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The Aluminium Dagger
The "urgent call"-the instant, peremptory summons to professional duty-is an experience that appertains to the medical rather than the legal practitioner, and I had supposed, when I abandoned the clinical side of my profession in favour of the forensic, that henceforth I should know it no more; that the interrupted meal, the broken leisure, and the jangle of the night-bell, were things of the past; but in practice it was otherwise. The medical jurist is, so to speak, on the borderland of the two professions, and exposed to the vicissitudes of each calling, and so it happened from time to time that the professional services of my colleague or myself were demanded at a moment's notice. And thus it was in the case that I am about to relate.
34 pages, Paperback
First published September 2, 2014
1 person is currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
R. Austin Freeman
599 books87 followersRichard Freeman was born in Soho, London on 11 April 1862, the son of Ann Maria (nee Dunn) and Richard Freeman, a tailor. He was originally named Richard, and later added the Austin to his name.
He became a medical trainee at Middlesex Hospital Medical College, and was accepted as a member of the Royal College of Surgeons.
He married Annie Elizabeth Edwards in 1887; they had two sons. After a few weeks of married life, the couple found themselves in Accra on the Gold Coast, where he was assistant surgeon. His time in Africa produced plenty of hard work, very little money and ill health, so much so that after seven years he was invalided out of the service in 1891. He wrote his first book, 'Travels and Life in Ashanti and Jaman', which was published in 1898. It was critically acclaimed but made very little money.
On his return to England he set up an eye/ear/nose/throat practice, but in due course his health forced him to give up medicine, although he did have occasional temporary posts, and in World War I he was in the ambulance corps.
He became a writer of detective stories, mostly featuring the medico-legal forensic investigator Dr Thorndyke. The first of the books in the series was 'The Red Thumb Mark' (1907). His first published crime novel was 'The Adventures of Romney Pringle' (1902) and was a collaborative effort published under the pseudonym Clifford Ashdown. Within a few years he was devoting his time to full-time writing.
With the publication of 'The Singing Bone' (1912) he 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). Thereafter he 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.
He died in Gravesend on 28 September 1943.
He became a medical trainee at Middlesex Hospital Medical College, and was accepted as a member of the Royal College of Surgeons.
He married Annie Elizabeth Edwards in 1887; they had two sons. After a few weeks of married life, the couple found themselves in Accra on the Gold Coast, where he was assistant surgeon. His time in Africa produced plenty of hard work, very little money and ill health, so much so that after seven years he was invalided out of the service in 1891. He wrote his first book, 'Travels and Life in Ashanti and Jaman', which was published in 1898. It was critically acclaimed but made very little money.
On his return to England he set up an eye/ear/nose/throat practice, but in due course his health forced him to give up medicine, although he did have occasional temporary posts, and in World War I he was in the ambulance corps.
He became a writer of detective stories, mostly featuring the medico-legal forensic investigator Dr Thorndyke. The first of the books in the series was 'The Red Thumb Mark' (1907). His first published crime novel was 'The Adventures of Romney Pringle' (1902) and was a collaborative effort published under the pseudonym Clifford Ashdown. Within a few years he was devoting his time to full-time writing.
With the publication of 'The Singing Bone' (1912) he 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). Thereafter he 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.
He died in Gravesend on 28 September 1943.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 20, 2025
The story starts strong. A man is found stabbed in his bedroom, bolted from the inside. Right away, Freeman sets up the tension: how did anyone get in or out? The dagger is unusual, the room is sealed, and suspicion is heavy in the air. It feels like peak Golden Age mystery mechanics.
Story Quality & Consistency
The story is solidly built from start to finish. There are no wasted scenes or pointless diversions. Freeman lays out the problem clearly, a man stabbed in a locked room and then keeps building the investigation step by step until Thorndyke has everything he needs to explain the solution. It’s lean and efficient, like clockwork. You never feel lost, but you also never feel surprised beyond the puzzle mechanics.
Thematic Cohesion
Everything in this story revolves around one theme: forensic logic. The aluminium dagger is more than a flashy weapon. It’s the clue that ties the entire case together, and Freeman makes sure that every detail measurements, material, and method feeds back into Thorndyke’s scientific reasoning. There are no distractions, no attempts to dress it up with melodrama. The theme is straight forensic deduction, through and through.
Writing Style & Voice
Freeman writes in a very clean and clinical way. His sentences are easy to follow, but they don’t sing. He is far more interested in showing you the process than in creating atmosphere or emotional tension. Compared to Doyle’s Holmes stories, which often sparkle with wit and personality, Freeman’s style feels plain. It’s effective for laying out clues and logic, but it can also feel like you’re reading a case report rather than a gripping mystery.
Emotional or Intellectual Impact
The story works better on the intellectual side than on the emotional. You don’t really care about the victim or the suspect, because they’re barely fleshed out. What hooks you is watching Thorndyke connect the dots and reveal how the crime was done. The brain gets engaged, but the heart doesn’t. You admire the solution, but you don’t feel much when the murderer is finally caught.
Story Variety & Creativity
This is a one-trick story. The whole mystery rests on the unusual weapon and the locked-room setup. Freeman doesn’t add in side mysteries, extra suspects, or red herrings. He just keeps things focused on the dagger and the mechanics of how the killer pulled it off. It’s clever, but it doesn’t offer much variety. If you like a story that does one thing well, you’ll be satisfied. If you want twists and subplots, you’ll find it thin.
Ending Impact
The ending is clean but not explosive. Thorndyke lays out the case, explains the logic, and ties it back to the dagger. Everything fits neatly into place, but there’s no big shock or emotional payoff. It’s satisfying in the sense that the puzzle is solved and justice is served, but you close the story more with a nod than with wide eyes.
Category Breakdown
Story Quality & Consistency: 7/10 – Strong structure, no fat.
Thematic Cohesion: 8/10 – All roads lead back to forensics.
Writing Style & Voice: 6.5/10 – Clear, but sterile.
Emotional or Intellectual Impact: 6.5/10 – Smart, not moving.
Story Variety & Creativity: 6/10 – One trick pony, but it works.
Ending Impact: 6.5/10 – Tidy, not thrilling.
Final Score: 6.34/10(3.5/5)
Rounded up to 3 stars.
★★★★★ – I loved it. Please read it.
★★★★☆ – Enjoyed. Could have been better.
★★★☆☆ – It was good, but nothing that’ll change your life.
★★☆☆☆ – Meh. Probably could’ve skipped this one.
★☆☆☆☆ – Wasted my time. Hard pass.
Overall, a good story, but not a big fan of the “blandness.”
Story Quality & Consistency
The story is solidly built from start to finish. There are no wasted scenes or pointless diversions. Freeman lays out the problem clearly, a man stabbed in a locked room and then keeps building the investigation step by step until Thorndyke has everything he needs to explain the solution. It’s lean and efficient, like clockwork. You never feel lost, but you also never feel surprised beyond the puzzle mechanics.
Thematic Cohesion
Everything in this story revolves around one theme: forensic logic. The aluminium dagger is more than a flashy weapon. It’s the clue that ties the entire case together, and Freeman makes sure that every detail measurements, material, and method feeds back into Thorndyke’s scientific reasoning. There are no distractions, no attempts to dress it up with melodrama. The theme is straight forensic deduction, through and through.
Writing Style & Voice
Freeman writes in a very clean and clinical way. His sentences are easy to follow, but they don’t sing. He is far more interested in showing you the process than in creating atmosphere or emotional tension. Compared to Doyle’s Holmes stories, which often sparkle with wit and personality, Freeman’s style feels plain. It’s effective for laying out clues and logic, but it can also feel like you’re reading a case report rather than a gripping mystery.
Emotional or Intellectual Impact
The story works better on the intellectual side than on the emotional. You don’t really care about the victim or the suspect, because they’re barely fleshed out. What hooks you is watching Thorndyke connect the dots and reveal how the crime was done. The brain gets engaged, but the heart doesn’t. You admire the solution, but you don’t feel much when the murderer is finally caught.
Story Variety & Creativity
This is a one-trick story. The whole mystery rests on the unusual weapon and the locked-room setup. Freeman doesn’t add in side mysteries, extra suspects, or red herrings. He just keeps things focused on the dagger and the mechanics of how the killer pulled it off. It’s clever, but it doesn’t offer much variety. If you like a story that does one thing well, you’ll be satisfied. If you want twists and subplots, you’ll find it thin.
Ending Impact
The ending is clean but not explosive. Thorndyke lays out the case, explains the logic, and ties it back to the dagger. Everything fits neatly into place, but there’s no big shock or emotional payoff. It’s satisfying in the sense that the puzzle is solved and justice is served, but you close the story more with a nod than with wide eyes.
Category Breakdown
Story Quality & Consistency: 7/10 – Strong structure, no fat.
Thematic Cohesion: 8/10 – All roads lead back to forensics.
Writing Style & Voice: 6.5/10 – Clear, but sterile.
Emotional or Intellectual Impact: 6.5/10 – Smart, not moving.
Story Variety & Creativity: 6/10 – One trick pony, but it works.
Ending Impact: 6.5/10 – Tidy, not thrilling.
Final Score: 6.34/10(3.5/5)
Rounded up to 3 stars.
★★★★★ – I loved it. Please read it.
★★★★☆ – Enjoyed. Could have been better.
★★★☆☆ – It was good, but nothing that’ll change your life.
★★☆☆☆ – Meh. Probably could’ve skipped this one.
★☆☆☆☆ – Wasted my time. Hard pass.
Overall, a good story, but not a big fan of the “blandness.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2020
Henry Curtis needs the services of Dr Thorndyke as his brother-in-law, Alfred Hartridge has been murdered. Stabbed with an aluminum dagger in a locked room.
Interesting mystery
Interesting mystery
November 29, 2024
It was good.really good
Dr thronedike really great character.story is well placed and its ending is just near perfect.
Dr thronedike really great character.story is well placed and its ending is just near perfect.
January 29, 2025
I Took a Stab and Read This Mystery . . . .
🖊 This short mystery story had everything I wanted for a quiet evening at home reading in front of the fireplace.
જ⁀🟢 Project Gutenberg.
༺ ༅ ✬ ༅ ༻ ༺ ༅ ✬ ༅ ༻
My rating breakdown:
Plot: ★★★★★
Content: ★★★★★
Grammar: ★★★★★
Writing style: ★★★★★
Ease of reading: ★★★★★
My recommendation: ★★★★★
My total rating for this work: ★★★★★ (5.0)
🖊 This short mystery story had everything I wanted for a quiet evening at home reading in front of the fireplace.
જ⁀🟢 Project Gutenberg.
༺ ༅ ✬ ༅ ༻ ༺ ༅ ✬ ༅ ༻
My rating breakdown:
Plot: ★★★★★
Content: ★★★★★
Grammar: ★★★★★
Writing style: ★★★★★
Ease of reading: ★★★★★
My recommendation: ★★★★★
My total rating for this work: ★★★★★ (5.0)
February 2, 2026
I struggled to follow along with this one. I don't know if it's because I don't read as much as I used to (mystery that is)
I would like to return to this series at a later date, or maybe even buy a collection of this series because I think this story should be up there with the sherlock holmes and famous five series.
I listened to the unabridged series on Youtube; narrated by Simon Stanhope.
I would like to return to this series at a later date, or maybe even buy a collection of this series because I think this story should be up there with the sherlock holmes and famous five series.
I listened to the unabridged series on Youtube; narrated by Simon Stanhope.
August 5, 2025
This classic locked-room mystery has been revered, reviled, mimicked, lampooned, parodied, etc. But even after more than a century has passed since its publication, the tale succeeds in eliciting vigorous reactions. It did the same to me.
If this isn't literary immortality, then what is?
Recommended.
If this isn't literary immortality, then what is?
Recommended.
August 30, 2021
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!
February 12, 2019
Good mystery. I like the unpredictable ending
November 16, 2019
I have arranged my takeaway thoughts into a haiku:
"Some villains are smart.
This doesn't make them better at
Losing gracefully."
"Some villains are smart.
This doesn't make them better at
Losing gracefully."
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews