What do you think?
Rate this book
Dr. Thorndyke Mysteries #16
The Puzzle Lock
Richard Austin Freeman presents an ingenious case in this remarkable detective saga. When a store of priceless jewels vanishes without a trace, the brilliant Dr Thorndyke and his skilled associate Mr Polton are called in to chase a thief who leaves no trace. A mysterious stranger, incendiary bombs and intrigue weave a magnificently enjoyable trail through a great read.
244 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1925
About the author
R. Austin Freeman
606 books90 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 28, 2020
Phyllis Annesley's Peril. 8/10
The Apparition of Burling Court. 7/10
Rex v. Burnaby. 6/10
The Mysterious Visitor. 7/10
The Puzzle Lock. 5/10
The Green Check Jacket. 6/10
The Seal of Nebuchadnezzar. 7/10
A Sower of Pestilence. 6/10
A Mystery of the Sand Hills. 7/10
Overall 7/10
The Apparition of Burling Court. 7/10
Rex v. Burnaby. 6/10
The Mysterious Visitor. 7/10
The Puzzle Lock. 5/10
The Green Check Jacket. 6/10
The Seal of Nebuchadnezzar. 7/10
A Sower of Pestilence. 6/10
A Mystery of the Sand Hills. 7/10
Overall 7/10
July 7, 2019
3.5☆
Quite a good collection of short mystery stories.
Quite a good collection of short mystery stories.
February 8, 2026
An excellent short story.
January 23, 2026
The Puzzle Lock 3.5⭐
The tale starts with Dr. Thorndyke and his assistant Dr. Christopher Jervis spotting Inspector Badger in a lousy disguise, trailing two clearly suspicious men Shemmonds and Luttrel believed to be involved in burglaries of jewels and plate which is unable to be traced. However, these two suspects have disappeared. The older man of the two, Lutrell is a dealer in jewels and antiques, and his office is being watched in the chance that they will turn up there since it contains a strong room which is fitted with a puzzle lock instead of keys that can be opened only by providing a 15-digit letter code. Superintendent Miller asks Thorndyke for help in deciphering the seal he found showing a four-line Latin poem in hopes that it is a clue to opening the puzzle lock. Dr. Torndyke converts the poem into a chronogram and in solving that chronogram obtains the 15-digit code to the lock. When the strong room is opened, they find the bodies of both the missing men along with a dairy of the list of the gang members. The doctor also identifies the mastermind for the police by explaining the clues which aptly point to the guilty party.
The Green Check Jacket
Seal of Nebuchadnezzar
Phyllis Annesley's Peril
Sower of Pestilence
Rex v Burnaby
Mystery of the Sand Hills
Apparition of Burling Court
The Mysterious Visitor 4⭐
The tale starts with Dr. Thorndyke and his assistant Dr. Christopher Jervis spotting Inspector Badger in a lousy disguise, trailing two clearly suspicious men Shemmonds and Luttrel believed to be involved in burglaries of jewels and plate which is unable to be traced. However, these two suspects have disappeared. The older man of the two, Lutrell is a dealer in jewels and antiques, and his office is being watched in the chance that they will turn up there since it contains a strong room which is fitted with a puzzle lock instead of keys that can be opened only by providing a 15-digit letter code. Superintendent Miller asks Thorndyke for help in deciphering the seal he found showing a four-line Latin poem in hopes that it is a clue to opening the puzzle lock. Dr. Torndyke converts the poem into a chronogram and in solving that chronogram obtains the 15-digit code to the lock. When the strong room is opened, they find the bodies of both the missing men along with a dairy of the list of the gang members. The doctor also identifies the mastermind for the police by explaining the clues which aptly point to the guilty party.
The Green Check Jacket
Seal of Nebuchadnezzar
Phyllis Annesley's Peril
Sower of Pestilence
Rex v Burnaby
Mystery of the Sand Hills
Apparition of Burling Court
The Mysterious Visitor 4⭐
October 26, 2021
1. The Puzzle Lock - a gang of jewellery thiefs is in the sights of the police. Can Dr. Thorndyke discover the leader and the jewels. It would seem that a jewellery dealer has a strong room with a puzzle lock, with too many combinations to solve. But can it be done.
2. The Green Check Jacket - Solicitor Mr Brodribb is concerned as client Reginald Merrill has disappeared. On searching he has also discovered thatnhis nephew and heir has also vanished. As a new will had recently been written because of a large inheritance, he wants Dr. Thorndyke to investigate.
3. The Seal of Nebuchadnezzar - Solicitor Mr Brodribb wants Dr. Thorndyke to investigate an alleged suicide. But does it have anything to do with the ancient Nebuchadnezzar seal.
4. Phyllis Annesley’s Peril - Mrs Lucy Bland went missing in May and her body discovered later in September under the floorboards of friend Miss Phyllis Annesley, who now stands as one of the accused on murder. Dr Thorndyke investigates
5. A sower of Pestilence - Mr Rabbage director of a home for old cats is concerned about some recent donations in particular an aluminin case containing glass tubes with fleas and lice inside. Also approaching Dr Thorndyke is sbank manger Nicholas Balcombe and a recent deposit of a deed box. Can Thorndyke solve both puzzles.
6. Rex v Burnaby
Frank Burnaby is it seems being poisoned, Thorndyke investiges when someone is charged with the crime
7. A Mystery of the Sand-Hills - Dr Thorndyke and Mr Anstey are walking sand-hills to Shellness when they come across footprints, and some discarded clothes. Suspicions are raised months later when they are informed of a missing person. Can he be found. Thorndyke investigates.
8. The Apparition of Burling Court - Solicitor Mr Brodribb is concerned for the mental state of one of his clients. A Frank Lumley of Burling Court, He asks Dr Thorndyke to come to St. David’s-at-Cliffe to visit Lumley and assess him.
9. The Mysterious Visitor - Dr Jardine is concerned about one of his patients - a Arthur Crofton - who seems to have disppeared whilst on holiday. Due to the death of his Aunt and her legacy to him, he needs to be found. He and Dr Thorndyke investigate
An enjoyable bunch of short stories
2. The Green Check Jacket - Solicitor Mr Brodribb is concerned as client Reginald Merrill has disappeared. On searching he has also discovered thatnhis nephew and heir has also vanished. As a new will had recently been written because of a large inheritance, he wants Dr. Thorndyke to investigate.
3. The Seal of Nebuchadnezzar - Solicitor Mr Brodribb wants Dr. Thorndyke to investigate an alleged suicide. But does it have anything to do with the ancient Nebuchadnezzar seal.
4. Phyllis Annesley’s Peril - Mrs Lucy Bland went missing in May and her body discovered later in September under the floorboards of friend Miss Phyllis Annesley, who now stands as one of the accused on murder. Dr Thorndyke investigates
5. A sower of Pestilence - Mr Rabbage director of a home for old cats is concerned about some recent donations in particular an aluminin case containing glass tubes with fleas and lice inside. Also approaching Dr Thorndyke is sbank manger Nicholas Balcombe and a recent deposit of a deed box. Can Thorndyke solve both puzzles.
6. Rex v Burnaby
Frank Burnaby is it seems being poisoned, Thorndyke investiges when someone is charged with the crime
7. A Mystery of the Sand-Hills - Dr Thorndyke and Mr Anstey are walking sand-hills to Shellness when they come across footprints, and some discarded clothes. Suspicions are raised months later when they are informed of a missing person. Can he be found. Thorndyke investigates.
8. The Apparition of Burling Court - Solicitor Mr Brodribb is concerned for the mental state of one of his clients. A Frank Lumley of Burling Court, He asks Dr Thorndyke to come to St. David’s-at-Cliffe to visit Lumley and assess him.
9. The Mysterious Visitor - Dr Jardine is concerned about one of his patients - a Arthur Crofton - who seems to have disppeared whilst on holiday. Due to the death of his Aunt and her legacy to him, he needs to be found. He and Dr Thorndyke investigate
An enjoyable bunch of short stories
May 5, 2017
A nice collection of short stories each proving the skill of the main detective
Puzzle Lock - 2 men have gone missing and the police are trying to solve a case of a robbery where one of the key suspects has a door which requires a secret code to unlock
Green Check Jacket - A man and his nephew have gone missing with a witness identifying seeing the man with a person wearing a green check jacket when he was last seen. Using the contents of his room, Thorndyke identifies the solution to the crime
Seal of Nebuchadnezzar- An item is stolen and a man is murdered. Using the footprints present at the crime scene, Dr Thorndyke solves the case
Phyllis Annesley's Peril - A women is murdered and 2 witnesses have identified the clients of Dr Thorndyke as the killers. The case looks extremely bleak for everyone except Dr Thorndyke
Sower of Pestilence - A man running a orphanage for cats gets a donation of a purse which clearly has been stolen. A bank gets bombed and Dr Thorndyke tries to solve both the cases with the help of his assistant Polton
Rex v Burnaby - A man sensitive to a drug has been found to suffer poisoning from that drug but the key problem being there is no way that drug could have been administered to him. Thorndyke comes and tries to avert a murder before it takes place
Mystery of the Sand hills - A man goes missing with everyone believing it to be a case where the man absconds. No one notices the fishy things except Dr Thorndyke who uses the footprints on the sand to make his deduction
Apparition of Burling Court - A man believes he is part of a curse which has been killing members of his family for years. Superstition though doesn't come in the way of Dr Thorndyke who tries to prevent a murder before it occurs
The mysterious visitor - A man has disappeared with everyone not putting much stock into it until a huge inheritance in his name has come making it essential to identify the whereabouts of the man if he is still alive
Puzzle Lock - 2 men have gone missing and the police are trying to solve a case of a robbery where one of the key suspects has a door which requires a secret code to unlock
Green Check Jacket - A man and his nephew have gone missing with a witness identifying seeing the man with a person wearing a green check jacket when he was last seen. Using the contents of his room, Thorndyke identifies the solution to the crime
Seal of Nebuchadnezzar- An item is stolen and a man is murdered. Using the footprints present at the crime scene, Dr Thorndyke solves the case
Phyllis Annesley's Peril - A women is murdered and 2 witnesses have identified the clients of Dr Thorndyke as the killers. The case looks extremely bleak for everyone except Dr Thorndyke
Sower of Pestilence - A man running a orphanage for cats gets a donation of a purse which clearly has been stolen. A bank gets bombed and Dr Thorndyke tries to solve both the cases with the help of his assistant Polton
Rex v Burnaby - A man sensitive to a drug has been found to suffer poisoning from that drug but the key problem being there is no way that drug could have been administered to him. Thorndyke comes and tries to avert a murder before it takes place
Mystery of the Sand hills - A man goes missing with everyone believing it to be a case where the man absconds. No one notices the fishy things except Dr Thorndyke who uses the footprints on the sand to make his deduction
Apparition of Burling Court - A man believes he is part of a curse which has been killing members of his family for years. Superstition though doesn't come in the way of Dr Thorndyke who tries to prevent a murder before it occurs
The mysterious visitor - A man has disappeared with everyone not putting much stock into it until a huge inheritance in his name has come making it essential to identify the whereabouts of the man if he is still alive
April 19, 2017
Now that I've had a much needed break from the series, I'm able to appreciate it with fresh eyes again. This was a short story collection, and it was really hard to tell who the narrator was, since there are now three: Jervis, Antsey, and Jardine. On some occasions I didn't know until almost the end of the story who the narrator was. I'm starting to get familar with the cases and how Thorndyke works now, so I can pick up on a little bit of what he has to work with. You can't totally guess because Freeman doesn't reveal all the details, particularly regaring the contents and appearance of letters and their envelopes. But I like the style as a whole, because reading his summation at the end is amusing, and it's right up my alley: just enough description to know what's going on without bogging down the story, and also no hint of romance at all. If you're looking for quick who-dun it's, then the short story collections are perfect.
January 22, 2017
A book of generally excellent short stories, one of them a do-over, this time with a happy ending. A good read.
Read
June 9, 2025This was the bite-sized audiobook version - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nTGP... and was a great read.
I hope to check out the Audible version on Amazon to see if there's a longer version of this mystery.
I hope to check out the Audible version on Amazon to see if there's a longer version of this mystery.
January 14, 2020
Está bien. Es una copia de Sherlock Holmes aunque los problemas son muy sencillos de resolver en la mayoría de casos con sólo ver a quién beneficia el crimen...
June 23, 2023
A collection of tedious stories.
January 26, 2026
So I see these are numbered? I think I've found my next classic literature mystery series to work through. I was reading Sherlock Holmes when I was a kid, now onto Dr. Thorndyke.
August 3, 2023
This consists of nine short stories of Dr Thorndyke’s investigations:-
I. THE PUZZLE LOCK II. THE GREEN CHECK JACKET III. THE SEAL OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR IV. PHYLLIS ANNESLEY'S PERIL V. A SOWER OF PESTILENCE VI. REX V. BURNABY VII. A MYSTERY OF THE SAND-HILLS VIII. APPARITION OF BURLING COURT IX. THE MYSTERIOUS VISITOR
Some of these have been anthologised and a few are notably weak - I found the Apparition of Burling Court and A Sower of Pestilence especially dire, the one for the obviousness of its solution and the other as it was unbelievable and simply a vehicle for Freeman’s ideas on revolutionaries, East European immigrants and the poor.
The best are Rex v Burnaby and A Mystery of the Sandhills which I had read elsewhere.
Again I state my undoubted preference for novel length Thorndykes. Although some readers find the lengthy explications trying for me they are the satisfying conclusion of a testing read.
3.5 stars
I. THE PUZZLE LOCK II. THE GREEN CHECK JACKET III. THE SEAL OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR IV. PHYLLIS ANNESLEY'S PERIL V. A SOWER OF PESTILENCE VI. REX V. BURNABY VII. A MYSTERY OF THE SAND-HILLS VIII. APPARITION OF BURLING COURT IX. THE MYSTERIOUS VISITOR
Some of these have been anthologised and a few are notably weak - I found the Apparition of Burling Court and A Sower of Pestilence especially dire, the one for the obviousness of its solution and the other as it was unbelievable and simply a vehicle for Freeman’s ideas on revolutionaries, East European immigrants and the poor.
The best are Rex v Burnaby and A Mystery of the Sandhills which I had read elsewhere.
Again I state my undoubted preference for novel length Thorndykes. Although some readers find the lengthy explications trying for me they are the satisfying conclusion of a testing read.
3.5 stars
October 16, 2021
A gang of jewellery thiefs is in the sights of the police. Can Dr. Thorndyke discover the leader and the jewels. It would seem that a jewellery dealer has a strong room with a puzzle lock, with too many combinations to solve. But can it be done.
An enjoyable short story
An enjoyable short story
March 26, 2023
Mixed bag of stories.
June 5, 2017
Great Collection of Short Mysteries
This book of short stories featuring Dr Thorndyke is the first I have read. I enjoyed the first one, “The Puzzle Lock”, with its rather ingenious chronogram lock. The case of the “Green Check Jacket" involves analysis of dirt and chalk to discover the murder scene. The resolution of “Nebuchadnezzar’s Seal” hinges on walking sticks and their peculiarities that come from use. In “Phyllis Annesley’s Peril” I had a glimmer of the truth, and this story shows just how unreliable eyewitness testimony can be, even from upright citizens. I concur with the solicitor in the story when he said at the end, “And yet it was so obvious – when you knew.”! (Exclamation mark mine)
“A Sower of Pestilence” is very strange and even when explained, it seemed a senseless crime. In “Rex v. Burnaby” we have a very unusual poisoning case. It is not hard to figure out how the poison was administered, but it is, nevertheless, a very clever crime. “A Mystery of the Sand-hills” shows how mundane things such as footprints on a beach can be the beginning of a rather tortuous reasoning out of a murder. I found this story to be both rather interesting and rather tedious, a contradiction I know, but there it is. “The Apparition of Burling Court” is very similar to several stories I have read before, and it is obvious very early in the story what is going on, but is still an interesting one to read, especially if you haven’t read others like it. In “The Mysterious Visitor” we have a case of an heir vanishing just as he receives an unexpected legacy. This story has an unusual twist and is very cleverly thought-out. This last story is out of sequence as can be seen by a remark by Thorndyke to Jardine.
In most of the mysteries Thorndyke shared the clues with his colleague, Jervis, and thus with the reader. His conclusions or speculations he kept to himself, but indicated that as Jervis had the same information, he could arrive at the same results that Thorndyke had. Jervis usually failed in this and, sadly, so did this reader. Really, it should have been easy, as we had that same knowledge, and once Thorndyke explained everything the clues (and solution) were obvious. Clearly, I would not make an investigator.
This is a great collection of short stories that can be read one after another, or dipped into when you feel like a short mystery or two to read.
This book of short stories featuring Dr Thorndyke is the first I have read. I enjoyed the first one, “The Puzzle Lock”, with its rather ingenious chronogram lock. The case of the “Green Check Jacket" involves analysis of dirt and chalk to discover the murder scene. The resolution of “Nebuchadnezzar’s Seal” hinges on walking sticks and their peculiarities that come from use. In “Phyllis Annesley’s Peril” I had a glimmer of the truth, and this story shows just how unreliable eyewitness testimony can be, even from upright citizens. I concur with the solicitor in the story when he said at the end, “And yet it was so obvious – when you knew.”! (Exclamation mark mine)
“A Sower of Pestilence” is very strange and even when explained, it seemed a senseless crime. In “Rex v. Burnaby” we have a very unusual poisoning case. It is not hard to figure out how the poison was administered, but it is, nevertheless, a very clever crime. “A Mystery of the Sand-hills” shows how mundane things such as footprints on a beach can be the beginning of a rather tortuous reasoning out of a murder. I found this story to be both rather interesting and rather tedious, a contradiction I know, but there it is. “The Apparition of Burling Court” is very similar to several stories I have read before, and it is obvious very early in the story what is going on, but is still an interesting one to read, especially if you haven’t read others like it. In “The Mysterious Visitor” we have a case of an heir vanishing just as he receives an unexpected legacy. This story has an unusual twist and is very cleverly thought-out. This last story is out of sequence as can be seen by a remark by Thorndyke to Jardine.
In most of the mysteries Thorndyke shared the clues with his colleague, Jervis, and thus with the reader. His conclusions or speculations he kept to himself, but indicated that as Jervis had the same information, he could arrive at the same results that Thorndyke had. Jervis usually failed in this and, sadly, so did this reader. Really, it should have been easy, as we had that same knowledge, and once Thorndyke explained everything the clues (and solution) were obvious. Clearly, I would not make an investigator.
This is a great collection of short stories that can be read one after another, or dipped into when you feel like a short mystery or two to read.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews