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Dr. Thorndyke Mysteries #19
Mr. Pottermack's Oversight: A Dr. John Thorndyke Story [Annotated]
Mr. Pottermack had thought of everything. He had disposed of the body in a place where no one would ever find it. He carefully, and ingeniously created a false trail to lead attention away from himself. He had even managed, though with some element of luck, to make it appear as if the dead man had been miles away days after he had died. He had thought of everything, everything except for the idle curiosity of the one man in all of England that could undo him, that noted expert in Medical Jurisprudence, Dr. John Thorndyke. But will even that renowned scientist be able to spot . . .
Mr. Pottermack’s Oversight
This classic book was edited and published by Resurrected Press. Included in this book is a new, introductory foreword discussing the story, the times, and the influences that went into the tale, adding historical context to the book. Author biographies are also included, as are illustrations, when appropriate. These are not scanned versions of the originals, but handcrafted, quality-checked and edited books meant to be enjoyed!
Resurrected Press is dedicated to bringing high quality classic books back to the readers who enjoy them. Please search Amazon for "Resurrected Press" to find both print and Kindle editions of all of our books!
Mr. Pottermack’s Oversight
This classic book was edited and published by Resurrected Press. Included in this book is a new, introductory foreword discussing the story, the times, and the influences that went into the tale, adding historical context to the book. Author biographies are also included, as are illustrations, when appropriate. These are not scanned versions of the originals, but handcrafted, quality-checked and edited books meant to be enjoyed!
Resurrected Press is dedicated to bringing high quality classic books back to the readers who enjoy them. Please search Amazon for "Resurrected Press" to find both print and Kindle editions of all of our books!
241 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1930
About the author
R. Austin Freeman
503 books79 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 36 reviews
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July 5, 2020A classic Golden Age detective novel of the "ludicrously elaborate and complex murder" variety, with the difference that this one is told from the perspective of the killer throughout, and endeavours to present his goings-on as perfectly reasonable in the circumstances. Mr Pottermack is highly sympathetic, and it's good fun to see it all happen from his side; the mystery for the reader is how the interfering twerp Thorndyke solved the crime, ie what Mr P's oversight was.
March 11, 2023
When preparing his garden for the arrival of a new sundial, quiet, Mr Pottermack, a single man of late middle age who has a quiet and unremarkable existence, uncovers a previously unknown well. The same day, he receives yet another demand for money from a man who is blackmailing him, and it’s only a matter of time before one problem is used to solve the other..
Austin Freeman is new to me, and having greatly enjoyed this, I will certainly be seeking more out from him.
It’s a great example of what different stuff can be written under the vast umbrella of the crime genre. After all, the title itself gives the culprit away, and indicates that he was unsuccessful.
There’s another thing that Freeman does that few of his trade manage, to write in several complete implausibilities, and yet manage to thrill and compel his reader rather than put them off.
Freeman very much has his own style, of the Victorian age in its tone (first published in 1930), almost lecturing the reader in its pitch, yet there is no question of the narrative being dated.
He provides the reader with a huge amount of minutiae as Pottermack carefully prepares and executes his various schemes, though again, rather than scare the reader away, this is engrossing, humorous at times, and just adds to the portrayal of a fascinating character.
Here’s a clip..
Austin Freeman is new to me, and having greatly enjoyed this, I will certainly be seeking more out from him.
It’s a great example of what different stuff can be written under the vast umbrella of the crime genre. After all, the title itself gives the culprit away, and indicates that he was unsuccessful.
There’s another thing that Freeman does that few of his trade manage, to write in several complete implausibilities, and yet manage to thrill and compel his reader rather than put them off.
Freeman very much has his own style, of the Victorian age in its tone (first published in 1930), almost lecturing the reader in its pitch, yet there is no question of the narrative being dated.
He provides the reader with a huge amount of minutiae as Pottermack carefully prepares and executes his various schemes, though again, rather than scare the reader away, this is engrossing, humorous at times, and just adds to the portrayal of a fascinating character.
Here’s a clip..
We do not need to share his agonies. It was a loathly business. The dismembered parts had to be inducted separately into their garments, leaving the ‘assembling’ for a later stage, and the sheer physical difficulty of persuading those limp, flabby, unhelpful members into closer-fitting articles of clothing was at once an aggravation and a distract from the horror of the task.
September 5, 2019
Dr. Thorndyke has a small (but important) role in this entry in the series. While I generally don't care for 'mysteries' which are told from the point of view of the culprit, this one surprised me and thanks to the role played by Dr. Thorndyke, I was pleased by the ending.
August 1, 2020
A bit of a slog to get through with its painstaking detail. It may have ramped up the tension, although I think this tedious method of telling the story just made me anxious to get on with it! But I was pleasantly surprised that this did not go at all the way I thought it would.
April 19, 2017
I was presently surprised with this book. Freeman only narrates in the first person when the story is from the perspective of Jervis, Antsey, or that third guy whose name I can't remember. Whenever it's from Thorndyke's perspective or another character, it's in third person. This was no exception, and (unsurprisingly) Thorndyke was only in 3 or 4 chapters out of 18. Most of the book followed Mr. Pottermack and his life and the crime he was trying to cover up. He's a really good character and I quite enjoyed him and his ingenuity for the era. But considering Thordnyke's usual legal stance in cases, the ending quite surprised me and made me appreciate Thorndyke (and Freeman!) all the more.
August 16, 2013
This is the best of the old mysteries which I've read. The plot is very clever and it is well told with some good descriptions. The background is gradually revealed keeping the reader interested. Mr. Pottermack, wrongly convicted for forgery of checks, has escaped from jail, made his fortune in the US and come back to England to find his fiance. The only one who is cleverer than Mr. Pottermack is Freeman's detective, Dr. Thorndyke.
February 28, 2017
Not one I'd recommend. Mr. Pottermack was less than one dimensional (and boring). The narrative was slow and plodding and filled (overstuffed) with tedious, unnecessary descriptions and explanations--often explanations of the descriptions?? An uninspired work that, perhaps, had a deadline to meet.
January 16, 2011
Delightful! I was worried about Mr. Pottermack for a while there but Dr. Thorndyke comes through.
May 27, 2014
Absolutely brilliant. Freeman at his best, no worries about whodunnit, just psychology and forensics. A thoroughly good read showing Thorndyke at his most human.
November 3, 2022
Interesante como todas las historias del doctor Thorndyke.
Leído septiembre 2022
Valoración 9/10.
Leído septiembre 2022
Valoración 9/10.
July 30, 2024
This story we begin with seeing events through the eyes of the criminal/victim. So you know, in essence what really happened and happens. Then Thorndyke is shown information and his curiosity is piqued. He begins his personal investigation and he can see very clearly what has been happening. The beauty of this story is the dance between the criminal, Thorndyke and well- everyone else’s view of reality the police and various witnesses. I won’t say how it ends. While this is in the mystery genre area, it is also a story of humanity – and how the justice system works or sometimes doesn’t work.
June 24, 2016
This one took me a while to finish just because it was so unoriginal. Freeman simply remixed all his usual props. You get elements of all the previous Thorndyke cases: the reverse detective story formula, the blackmail-of-a-convict scheme, the role of a sequence of footprints, the Egyptian mummy that is mistaken for a murdered man, and – finally – the sickeningly naive and idealised romance.
Did Freeman run out of ideas?
Did Freeman run out of ideas?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2016
I liked this period piece. The only criticism I have is that the same information was repeated several times, albeit from different perspectives, but it could have done with some strict editing. The medical and forensic knowledge of the author makes the book especially interesting.
January 26, 2017
Surely I was supposed to like this better than I did. Surely there are those who liked it just fine. I got thru it, this book of coincidence done royal. Then, in Freeman's books, without coincidence there'd be no incidents at all. The usual fine writing.
July 22, 2018
Not my favorite installment in the series, as there really wasn't all that much to be surprised by, except perhaps for Thorndyke's final decision in the book.
May 16, 2019
A very enrertaining read told from the criminals pointbof view. Decent plot with strong characters.
February 11, 2020
Interesting story, but it lagged.
Want to read
February 16, 2020Synopsis: Mr. Pottermack is a law abiding citizen. Then a blackmailer shows up; is Pottermack a runaway prisoner? These falsehoods must stop.
June 28, 2024
Austin Freeman was an influential mystery writer in a number of ways, both on display here. First, he invented the “inverted” mystery novel, where the reader sees the crime committed; the question therefore is not whodunnit, but how (or if) the culprit will be caught. Second, he was one of the first writers of forensic detective fiction; maybe the first? He preceded Arthur B. Reeve (and is much better than him, as a side note), and although Holmes always talked about science, he never used it in any real way. First or not, Freeman was certainly the most conscientious practitioner; he built his own laboratory so that he could double check the science used in his stories.
As an inverted mystery, the general outline seems clear from the start. Mr. Pottermack is faced with two problems: he has uncovered a dangerous old well on his property while digging the foundation for a new sundial, and he is being blackmailed. He uses the first problem to resolve the second, but this causes a progression of new problems to emerge, not the least of which is Dr. Thorndyke, who takes an interest in the matter. But the format of this novel is not what you'd expect; instead of presenting a battle of wits between the two, Thorndyke recedes into the background, while Pottermack struggles against the vagaries of fate. The mid-novel twist that forces both of them into further action is absolutely incredible.
Austin Freeman wrote charming prose ('Criminologists of certain Continental schools are able to give us with remarkable exactness the facial and other characteristics by which the criminal may be infallibly recognized. Possibly these convenient “stigmata” may actually occur in the criminals of those favored countries. But in this backward country it is otherwise; we have to admit the regrettable fact that the British criminal inconsiderately insists in being a good deal like other people.'), and Mr. Pottermack is a wonderful protagonist (he must be called that, even if Thorndyke is the series character). He doesn't display the feelings that the Dostoevskys of the world might hope to see in a murderer (“Horrible as it had been in the doing—for he was by temperament a humane and kindly man—he had no sense of guilt. He had merely the feeling that he had been forced to do something extremely unpleasant”) but he's been so misused by society, is so pleasant to be around, and puts up such a fight even when the situation seems bleak, that you have to root for him.
Unfortunately, things falls apart a little at the very end, when we get this novel's equivalent of the drawing room scene. The writing goes from charming to dryly clinical, and Thorndyke is so much in the background in this novel that “How did he figure everything out?” isn't a question with any dramatic weight. Speaking of Dostoevsky, even he, a writer not otherwise known for brevity, didn't feel the need to tell us at length how Porfiry Petrovich had identified Rodion Romanovitch as the murderer; the important part wasn't how he knew, but that he did know. That's the case he as well, the question of how Thorndyke knows is uninteresting compared to the question of what he'll do with that knowledge, but Freeman, bound by genre conventions even as he broke them with his “inverted mystery” format, wasn't able to see it, and devoted two chapters to something that called for a paragraph of explanation.
Still, two chapters is two chapters, even if they are dragging down the climax, and can't diminish the novel too much. This is the fourteenth novel in the Dr. Thorndyke series (published in 1930--it's always weird for me to remember that writers like Doyle and Freeman were writing at the same time as Agatha Christie), and I look forward to dipping back into it in the future.
As an inverted mystery, the general outline seems clear from the start. Mr. Pottermack is faced with two problems: he has uncovered a dangerous old well on his property while digging the foundation for a new sundial, and he is being blackmailed. He uses the first problem to resolve the second, but this causes a progression of new problems to emerge, not the least of which is Dr. Thorndyke, who takes an interest in the matter. But the format of this novel is not what you'd expect; instead of presenting a battle of wits between the two, Thorndyke recedes into the background, while Pottermack struggles against the vagaries of fate. The mid-novel twist that forces both of them into further action is absolutely incredible.
Austin Freeman wrote charming prose ('Criminologists of certain Continental schools are able to give us with remarkable exactness the facial and other characteristics by which the criminal may be infallibly recognized. Possibly these convenient “stigmata” may actually occur in the criminals of those favored countries. But in this backward country it is otherwise; we have to admit the regrettable fact that the British criminal inconsiderately insists in being a good deal like other people.'), and Mr. Pottermack is a wonderful protagonist (he must be called that, even if Thorndyke is the series character). He doesn't display the feelings that the Dostoevskys of the world might hope to see in a murderer (“Horrible as it had been in the doing—for he was by temperament a humane and kindly man—he had no sense of guilt. He had merely the feeling that he had been forced to do something extremely unpleasant”) but he's been so misused by society, is so pleasant to be around, and puts up such a fight even when the situation seems bleak, that you have to root for him.
Unfortunately, things falls apart a little at the very end, when we get this novel's equivalent of the drawing room scene. The writing goes from charming to dryly clinical, and Thorndyke is so much in the background in this novel that “How did he figure everything out?” isn't a question with any dramatic weight. Speaking of Dostoevsky, even he, a writer not otherwise known for brevity, didn't feel the need to tell us at length how Porfiry Petrovich had identified Rodion Romanovitch as the murderer; the important part wasn't how he knew, but that he did know. That's the case he as well, the question of how Thorndyke knows is uninteresting compared to the question of what he'll do with that knowledge, but Freeman, bound by genre conventions even as he broke them with his “inverted mystery” format, wasn't able to see it, and devoted two chapters to something that called for a paragraph of explanation.
Still, two chapters is two chapters, even if they are dragging down the climax, and can't diminish the novel too much. This is the fourteenth novel in the Dr. Thorndyke series (published in 1930--it's always weird for me to remember that writers like Doyle and Freeman were writing at the same time as Agatha Christie), and I look forward to dipping back into it in the future.
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August 31, 2024From the blurb, this sounded like exactly the kind of odd English village mystery I love; the purchase of an Egyptian mummy was the clincher. What I'd not fully taken into account was that it's not a mystery in the classic sense, more the Columbo style; we know from the off who did it, and why, so the mystery resides in the oversight of the title – what was the detail Pottermack missed in his apparently perfect crime? In itself, this is fine; I like Columbo, and its heir Poker Face; I can even picture an Ealing adaptation of this book where, animated by appropriate performances, I'd be well into that too. But in the absence of that, all we have to carry us along is Freeman's narration, which is meticulous but clear (not unlike Wodehouse minus the jokes), if maybe prone to going on a bit about the very detailed specifics of every little thing. And yes, that is how Dr. Thorndyke operates, a proto-CSI master of close observation and the very frontier of forensic technology, 1930-style. But while he's hardly the first vintage sleuth a modern reader could be tempted to label neurodivergent, he is a particularly bloodless example of the genus, distinctly lacking in loveable quirks; I can't imagine I'll be tracking down the rest of his 28 appearances. His quarry, on the other hand, is a man who, wronged in his youth, has pieced together a lovely little life for himself, is just working himself up to asking out the woman with whom he's gently flirting over their shared interests in snails, and only as a final resort bumped off a piece of shit who had that (and, for preference, worse) coming. And even then, he's caught out as much by spectacular ill-fortune as any brilliance on Thorndyke's part. The sort of entirely justified 'crime', in other words, where some of my preferred Golden Age investigators, Mrs Bradley especially, would have been happy to connive at a cover-up. So, with no prior knowledge of Thorndyke, the other tension in the novel – and one it sustains to the very end – was, is he the just man who'll do likewise, or the legalist who blows the whistle?
Additionally: since well before this week's addition to the litany of terrible 2020s occurrences, looking at Mr Pottermack's Oversight has consistently given me an earworm of Mr Robinson's QUANGO, and never mind that it doesn't scan. And even now, when it's more important than ever to remember that every single song on the Life trilogy is better than anything Oasis ever released, that really wouldn't be my first choice.
Additionally: since well before this week's addition to the litany of terrible 2020s occurrences, looking at Mr Pottermack's Oversight has consistently given me an earworm of Mr Robinson's QUANGO, and never mind that it doesn't scan. And even now, when it's more important than ever to remember that every single song on the Life trilogy is better than anything Oasis ever released, that really wouldn't be my first choice.
October 5, 2024
First published in 1930 and republished in 2024 by British Library Publishing, Mr Pottermack’s Oversight is the 19th book in the Dr Thorndyke mysteries but it can be read as a standalone. I got a clear sense of Thorndyke and liked the character.
The story begins with a prologue which tells of a prisoner who manages to make his escape. The prison officers chasing him find a pile of clothes on the beach with no sign of a swimmer or anyone else.
"The elder warder gathered up the rest of the clothes and handed them to his junior. “Well,” he said, “we must take it that he’s gone to sea. All that we can do is to get the Customs people to give us a passage on their launch to make the round of all the vessels anchored about here. And if we don’t find him on any of them, we shall have to hand the case over to the police.”
Mostly told from Mr Pottermack’s point of view and described as an ‘inverted mystery’, this was a good read, if a little ludicrous in parts, although his thought processes and state of mind were really well done. Mr Pottermack is quite settled in his cottage, pottering in his garden and workshops, sharing his interests, and sometimes meals, with his good friend, Mrs Bellard. His latest project is the instillation of a sun dial he came across in mason’s yard. He felt it would be the perfect central point in his garden and would also cover up the old disused well. But when he finds himself at the mercy of a blackmailer, who he realises will never leave him be, he takes desperate and quite elaborate measures.
This is my first book by this author and although I enjoyed the main narrative, I felt the story became bogged down in places with unnecessarily intricate detail which I tended to skim over, especially that which concerned molluscs. But having been written such a long time ago allowances should perhaps be made.
I did feel sorry for Mr Pottermack but the lengths he went to were hard to credit when he should have left well alone after the first attempt, and as for the Egyptian mummy…well! I enjoyed following Dr Thorndyke’s interpretation of events and the story concluded very satisfactorily.
The story begins with a prologue which tells of a prisoner who manages to make his escape. The prison officers chasing him find a pile of clothes on the beach with no sign of a swimmer or anyone else.
"The elder warder gathered up the rest of the clothes and handed them to his junior. “Well,” he said, “we must take it that he’s gone to sea. All that we can do is to get the Customs people to give us a passage on their launch to make the round of all the vessels anchored about here. And if we don’t find him on any of them, we shall have to hand the case over to the police.”
Mostly told from Mr Pottermack’s point of view and described as an ‘inverted mystery’, this was a good read, if a little ludicrous in parts, although his thought processes and state of mind were really well done. Mr Pottermack is quite settled in his cottage, pottering in his garden and workshops, sharing his interests, and sometimes meals, with his good friend, Mrs Bellard. His latest project is the instillation of a sun dial he came across in mason’s yard. He felt it would be the perfect central point in his garden and would also cover up the old disused well. But when he finds himself at the mercy of a blackmailer, who he realises will never leave him be, he takes desperate and quite elaborate measures.
This is my first book by this author and although I enjoyed the main narrative, I felt the story became bogged down in places with unnecessarily intricate detail which I tended to skim over, especially that which concerned molluscs. But having been written such a long time ago allowances should perhaps be made.
I did feel sorry for Mr Pottermack but the lengths he went to were hard to credit when he should have left well alone after the first attempt, and as for the Egyptian mummy…well! I enjoyed following Dr Thorndyke’s interpretation of events and the story concluded very satisfactorily.
August 16, 2023
I have been on a binge of R Austin Freeman novels and short stories recently, mostly with good results, and I had delayed reading this 1930 entry in the Dr Thorndyke series as many reviewers seem to regard it as among his finer works.
It is indeed interesting from a number of points of view. An inverted detective novel, or rather a sequence of inter-related stories, it tells the tale of Marcus Pottermark and the crimes with which he is involved. There is an extensive backstory, a rather overdone love story and a wide range of criminal activities. Thorndyke’s role is not central, although it is crucial.
Clever as the construction is, there are many coincidences, some dubious behaviour from the good doctor and a lot of Freeman’s standard paraphernalia - gadgetry , footprints, an escaped convict who is blackmailed and an Egyptian mummy repurposed. Nor can RAF resist this observation, masquerading as a pop at the Bertillon system of criminal classification:-
“…we have to admit the regrettable fact that the British criminal inconsiderately persists in being a good deal like other people. Not that the criminal class is, even here, distinguished by personal beauty or fine physique. The criminal is a low-grade man; but he is not markedly different from other low-grade men. But the fugitive whose flight in the shelter of the sea wall we are watching did not conform even to the more generalized type. On the contrary, he was a definitely good-looking young man rather small and slight yet athletic and well-knit, with a face not only intelligent and refined but, despite his anxious and even terrified expression, suggestive of a courageous, resolute personality. Whatever had brought him to a convict prison, he was not of the rank and file of its inmates.”
With a comment such as this in mind, one does not find it much of a surprise that Thorndyke acts as he does at the end of the book. Now if Pottermack had been one of those unattractive and brutish working-class types from the East End of London…
3.75 stars.
It is indeed interesting from a number of points of view. An inverted detective novel, or rather a sequence of inter-related stories, it tells the tale of Marcus Pottermark and the crimes with which he is involved. There is an extensive backstory, a rather overdone love story and a wide range of criminal activities. Thorndyke’s role is not central, although it is crucial.
Clever as the construction is, there are many coincidences, some dubious behaviour from the good doctor and a lot of Freeman’s standard paraphernalia - gadgetry , footprints, an escaped convict who is blackmailed and an Egyptian mummy repurposed. Nor can RAF resist this observation, masquerading as a pop at the Bertillon system of criminal classification:-
“…we have to admit the regrettable fact that the British criminal inconsiderately persists in being a good deal like other people. Not that the criminal class is, even here, distinguished by personal beauty or fine physique. The criminal is a low-grade man; but he is not markedly different from other low-grade men. But the fugitive whose flight in the shelter of the sea wall we are watching did not conform even to the more generalized type. On the contrary, he was a definitely good-looking young man rather small and slight yet athletic and well-knit, with a face not only intelligent and refined but, despite his anxious and even terrified expression, suggestive of a courageous, resolute personality. Whatever had brought him to a convict prison, he was not of the rank and file of its inmates.”
With a comment such as this in mind, one does not find it much of a surprise that Thorndyke acts as he does at the end of the book. Now if Pottermack had been one of those unattractive and brutish working-class types from the East End of London…
3.75 stars.
June 8, 2021
This was my first read of a novel-length Dr Thorndyke mystery, and it was a very enjoyable read. Dr Thorndyke (a medical jurist) is a painstakingly scrupulous investigator, so this book is filled with very specific details of the crime and coverup. If you like fast-paced novels, this really isn’t for you. But the detail can draw you in, as you try to spot the holes.
Most of this book is told from the perspective of Mr Pottermack, who commits murder and attempts to cover his traces. Following his mental state alternating between panic and relief is fascinating. Freeman has written all of this very carefully.
As it was written 90 years ago, some of the scientific detail is dated, so you’ll be at a disadvantage in working out what Pottermack’s oversight might be. But that didn’t stop this being a very good read.
Most of this book is told from the perspective of Mr Pottermack, who commits murder and attempts to cover his traces. Following his mental state alternating between panic and relief is fascinating. Freeman has written all of this very carefully.
As it was written 90 years ago, some of the scientific detail is dated, so you’ll be at a disadvantage in working out what Pottermack’s oversight might be. But that didn’t stop this being a very good read.
September 7, 2024
Mr Pottermack peacefully plods through the rituals of his daily life: eating supper made by his housekeeper, pottering in his workshops, charming a comely widow, and making improvements to his garden. One of these improvements involves installing an old sundial in the middle of his lawn, but the discovery of a disused well beneath it and the appearance of an unwanted guest leads Mr Pottermack onto a methodical path of crime.
As an inverted murder mystery, we get to see the crime from the point of view of both the criminal and the detective, which adds interest and delight. Because Mr Potternack is so methodical, there are times where the descriptions seem a bit laborious but the overall effect is that the novel is charming and engaging. I was only meant to read one chapter and ended up finishing the whole thing in almost one setting.
As an inverted murder mystery, we get to see the crime from the point of view of both the criminal and the detective, which adds interest and delight. Because Mr Potternack is so methodical, there are times where the descriptions seem a bit laborious but the overall effect is that the novel is charming and engaging. I was only meant to read one chapter and ended up finishing the whole thing in almost one setting.
July 5, 2022
An odd, kind of tedious mystery - well, not a mystery because you know whodunit from the very beginning and it's more a matter of who is going to uncover the ridiculously detailed and elaborate crime and what they do with the information once they figure it all out. That said, I kind of enjoyed it though not rushing out for more R Austin Freeman.
January 2, 2024
These stories are always well done and have lots of interesting information on how the clues are discovered by Dr Thorndyke. Sometimes it does go on a bit too long but the story usually moves along well and it’s interesting when comparing it to scientific methods used now.
April 21, 2022
I actually listened to the play of this which I enjoyed. A bit unrealistic but fun.
August 15, 2024
Excellent story. A little long winded at the end with the summing up. But it was worth sticking with.
August 17, 2024
Enjoyable but some times the detail got a bit overwhelming!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews