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Ashton-Kirk #1
Ashton-Kirk, Investigator
Ashton-Kirk, who has solved so many mysteries, is himself something of a problem even to those who know him best. Although young, wealthy, and of high social position, he is nevertheless an indefatigable worker in his chosen field. He smiles when men call him a detective. "No; only an investigator," he says.
He has never courted notoriety; indeed, his life has been more or less secluded. However, let a man do remarkable work in any line and, as Emerson has observed, "the world will make a beaten path to his door."
Those who have found their way to Ashton-Kirk's door have been of many races and interests. Men of science have often been surprised to find him in touch with the latest discoveries, scholars searching among strange tongues and dialects, and others deep in tattered scrolls, ancient tablets and forgotten books have been his frequent visitors. But among them come many who seek his help in solving problems in crime.
"I'm more curious than some other fellows, that's all," is the way he accounts for himself. "If a puzzle is put in front of me I can't rest till I know the answer." At any rate his natural bent has always been to make plain the mysterious; each well hidden step in the perpetration of a crime has always been for him an exciting lure; and to follow a thread, snarled by circumstances or by another intelligence has been, he admits, his chief delight.
There are many strange things to be written of this remarkable man—but this, the case of the numismatist Hume, has been selected as the first because it is one of the simplest, and yet clearly illustrates Ashton-Kirk's peculiar talents. It will also throw some light on the question, often asked, as to how his cases come to him.
Ashton-Kirk, Investigator is set against the shop of a murdered numismatist (coin collector), filled with antiquities of every sort. Much of the mystery in the first half centers on reconstructing the murder, based on evidence left behind at the crime scene. The second half is mainly a thriller, with characters chasing each other around the countryside, suspenseful stakeouts, and other mild thriller material. The crime also takes place at night, in an elaborate and out-of-the-way building, with interesting architecture.
He has never courted notoriety; indeed, his life has been more or less secluded. However, let a man do remarkable work in any line and, as Emerson has observed, "the world will make a beaten path to his door."
Those who have found their way to Ashton-Kirk's door have been of many races and interests. Men of science have often been surprised to find him in touch with the latest discoveries, scholars searching among strange tongues and dialects, and others deep in tattered scrolls, ancient tablets and forgotten books have been his frequent visitors. But among them come many who seek his help in solving problems in crime.
"I'm more curious than some other fellows, that's all," is the way he accounts for himself. "If a puzzle is put in front of me I can't rest till I know the answer." At any rate his natural bent has always been to make plain the mysterious; each well hidden step in the perpetration of a crime has always been for him an exciting lure; and to follow a thread, snarled by circumstances or by another intelligence has been, he admits, his chief delight.
There are many strange things to be written of this remarkable man—but this, the case of the numismatist Hume, has been selected as the first because it is one of the simplest, and yet clearly illustrates Ashton-Kirk's peculiar talents. It will also throw some light on the question, often asked, as to how his cases come to him.
Ashton-Kirk, Investigator is set against the shop of a murdered numismatist (coin collector), filled with antiquities of every sort. Much of the mystery in the first half centers on reconstructing the murder, based on evidence left behind at the crime scene. The second half is mainly a thriller, with characters chasing each other around the countryside, suspenseful stakeouts, and other mild thriller material. The crime also takes place at night, in an elaborate and out-of-the-way building, with interesting architecture.
232 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1910
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 28, 2022
The Beginning.
Ashton-Kirk is an investigator. He’s very modest and very good at investigating. He uses the unseen clues to his advantage. At least they are unseen to everybody else.
Mr. Hume is a man who everyone loves to hate, so when he is finally murdered no one seems surprised. The list of suspects is numerous.
Kirk has to summon up all his brain power to get his thoughts to work for him.
The author writes Ashton-Kirk as a young man who is very wealthy and he has a favorite friend who is his “Mr. Watson” to our young “Sherlock Holmes.”
As usual, this makes Ashton-Kirk look superior in his intelligence, which is what it is supposed to do.
Ashton-Kirk is an investigator. He’s very modest and very good at investigating. He uses the unseen clues to his advantage. At least they are unseen to everybody else.
Mr. Hume is a man who everyone loves to hate, so when he is finally murdered no one seems surprised. The list of suspects is numerous.
Kirk has to summon up all his brain power to get his thoughts to work for him.
The author writes Ashton-Kirk as a young man who is very wealthy and he has a favorite friend who is his “Mr. Watson” to our young “Sherlock Holmes.”
As usual, this makes Ashton-Kirk look superior in his intelligence, which is what it is supposed to do.
January 20, 2019
Old classic detective mystery was a fun re-read. This narration was excellently done by Pete Milan (voice inflections for different characters made this NOT your average reading!) free at Librivox (Gutenberg is text only - but still free). Highly recommended for all ages.
December 31, 2015
A mystery, detective book, fun and well-executed. A bit more development of the main character would have made it a four star, without this the book remains a bit shallow.
October 17, 2017
a rather good old fashioned mystery...
Read
August 6, 2025This was a fun mystery by a new-to-me author. It definitely kept me guessing. I can see why other reviewers have compared it to Sherlock Holmes. There are definitely a lot of similarities, but there are some differences too. I plan to continue the series.
(Ignore the fact that Goodreads has labeled this book as MM Romance. I don't know why in the world they placed it under that category.)
(Ignore the fact that Goodreads has labeled this book as MM Romance. I don't know why in the world they placed it under that category.)
September 14, 2013
In this volume, Ashton-Kirk's Watson is a man of his own class named Pendleton, an unadventurous soul drawn unwillingly into adventure, rather like Poirot's Hastings.
I find McIntyre's amateur detective curiously colourless. And yet I quite enjoyed the unfolding of this mystery, mostly for its bizarre elements. The case opens conventionally with a woman in distress, Edyth Vale. Her beloved, Allan Morris, is somehow at the mercy of a "mocking monster", an antiquarian named Hume. Hume is murdered & Morris comes under suspicion. The murder weapon is the first bizarre element - a bayonet. Then there's a plethora of pictures of the same general, a shorthand message left in candle-wax upon the stairs, and a mysterious deaf mute scientist (who devises an explosive end for himself).
The murder is committed, it turns out, over plans for a heavier-than-air flying machine, concealed behind a portrait (the plans, not the machine!) And more than that I will not say, including any discussion of the actual murderer.
I find McIntyre's amateur detective curiously colourless. And yet I quite enjoyed the unfolding of this mystery, mostly for its bizarre elements. The case opens conventionally with a woman in distress, Edyth Vale. Her beloved, Allan Morris, is somehow at the mercy of a "mocking monster", an antiquarian named Hume. Hume is murdered & Morris comes under suspicion. The murder weapon is the first bizarre element - a bayonet. Then there's a plethora of pictures of the same general, a shorthand message left in candle-wax upon the stairs, and a mysterious deaf mute scientist (who devises an explosive end for himself).
The murder is committed, it turns out, over plans for a heavier-than-air flying machine, concealed behind a portrait (the plans, not the machine!) And more than that I will not say, including any discussion of the actual murderer.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2010
Attention Sherlock Holmes Fans! If you're on your 3rd or 30th re-read of Sir A. Conan Doyle's immortal detective, why not give his American contemporary a read? Wonderful escapist reading, perfect for a cold winter read. Ashton-Kirk is clearly an American, yet an obvious contemporary of Doyle,while the differance in English language spoken in US vs. Britan at that time period is also interesting to compair & contrast. Mostly,a cold winter night escapism was to stay out the cold & be entertained. So, my thanks to Project Gutenberg's amazing pioneering work in making ebooks available, and the others like Google who have followed.
October 30, 2014
Curiously readable. Enjoy these stories for their ingenuity - they almost work - rather than for their lumpen style.
March 21, 2023
In the years following Sherlock Holmes, dime store detective novels became wildly popular. It is always interesting to read one of Doyle's imitators and think about what set Sherlock apart from other literary private investigators. This one had the added bonus of having being proto-James Bondian, as well as Sherlockian.
November 18, 2022
A direct knockoff of Sherlock Holmes, only set in America (probably Philadelphia, the author's home) and the Holmes character is more likeable. McIntyre does an admirable job of relating this tale. It's inferred Ashton-Kirk has an inheritance; he must as he charged absolutely no fee in this case.
June 22, 2023
2.5 stars - very old fashioned
Listening to Agatha Christie books on podcast by Libravox.org
Listening to Agatha Christie books on podcast by Libravox.org
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews