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The Cask
Paperback
ISBN13: 9781025413693
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 434
Weight: 1.33
Height: 0.88 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
The Cask is a foundational masterpiece of Golden Age detective fiction, widely regarded as the novel that established the police procedural subgenre. The story begins with a gruesome discovery at a London shipping wharf: a heavy cask, supposedly containing statuary, breaks open to reveal a cache of gold coins and the severed hand of a woman. This unsettling event launches a complex investigation that spans London, Paris, and the French countryside.
At the heart of the mystery is Inspector Burnley of Scotland Yard, whose methodical approach to evidence and alibis sets a new standard for literary detectives. Freeman Wills Crofts constructs a puzzle of remarkable intricacy, focusing on the logistical details of transport, time-tables, and physical clues. As Burnley and his counterparts unravel a web of deceit, readers are invited to follow a trail of meticulously placed evidence that challenges even the most seasoned mystery enthusiast.
Known for its logical rigor and realistic portrayal of police work, The Cask remains a compelling read for fans of classic crime fiction. It captures the atmosphere of early 20th-century Europe while delivering a sophisticated whodunit that emphasizes intellect and deduction over sensation. This work is essential for anyone seeking to understand the evolution of the modern detective novel.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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