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Dr. Thorndyke Mysteries #4
The Mystery at Number 31 New Inn
The Mystery at Number 31, New Inn, a classic mystery novel by R. Austin Freeman, relates a puzzling tale from an earlier century. In the grand tradition of the great sleuths brought to life by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle comes John Thorndyke, cerebral, meticulous, British, . . . and undestimated. A contested will and an unusual sickness have no apparent connection until John Thorndyke and Dr. Jervis collaborate on a labyrinth of clues, including broken glass, an upside down picture, a veiled woman, and a box of candles. This puzzle is solved with inductive reasoning and careful use of the scientific method.
218 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1912
217 people are currently reading
449 people want to read
About the author
R. Austin Freeman
609 books86 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 - 30 of 100 reviews
December 20, 2018
I was so bored.
Which is a shame, because this has the potential to be a good book. It has such an intriguing mystery, and it has the makings of what could be a hooking, interesting mystery plot. But it's told very plainly in a way that doesn't intrigue the reader at all. It might only be 200 pages but it feels so drawn out, and unnecessarily so. This could've been a lot shorter even though the mystery is quite complex. It also has two main characters who have some nice, cute conversations - the friendship is there. But I felt like one character was purposely left in the dark just so there could be the grand reveal and it lead to things being dragged out all the more. And there was nothing about thec haracters that made me really love them or interested in what they were doing. Which meant as a reader I constantly felt held at a distance.
All in all, good potential, but failed to connect me and it went on for far too long.
Read for university.
Which is a shame, because this has the potential to be a good book. It has such an intriguing mystery, and it has the makings of what could be a hooking, interesting mystery plot. But it's told very plainly in a way that doesn't intrigue the reader at all. It might only be 200 pages but it feels so drawn out, and unnecessarily so. This could've been a lot shorter even though the mystery is quite complex. It also has two main characters who have some nice, cute conversations - the friendship is there. But I felt like one character was purposely left in the dark just so there could be the grand reveal and it lead to things being dragged out all the more. And there was nothing about thec haracters that made me really love them or interested in what they were doing. Which meant as a reader I constantly felt held at a distance.
All in all, good potential, but failed to connect me and it went on for far too long.
Read for university.
January 27, 2018
Long winded traditional mystery featuring Dr. John Thorndyke. Even though the book is only a little over 200 pages, it feels like it's over 400. It just takes forever to get anywhere.
February 12, 2008
2nd in Freeman's Dr. Thorndyke series, this one's a real puzzler! For those of you who enjoy the classics (and I do mean classics) this one is quite good and really sucks you in from the start. This book has not received favorable reviews by armchair detective purists, but I thought it was great.
The story starts as Dr. Jervis (Thorndyke's sidekick), who is filling in for a vacationing physician, gets word that there is a man who needs his attention. A carriage is waiting to take Jervis; it is closed meaning no windows, no door handles and he has to go in the dark to visit the patient, the ostensible reason being that the patient does not want to see a doctor and wants to preserve his anonymity. Jervis sees the man and diagnoses morphine poisoning, but the man who brought Jervis there says there's no way it can be morphine poisoning and posits "sleeping sickness" as what's really ailing this guy. Jervis does what he can, then on seeing his friend Dr. Thorndyke, tells him about the very weird circumstances regarding his visit to the patient. Another storyline surfaces: a young man represented by his solicitor comes to Thorndyke with a story about his uncle's will that was changed for some reason just a few days before his death; the new will seems to be genuine but he can't understand why there would be a change. Thorndyke is asked to look into the case. The storylines merge, and soon it becomes obvious that the two cases are related (well, obvious to the reader and to Thorndyke, but Jervis remains ignorant).
I really enjoyed reading this book; Thorndyke's detection is scientifically based so he's not a detective in the "flatfoot" sense but it doesn't detract from the story. You have to keep in mind that this was a time when detecting was a science and that a lot of the methods used in these books were just being pioneered at the time. And, frankly, the book provided me with a few hours of entertainment, and that's all I can really ask.
The story starts as Dr. Jervis (Thorndyke's sidekick), who is filling in for a vacationing physician, gets word that there is a man who needs his attention. A carriage is waiting to take Jervis; it is closed meaning no windows, no door handles and he has to go in the dark to visit the patient, the ostensible reason being that the patient does not want to see a doctor and wants to preserve his anonymity. Jervis sees the man and diagnoses morphine poisoning, but the man who brought Jervis there says there's no way it can be morphine poisoning and posits "sleeping sickness" as what's really ailing this guy. Jervis does what he can, then on seeing his friend Dr. Thorndyke, tells him about the very weird circumstances regarding his visit to the patient. Another storyline surfaces: a young man represented by his solicitor comes to Thorndyke with a story about his uncle's will that was changed for some reason just a few days before his death; the new will seems to be genuine but he can't understand why there would be a change. Thorndyke is asked to look into the case. The storylines merge, and soon it becomes obvious that the two cases are related (well, obvious to the reader and to Thorndyke, but Jervis remains ignorant).
I really enjoyed reading this book; Thorndyke's detection is scientifically based so he's not a detective in the "flatfoot" sense but it doesn't detract from the story. You have to keep in mind that this was a time when detecting was a science and that a lot of the methods used in these books were just being pioneered at the time. And, frankly, the book provided me with a few hours of entertainment, and that's all I can really ask.
March 6, 2018
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 .
December 29, 2019
6/10. Not convincing enough.
May 17, 2016
A classic English mystery with the detective, Dr. Thorndyke, solving what appears to be two disparate mysteries. One is an apparent suicide with a disputed will; the other is one of his sidekick's (Dr. Jervis) odd case of an apparent poisoning. Despite the twists and turns, the mysteries are solved.
Language is precise and complex, which made this reader check the dictionary repeatedly; the story line not unlike that of Sherlock Holmes and Watson; and the setting is typical for the time.
Originally published in 1912, this mystery has been re-released under Mysterious Press.com through Open Road. They select classic mysteries, crime, and suspense books, bringing them back into print, thus allowing readers to discover them again, for the first time.
Language is precise and complex, which made this reader check the dictionary repeatedly; the story line not unlike that of Sherlock Holmes and Watson; and the setting is typical for the time.
Originally published in 1912, this mystery has been re-released under Mysterious Press.com through Open Road. They select classic mysteries, crime, and suspense books, bringing them back into print, thus allowing readers to discover them again, for the first time.
May 29, 2011
Doctor and lawyer John Thorndyke is a contemporary to Sherlock Holmes (the Thorndyke books were written around the same time), and he uses much the same methods as his more well known counterpart. This tale is narrated by his junior associate Dr. Jervis (a counterpart to Dr. Watson). Unfortunately, Freeman tends to have the characters prattle on at length about scientific minutiae instead of getting straight to the point. Had he been a little more concise, this otherwise very engaging mystery would have earned five stars.
December 22, 2020
Having just re-read this after a few years, I enjoyed it just as much as before. The set up of two doctors who are also barristers with a laboratory/workshop upstairs manned by the estimable Polton is so good. I really like the attention to detail that I know others find tiresome. This is an unusual and clever story. Highly recommended.
April 6, 2011
I have read another mystery by this author and liked it; this one, a free download to my Kindle, was good. I had a hunch about the "mystery" but couldn't prove it. However, I was right about the main points but not some of the details. I like how the author outlines and describes the logical thinking that allows the solution.
October 17, 2016
This is an interesting mystery that involves a Sherlock Holmes-like MD with a law degree and his Watson -like assistant. Although the plot is entertaining, it moves a bit slowly and at one point I took a rest from it even though it is not a long book. The resolution of the mystery made it worth the read, however, and I do recommend it.
August 2, 2020
Dr Thorndyke with the help of Dr Jervis investigate two cases. The first the case of the will of Jeffrey Blackmore and his consequent death; and secondly the case of a Mr Graves and his association with a Mr H Weiss.
Interesting mystery
Interesting mystery
March 23, 2021
Worth a read.
June 3, 2020
A brilliant mystery, written with nothing in it that could not occur in real life. While from the same era as Sherlock Holmes, this mystery has none of the annoying faults of Sherlock:
1. Unlike Sherlock, Dr. Thorndyke does not constantly call his assistant an idiot. (Oh I know he isn't actually SAYING Watson is an idiot, but he implies it)
2. Unlike Sherlock, the scenarios in this book could actually happen.
3. Unlike Sherlock, Dr. Thorndyke's method of investigation is actually realistic and could in theory be used by the reader with success.
4. Unlike Sherlock, Thorndyke gives you the clues you need to deduce the mystery.
And that is why all you who like Holmes, but can't stand Thorndyke have no appreciation for a good mystery OR a good classic. Want a classic mystery, READ WILKIE COLLINS, HE CAME FIRST AND IS BETTER BY FAR.
1. Unlike Sherlock, Dr. Thorndyke does not constantly call his assistant an idiot. (Oh I know he isn't actually SAYING Watson is an idiot, but he implies it)
2. Unlike Sherlock, the scenarios in this book could actually happen.
3. Unlike Sherlock, Dr. Thorndyke's method of investigation is actually realistic and could in theory be used by the reader with success.
4. Unlike Sherlock, Thorndyke gives you the clues you need to deduce the mystery.
And that is why all you who like Holmes, but can't stand Thorndyke have no appreciation for a good mystery OR a good classic. Want a classic mystery, READ WILKIE COLLINS, HE CAME FIRST AND IS BETTER BY FAR.
February 13, 2017
We are creatures of habit, especially of the tea habit.
This book just didn't work for me. It starts with Jarvis getting involved in a very mysterious case. Some time later Thorndyke is asked to consult on a completely different case that has of course no apparent connection to the first one.
No, I don't think that I'll spoil anything when I say that there is a connection. One you can guess quite easily. And yes, you can argue that the characters, not knowing that they are in a novel, wouldn't know that the cases are connected but the rest of the novel just isn't entertaining enough to distract me from the fact that the characters struggle to come to a conclusion I already made quite early. (And Thorndyke's 'Jarvis, you've got all the information I have you can come to the same conclusions I did without me telling you about them' got annoying after a while...)
April 20, 2013
Jervis is called to visit a sick man while he is subbing for another doctor. The coach has blackened windows and takes him for a long drive. He is shown Graves, a very sick man in a dark room by Mr. Weiss and and the housekeeper, Mrs. Shallibaum. Jervis cares for Graves, but discovers he has had too much opium. On return, Jervis calls on Thorndyke, who suggests he take a compass and record the directions and times and rate of the horse so they might trace the path the next time he goes to see Graves. At the same time, Jervis agrees to go to work for Thorndyke when he is through helping out the current doctor. Jervis revives Graves one more time and writes down all the directions. Later he begins working for Thorndyke, and they are brought a case of a contested will. Thorndyke recognizes the connection between the death of the man with the contested will and Jervis' patient with lots of sleuthing. It's a good yarn.
January 7, 2011
Another British mystery, which I sometimes find to be escapist literature of the most engrossing kind. This book is no exception. You do need to read attentively, because of all the mysterious clues, and it is very dated, but quite a fun read....
March 10, 2011
Good mystery! Thorndyke reminds me a lot of Hercule Poirot or Sherlock Holmes. He's very smart but wants his assistants (and readers) to come to their own conclusions. The twist at the end may surprise you, but John Thorndyke is never surprised.
August 20, 2013
Filled with some great subtleties and intrigue. Lets you develop your own theories through the treatment of Jervis, encourages you to put your mind to the same tests, along with him. Thorndyke is unerringly witty and amusing.
April 22, 2011
A good old fashioned murder mystery! I think I solved the crime long before the characters did! Loved the colorful descriptions throughout the novel! It was fun to read "real" English!
December 18, 2024
The Mystery of 31 New Inn (1912) by R. Austin Freeman
"The rain, the gold, the fire. It's all one story, you see." – James Ellroy, This Storm.
Plot: The novel revolves around the suspicious death of Jeffrey Blackmore and the discovery of a new will that leaves his estate to his brother, John.
Prior to the introduction of this “main case” Dr. Jervis, a locum tenens, is called to attend a mysterious patient, Mr. Graves, who is being kept in a secret location.
Jervis suspects foul play and consults his friend, Dr. Thorndyke, who devises a plan to locate the house where the patient is being held. Through careful observation and deduction, Thorndyke uncovers a complex web of deceit and murder, eventually exposing the truth behind Jeffrey Blackmore's death.
Part of the Blackmore solution involves unravelling Jervis’s “Graves” case, too.
It's all one case…
Characters:
Dr. Jervis: A locum tenens who becomes Thorndyke's assistant.
Dr. Thorndyke: A brilliant medical jurist and barrister.
Jeffrey Blackmore: The deceased, a retired civil servant and Oriental scholar.
John Blackmore: Brother of Jeffrey and the prime suspect.
Stephen Blackmore: Nephew of Jeffrey and the original beneficiary of the will.
Mr. Graves: A mysterious patient who is later revealed to be Jeffrey Blackmore.
Mr. Weiss: A German man who is later revealed to be John Blackmore in disguise.
Mrs. Schallibaum: The housekeeper, an accomplice in the crime.
Setting: The story takes place in London, England, in the early 20th century. Specific locations include:
Kennington Lane: Where Dr. Jervis initially works as a locum.
New Inn: An old inn of Chancery where Jeffrey Blackmore is found dead.
Thorndyke's Chambers: Located in King's Bench Walk, Temple.
The Cheshire Cheese: An old-fashioned London tavern.
Themes:
Mystery and Suspense: The story is filled with intrigue and suspense as Thorndyke unravels the truth behind Jeffrey Blackmore's death.
Deception and Disguise: The characters use disguises and false identities to conceal their true motives and actions.
The Power of Observation and Deduction: Thorndyke's keen observation and methodical deduction are instrumental in solving the mystery.
The Importance of Evidence: The story highlights the importance of evidence in criminal investigations.
Style:
First-person Narration: The story is narrated by Dr. Jervis, providing an intimate and engaging perspective.
Detailed Descriptions: The author uses detailed descriptions to create a vivid picture of the characters and settings.
Scientific Approach: Thorndyke's investigative methods are rooted in science and medical jurisprudence.
Suspenseful Plot: The plot is carefully constructed to maintain suspense and keep the reader guessing until the end.
Chapter Summaries:
Chapter I: Dr. Jervis, a locum tenens in Kennington Lane, is called to attend a mysterious patient, Mr. Graves, who is being kept in a secret location.
Chapter II: Jervis consults his friend, Dr. Thorndyke, who suspects foul play and devises a plan to locate the house where the patient is being held.
Chapter III: Jervis makes a second visit to Mr. Graves and observes further suspicious circumstances.
Chapter IV: Jervis reports the case to the police, but they are unable to take action due to insufficient evidence.
Chapter V: Jervis joins Thorndyke as his assistant and learns about the case of the Blackmore will.
Chapter VI: The details of Jeffrey Blackmore's death and the discovery of his new will are revealed.
Chapter VII: Thorndyke and Jervis visit Jeffrey Blackmore's chambers and make a curious discovery about a cuneiform inscription.
Chapter VIII: Jervis recounts his further adventures at the mysterious house in Kennington Lane.
Chapter IX: Thorndyke and Jervis locate the house and find that it has been abandoned.
Chapter X: Jervis is followed by Mrs. Schallibaum, but she is unsuccessful in harming him.
Chapter XI: Jervis reviews the evidence in the Blackmore case and is unable to make sense of it.
Chapter XII: Thorndyke reveals that he believes the second will to be a forgery.
Chapter XIII: The statement of Samuel Wilkins, a cabman, provides new information about the case.
Chapter XIV: Thorndyke informs Marchmont that the will is a forgery.
Chapter XV: Thorndyke presents his argument to Marchmont, Winwood, and Stephen, revealing the truth about Jeffrey Blackmore's death.
Chapter XVI: Superintendent Miller arrives and reports that John and Pauline Blackmore have committed suicide.
"The rain, the gold, the fire. It's all one story, you see." – James Ellroy, This Storm.
Plot: The novel revolves around the suspicious death of Jeffrey Blackmore and the discovery of a new will that leaves his estate to his brother, John.
Prior to the introduction of this “main case” Dr. Jervis, a locum tenens, is called to attend a mysterious patient, Mr. Graves, who is being kept in a secret location.
Jervis suspects foul play and consults his friend, Dr. Thorndyke, who devises a plan to locate the house where the patient is being held. Through careful observation and deduction, Thorndyke uncovers a complex web of deceit and murder, eventually exposing the truth behind Jeffrey Blackmore's death.
Part of the Blackmore solution involves unravelling Jervis’s “Graves” case, too.
It's all one case…
Characters:
Dr. Jervis: A locum tenens who becomes Thorndyke's assistant.
Dr. Thorndyke: A brilliant medical jurist and barrister.
Jeffrey Blackmore: The deceased, a retired civil servant and Oriental scholar.
John Blackmore: Brother of Jeffrey and the prime suspect.
Stephen Blackmore: Nephew of Jeffrey and the original beneficiary of the will.
Mr. Graves: A mysterious patient who is later revealed to be Jeffrey Blackmore.
Mr. Weiss: A German man who is later revealed to be John Blackmore in disguise.
Mrs. Schallibaum: The housekeeper, an accomplice in the crime.
Setting: The story takes place in London, England, in the early 20th century. Specific locations include:
Kennington Lane: Where Dr. Jervis initially works as a locum.
New Inn: An old inn of Chancery where Jeffrey Blackmore is found dead.
Thorndyke's Chambers: Located in King's Bench Walk, Temple.
The Cheshire Cheese: An old-fashioned London tavern.
Themes:
Mystery and Suspense: The story is filled with intrigue and suspense as Thorndyke unravels the truth behind Jeffrey Blackmore's death.
Deception and Disguise: The characters use disguises and false identities to conceal their true motives and actions.
The Power of Observation and Deduction: Thorndyke's keen observation and methodical deduction are instrumental in solving the mystery.
The Importance of Evidence: The story highlights the importance of evidence in criminal investigations.
Style:
First-person Narration: The story is narrated by Dr. Jervis, providing an intimate and engaging perspective.
Detailed Descriptions: The author uses detailed descriptions to create a vivid picture of the characters and settings.
Scientific Approach: Thorndyke's investigative methods are rooted in science and medical jurisprudence.
Suspenseful Plot: The plot is carefully constructed to maintain suspense and keep the reader guessing until the end.
Chapter Summaries:
Chapter I: Dr. Jervis, a locum tenens in Kennington Lane, is called to attend a mysterious patient, Mr. Graves, who is being kept in a secret location.
Chapter II: Jervis consults his friend, Dr. Thorndyke, who suspects foul play and devises a plan to locate the house where the patient is being held.
Chapter III: Jervis makes a second visit to Mr. Graves and observes further suspicious circumstances.
Chapter IV: Jervis reports the case to the police, but they are unable to take action due to insufficient evidence.
Chapter V: Jervis joins Thorndyke as his assistant and learns about the case of the Blackmore will.
Chapter VI: The details of Jeffrey Blackmore's death and the discovery of his new will are revealed.
Chapter VII: Thorndyke and Jervis visit Jeffrey Blackmore's chambers and make a curious discovery about a cuneiform inscription.
Chapter VIII: Jervis recounts his further adventures at the mysterious house in Kennington Lane.
Chapter IX: Thorndyke and Jervis locate the house and find that it has been abandoned.
Chapter X: Jervis is followed by Mrs. Schallibaum, but she is unsuccessful in harming him.
Chapter XI: Jervis reviews the evidence in the Blackmore case and is unable to make sense of it.
Chapter XII: Thorndyke reveals that he believes the second will to be a forgery.
Chapter XIII: The statement of Samuel Wilkins, a cabman, provides new information about the case.
Chapter XIV: Thorndyke informs Marchmont that the will is a forgery.
Chapter XV: Thorndyke presents his argument to Marchmont, Winwood, and Stephen, revealing the truth about Jeffrey Blackmore's death.
Chapter XVI: Superintendent Miller arrives and reports that John and Pauline Blackmore have committed suicide.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2024
The Mystery of 31 New Inn (1912) by R. Austin Freeman
"The rain, the gold, the fire. It's all one story, you see." – James Ellroy, This Storm.
Plot: The novel revolves around the suspicious death of Jeffrey Blackmore and the discovery of a new will that leaves his estate to his brother, John.
Prior to the introduction of this “main case” Dr. Jervis, a locum tenens, is called to attend a mysterious patient, Mr. Graves, who is being kept in a secret location.
Jervis suspects foul play and consults his friend, Dr. Thorndyke, who devises a plan to locate the house where the patient is being held. Through careful observation and deduction, Thorndyke uncovers a complex web of deceit and murder, eventually exposing the truth behind Jeffrey Blackmore's death.
Part of the Blackmore solution involves unravelling Jervis’s “Graves” case, too.
It's all one case…
Characters:
Dr. Jervis: A locum tenens who becomes Thorndyke's assistant.
Dr. Thorndyke: A brilliant medical jurist and barrister.
Jeffrey Blackmore: The deceased, a retired civil servant and Oriental scholar.
John Blackmore: Brother of Jeffrey and the prime suspect.
Stephen Blackmore: Nephew of Jeffrey and the original beneficiary of the will.
Mr. Graves: A mysterious patient who is later revealed to be Jeffrey Blackmore.
Mr. Weiss: A German man who is later revealed to be John Blackmore in disguise.
Mrs. Schallibaum: The housekeeper, an accomplice in the crime.
Setting: The story takes place in London, England, in the early 20th century. Specific locations include:
Kennington Lane: Where Dr. Jervis initially works as a locum.
New Inn: An old inn of Chancery where Jeffrey Blackmore is found dead.
Thorndyke's Chambers: Located in King's Bench Walk, Temple.
The Cheshire Cheese: An old-fashioned London tavern.
Themes:
Mystery and Suspense: The story is filled with intrigue and suspense as Thorndyke unravels the truth behind Jeffrey Blackmore's death.
Deception and Disguise: The characters use disguises and false identities to conceal their true motives and actions.
The Power of Observation and Deduction: Thorndyke's keen observation and methodical deduction are instrumental in solving the mystery.
The Importance of Evidence: The story highlights the importance of evidence in criminal investigations.
Style:
First-person Narration: The story is narrated by Dr. Jervis, providing an intimate and engaging perspective.
Detailed Descriptions: The author uses detailed descriptions to create a vivid picture of the characters and settings.
Scientific Approach: Thorndyke's investigative methods are rooted in science and medical jurisprudence.
Suspenseful Plot: The plot is carefully constructed to maintain suspense and keep the reader guessing until the end.
Chapter Summaries:
Chapter I: Dr. Jervis, a locum tenens in Kennington Lane, is called to attend a mysterious patient, Mr. Graves, who is being kept in a secret location.
Chapter II: Jervis consults his friend, Dr. Thorndyke, who suspects foul play and devises a plan to locate the house where the patient is being held.
Chapter III: Jervis makes a second visit to Mr. Graves and observes further suspicious circumstances.
Chapter IV: Jervis reports the case to the police, but they are unable to take action due to insufficient evidence.
Chapter V: Jervis joins Thorndyke as his assistant and learns about the case of the Blackmore will.
Chapter VI: The details of Jeffrey Blackmore's death and the discovery of his new will are revealed.
Chapter VII: Thorndyke and Jervis visit Jeffrey Blackmore's chambers and make a curious discovery about a cuneiform inscription.
Chapter VIII: Jervis recounts his further adventures at the mysterious house in Kennington Lane.
Chapter IX: Thorndyke and Jervis locate the house and find that it has been abandoned.
Chapter X: Jervis is followed by Mrs. Schallibaum, but she is unsuccessful in harming him.
Chapter XI: Jervis reviews the evidence in the Blackmore case and is unable to make sense of it.
Chapter XII: Thorndyke reveals that he believes the second will to be a forgery.
Chapter XIII: The statement of Samuel Wilkins, a cabman, provides new information about the case.
Chapter XIV: Thorndyke informs Marchmont that the will is a forgery.
Chapter XV: Thorndyke presents his argument to Marchmont, Winwood, and Stephen, revealing the truth about Jeffrey Blackmore's death.
Chapter XVI: Superintendent Miller arrives and reports that John and Pauline Blackmore have committed suicide.
"The rain, the gold, the fire. It's all one story, you see." – James Ellroy, This Storm.
Plot: The novel revolves around the suspicious death of Jeffrey Blackmore and the discovery of a new will that leaves his estate to his brother, John.
Prior to the introduction of this “main case” Dr. Jervis, a locum tenens, is called to attend a mysterious patient, Mr. Graves, who is being kept in a secret location.
Jervis suspects foul play and consults his friend, Dr. Thorndyke, who devises a plan to locate the house where the patient is being held. Through careful observation and deduction, Thorndyke uncovers a complex web of deceit and murder, eventually exposing the truth behind Jeffrey Blackmore's death.
Part of the Blackmore solution involves unravelling Jervis’s “Graves” case, too.
It's all one case…
Characters:
Dr. Jervis: A locum tenens who becomes Thorndyke's assistant.
Dr. Thorndyke: A brilliant medical jurist and barrister.
Jeffrey Blackmore: The deceased, a retired civil servant and Oriental scholar.
John Blackmore: Brother of Jeffrey and the prime suspect.
Stephen Blackmore: Nephew of Jeffrey and the original beneficiary of the will.
Mr. Graves: A mysterious patient who is later revealed to be Jeffrey Blackmore.
Mr. Weiss: A German man who is later revealed to be John Blackmore in disguise.
Mrs. Schallibaum: The housekeeper, an accomplice in the crime.
Setting: The story takes place in London, England, in the early 20th century. Specific locations include:
Kennington Lane: Where Dr. Jervis initially works as a locum.
New Inn: An old inn of Chancery where Jeffrey Blackmore is found dead.
Thorndyke's Chambers: Located in King's Bench Walk, Temple.
The Cheshire Cheese: An old-fashioned London tavern.
Themes:
Mystery and Suspense: The story is filled with intrigue and suspense as Thorndyke unravels the truth behind Jeffrey Blackmore's death.
Deception and Disguise: The characters use disguises and false identities to conceal their true motives and actions.
The Power of Observation and Deduction: Thorndyke's keen observation and methodical deduction are instrumental in solving the mystery.
The Importance of Evidence: The story highlights the importance of evidence in criminal investigations.
Style:
First-person Narration: The story is narrated by Dr. Jervis, providing an intimate and engaging perspective.
Detailed Descriptions: The author uses detailed descriptions to create a vivid picture of the characters and settings.
Scientific Approach: Thorndyke's investigative methods are rooted in science and medical jurisprudence.
Suspenseful Plot: The plot is carefully constructed to maintain suspense and keep the reader guessing until the end.
Chapter Summaries:
Chapter I: Dr. Jervis, a locum tenens in Kennington Lane, is called to attend a mysterious patient, Mr. Graves, who is being kept in a secret location.
Chapter II: Jervis consults his friend, Dr. Thorndyke, who suspects foul play and devises a plan to locate the house where the patient is being held.
Chapter III: Jervis makes a second visit to Mr. Graves and observes further suspicious circumstances.
Chapter IV: Jervis reports the case to the police, but they are unable to take action due to insufficient evidence.
Chapter V: Jervis joins Thorndyke as his assistant and learns about the case of the Blackmore will.
Chapter VI: The details of Jeffrey Blackmore's death and the discovery of his new will are revealed.
Chapter VII: Thorndyke and Jervis visit Jeffrey Blackmore's chambers and make a curious discovery about a cuneiform inscription.
Chapter VIII: Jervis recounts his further adventures at the mysterious house in Kennington Lane.
Chapter IX: Thorndyke and Jervis locate the house and find that it has been abandoned.
Chapter X: Jervis is followed by Mrs. Schallibaum, but she is unsuccessful in harming him.
Chapter XI: Jervis reviews the evidence in the Blackmore case and is unable to make sense of it.
Chapter XII: Thorndyke reveals that he believes the second will to be a forgery.
Chapter XIII: The statement of Samuel Wilkins, a cabman, provides new information about the case.
Chapter XIV: Thorndyke informs Marchmont that the will is a forgery.
Chapter XV: Thorndyke presents his argument to Marchmont, Winwood, and Stephen, revealing the truth about Jeffrey Blackmore's death.
Chapter XVI: Superintendent Miller arrives and reports that John and Pauline Blackmore have committed suicide.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2024
Christopher Jervis, the narrator of this book, is very much Watson to the forensic scientist Thorndyke's Sherlock Holmes, and that includes being thick as a plank. Watson did sometimes come up with theories, though they were always wrong; Jervis can't even do that. It's clear that the benefits of the partnership flow mostly in Jervis's direction.
There are three reasons I can think of for having a character like this. One is as the "foil"; because Jervis and Watson are so much less intelligent than their highly intelligent principals, those principals look even more brilliant by contrast. Another is so that readers who can't figure out the clues feel that at least they're not alone, and a third is so that readers who can figure out the clues can feel superior to him, which I have to admit I did. Of course, I didn't work out the whole thing in the detail that Thorndyke did, but by a third of the way through I'd tumbled to one of the key points, at least, which was the one that (by coincidence) Jervis was directly involved with, and figured out the motive and at least part of the method.
Still, watching the case be solved has its own entertainment value, which is why I keep reading these. It's also interesting to read something set at the very beginning of the 20th century, at the point of transition from Victorian to Edwardian, when practically all vehicles were still drawn by horses, electricity and telephones were both new and not widely installed, and forensic science was in its infancy (and still influenced by scientific theories which have since been discarded or improved upon).
I did notice that the author was careful to provide a reason why Jervis's fiancée, acquired in the first book, could not appear onstage; apparently, with the romance subplot of that book resolved, her utility was at an end, and she would only have cluttered up the plot of this one with irrelevant distractions. There's only one woman in the whole book, and she is seldom seen clearly and, even when present, is mostly peripheral.
The author is a huge snob, which doesn't come out particularly strongly in this book, but does in some of the others; he has no time at all for the lower classes, and in fact wrote a book about how some of them shouldn't be allowed to breed. Yes, he was a eugenicist, and a bit of an anti-Semite, like a lot of conservatives of his generation - at least until Nazi Germany demonstrated where that naturally led, at which point he and most of his fellows turned away from those ideas, to give them slight credit. But mostly that doesn't obtrude too clearly, and honestly almost any book from the time will have issues like this. Although this isn't one of the best Thorndykes, in my opinion, it's still enjoyable as a period mystery, and it makes it into the lowest tier of my recommendation list for the year.
There are three reasons I can think of for having a character like this. One is as the "foil"; because Jervis and Watson are so much less intelligent than their highly intelligent principals, those principals look even more brilliant by contrast. Another is so that readers who can't figure out the clues feel that at least they're not alone, and a third is so that readers who can figure out the clues can feel superior to him, which I have to admit I did. Of course, I didn't work out the whole thing in the detail that Thorndyke did, but by a third of the way through I'd tumbled to one of the key points, at least, which was the one that (by coincidence) Jervis was directly involved with, and figured out the motive and at least part of the method.
Still, watching the case be solved has its own entertainment value, which is why I keep reading these. It's also interesting to read something set at the very beginning of the 20th century, at the point of transition from Victorian to Edwardian, when practically all vehicles were still drawn by horses, electricity and telephones were both new and not widely installed, and forensic science was in its infancy (and still influenced by scientific theories which have since been discarded or improved upon).
I did notice that the author was careful to provide a reason why Jervis's fiancée, acquired in the first book, could not appear onstage; apparently, with the romance subplot of that book resolved, her utility was at an end, and she would only have cluttered up the plot of this one with irrelevant distractions. There's only one woman in the whole book, and she is seldom seen clearly and, even when present, is mostly peripheral.
The author is a huge snob, which doesn't come out particularly strongly in this book, but does in some of the others; he has no time at all for the lower classes, and in fact wrote a book about how some of them shouldn't be allowed to breed. Yes, he was a eugenicist, and a bit of an anti-Semite, like a lot of conservatives of his generation - at least until Nazi Germany demonstrated where that naturally led, at which point he and most of his fellows turned away from those ideas, to give them slight credit. But mostly that doesn't obtrude too clearly, and honestly almost any book from the time will have issues like this. Although this isn't one of the best Thorndykes, in my opinion, it's still enjoyable as a period mystery, and it makes it into the lowest tier of my recommendation list for the year.
October 4, 2018
Dr Jervis, the hardworking Edwardian locum from the previous novels, is covering a practice for a colleague and receives an unusual proposition. The doctor's help is required but the bearer of this request adds some strange conditions in that Jervis must be transported to a secret location in a shuttered carriage.
His destination is a dimly lit house where he us unable to fully discern the features of the couple who receive him.
He is taken to the bedroom of an elderly and almost comatose man. Jervis diagnoses morphine poisoning but the couple insist that there is no way that he could have obtained the drug.
Jervis in any case is taken home and makes a prescription based on his own diagnosis.
Shortly afterwards, Jervis seeks out Dr Thorndyke to gain his impression of the incident and gets offered the post of Thorndyke's apprentice. Their first case together is to be one where a man, apparently fit and sane, changed his will in an illogical fashion and had it witnessed by reliable and responsible adults. The man died very shortly afterward, and the change in his will appears to be not what he would have wanted.
This is another cracking read from the vaults. I'm surprised no one has thought of adapting this for TV as, with a few minor changes to obviate the obvious clues, it would work very well.
The one major flaw in this novel - as in previous ones - is that neither Thorndyke nor Jervis see the glaringly obvious connections between the two cases.
'Who could the woman possibly be?' thinks Jervis, fairly late on in the novel, after Thorndyke has given him the homework of solving the business of the will.
'How stupid are you?' sings a chorus of frustrated readers. As far as I can recall there is only one woman in the entire novel so it's not like it's even a multiple choice question.
The bonuses outweigh the flaws thankfully. Freeman has a knack for throwing in odd scientific gems by which the pair solve the case as when, for instance, Jervis employs a compass and a stopwatch to record the length and direction of his secretive carriage journey. This is subsequently transcribed as a fairly accurate map and allows the secret house to be discovered.
There's some marvellous characterisation in cameos. The two solicitors in charge of the disputed will are a treat and become complete characters within one short chapter.
We never get to properly meet the villain though, which is a bit of a shame.
Great Edwardian hokum. Give it a go.
His destination is a dimly lit house where he us unable to fully discern the features of the couple who receive him.
He is taken to the bedroom of an elderly and almost comatose man. Jervis diagnoses morphine poisoning but the couple insist that there is no way that he could have obtained the drug.
Jervis in any case is taken home and makes a prescription based on his own diagnosis.
Shortly afterwards, Jervis seeks out Dr Thorndyke to gain his impression of the incident and gets offered the post of Thorndyke's apprentice. Their first case together is to be one where a man, apparently fit and sane, changed his will in an illogical fashion and had it witnessed by reliable and responsible adults. The man died very shortly afterward, and the change in his will appears to be not what he would have wanted.
This is another cracking read from the vaults. I'm surprised no one has thought of adapting this for TV as, with a few minor changes to obviate the obvious clues, it would work very well.
The one major flaw in this novel - as in previous ones - is that neither Thorndyke nor Jervis see the glaringly obvious connections between the two cases.
'Who could the woman possibly be?' thinks Jervis, fairly late on in the novel, after Thorndyke has given him the homework of solving the business of the will.
'How stupid are you?' sings a chorus of frustrated readers. As far as I can recall there is only one woman in the entire novel so it's not like it's even a multiple choice question.
The bonuses outweigh the flaws thankfully. Freeman has a knack for throwing in odd scientific gems by which the pair solve the case as when, for instance, Jervis employs a compass and a stopwatch to record the length and direction of his secretive carriage journey. This is subsequently transcribed as a fairly accurate map and allows the secret house to be discovered.
There's some marvellous characterisation in cameos. The two solicitors in charge of the disputed will are a treat and become complete characters within one short chapter.
We never get to properly meet the villain though, which is a bit of a shame.
Great Edwardian hokum. Give it a go.
May 30, 2018
Doctor Jervis, the narrator of R. Austin Freeman’s “The Mystery of 13, New Inn” is invited, in a closed-off carriage under strict secrecy, to the bedside of a certain Mr. Graves, who, although no common morphinomaniac, appears to be perpetually doped up. Can this be the sleeping sickness that has recently been imported from Africa? Or is there something far more British going on?
Jervis, Watson to the formidable Sherlock Holmes that is Doctor John Thorndyke, seeks his friend for advice. Thorndyke, the granddaddy of the medico-legal subgenre, knows that diagnosis is, usually, murder. He recommends a clever compass-and-notebook method by which Jervis can map out the journey to the house in which the drugged-out patient is hidden. (Freeman claims the method helped him draw a map of an African forest during a real-life trip to Ghana).
The situation with Graves seems to end in, well, a manner befitting the gentleman’s name. Soon Thorndyke and Jervis find themselves involved in a seemingly unrelated, mundane affair involving the will of a Mr. Blackmore. The will was changed by the man days before his death. Why was the will changed when both versions are similar except for some legalese, and both supposedly leave the money to the same person, Mr. Blackmore’s nephew? And how are the commonplace Blackmore situation and the mysterious Graves situation connected, because of course they are? And how does Blackmore’s love for Babylonian cuneiform scriptures figure into it all? And how many questions can a mystery propose before the reader’s mind is blown?
I’ll let Raymond Chandler, no fan of the classic whodunit, speak: ‘This man Austin Freeman is a wonderful performer. He has no equal in his genre, and he is also a much better writer than you might think, if you were superficially inclined, because in spite of the immense leisure of his writing, he accomplishes an even suspense which is quite unexpected … There is even a gaslight charm about his Victorian love affairs, and those wonderful walks across London …’
What he said.
Jervis, Watson to the formidable Sherlock Holmes that is Doctor John Thorndyke, seeks his friend for advice. Thorndyke, the granddaddy of the medico-legal subgenre, knows that diagnosis is, usually, murder. He recommends a clever compass-and-notebook method by which Jervis can map out the journey to the house in which the drugged-out patient is hidden. (Freeman claims the method helped him draw a map of an African forest during a real-life trip to Ghana).
The situation with Graves seems to end in, well, a manner befitting the gentleman’s name. Soon Thorndyke and Jervis find themselves involved in a seemingly unrelated, mundane affair involving the will of a Mr. Blackmore. The will was changed by the man days before his death. Why was the will changed when both versions are similar except for some legalese, and both supposedly leave the money to the same person, Mr. Blackmore’s nephew? And how are the commonplace Blackmore situation and the mysterious Graves situation connected, because of course they are? And how does Blackmore’s love for Babylonian cuneiform scriptures figure into it all? And how many questions can a mystery propose before the reader’s mind is blown?
I’ll let Raymond Chandler, no fan of the classic whodunit, speak: ‘This man Austin Freeman is a wonderful performer. He has no equal in his genre, and he is also a much better writer than you might think, if you were superficially inclined, because in spite of the immense leisure of his writing, he accomplishes an even suspense which is quite unexpected … There is even a gaslight charm about his Victorian love affairs, and those wonderful walks across London …’
What he said.
August 8, 2023
I had previously read this early (1912) Dr Thorndyke anthologised in its novella form and had not really appreciated its place in the canon. In it Dr Jervis begins his metamorphosis from struggling GP to trainee sidekick , moving in with the doctor and Polton to begin his legal training,only after undergoing a set of odd experiences which not unexpectedly turn out to have a strange connection with the latest case.
That hoary old warhorse of an oddly-framed change of will leading to what is felt by all to be the opposite of the testator’s intentions sets us off on the murder trail. As ever, there is not much doubt in the reader’s mind about what is going on, since,above all, Freeman is the epitome of fair play and all the information is there for the interpreting :-
"So we proceed in cases like this present one. Of the facts that are known to us we invent certain explanations. From each of those explanations we deduce consequences; and if those consequences agree with new facts, they confirm the explanation, whereas if they disagree they tend to disprove it.”
There are the usual flashes of puckish humour and but a smidgeon of romance on the way to a full explication and a rather anticlimactic and abrupt ending to a mainly very enjoyable example of medico-legal investigation.
That hoary old warhorse of an oddly-framed change of will leading to what is felt by all to be the opposite of the testator’s intentions sets us off on the murder trail. As ever, there is not much doubt in the reader’s mind about what is going on, since,above all, Freeman is the epitome of fair play and all the information is there for the interpreting :-
"So we proceed in cases like this present one. Of the facts that are known to us we invent certain explanations. From each of those explanations we deduce consequences; and if those consequences agree with new facts, they confirm the explanation, whereas if they disagree they tend to disprove it.”
There are the usual flashes of puckish humour and but a smidgeon of romance on the way to a full explication and a rather anticlimactic and abrupt ending to a mainly very enjoyable example of medico-legal investigation.
November 10, 2021
I enjoy these Dr. Thorndyke books quite a lot. They could be used as models of scientific thinking, with Thorndyke collecting data, generating hypotheses based on the data, testing the hypotheses against new data, and then ultimately arriving at the truth. He is absolutely not as charismatic as Holmes. He keeps telling his Watson (named Jervis) to take data and "think about it" in the vain hope that Jervis will figure something out. But Jervis is entirely hopeless, almost comically so.
Unlike Sherlock Holmes, Thorndyke describes every detail of his inference with great care. There is no way I would read this over The Hound of the Baskervilles, but the meticulous approach has its charm.
In this particular novel an astute (really, even a very dull) reader will figure out most of what is going on very very quickly. Jervis is in fact the only person with all the data available, and his inability to make even the most elementary inference is truly staggering. Thorndyke pulls it all together, however, and he does so using logic and science very credibly. When Thorndyke is talking, explaining his methods and ultimately the solution, the novel is great.
Unlike Sherlock Holmes, Thorndyke describes every detail of his inference with great care. There is no way I would read this over The Hound of the Baskervilles, but the meticulous approach has its charm.
In this particular novel an astute (really, even a very dull) reader will figure out most of what is going on very very quickly. Jervis is in fact the only person with all the data available, and his inability to make even the most elementary inference is truly staggering. Thorndyke pulls it all together, however, and he does so using logic and science very credibly. When Thorndyke is talking, explaining his methods and ultimately the solution, the novel is great.
January 7, 2022
An interesting book that in various places reminded me of both Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle. I had the mystery partly figured out by the time they did the unveiling, but I was a little puzzled that it was told from the point of view of Dr. Jervis instead of Dr. Thorndyke given the series features the latter. I haven't read the others, so it's possible they all do this, but it seemed odd.
The mystery is as carefully plotted as an Agatha Christie tale, but in both setting and methodology reminds the reader strongly of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. Thorndyke is clearly Holmes with Jervis an obvious Watson. I suspect, given the timing, the author was either a fan who copied the basic format with a much greater emphasis on deductive reasoning (despite Holmes' obsession with it, Thorndyke is better at it) and medical science (both authors were physicians) or a contemporary who used a similar format because it was de rigueur. The result is fascinating and although Holmes with his quirks is the more interesting character, Thorndyke is written better as a detective. I'll have to read the rest of them.
The mystery is as carefully plotted as an Agatha Christie tale, but in both setting and methodology reminds the reader strongly of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. Thorndyke is clearly Holmes with Jervis an obvious Watson. I suspect, given the timing, the author was either a fan who copied the basic format with a much greater emphasis on deductive reasoning (despite Holmes' obsession with it, Thorndyke is better at it) and medical science (both authors were physicians) or a contemporary who used a similar format because it was de rigueur. The result is fascinating and although Holmes with his quirks is the more interesting character, Thorndyke is written better as a detective. I'll have to read the rest of them.
September 8, 2025
If you skip all the long-winded scientific and observational discourses Dr. Thorndyke engages in, this book had some interesting plot intrigues. But honestly why did the good doctor take on such a complete dunderhead of an assistant as Dr. Jervis (unless it was out of pity for his inability to work out anything or just because Jervis' idiocy made Thorndyke look even more brilliant.) Dr. Jervis has the uncanny case of a middle-of-the-night consultation for a morphine-overdosed, almost blind elderly man - which you would think would stick in his mind - and then almost immediately hears of another case involving the death of an apparently morphine-addicted almost blind elderly man, and doesn't connect the two. It beggars belief. How often would he hear about two such similar cases so close together? This slow-wittedness annoyed me all the way through. Still the murder premise was interesting enough. The story just needn't have been drawn out so long that it became tedious wondering when Jervis would see the light. Which he never did until late in the book when shown the picture of the dead man by Thorndyke. To me, the drawn-out nature represented an attempt to pad out the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2020
For those of us who have read mysteries for a lifetime will recognize the story behind the story, but this may be the earliest use of this premise. The whole story was presented in such a successful way that it wasn't until half way through the book that I was able to tell where it was going.
This time Dr Jervis is much more involved and his exploration of the situation that ends up being the basis for the who mystery/conspiracy. Though Dr Thorndyke is working on a different client (or is he) most of the time he is off on the periphery doing his Dr T act, something hints that what he is doing will related to what Jervis is working on.
It isn't the articles and jigsaw pieces that makes Thorndyke's work so interesting, but it's the uncanny way that he puts everything together in the end.
This time Dr Jervis is much more involved and his exploration of the situation that ends up being the basis for the who mystery/conspiracy. Though Dr Thorndyke is working on a different client (or is he) most of the time he is off on the periphery doing his Dr T act, something hints that what he is doing will related to what Jervis is working on.
It isn't the articles and jigsaw pieces that makes Thorndyke's work so interesting, but it's the uncanny way that he puts everything together in the end.
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