The First Thinking Machine Omnibus: The Problem of Cell 13 & The Thinking Machine on the Case

by Jacques Futrelle

MEET SHERLOCK HOLMES' ONLY SERIOUS RIVAL AT DETECTION! Meet Professor Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen, who The Encyclopedia of Mystery and Detection calls "the most cerebral of all detectives."  One of the great scientific detectives, a master logician, the Thinking Machine solves cases brought to him by a reporter, Hutchinson Hatch, who also does the legwork on most of the adventures. Professor Van Dusen has an abnormally high and broad brow, topped by a shock of yellow hair. The Thinking Machine made his debut appearance in 1906, and is considered Sherlock Holmes only true rival.  This ebook edition contains two Thinking Machine books. The Problem of Cell 13 and Other Thinking Machine Stories, which Ellery Queen named one of the 100 "Cornerstone" books in the history of the mystery novel, and The Encyclopedia of Mystery and Detection hailed as "the best narratives about the eccentric genius." Also included in this omnibus volume is the only other book about Professor Van Dusen during the author's lifetime, The Thinking Machine on the Case.  Here are twenty-two narratives that will delight any fan of gaslight mysteries and the era of the handsom cab.  

540 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Jacques Heath Futrelle (1875-1912) was an American journalist and mystery writer. He is best known for writing short detective stories featuring the "Thinking Machine", Professor Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen. He worked for the Atlanta Journal, where he began their sports section; the New York Herald; the Boston Post; and the Boston American. In 1905, his Thinking Machine character first appeared in a serialized version of The Problem of Cell 13. In 1895, he married fellow writer Lily May Peel, with whom he had two children. While returning from Europe aboard the RMS Titanic, Futrelle, a first-cabin passenger, refused to board a lifeboat insisting his wife board instead. He perished in the Atlantic. His works include: The Chase of the Golden Plate (1906), The Simple Case of Susan (1908), The Thinking Machine on the Case (1908), The Diamond Master (1909), Elusive Isabel (1909), The High Hand (1911), My Lady's Garter (1912), Blind Man's Bluff (1914).

Reviews

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting primarily because of the scientific content and the era the stories are set in. I found the detective character (The Thinking Machine) extremely unappealing at first, but got used to it. He has a lot of quirks and I would assume that he's on the high functioning autistic spectrum, just because he's wholly unable to relate to people very well and is fond of keeping his life into a very narrow spectrum (under control).

Two comments that he invariably makes in every story and novel are, "Just as 2 + 2 = 4 not sometimes, but always... " and "don't say it is impossible, it annoys me..."

Worth reading if you want to read some of the older style mystery stories.

[Mark Keeney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall pretty good. Consists of several short stories, so I could read during lunch. Dated and had to remember when it was written. There is a formulaic feel because most of the stories use identical descriptions and dialog.