Cartoon of the Day: Writer's Life

 

REMEMBERING GOLDEN AGE OF DETECTION PIONEERING AUTHOR R. AUSTIN FREEMAN: Guest Post by Andrew McAleer

British mystery author Dr. Richard Austin Freeman was born in Soho, London on April 11, 1862. He died in Gravesend, Kent on September 28, 1943. Dr. Freeman is largely remembered for his Dr. John Thorndyke mysteries published under the name “R. Austin Freeman."  

The Oxford Companion to Crime, & Mystery Writing praises Thorndyke’s creator as: “[T]he creator of Dr. John Thorndyke, detective fiction’s foremost medico-legal expert…. Thorndyke made his first full-fledged appearance in The Red Thumb Mark (1907), the book extolled by Howard Haycraft as ‘[O]ne of the undisputed milestones of the genre.’” (The final Thorndyke tale was, The Jacob Street Mystery [1942]).

In his superbly edited volume, Blood on the Tracks, Martin Edwards, the longest-serving Chair of the Crime Writer’s Association and a British Library Crime Classics consultant, says of Freeman, “[He] was, like Arthur Conan Doyle and Robert Eustace, a doctor who achieved greater fame as a crime writer than a medical practitioner.” Further, when discussing Freeman’s mystery, “The Case of Oscar Brodski,” Martin notes that this Freeman mystery is widely recognized as the first “inverted” detective story. In these type mysteries readers know everything and the fun is seeing how the unknowing detective pieces together the puzzle. For modern-day crime fiction fans the character of Lieutenant Columbo likely comes to mind.      

In 1976, recognizing Freeman’s invaluable contributions to the mystery genre, Thorndyke, an enthusiast Philip T. Asdell created and edited a magazine called, The Thorndyke File. In 1981, at Asdell’s request, editorial duties transferred to my father, John McAleer.

The following interview excerpts between my father and Dr. Freeman’s domestic helper, Mrs. Ethel Baldock, provide some insights into Freeman’s daily activities. The interview appeared in the Spring,1982, Thorndyke File and the full discussion will appear in a forthcoming Von Stray’s Crimestalker Casebook. (www.henryvonstraymysteries.com)
 
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THE FREEMANS OF THORNDYKE HOUSE
 
An Interview by Edgar Winner John McAleer
 
I [John McAleer] have been successful in locating Ethel Baldock, who, as Ethel Osborne, a girl in her early twenties, worked for Dr. and Mrs. R. Austin Freeman, at their home, “Rosemount,” 94 Windmill Street, Gravesend, Kent, from early 1940 to 1943, and again, after Dr. Freeman’s death, from 1944 to 1946. Mrs. Baldock graciously consented to the following interview:
 
John McAleer:  What were the Freemans like?
 
Ethel Baldock: They were the nicest people I worked for. They were—a very old-fashioned term—real gentlefolk!
 
McAleer: When did Freeman write?
 
Baldock: He wrote when he was what he called a “writing mood,” so far as I know all by hand.
 
McAleer: How were Dr. Freeman’s hearing and eyesight in his last years?
 
Baldock: Both were very good.
 
McAleer: We know little about Mrs. Freeman. What can you tell us?
 
Baldock: She was a very precise lady. Used to talk to me a lot. She was quite small, about five foot three or four. Weight not known, but fairly slim. She read quite a lot. Did beautiful crochet work. And was very thrifty, but—definitely—not mean.
 
McAleer: Did Dr. Freeman keep late hours?
 
Baldock: Being a daily domestic I don’t know what time the Freemans retired, but, when he was well, they were up when I got there, about 7:30 a.m.
 
McAleer: Were there any particular dishes that Dr. Freeman favored?
 
Baldock: During the time I was there—the war years—it was not possible to have very many preferences with food. They did have a glass of sherry every morning and, when I returned after an illness, insisted on my having one. Dr. Freeman also enjoyed his jar of Mazawatte Tea every afternoon.
 
McAleer: I gather that you found the Freemans thoughtful and kind?
 
Baldock: I did, yes. I have a book he gave me for my birthday, in 1940, signed by him—Pontifex, Son & Thorndyke(1931). When I was ill, Dr. Freeman walked to where I lived with a week’s wages, although, at that time, it was not usual to receive wages whilst one was sick. The remarkable thing was, he had to use two walking sticks, as he had been ill himself with rheumatics; his own G.P. (general practitioner) had said he would not be able to walk out again, but he was a very strong-willed person.

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Those interested in learning more about R. Austin Freeman and his quintessential Golden Age Detective Dr. John Thorndyke should visit: Mystery Readers Journal: London Mysteries II, Vol. 41, No. 1 • Spring 2025.
 
Andrew McAleer is the best-selling author of the Detective Henry von Stray classic British crime series created by Edgar winner John McAleer. Von Stray’s adventures appear in A Casebook of Crime Volume One. A second von Stray collection, A Casebook of Crime Volume Two, is scheduled for release in March 2026 (Level Best Books). Mr. McAleer taught classic crime fiction at Boston College and served in Afghanistan as a U.S. Army Historian before returning to public service in the criminal justice system. Visit the Henry von Stray Museum of Criminal Artifacts at:  www.Henryvonstraymysteries.com 

Bookish: a new British mystery tv series

Bookish, a new British mystery show on PBS, starts Sunday, January 11. I haven't seen it yet, but a six episode show about a bookshop owner in post-war London who helps the police solve murders in post-war London sounds right up my alley. Mark Gatiss stars. 6 episodes.

Sunday, January 11, 10 p.m. EST, PBS.

From WSJ:

What the viewer will decide right off is that Book is the type of mischievous pedant who relishes setting grammarians straight about the sign on his shop, and displaying a similar sparkle while setting the police straight about the facts in a case. The constables don’t all appreciate the help, but Book has a chummy bond with Inspector Bliss (Elliot Levey), not to mention a “special letter from Churchill”—something he acknowledges whenever someone questions his status, or presence at a crime scene, or presumptuous interrogation of suspects. He merely taps his breast pocket, where the mysterious letter lies.

Call for Articles Mystery Readers Journal (42:1): Faires, Fetes, & Festivals

Call for Articles: Mystery Readers Journal: Mysteries Set at Faires, Fetes, and Festivals (42:1); Spring 2026

For our next issue, we are looking for Crime Fiction set at Faires, Fetes, and Festivals.

If you have a mystery that fits this theme, please consider writing an Author! Author! essay: 500–1500 words, first person, up-close and personal about yourself, your books, and the 'faire, fete, or festival' connection. 

We’re also looking for reviews and articles. 

Send submission and queries to janet @ mysteryreaders.org 

Deadline: February 15, 2026. 

Author Essays are first person, about yourself, your books, and the "FFF" connection. 500-1000 words. Treat this as if you're chatting with friends and other writers in the bar or cafe (or on zoom) about your work and the "Faire, Fete, Festival" setting in your mysteries. Be sure and cite specific titles, as well as how you use Faires and Fetes in your books. Add title and 2-3 sentence bio. 

Reviews: 50-250 words. 

Articles: 500-1000 words. 

Deadline: February 15, 2026

Send to: Janet Rudolph, Editor. janet @ mysteryreaders . org  

Please let me know if you're planning to send an article, review, or author essay--or if you have any questions! 

Subscribe to Mystery Readers Journal. 

Themes in 2026: Mysteries set at Faires, Fetes, & Festivals; Mysteries set in France; Cross-Genre Mysteries; Mysteries set in India.

Back issues available as PDF download 

Southern California: Mystery Readers Journal

Senior Sleuths: Mystery Readers Journal

Irish Mysteries: Mystery Readers Journal

Hobbies & Crafts in Mysteries: Mystery Readers Journal

And so many more... We are now in our 42nd year with articles, reviews, and essays from your favorite authors and reviewers. 

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Love Mysteries? Love San Francisco? Left Coast Crime will be held in "Everybody's Favorite City" February 26-March 1, 2026.   Register Now! 

Cartoon of the Day: Carded

 

St Hilda's Crime Fiction Weekend: September 4-6, 2026

St Hilda's 33rd Crime Fiction Weekend announced its theme: Bad Apples: crime fiction's enemies and anti-heroes. 

St. Hilda's College, University of Oxford, Oxford, U.K.

September 4-6, 2026

From con artists to killers, crime fiction has served up some of the very best bad apples in all of literature. Ripley, Moriarty, Lecter and many more are responsible for prompting our heroes to action, presenting puzzles, peril and confrontations aplenty. This 33rd Crime Fiction Weekend explores the dark core of these characters, and discusses why we love them – or love to hate them – so much.

Guest of Honour: Andrew Taylor

Speakers:

Jo Callaghan 

Ajay Chowdhury 

Abigail Dean 

Vaseem Khan 

Remi Kone 

Simon Mason 

Ayo Onatade 

Hallie Rubenhold 

Laura Shepherd-Robinson 

Sarah Vaughan 

Martyn Waites