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Dr. Thorndyke Mysteries #25
Felo De Se
John Gillam was a gambler. He faced financial ruin and was the victim of a sinister blackmail attempt.
He is now dead.
In this exceptional mystery, Dr Thorndyke is brought in to untangle the secrecy surrounding the death of John Gillam, a man not known for insanity and thoughts of suicide.
He is now dead.
In this exceptional mystery, Dr Thorndyke is brought in to untangle the secrecy surrounding the death of John Gillam, a man not known for insanity and thoughts of suicide.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1937
10 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
R. Austin Freeman
599 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 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 24, 2020
I really enjoyed this most ingenious and entertaining story. As is quite common with RAF' s books, this in two parts; the first part narrated by one of the protagonists in the case , a bank official and the second part by Thorndyke's Watsonesque assistant Jervis.
John Gillum arrives in London from Australia apparently a wealthy man and then proceeds to cheerfully gamble his entire fortune away. During this period he cultivates the friendship of Mortimer, the bank official after meeting him at the scene of a murder near the bank. He mentions in conversation that he felt suicide was a very understandable option to someone who had lost everything.
When Gillum's body is found, the inquest duly returns a verdict of suicide and blackmail is suspected of being a contributory factor. However Gillum's cousin is so convinced that he would never have killed himself, he engages Thorndyke to try to find the blackmailers and bring all the issues to light.
I know that a lot of readers find Freeman a bit slow and his attention to detail rather tedious but I really like the way he gives the reader all the facts and then elucidates at the end.
John Gillum arrives in London from Australia apparently a wealthy man and then proceeds to cheerfully gamble his entire fortune away. During this period he cultivates the friendship of Mortimer, the bank official after meeting him at the scene of a murder near the bank. He mentions in conversation that he felt suicide was a very understandable option to someone who had lost everything.
When Gillum's body is found, the inquest duly returns a verdict of suicide and blackmail is suspected of being a contributory factor. However Gillum's cousin is so convinced that he would never have killed himself, he engages Thorndyke to try to find the blackmailers and bring all the issues to light.
I know that a lot of readers find Freeman a bit slow and his attention to detail rather tedious but I really like the way he gives the reader all the facts and then elucidates at the end.
February 4, 2020
Very good mystery. But it took me a minute to figure out that carbonic acid snow meant dry ice!
April 19, 2017
At the end of this book, I caught myself thinking that's totally not possible in the 1900's. That's too scientifically advanced! And then I remember this book was actually published in the 1900's, and it shocks me. The ingenuity of both the author and any crimes in that era that might have been similar. But while this crime was likely the most complex when it comes to the cover up, it was also the most confusing to follow. Even with Thorndyke's explanation at the end, I was questioning the involvement of the other gambler's Mortimer had met earlier. They aren't talked about. I assume they must be friends of "Gillum", but you never end up knowing. I was also not quite prepared for how gruesome it would be. It's very mild compared to what gets published today, but it seemed a bit dark from the books that I've read up until now.
February 6, 2024
Το βρήκα πολύ κουραστικό αυτό το βιβλίο. Υπάρχουν πολλές περιγραφές από ξύλα μέχρι πόσες βίδες έχει μια κατασκευή σε σημείο να μπορείς να το κατασκευάσει μόνο από την περιγραφή. Ξεκινάει με ενδιαφέρον αλλά μετά από λίγο χάνεται εύκολα το ενδιαφέρον από τις υπερβολικές περιγραφές και την έλλειψη δράσης. Επίσης ο ρυθμός είναι πολύ ατονος, σαν μια συνεχής περιγραφή ενός ατόμου για ένα γεγονός. Ο συγγραφέας ασχολείται πολύ με το πόσο τζογαδόρος είναι ένας από του ήρωες και τα διάφορα είδη τζόγου.
Στα συν του είναι η πρωτότυπη υπόθεση, το δίδυμο των γιατρών- δικηγόρων από τους οποίους ο ένας έχει την εξυπνάδα του Σερλοκ Χολμς και ο άλλος την αφέλεια του Τζον Γουάτσον. Η εποχή δεν διευκρινίζει καθόλου και είχα μονίμως την εντύπωση ότι είναι μια εποχή πολύ παλιότερη από την πραγματική. Δεν υπάρχουν σχεδόν καθόλου γυναικείοι χαρακτήρες και σχεδόν όλοι οι ήρωες είναι εργένηδες.
Στα συν του είναι η πρωτότυπη υπόθεση, το δίδυμο των γιατρών- δικηγόρων από τους οποίους ο ένας έχει την εξυπνάδα του Σερλοκ Χολμς και ο άλλος την αφέλεια του Τζον Γουάτσον. Η εποχή δεν διευκρινίζει καθόλου και είχα μονίμως την εντύπωση ότι είναι μια εποχή πολύ παλιότερη από την πραγματική. Δεν υπάρχουν σχεδόν καθόλου γυναικείοι χαρακτήρες και σχεδόν όλοι οι ήρωες είναι εργένηδες.
April 3, 2015
Although there is very little Polton, this one of the best Thorndyke novels I have read, which is high praise indeed. As Anstey says in the denouement,
"a most masterly crime; amazingly
ingenious in design and conception and still more astonishing in the
forethought, the care and caution, combined with daring and resolution
displayed in its execution."
That about sums it up. And this one doesn't blind you with science as some of Freeman's works do (which is maybe why I had a suspicion about what was going on quite early) but it's beautifully done. Highly recommended as being quite un-put-down-able.
"a most masterly crime; amazingly
ingenious in design and conception and still more astonishing in the
forethought, the care and caution, combined with daring and resolution
displayed in its execution."
That about sums it up. And this one doesn't blind you with science as some of Freeman's works do (which is maybe why I had a suspicion about what was going on quite early) but it's beautifully done. Highly recommended as being quite un-put-down-able.
August 8, 2024
Ο Freeman προσφέρει μια έξυπνα δομημένη πλοκή με αρκετές ανατροπές και προσεκτικά διαμορφωμένους χαρακτήρες. Παρόλο που το βιβλίο ακολουθεί την παράδοση των ιστοριών μυστηρίου της εποχής, η αφήγηση του ξεχωρίζει για την επιστημονική της ακρίβεια και τη διεξοδική της προσέγγιση. Ωστόσο, η αφήγηση γίνεται κουραστική σε ορισμένα σημεία με τον αργό ρυθμό της. Ο Freeman δίνει μεγάλη έμφαση στις λεπτομέρειες και την επιστημονική ακρίβεια, κάτι που μπορεί να κάνει την πλοκή να προχωρά με αργούς ρυθμούς, ειδικά για τους αναγνώστες που προτιμούν πιο γρήγορη δράση και ένταση.
June 11, 2017
Freeman is a very inventive author, and very fair with his clues. I found the characters engaging and believable, and the detection was not at all strained. The crime and criminal are completely original. Well worth the read!
August 4, 2023
Published in the US as “Death at the Inn”, “Felo de Se?” is a solid late (1937) entry in the Dr Thorndyke series which evinces no diminution in Freeman’s ability to structure and devise an intriguing puzzle and to test the deductive abilities of the reader.
While the introductory chapters may seem unduly leisurely and introduce characters who later play no part, they do serve both to provide vital clues and to add to the deception which is practiced on the unwary.
A fascinating portrait is built of a secretive and multi-faceted man, John Gillum, a cultured and congenial friend and at the same time a reckless and inveterate gambler who may be a victim of blackmail.When he is found dead, apparently a suicide, his cousin is sufficiently concerned to call in Thorndyke who assembles an impressive body of circumstantial,backed up by an array of physical, evidence by which he identifies the crimes and the criminal.
The novel is free of romance and there are but few of the humorous touches found in other novels. It is none the worse for these omissions.
4.25 stars.
While the introductory chapters may seem unduly leisurely and introduce characters who later play no part, they do serve both to provide vital clues and to add to the deception which is practiced on the unwary.
A fascinating portrait is built of a secretive and multi-faceted man, John Gillum, a cultured and congenial friend and at the same time a reckless and inveterate gambler who may be a victim of blackmail.When he is found dead, apparently a suicide, his cousin is sufficiently concerned to call in Thorndyke who assembles an impressive body of circumstantial,backed up by an array of physical, evidence by which he identifies the crimes and the criminal.
The novel is free of romance and there are but few of the humorous touches found in other novels. It is none the worse for these omissions.
4.25 stars.
September 18, 2022
An enjoyable and ingenious whodonewhat.
February 1, 2023
La bellezza del giallo classico. Consigliato.
June 12, 2021
The first part of the story is from the pov of Robert Mortimer, bank clerk, as he discovers a body on a church steps. In his shock he is befriended by John Gilliam, a gambler. But once his fortune has gone Gilliam is discovered dead, an apparant suicide. But Gilliam's cousin is not convinced and asks Dr Thorndyke to investigate.
An entertaining historical mystery
An entertaining historical mystery
June 30, 2024
3.5/ 5 stars
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews