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Audiobook edition · 7 h 38 minPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
A speck of dirt, a loose thread, a worn mark: which detail holds the key to a crime?
In The Blue Scarab, R. Austin Freeman brings together seven Dr. Thorndyke mysteries built around physical evidence and hidden secrets. Thorndyke is a doctor and a barrister who trusts a microscope more than a hunch. Dust, fibres and small objects become clues, while ordinary habits can point towards the person behind a crime.
These stories invite you to follow the reasoning, not simply wait for an answer. Thorndyke collects facts before forming theories, then asks what those facts can prove. His knowledge of medicine and law shapes each inquiry. The stakes lie in the evidence: can a tiny trace become something that others can test and a court can trust?
What you’ll discover
- Facts before theories Follow a detective who looks closely before deciding what a clue might mean.
- Small clues, real weight Discover how dirt, threads and curious trinkets can carry the weight of a case.
- Medicine meets the law Watch Thorndyke turn scientific observations into evidence that must stand up to scrutiny.
- Your chance to solve Look for clues placed in view and try to reach the answer yourself.
- The pleasure of patience Settle into measured mysteries where close attention matters more than speed or violent thrills.
Who will love it
Readers who love classic detective puzzles, clever deductions explained step by step, and the quiet pleasure of watching a calm expert turn dust, footprints and scraps of paper into proof.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- Small traces open apparently hopeless cases
- A stolen scarab connects strange details
- White footprints disturb an easy explanation
- The wrong hat preserves a trail
- A recovered watch leaves questions open
- An abandoned bag may connect crimes
- Question where the evidence trail begins
- Burned remains invite competing explanations
- Gather facts before weighing a theory
Who’s who
- Dr. John ThorndykeA doctor and barrister in the Temple who solves crimes by studying small physical evidence with his research case.
- Dr. JervisThorndyke's friend and partner, who tells each tale, tries to reason ahead of his senior and often misses the key fact.
- PoltonThe skilled laboratory assistant who builds tools, develops film and prepares casts, always glad to help with an investigation.
- Superintendent MillerA genial Scotland Yard officer who trusts Thorndyke and wants a case solid enough to justify an arrest.
- Inspector BadgerA stubborn, hard-working detective who doubts Thorndyke's methods but chases criminals with great energy.
- James BlowgraveA Hertfordshire landowner whose deed box is stolen and who hopes to find the family's lost jewels for his daughter.
- Mr. MarchmontA solicitor who brings Thorndyke the problem of a vanished will and expects little from it.
- Mr. StalkerAn insurance company officer who relies on Thorndyke when a large claim looks suspicious.
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The Blue Scarab
by R. Austin Freeman · 1923
A blue scarab, a stranger's hat and a burned hayrick put Dr. Thorndyke on seven trails where tiny facts speak.
Medium level2–5 hours to read2 languages
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In short
What can a speck of hat dust, a wax match or a tiny snail shell tell you? In the hands of Dr. Thorndyke, almost everything.
The Blue Scarab at a glance
- Reading time
- About 4 h 20 min3 h 25 min fast, 5 h 10 min slow
- Length
- 61,800 words
- Library level
- Medium longer sentences, everyday words
- First published
- 1923by R. Austin Freeman
Reading time at 238 words a minute (fast 300, slow 200). How long the classics take to read · Updated
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A seal, a letter and a family legend
The first tale opens when Mr. James Blowgrave and his daughter Nellie visit Thorndyke's chambers. Someone has stolen a deed box from their study at Shawstead Manor while the household fought a fire in an outbuilding. The fire looks like a trick to draw everyone out of the house.
Eight days later a parcel arrives. It holds everything from the box except a blue scarab, along with a typed note signed Rudolpho and a wax seal covered in tiny signs. The seal appears to copy the missing scarab, and neither Blowgrave nor his daughter can read the signs.
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Which edition is right for me
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 14 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
Details
- First published
- 1923
- Language
- English
- Level
- Medium level
Cite this edition
Freeman, R. Austin. The Blue Scarab. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-blue-scarab.
Freeman, R. A. (2026). The blue scarab. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-blue-scarab (Original work published 1923)
Freeman, R. Austin. The Blue Scarab. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-blue-scarab.
@book{freeman2026blue,
author = {Freeman, R. Austin},
title = {The Blue Scarab},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-blue-scarab},
note = {First published 1923}
}
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What is The Blue Scarab about?
It is a collection of seven detective stories by R. Austin Freeman. Dr. Thorndyke and his friend Dr. Jervis solve thefts, murders and frauds by studying small physical clues such as dust, footprints, hairs and documents.
Who is Dr. Thorndyke?
Dr. John Thorndyke is a doctor and barrister who practises in the Temple in London. He uses medicine, chemistry, law and many other fields to read evidence, and carries a green canvas research case full of tools.
Who tells the stories, and who is Jervis?
Dr. Jervis, Thorndyke's friend and colleague, tells each story in his own voice. He is clever and brave but often a step behind, so his questions and mistakes let the reader follow the evidence.
The author
R. Austin Freeman
1862–1943 · British detective novelist
Richard Austin Freeman (1862–1943) was a British doctor and writer. He was born in London and died in Gravesend, Kent. He wrote detective novels and short stories featuring the medical investigator Dr John Thorndyke. His first Thorndyke novel, The Red Thumb Mark, was published in 1907.
More by R. Austin Freeman
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