R. Austin Freeman

The Red Thumb Mark R. Austin Freeman

At the turn of the 20th century, Richard Austin Freeman (1862-1943) emerged as an author to be reckoned with in the world of detective fiction, introducing the highly memorable scientific detective Dr. Thorndyke, an early forensic sleuth. Armed with his little green case full of scientific detection aids, Thorndyke unravelled murders and mysteries using logic and material evidence. Freeman's most important pre-World War I novels include: The Mystery of 31 New Inn (1911), The Eye of Osiris (1911), and A Silent Witness (1914), artistically written and memorably characterized. Later major works include The Red Thumb Mark, When Rogues Fall Out, and The Jacob Street Mystery.