery
219How I Met a Very Ignorant Practitioner
106XXVI. The Adjourned Inquiry
220How I Cured a Hopeless Paralytic
107XXVII. The Indictment
221How I Helped to Lay a Ghost
108XXVIII. The Verdict
222The Great Portrait Mystery (pt. 1)
109Epilogue
223The Great Portrait Mystery (pt. 2)
110PERCIVAL BLAND’S PROXY
224The Bronze Parrot
111THE MISSING MORTGAGEE
225Powder Blue and Hawthorn
112The Man With the Nailed Shoes
226The Attorney’s Conscience
113The Stranger's Latchkey
227The Luck of Barnabas Mudge
114The Anthropologist at Large
The Complete Works of R. Austin Freeman: Thriller Classics, Adventure Novels & Detective Stories (Annotated)R. Austin Freeman322h 40m$2 · $0.00
THE RED THUMB MARK, THE EYE OF OSIRIS & THE MYSTERY OF 31 NEW INN (Annotated)R. Austin Freeman28h 13m$2 · $0.00
British Mysteries Collection (Annotated)R. Austin Freeman260h 23m$2 · $0.00
The D'Arblay MysteryR. Austin Freeman9h 37m$2 · $0.00
Felo de Se?R. Austin Freeman10h 16m$2 · $0.00
As a Thief in the NightR. Austin Freeman9h 40m$2 · $0.00
A Case of PremeditationR. Austin Freeman1h 55m$1 · $0.00
The Eye of OsirisR. Austin Freeman9h 15m$1 · $0.00
The Cat's EyeR. Austin Freeman10h 30m$2 · $0.00
The Eye of OsirisR. Austin Freeman8h 38m$1 · $0.00
THE RED THUMB MARK, THE EYE OF OSIRIS & THE MYSTERY OF 31 NEW INNR. Austin Freeman28h 6m$1 · $0.00
A Certain Dr. ThorndykeR. Austin Freeman10h 5m$2 · $0.00
John Thorndyke's CasesR. Austin Freeman4h 47m$2 · $0.00
The Complete Works of R. Austin Freeman: Action Thrillers, Murder Mysteries & Detective StoriesR. Austin Freeman321h 52m$2 · $0.00
The Uttermost Farthing: A Savant's VendettaR. Austin Freeman4h 44m$2 · $0.00
The Adventures of Dr. Thorndyke (The Singing Bone)R. Austin Freeman4h 53m$2 · $0.00
The Mystery of 31 New InnR. Austin Freeman7h 57m$2 · $0.00
When Rogues Fall OutR. Austin Freeman9h 57m$1 · $0.00
BRITISH MYSTERIES COLLECTION - 27 Novels in One Volume: Complete Dr. Thorndyke Series, A Savant's Vendetta, The Exploits of Danby Croker, The Golden Pool, The Unwilling Adventurer and many moreR. Austin Freeman260h 39m$2 · $0.00
The Collected Works of R. Austin Freeman (Illustrated Edition) (Annotated)R. Austin Freeman322h 38m$2 · $0.00
Unfinished BusinessBlair Howard7h 17m$23
EmberJeffrey Wilson, Brian Andrews13h 58m$23
The New Human Revolution, vol. 1Daisaku Ikeda7h 46m$12 · $0.00
Meddlesome MoneyMildred Abbott8h 21m$20
Midnight ShadowsS.E. Smith5h 40m$17
CollateralBrian Andrews, Jeffrey Wilson13h 8m$23
The Complete Sherlock Holmes Novels & Stories (4 Novels + 56 Short Stories) (Annotated)Arthur Conan Doyle73h 13m$2 · $0.00
The ReunionJana Deleon6h 31m$26 · $0.00
Animal 3K’wan6h 33m$20
To Hold and ProtectSandra Owens7h 59m$8 · $0.00
Extinction WarNicholas Sansbury Smith12h 1m$23
Savy WisdomPeggy McColl2h 53m$15
3 a.m. Premium: Books 1–5Nick Pirog15h 27m$25
Farewell My Lovely (Annotated)Raymond Chandler10h 37m$2 · $0.00
The Labyrinth of the SpiritsCarlos Ruiz Zafon27h 55m$53 · $0.00
Tracing Killer EvidenceJodie Bailey5h 46m$12 · $0.00
AGATHA CHRISTIE Premium CollectionAgatha Christie37h 15m$2 · $0.00
Sign of the MakerBrian Shea7h 13m$17
No Sin UnpunishedLynDee Walker7h 43m$17
Sherlock HolmesMade for Success14h 22m$25
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