Audiobooks by R. Austin Freeman

The Assyrian Rejuvenator,'published in 1907, is one of R. Austin Freeman's novels written under the name Clifford Ashdown and the first to feature well-known protagonist Dr. Thorndyke--a medical-legal forensic investigator. Although Freeman's early works were seen as simple homages to his contemporary, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, he quickly developed his own style--the 'inverted detective story'--in which the identity of the criminal is shown from the beginning, and the story then describes the detective's attempt to solve the mystery. In this tale, inflated claims about the powers of an expensive elixir put private investigator Romney Pringle in pursuit of a ruthless con man. The trickster has reason to believe that his customers won't complain, but Pingle sets out to destroy the crooked business.

R. Austin Freeman (Author), Sean Roberts (Narrator)

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The Red Thumb Mark

When Sherlock Holmes began his practice as a consulting detective, his ideas of scientific criminal investigations caused the London police to look upon him as a mere 'theorist'. And yet, through his work, the science behind catching criminals became so important that it's hard now to imagine the world without them. Many famous Great Detectives followed in Holmes's footsteps - Nero Wolfe and Ellery Queen, Hercule Poirot and Solar Pons - but before they began their careers - and while Holmes was still in practice in Baker Street - another London consultant, Dr. John Thorndyke, opened his doors using the scientific methods developed and perfected by Holmes, even taking them to a whole new level of brilliance. Between 1905, with his first appearance in a nearly forgotten novella, to 1942 and through the course of twenty-one novels and over forty short stories, Dr. Thorndyke (often with the assistance of his friend Dr. Christopher Jervis) unravelled some incredibly complex puzzles. Besides providing very satisfying mysteries - some of which turned the literary form inside out - these adventures present vivid pictures of England in the late Victorian and early Edwardian eras, ranging from the doctor's own vividly drawn chambers at 5A Kings Bench Walk in the Temple to the surrounding London streets and beyond. In this first book of the series, Dr. Jervis encounters his old friend Dr. Thorndyke; soon after they are drawn into a mystery in which a man is accused of murder and his own bloody thumbprint - evidence that cannot be denied - places him absolutely at the scene of the crime. But for Thorndyke, things may not be quite as straightforward as they seem. Can one forge a thumb print? As Thorndyke investigates, it becomes apparent that he is too much of a threat, and must be removed...

David Marcum, R. Austin Freeman (Author), Luke Barton (Narrator)

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The Rivals: Tales of Sherlock Holmes’ rival detectives: 16 BBC Radio full-cast dramas

The complete collection of all 16 episodes from this gripping BBC Radio crime series Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard was made to look a fool in the Sherlock Holmes stories. Now he gets his own back, introducing sixteen tales of detectives whose abilities rival that of the great Sherlock Holmes. Starring James Fleet (Series 1, 3 and 4) and Tim Piggott-Smith (Series 2) as Lestrade, with casts featuring Andrew Scott, Paul Rhys, Anton Lesser, Honeysuckle Weeks, Rupert Vansittart, John Sessions, Marcia Warren and Tim McInnerny. Dramatised for radio by Chris Harrald, these stories are written by masters of the crime and thriller genre, all contemporaries of Arthur Conan Doyle. They include: The Murders on the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe The Problem of Cell 13 by Jacques Futrelle Murder By Proxy by Matthias McDonnel Bodkin The Mystery of Redstone Manor by Catherine Louisa Pirkis The Problem of the Superfluous Finger by Jacques Futrelle The Clue of the Silver Spoons by Robert Barr The Intangible Clue by Anna Katharine Green The Game Played in the Dark by Ernest Bramah The Kinght's Cross Signal Problem by Ernest Bramah A Snapshot by Matthias McDonnel Bodkin Seven, Seven, Seven - City by Julius Chambers The Moabite Cipher - by R Austin Freeman The Clairvoyants - by Arthur B Reeve The Stanway Cameo Mystery - Arthur Morrison The Secret of Dunstan's Tower - Ernest Bramah The Mystery of the Scarlet Thread - Jacques Futrelle Directed by Sasha Yevtushenko (Series 1) and Liz Webb (Series 2, 3, 4) (c) BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 2021 (p) BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 2021

Anna Katherine Green, Arthur B Reeve, Arthur Morrison, Edgar Allan Poe, Ernest Bramah, Jacques Futrelle, Julius Chambers, Louisa Pirkis, Matthias Mcdonnel Bodkin, R. Austin Freeman, Robert Barr (Author), Andrew Scott, Anton Lesser, Full Cast, Honeysuckle Weeks, James Fleet, John L. Sessions, Marcia Warren, Paul Rhys, Tim Mcinnerny, Tim Pigott-Smith (Narrator)

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The Moabite Cypher

R. Austin Freeman (Author), Alexandra Jones-Caruso (Narrator)

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The Red Thumb Mark

Valuable diamonds are missing, and the thumb-print of one Reuben Hornby is discovered in some blood at the bottom of the safe from where they were taken. An open and shut case, surely. Or is it? For reasons known only to himself, Doctor John Thorndyke has some doubts about the evidence. But to prove the innocence of a young man he must make his case in open court through the use of the latest Edwardian science. Will Dr. Thorndyke succeed, or will the case of the red thumb mark prove to be not only his first case, but also his last? This all-time classic has been given a new lease of life through Steve White's thrilling new production. Expertly narrated, this audiobook is perfect for existing fans of the good doctor and newcomers alike.

R. Austin Freeman (Author), Steve White (Narrator)

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A Message From The Deep Sea

R. Austin Freeman (Author), Cecily Thompson (Narrator)

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The Brazen Serpent

Richard Austin Freeman (1862-1943) was a British writer of detective stories, many featuring the investigator Dr. Thorndyke, who uses a mixture of medical and forensic techniques to solve the most baffling crimes. "The Brazen Serpent" is an unusual crime story in that it is told from the perspective of the criminal. Danby, a young engineer and hobby metalsmith has just escaped from prison and is in search of a way to make a living while on the run. His friend Parmenter a collector of antiquities and owner of a rare and valuable medallion which is his most prized possession, offers him a position running an antiques business he has just acquired. Danby uses his visit to Parmenter to sneakily take a wax impression of the rare medallion which he later casts in silver. But will he manage to pass off his replica as an original? And who will buy it?

R. Austin Freeman (Author), Cathy Dobson (Narrator)

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The Case of the White Footprints

Richard Austin Freeman (1862-1943) was a British writer of detective stories, mostly featuring the medico-legal forensic investigator Dr. Thorndyke. Freeman used some of his early experiences as a colonial surgeon in West Africa in his novels. The Case of the White Footprints is a murder mystery set in Margate. A lady has been found dead in her room in a boarding house. At first glance it looks like a clear case of suicide, but then the two doctors attending the death spot a set of white footprints in paint on the red linoleum of the floor. As the house is currently being repainted, and the window-sills were still covered in wet paint, it is clear that the woman has been murdered by someone who entered and left through the window. Moreover, the footprints have some strange peculiarities. They are bare footprints...and on both feet it appears that the little toe is missing. When Dr. Thorndyke is called onto the case these extraordinary footprints lead him immediately to the track of the murderer.

R. Austin Freeman (Author), Cathy Dobson (Narrator)

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The Blue Sequin

Richard Austin Freeman (1862 - 1943) was a British writer of detective stories, many featuring the investigator Dr. Thorndyke who uses a mixture of medical and forensic techniques to solve the most baffling crimes. In "The Blue Sequin" a beautiful young woman as been found alone, dead in a railway carriage, with a peculiar combination of head injuries inflicted with great force by a sharp round implement. Suspicion immediately falls on her former lover, an artist, with whom she had quarrelled earlier, and who is in posession of her locket and a stout umbrella with a pointed end. But Dr. Thordyke is not convinced of the artist's guilt and sets out to investigate....

R. Austin Freeman (Author), Cathy Dobson (Narrator)

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The Magic Casket

Richard Austin Freeman (1862-1943) was a British writer of detective stories, often starring the forensic investigator Dr. Thorndyke. He is often credited with having invented the inverted detective story (a crime fiction in which the commission of the crime is described at the beginning, with the story then describing the detective's attempt to solve the mystery.) Many of the Dr. Thorndyke stories involve genuine, but often quite obscure, points of scientific knowledge, from disciplines such as tropical medicine, metallurgy, and toxicology. The Magic Casket describes a classic case for Dr. Thorndyke. It tells the story of an ordinary and apparently quite worthless metal casket, which conceals a mysterious secret which nearly costs a young woman her life.

R. Austin Freeman (Author), Cathy Dobson (Narrator)

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