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Dr. Thorndyke Mysteries #8
Helen Vardon's Confession
Helen Vardon finds herself in a predicament after overhearing her father and a man named Otway arguing about funds that have gone missing from a trust. Believing that it’s the only way to save her father from going to prison, Helen agrees to marry Otway, who’s many years her senior. But their matrimony precipitates a series of events that culminates with Helen being suspected of murder. The only man who can crack this quandary is Dr. John Thorndyke—expert in both forensics and strange cases.
Helen Vardon’s Confession is the 8th book in the Dr. Thorndyke Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
This ebook features a new introduction from Otto Penzler and has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
Helen Vardon’s Confession is the 8th book in the Dr. Thorndyke Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
This ebook features a new introduction from Otto Penzler and has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
284 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1922
32 people are currently reading
128 people want to read
About the author
R. Austin Freeman
599 books86 followersRichard Freeman was born in Soho, London on 11 April 1862, the son of Ann Maria (nee Dunn) and Richard Freeman, a tailor. He was originally named Richard, and later added the Austin to his name.
He became a medical trainee at Middlesex Hospital Medical College, and was accepted as a member of the Royal College of Surgeons.
He married Annie Elizabeth Edwards in 1887; they had two sons. After a few weeks of married life, the couple found themselves in Accra on the Gold Coast, where he was assistant surgeon. His time in Africa produced plenty of hard work, very little money and ill health, so much so that after seven years he was invalided out of the service in 1891. He wrote his first book, 'Travels and Life in Ashanti and Jaman', which was published in 1898. It was critically acclaimed but made very little money.
On his return to England he set up an eye/ear/nose/throat practice, but in due course his health forced him to give up medicine, although he did have occasional temporary posts, and in World War I he was in the ambulance corps.
He became a writer of detective stories, mostly featuring the medico-legal forensic investigator Dr Thorndyke. The first of the books in the series was 'The Red Thumb Mark' (1907). His first published crime novel was 'The Adventures of Romney Pringle' (1902) and was a collaborative effort published under the pseudonym Clifford Ashdown. Within a few years he was devoting his time to full-time writing.
With the publication of 'The Singing Bone' (1912) he invented the inverted detective story (a crime fiction in which the commission of the crime is described at the beginning, usually including the identity of the perpetrator, with the story then describing the detective's attempt to solve the mystery). Thereafter he used some of his early experiences as a colonial surgeon in his novels.
A large proportion of the Dr Thorndyke stories involve genuine, but often quite arcane, points of scientific knowledge, from areas such as tropical medicine, metallurgy and toxicology.
He died in Gravesend on 28 September 1943.
He became a medical trainee at Middlesex Hospital Medical College, and was accepted as a member of the Royal College of Surgeons.
He married Annie Elizabeth Edwards in 1887; they had two sons. After a few weeks of married life, the couple found themselves in Accra on the Gold Coast, where he was assistant surgeon. His time in Africa produced plenty of hard work, very little money and ill health, so much so that after seven years he was invalided out of the service in 1891. He wrote his first book, 'Travels and Life in Ashanti and Jaman', which was published in 1898. It was critically acclaimed but made very little money.
On his return to England he set up an eye/ear/nose/throat practice, but in due course his health forced him to give up medicine, although he did have occasional temporary posts, and in World War I he was in the ambulance corps.
He became a writer of detective stories, mostly featuring the medico-legal forensic investigator Dr Thorndyke. The first of the books in the series was 'The Red Thumb Mark' (1907). His first published crime novel was 'The Adventures of Romney Pringle' (1902) and was a collaborative effort published under the pseudonym Clifford Ashdown. Within a few years he was devoting his time to full-time writing.
With the publication of 'The Singing Bone' (1912) he invented the inverted detective story (a crime fiction in which the commission of the crime is described at the beginning, usually including the identity of the perpetrator, with the story then describing the detective's attempt to solve the mystery). Thereafter he used some of his early experiences as a colonial surgeon in his novels.
A large proportion of the Dr Thorndyke stories involve genuine, but often quite arcane, points of scientific knowledge, from areas such as tropical medicine, metallurgy and toxicology.
He died in Gravesend on 28 September 1943.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
July 14, 2018
2.5*
This entry in the Dr. Thorndyke series is told completely from the point of view of Helen Vardon. While the mystery is good, I missed seeing Dr. Thorndyke at work -- the various observations he makes and the deductions and inferences he draws. In this book, the reader only gets a very small dose of these at the very end.
This entry in the Dr. Thorndyke series is told completely from the point of view of Helen Vardon. While the mystery is good, I missed seeing Dr. Thorndyke at work -- the various observations he makes and the deductions and inferences he draws. In this book, the reader only gets a very small dose of these at the very end.
August 2, 2020
Should have been titled, “Waiting for Thorndyke.” When the good doctor finally appears, the book comes to life.
January 13, 2022
There is an introduction with this edition that says: Aside from creating his brilliant detective, Thorndyke, Freeman made a great contribution to the literature of mystery fiction with his invention of the “inverted” detective story. In The Singing Bone (1912; s.s.), which introduces the form, the reader is a witness to the crime, the suspense of the chase thereby being eliminated. Interest centers not on whether the criminal will be caught, but on how.
This novel doesn't quite follow that formula, but there is a death fairly early on. Everyone, including the coroner and coroner's jury, assumes it to have been a natural death and not a murder. However, it is the nexus of events that follow.
This is early 20th century fiction and it is not to be expected to be the polished novels that appear even 25 years later. The prose is good enough. I wouldn't say the characters are well-developed. I freely admit that it is rare when I have a clue as to who is the evil-doer, but in this case I was shocked that none of the characters seemed to see what I saw. And I was right!
This was fun and I was glad to have read it. I have a couple of others in the series on my Kindle and I will be happy to read them when I want a sort of light interlude, a break between heavier stuff, something to just cleanse the reading palate. I'm not ashamed say I enjoyed it despite giving it a middlin' 3-stars.
This novel doesn't quite follow that formula, but there is a death fairly early on. Everyone, including the coroner and coroner's jury, assumes it to have been a natural death and not a murder. However, it is the nexus of events that follow.
This is early 20th century fiction and it is not to be expected to be the polished novels that appear even 25 years later. The prose is good enough. I wouldn't say the characters are well-developed. I freely admit that it is rare when I have a clue as to who is the evil-doer, but in this case I was shocked that none of the characters seemed to see what I saw. And I was right!
This was fun and I was glad to have read it. I have a couple of others in the series on my Kindle and I will be happy to read them when I want a sort of light interlude, a break between heavier stuff, something to just cleanse the reading palate. I'm not ashamed say I enjoyed it despite giving it a middlin' 3-stars.
December 10, 2016
Very strange plot with unexpected progress mostly due to unfamiliar premises (1922). That's what kept me reading: trouble predicting the next plot point in this context. There's lots of anti-Semitism (truly nauseating but not uncommon for the time), implied criticism of divorce laws (I think), some Arts and Crafts stuff, Spiritualism, Free Love, and not feminism but a strong (if poor decision-making) female narrator. This novel is a departure from the previous Dr Thornedyke mysteries in narrator choice, form, and eventual resolution, with much less of the medical and scientific reasoning of prior volumes. Dr Thornedyke himself is reduced to a deus ex machina figure.
December 21, 2018
This addition to the Doctor Thorndyke series was published in 1922, four years before Agatha Christie's more famous "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd", and I can not help but think of it as a precursor, in that here we have the first-hand account of a crime (or a couple of crimes) from the perspective of a female narrator (unusual enough for the genre) who is not the investigator, or a Watson to the investigator, and who may even be a suspect.
Helen Vardon is a studious young woman who, while innocently questing for a particularly trenchant article from Addison and Steele's "The Spectator" on the issue of Queen Anne, overhears that her father is on the border of economic scandal... And that the villainous blackmailer, a Mister Otway several decades her senior, will let it go if Helen agrees to marry. Her father refuses, but Helen bravely accepts the deal to save Dad from prison.
If this was a romance, she might grow to love the beastly blackmailer. Instead, Helen's father dies right away under suspicious circumstances, making her sacrifice pointless, and the novel goes to some non-mystery places, as Helen separates from her new husband and learns to make a living for herself in a community of female artists. In fact, fans of Freeman's previous whodunits were probably puzzled by the many pages devoted to Helen making new friends, learning a trade as a silversmith, developing an interest in the hypnosis fad of the time, and rekindling a relationship with a friend of her youth. Only at the end does Thorndyke make much of a presence. This is Helen's story; the story, to all extents and purposes, of a divorced woman standing on her own, and the bulk of the novel is constructed so that the reader of the 1920s can't help but sympathize with what at the time was still shocking behavior.
As a mystery, the novel is much too long, and yes, Thorndyke is missed. Since Freeman tries to support the efforts of Helen to "self-actualize," the forward-thinking thought in display is tampered by Helen's perfect propriety. The modern eye is upset by the idea that a century ago, people (men and women) could not get legally divorced without meeting any number of extreme legal requisites, whereas the one requisite needed is: "I no longer wish to be married to this person."
Also upsetting to the modern eye: Freeman's many anti-Semitic barbs. Here, any number of Jewish characters conspire in greed, as though somehow the pure, civilized Anglican character is above the petty matter of money.
Helen Vardon is a studious young woman who, while innocently questing for a particularly trenchant article from Addison and Steele's "The Spectator" on the issue of Queen Anne, overhears that her father is on the border of economic scandal... And that the villainous blackmailer, a Mister Otway several decades her senior, will let it go if Helen agrees to marry. Her father refuses, but Helen bravely accepts the deal to save Dad from prison.
If this was a romance, she might grow to love the beastly blackmailer. Instead, Helen's father dies right away under suspicious circumstances, making her sacrifice pointless, and the novel goes to some non-mystery places, as Helen separates from her new husband and learns to make a living for herself in a community of female artists. In fact, fans of Freeman's previous whodunits were probably puzzled by the many pages devoted to Helen making new friends, learning a trade as a silversmith, developing an interest in the hypnosis fad of the time, and rekindling a relationship with a friend of her youth. Only at the end does Thorndyke make much of a presence. This is Helen's story; the story, to all extents and purposes, of a divorced woman standing on her own, and the bulk of the novel is constructed so that the reader of the 1920s can't help but sympathize with what at the time was still shocking behavior.
As a mystery, the novel is much too long, and yes, Thorndyke is missed. Since Freeman tries to support the efforts of Helen to "self-actualize," the forward-thinking thought in display is tampered by Helen's perfect propriety. The modern eye is upset by the idea that a century ago, people (men and women) could not get legally divorced without meeting any number of extreme legal requisites, whereas the one requisite needed is: "I no longer wish to be married to this person."
Also upsetting to the modern eye: Freeman's many anti-Semitic barbs. Here, any number of Jewish characters conspire in greed, as though somehow the pure, civilized Anglican character is above the petty matter of money.
April 19, 2017
Firstly, this is book 8 in the series and this is the first time Freeman has used a female protagonist. Based on his portrayal of women in his previous books, I was a bit worried about him taking this route. But I rather liked Helen; her character was both artistic and logical, and she was not prone at all to unrealistic hysterical fits. In fact, she seemed even smarter than Thorndyke's assistant Jervis.
That, however, was one thing I found to be a problem. This book is rather like the previous short story collection I read, "The Great Portrait Mystery". It is a Thorndyke book, but where on Earth is Thorndyke?? He isn't introduced until chapter 9 and you only hear from him twice or three times before he comes in at the very end to save the day. Now, he always saves the day in the last 3 pages so that didn't irk me as much this time(though I still find it rather a "deus ex machina" ending). What bothered me is that the reader isn't kept at all up to date with Thorndyke's progress as we are with his previous books. The disadvantage to this is that I didn't like the ending. When we are informed about his suspicions, we are more inclined to accept them. In this book, not only does he just show up at the end with entirely new information (though I did suspect the villain from the beginning), he shows up with hardly seconds to spare before the jury decides the verdict! And of course his information revamps the whole thing the coroner had going and makes everyone realize the villain wasn't who they thought it was.
Lastly, this book was split into three smaller sections, titled perfectly as "tragedy", "romance", and "crime". Without giving any of the plot away I can sum up this book:
Part 1: tragedy strikes. Part 2: Helen falls in love and there is hardly any plot advancement for 45% of the book. Part 3: another tragedy happens, obviously a crime, and Helen lives happily ever after because of the amazing Dr. Thorndyke.
I'm sorry but this is possibly the worst Thorndyke novel yet. It was slow and it's event structure was crap.
That, however, was one thing I found to be a problem. This book is rather like the previous short story collection I read, "The Great Portrait Mystery". It is a Thorndyke book, but where on Earth is Thorndyke?? He isn't introduced until chapter 9 and you only hear from him twice or three times before he comes in at the very end to save the day. Now, he always saves the day in the last 3 pages so that didn't irk me as much this time(though I still find it rather a "deus ex machina" ending). What bothered me is that the reader isn't kept at all up to date with Thorndyke's progress as we are with his previous books. The disadvantage to this is that I didn't like the ending. When we are informed about his suspicions, we are more inclined to accept them. In this book, not only does he just show up at the end with entirely new information (though I did suspect the villain from the beginning), he shows up with hardly seconds to spare before the jury decides the verdict! And of course his information revamps the whole thing the coroner had going and makes everyone realize the villain wasn't who they thought it was.
Lastly, this book was split into three smaller sections, titled perfectly as "tragedy", "romance", and "crime". Without giving any of the plot away I can sum up this book:
Part 1: tragedy strikes. Part 2: Helen falls in love and there is hardly any plot advancement for 45% of the book. Part 3: another tragedy happens, obviously a crime, and Helen lives happily ever after because of the amazing Dr. Thorndyke.
I'm sorry but this is possibly the worst Thorndyke novel yet. It was slow and it's event structure was crap.
January 29, 2016
Helen Vardon narrates her own story and one in which Dr. Thorndyke barely features until the final chapters. Helen Vardon contracts to a marriage ( In an age when this put most of her rights into the hands of the husband.) without full knowledge of the circumstances regarding her father's financial status. This leads to a dastardly trail of intrigue and deception and ends in murder. Dr. Thorndyke appears at the eleventh hour but does he save the day?
February 10, 2025
A reader consulting Helen Vardon's Confession (1922) by R. Austin Freeman on Goodreads would conclude it is an also-ran for devotees of the genius of Number 5A, King’s Bench Walk. Freeman is not present frequently enough for fans to savor the domestic minutiae of the homely menage. Instead, Helen Vardon's Confession is reported by Vardon himself as she confronts family crisis, marital crisis, and the weird angles to reality that emerge from a suspicious and perhaps loaded seance.
* * *
Spoilers!!!
Here is a list of characters, settings, and chapter summaries for the novel "Helen Vardon's Confession" by R. Austin Freeman.
Characters
Helen Vardon: The protagonist of the story. She is a young woman who is devoted to her father.
William Henry Vardon: Helen's father. He is a solicitor who finds himself in a difficult situation.
Lewis Otway: A financier and connoisseur of precious stones. He is an acquaintance of Helen's father.
Mr. Jackson: The managing clerk at Helen's father's office.
Jessie: The housemaid at Helen's house.
Mrs. Gregg: Mr. Otway's housekeeper.
Dr. Bury: A doctor who is called to the scene of Mr. Vardon's death.
Dr. Thorndyke: A criminal lawyer and medical jurist. He is a friend of Helen's father.
Miss Polton: A woman who runs a boarding house for women who work at handicrafts.
Miss Blake: A mystic and fashion plate artist.
Miss Finch: A potter.
Jasper Davenant: An architect and old friend of Helen's.
Mr. Campbell: An art dealer and connoisseur of precious stones.
Mr. Quecks: A student of the occult.
Miss Morgan: Mr. Quecks’ assistant.
Mr. Hawkesley: A collector of modern pottery.
Settings
Maidstone, Kent: The story begins in Maidstone, where Helen and her father live.
Wellclose Square, Ratcliff: Helen moves to Wellclose Square after her father's death.
London: Helen visits London on several occasions, and eventually moves there.
Chapter Summaries
Prologue: Helen finds a white hair and is reminded of the troubled past. She decides to write the history of her experiences.
Book I, Tragedy:
Chapter I, The Crack of Doom: Helen overhears a conversation between her father and Mr. Otway, in which she learns that her father is in danger of being prosecuted for misappropriation of trust funds.
Chapter II, Atra Cura: Helen reflects on the conversation she overheard and the possible consequences for her father. She fears that he may commit suicide.
Chapter III, The Covenant: Helen goes to Mr. Otway's house and agrees to marry him in exchange for him dropping the charges against her father.
Chapter IV, The Eleventh Hour: Helen delivers a letter from Mr. Otway to her father, which she believes will relieve him of his anxieties.
Chapter V, On the Brink: Helen struggles with the thought of the upcoming marriage to Mr. Otway.
Chapter VI, A Meeting and a Parting: Helen marries Mr. Otway.
Chapter VII, The Terms of Release: Helen learns that her father has died of a heart attack.
Chapter VIII, "Whom God Hath Joined—": Helen and Mr. Otway agree to a separation.
Chapter IX, Testimony and Counsel: Helen gives evidence at the inquest into her father's death.
Chapter X, The Turning of the Page: Helen consults with Dr. Thorndyke about her legal options.
Book II, Romance:
Chapter XI, A Harbour of Refuge: Helen moves into a boarding house in Wellclose Square.
Chapter XII, The Hidden Hand: Helen receives a letter from Mr. Otway, in which he expresses his concern about some anonymous letters he has received.
Chapter XIII, A Crystal-Gazer and Other Matters: Helen meets with Mr. Campbell, an art dealer, who agrees to sell some of her work.
Chapter XIV, Jasper Davenant: Helen meets with Jasper Davenant, an old friend, who is now an architect.
Chapter XV, The Magic Pendulum: Helen tries to use a magic pendulum to see into the future.
Chapter XVI, The Sweated Artist: Helen learns that Mr. Otway is being blackmailed.
Chapter XVII, The Apotheosis of the Titmouse: Helen and Peggy visit Mr. Hawkesley, a collector of modern pottery, who is very impressed with Peggy's work.
Chapter XVIII, Among the Breakers: Helen sells her Zodiac spoons to Mr. Campbell for a good price.
Chapter XIX, Illusions and Disillusion: Helen and Peggy attend a séance, where they are both tricked by the medium.
Chapter XX, Cloud and Sunshine: Helen learns that Mr. Davenant has been injured in an accident.
Chapter XXI, A Dreadful Inheritance: Helen visits Mr. Otway, who tells her about his family's history of suicide.
Chapter XXII, The Catastrophe: Mr. Otway commits suicide.
Book III, Crime:
Chapter XXIII, The Dead Hand: Helen is subpoenaed to give evidence at the inquest into Mr. Otway's death.
Chapter XXIV, The Gathering Clouds: Helen attends the inquest, where she is questioned about her relationship with Mr. Otway and her knowledge of his affairs.
Chapter XXV, Suspense — and a Discovery: Helen learns that Mr. Otway has left her a large sum of money in his will.
Chapter XXVI, The Adjourned Inquiry: The inquest is adjourned to allow for further investigation.
Chapter XXVII, The Indictment: The coroner delivers a scathing indictment of Helen Otway, accusing her of procuring her husband's suicide.
Chapter XXVIII, The Verdict: Dr. Thorndyke arrives and gives evidence that exonerates Helen Otway. The jury returns a verdict of wilful murder against Rachel Goldstein.
Epilogue: Helen and Jasper are married
* * *
Spoilers!!!
Here is a list of characters, settings, and chapter summaries for the novel "Helen Vardon's Confession" by R. Austin Freeman.
Characters
Helen Vardon: The protagonist of the story. She is a young woman who is devoted to her father.
William Henry Vardon: Helen's father. He is a solicitor who finds himself in a difficult situation.
Lewis Otway: A financier and connoisseur of precious stones. He is an acquaintance of Helen's father.
Mr. Jackson: The managing clerk at Helen's father's office.
Jessie: The housemaid at Helen's house.
Mrs. Gregg: Mr. Otway's housekeeper.
Dr. Bury: A doctor who is called to the scene of Mr. Vardon's death.
Dr. Thorndyke: A criminal lawyer and medical jurist. He is a friend of Helen's father.
Miss Polton: A woman who runs a boarding house for women who work at handicrafts.
Miss Blake: A mystic and fashion plate artist.
Miss Finch: A potter.
Jasper Davenant: An architect and old friend of Helen's.
Mr. Campbell: An art dealer and connoisseur of precious stones.
Mr. Quecks: A student of the occult.
Miss Morgan: Mr. Quecks’ assistant.
Mr. Hawkesley: A collector of modern pottery.
Settings
Maidstone, Kent: The story begins in Maidstone, where Helen and her father live.
Wellclose Square, Ratcliff: Helen moves to Wellclose Square after her father's death.
London: Helen visits London on several occasions, and eventually moves there.
Chapter Summaries
Prologue: Helen finds a white hair and is reminded of the troubled past. She decides to write the history of her experiences.
Book I, Tragedy:
Chapter I, The Crack of Doom: Helen overhears a conversation between her father and Mr. Otway, in which she learns that her father is in danger of being prosecuted for misappropriation of trust funds.
Chapter II, Atra Cura: Helen reflects on the conversation she overheard and the possible consequences for her father. She fears that he may commit suicide.
Chapter III, The Covenant: Helen goes to Mr. Otway's house and agrees to marry him in exchange for him dropping the charges against her father.
Chapter IV, The Eleventh Hour: Helen delivers a letter from Mr. Otway to her father, which she believes will relieve him of his anxieties.
Chapter V, On the Brink: Helen struggles with the thought of the upcoming marriage to Mr. Otway.
Chapter VI, A Meeting and a Parting: Helen marries Mr. Otway.
Chapter VII, The Terms of Release: Helen learns that her father has died of a heart attack.
Chapter VIII, "Whom God Hath Joined—": Helen and Mr. Otway agree to a separation.
Chapter IX, Testimony and Counsel: Helen gives evidence at the inquest into her father's death.
Chapter X, The Turning of the Page: Helen consults with Dr. Thorndyke about her legal options.
Book II, Romance:
Chapter XI, A Harbour of Refuge: Helen moves into a boarding house in Wellclose Square.
Chapter XII, The Hidden Hand: Helen receives a letter from Mr. Otway, in which he expresses his concern about some anonymous letters he has received.
Chapter XIII, A Crystal-Gazer and Other Matters: Helen meets with Mr. Campbell, an art dealer, who agrees to sell some of her work.
Chapter XIV, Jasper Davenant: Helen meets with Jasper Davenant, an old friend, who is now an architect.
Chapter XV, The Magic Pendulum: Helen tries to use a magic pendulum to see into the future.
Chapter XVI, The Sweated Artist: Helen learns that Mr. Otway is being blackmailed.
Chapter XVII, The Apotheosis of the Titmouse: Helen and Peggy visit Mr. Hawkesley, a collector of modern pottery, who is very impressed with Peggy's work.
Chapter XVIII, Among the Breakers: Helen sells her Zodiac spoons to Mr. Campbell for a good price.
Chapter XIX, Illusions and Disillusion: Helen and Peggy attend a séance, where they are both tricked by the medium.
Chapter XX, Cloud and Sunshine: Helen learns that Mr. Davenant has been injured in an accident.
Chapter XXI, A Dreadful Inheritance: Helen visits Mr. Otway, who tells her about his family's history of suicide.
Chapter XXII, The Catastrophe: Mr. Otway commits suicide.
Book III, Crime:
Chapter XXIII, The Dead Hand: Helen is subpoenaed to give evidence at the inquest into Mr. Otway's death.
Chapter XXIV, The Gathering Clouds: Helen attends the inquest, where she is questioned about her relationship with Mr. Otway and her knowledge of his affairs.
Chapter XXV, Suspense — and a Discovery: Helen learns that Mr. Otway has left her a large sum of money in his will.
Chapter XXVI, The Adjourned Inquiry: The inquest is adjourned to allow for further investigation.
Chapter XXVII, The Indictment: The coroner delivers a scathing indictment of Helen Otway, accusing her of procuring her husband's suicide.
Chapter XXVIII, The Verdict: Dr. Thorndyke arrives and gives evidence that exonerates Helen Otway. The jury returns a verdict of wilful murder against Rachel Goldstein.
Epilogue: Helen and Jasper are married
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2020
This book is written from the POV of the title character Helen Vardon. More than an actual mystery, it is more of a testament by a woman who has ended up in an unenviable position from which she has no way to extricate herself.
Helen's father is a successful scientist and the two of them live companionably in a large house where her father can work on his 'tinkering'.
One day Helen overhears her father talking to a man about a cash shortage at his place of work for which Mr. Vardon is responsible. Vardon had borrowed money from the company as a loan to a friend, but the friend could now not pay it back. Otway the other man is threatening to tell the authorities and Vardon would go to jail for embezzlement. Otway tells Vardon he will replace the money if Helen will marry him.
This all leads to a set of situations that are like the "Perils of Pauline". Of course you can guess the end that the bad guys get their just deserts and Helen ends up wealthy and with a husband she adores. It all very old fashion.
[NOTE: one of the problems with a book that was written in 1922, is that it is written in the views of the times. Freeman has made every sleezy crook and cheating merchant a Jew. Not only are they all like loan sharks, nut his physical descriptions are very outwardly antisemetic-big noses, sneaky eyes, poor physical health, ready to sell their mothers to make an extra pound. Minister Goebbels would have loved this book.]
Helen's father is a successful scientist and the two of them live companionably in a large house where her father can work on his 'tinkering'.
One day Helen overhears her father talking to a man about a cash shortage at his place of work for which Mr. Vardon is responsible. Vardon had borrowed money from the company as a loan to a friend, but the friend could now not pay it back. Otway the other man is threatening to tell the authorities and Vardon would go to jail for embezzlement. Otway tells Vardon he will replace the money if Helen will marry him.
This all leads to a set of situations that are like the "Perils of Pauline". Of course you can guess the end that the bad guys get their just deserts and Helen ends up wealthy and with a husband she adores. It all very old fashion.
[NOTE: one of the problems with a book that was written in 1922, is that it is written in the views of the times. Freeman has made every sleezy crook and cheating merchant a Jew. Not only are they all like loan sharks, nut his physical descriptions are very outwardly antisemetic-big noses, sneaky eyes, poor physical health, ready to sell their mothers to make an extra pound. Minister Goebbels would have loved this book.]
February 11, 2022
Somewhat more convoluted than others in the Dr. Thorndyke series (and barely an inclusion of Dr. Thorndyke in the narrative) this seemed unnecessarily anti-Semitic. I phrase it that way because the anti-Semitism does nothing to further the plot or the motivation of the characters. It is clearly just Freeman's own prejudice as it is offered in both offensive slang terms as well as an indictment on the trustworthiness of characters identified as Jewish or suspected of being Jewish.
Frequently, older books contain what most would consider offensive slang or stereotypical sendups of women, blacks, Jews, gays, etc. and they are easier to pass off as being the sadly dominant perspective in their time, but when a storyline is used to weaponize that bigotry as a crusade against a minority, it is not easy to overlook. This novel steps over that line and I doubt I will enjoy the rest of the Dr. Thorndyke mysteries as much, knowing of Freeman's prejudice.
Frequently, older books contain what most would consider offensive slang or stereotypical sendups of women, blacks, Jews, gays, etc. and they are easier to pass off as being the sadly dominant perspective in their time, but when a storyline is used to weaponize that bigotry as a crusade against a minority, it is not easy to overlook. This novel steps over that line and I doubt I will enjoy the rest of the Dr. Thorndyke mysteries as much, knowing of Freeman's prejudice.
March 19, 2021
What a strange book!
Did R. Austin Freeman come under the influence of Thomas Hardy? This book reads less like a mystery and more like a social novel promoting the idea of no-fault divorce laws. Despite ostensibly being a Dr. Thorndyke mystery, in the first half of the book Dr. Thorndyke only puts in two fleeting appearances. The majority of the book is given over to Helen Vardon, who is certainly an interesting character but also for the most part a passive observer of the events around her. Barring one crucial moment in the early part of the book, she's an object upon which the blows of fate rain down, rather along the lines of Tess Durbeyfield, instead of an active participant. This makes her an unusual focus for a mystery novel. So, while I did enjoy this book, I'd have to warn readers who are looking for a proper mystery novel to go elsewhere.
Did R. Austin Freeman come under the influence of Thomas Hardy? This book reads less like a mystery and more like a social novel promoting the idea of no-fault divorce laws. Despite ostensibly being a Dr. Thorndyke mystery, in the first half of the book Dr. Thorndyke only puts in two fleeting appearances. The majority of the book is given over to Helen Vardon, who is certainly an interesting character but also for the most part a passive observer of the events around her. Barring one crucial moment in the early part of the book, she's an object upon which the blows of fate rain down, rather along the lines of Tess Durbeyfield, instead of an active participant. This makes her an unusual focus for a mystery novel. So, while I did enjoy this book, I'd have to warn readers who are looking for a proper mystery novel to go elsewhere.
April 16, 2020
Absorbing
Surprisingly modern murder mystery. The language is a bit stiff but the heroine is self-reliant. Tricked into marriage by a man who is even worse than she knows, she is freed by the unexpected death of her father to leave him. When he is found dead, she is the primary suspect. Fortunately Freeman's detective is on hand to solve the case with scientific expertise. Great read.
Surprisingly modern murder mystery. The language is a bit stiff but the heroine is self-reliant. Tricked into marriage by a man who is even worse than she knows, she is freed by the unexpected death of her father to leave him. When he is found dead, she is the primary suspect. Fortunately Freeman's detective is on hand to solve the case with scientific expertise. Great read.
December 13, 2017
Very disappointing, very little Thorndyke and Polton, far too much pottery and spiritualism , a desperately boring court scene at the end, and a thoroughly dislikeable cast of characters. And the anti-semitism is appalling even by Freeman's standards.
December 2, 2019
If you like Jewish people at all, you will not like this book. It is full of Jewish characters, and they are all evil stereotypes who are loathed by the dainty little Christian protagonist. It's gross.
March 23, 2024
Helen Vardon marries a man she does not love in order to save her father from the consequences of his own crime. Pages and pages of despair. Apparently there is a mystery, but I never got that far.
December 27, 2018
This was an overlong book. I could have done without the middle section. The pace of the book is very slow. The last section is easily the most compelling.
Read
June 13, 2020Thorndyke doesn't figure much in this book. If he is a major reason for reading this series, you can consider skipping this book.
December 17, 2020
The to a conversation overheard Helen Carson agrees to marry Lewis Ottway to save her father from possible prosecution for financial fraud. But events result in death.
The story is divided three parts, and I found Part 2 particularly boring, though the other two parts were an enjoyable read
The story is divided three parts, and I found Part 2 particularly boring, though the other two parts were an enjoyable read
January 15, 2017
Simply didn't like this one. It stands outside the rest of the Freeman I've read due to the thoroughly dislikeable female narrator, a mangled plot, a 'surprise' ending, and reams of breathless, self-centered angst conveyed in turgid prose. Not desert island read.
May 17, 2009
Not counting the short story collections, this is actually #6 (rather than 7) in the Dr. Thorndyke series, according to http://.fantasticfiction.co.uk/f/r-au...
Helen Vardon's Confession begins when she accidentally overhears her farther speaking with one Mr. Otway, an older gentleman, dealer in precious stones who may have other occupations as well. It seems that Helen's father is an attorney and is holding money in trust for another party. The money is needed now, but Vardon is unable to produce it. Otway blackmails Vardon, and tells him that if he can't produce the money he'll have to go to the police and there will most definitely be a fraud case pending. However, if Vardon will let Otway marry Vardon's young daughter Helen, then he (Otway) will hand over the money and the whole incident will be hushed up. Helen panics and decides that she would rather marry Mr. Otway than to see her father the object of a scandal or worse. After the wedding (which has taken place without her father's knowledge), Otway is visited by Vardon, and again Helen overhears their conversation -- but at the end of that visit, her father is dead. Helen separates from her husband and moves to London -- where she meets Dr. Thorndyke, who listens to her tale of woe and inevitably ends up involved in the case. Good thing, too...because after another death, Helen finds herself a number one suspect.
This was just so-so, told all in the first person by Helen Vardon. There's a lot of rambling and side stories that could have feasibly been a bit shortened, but as I've said somewhere else, the golden-age mysteries do tend to go on whereas a writer penning his or her work for modern readers tends to keep things a bit more concise. So, if you don't like long-winded mystery stories, I'd give it a pass. It's not the usual Thorndyke fare, really, if you're familiar with this character, but overall, not a bad read considering it was was first written in 1922.
Readers of Freeman's work, or readers of golden-age mysteries will probably enjoy this book, although the mystery is a bit tame in the long run.
Overall, not a bad read; I wouldn't put it in the great category, but it was a pleasant way to spend a few hours.
Helen Vardon's Confession begins when she accidentally overhears her farther speaking with one Mr. Otway, an older gentleman, dealer in precious stones who may have other occupations as well. It seems that Helen's father is an attorney and is holding money in trust for another party. The money is needed now, but Vardon is unable to produce it. Otway blackmails Vardon, and tells him that if he can't produce the money he'll have to go to the police and there will most definitely be a fraud case pending. However, if Vardon will let Otway marry Vardon's young daughter Helen, then he (Otway) will hand over the money and the whole incident will be hushed up. Helen panics and decides that she would rather marry Mr. Otway than to see her father the object of a scandal or worse. After the wedding (which has taken place without her father's knowledge), Otway is visited by Vardon, and again Helen overhears their conversation -- but at the end of that visit, her father is dead. Helen separates from her husband and moves to London -- where she meets Dr. Thorndyke, who listens to her tale of woe and inevitably ends up involved in the case. Good thing, too...because after another death, Helen finds herself a number one suspect.
This was just so-so, told all in the first person by Helen Vardon. There's a lot of rambling and side stories that could have feasibly been a bit shortened, but as I've said somewhere else, the golden-age mysteries do tend to go on whereas a writer penning his or her work for modern readers tends to keep things a bit more concise. So, if you don't like long-winded mystery stories, I'd give it a pass. It's not the usual Thorndyke fare, really, if you're familiar with this character, but overall, not a bad read considering it was was first written in 1922.
Readers of Freeman's work, or readers of golden-age mysteries will probably enjoy this book, although the mystery is a bit tame in the long run.
Overall, not a bad read; I wouldn't put it in the great category, but it was a pleasant way to spend a few hours.
August 21, 2010
I would have given this four stars, but there were some qualities in Helen's character that I couldn't relate to, and the solution seemed a bit too pat. This story is a bit drawn out, and the true solution doesn't come to light until the very, very end. Then, the solution is sprung on the reader quite suddenly, which left me wishing the author had let us in on Dr. Thorndyke's inquiries, showing us how he arrived at the correct conclusion. Not my favorite Dr. Thorndyke novel.
May 9, 2016
Quite an engaging read!
August 19, 2012
Awful, melodramatic, bigoted, and appalling.
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