Master tales of mystery, Volume 2 (of 3)

In Short

This collection assembles a series of detective puzzles from the early twentieth century, centered largely on the figure of Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen, a brilliant, eccentric polymath known as "The Thinking Machine." Through his deductive prowess, he resolves locked-room mysteries, disappearances, and complex murders that baffle the authorities. While the stories belong to the classic tradition of cerebral mystery, they possess a timeless quality in their focus on the triumph of cold, structured logic over chaos. The volume captures a specific era of suspense where the detective is not merely an investigator, but a scientist of human behavior.

The Story

The collection opens with the formidable "Thinking Machine," Dr. Van Dusen, accepting a challenge to escape from a high-security prison cell, a feat he accomplishes through sheer mental application. His subsequent cases follow a similar pattern of rigorous deduction applied to seemingly supernatural or impossible situations. In the mystery of a man who appears to have vanished, Van Dusen uses his knowledge of chemistry and physics to deduce how a gas-fed murder was engineered without an intruder ever entering the locked room. He explains that by blowing into the gas pipes, the killer extinguished the flame, causing a lethal leak while maintaining the appearance of an accident.

The narrative arc moves through various settings, from high-stakes bridge games where cheating is suspected to the grim discovery of a murdered actress in a rural farmhouse. In the latter, the investigator sifts through the physical evidence—specifically a powder pouch filled with lethal slugs rather than shot—to prove that the culprit was an expert marksman who attempted to mask the sound of his firearm with paper wadding. Another investigation involves a masterpiece painting, "Fulfillment," which becomes the center of a tragic obsession. Van Dusen reveals the sinister circumstances behind the disappearance of a model and the mental collapse of the artist, concluding that the "padded cell" where victims were found was designed to slowly poison them with chloroform fumes.

The collection also touches upon social games of deception, such as the case of Gentleman Coggins, a master burglar who uses coded signals—drawn with a parasol in the dirt—to coordinate the theft of family jewels. The detective work here is less about the lab and more about observing the social theater of the wealthy, deciphering the subtle cues that the criminal elite believe are invisible. Throughout these tales, the stories reach their resolution not through brawls or chases, but through the calm, almost detached articulation of the truth. Whether it is a murder on a remote estate or a clever disappearance in a crowded city, the ending always sees the culprit unmasked by the sheer weight of undeniable, cold logic, leaving the chaotic mystery settled and the investigator ready for the next challenge.

How It Unfolds

The prison challenge Dr. Van Dusen agrees to prove his theories by escaping a maximum-security cell within a week. He uses only his intellect, manipulating the prison staff and his environment to construct a path to freedom.

The gas-light puzzle An investigation begins into a death where all doors and windows were barred from the inside. The detective demonstrates that the crime was committed by manipulating the building's central utility system rather than by manual entry.

The farmhouse murder A victim is found with wounds that baffle investigators who suspect a revolver. Analysis of the physical evidence, specifically an antique powder pouch, reveals a custom-loaded shotgun was the true weapon.

The artist’s obsession The disappearance of a young woman is linked to a famous painting and a secret, airtight studio. The resolution hinges on uncovering a hidden, chemically saturated room used to incapacitate the captives.

The signal in the dust During a weekend gathering of the elite, the detective monitors a suspicious guest who acts as a master burglar. He spots a series of geometric figures traced in the earth, which he identifies as a signal for an upcoming heist.

The People

Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen, known as The Thinking Machine, is the central figure. Possessing a massive brow and a habit of squinting through thick spectacles, he views the world as a series of equations to be solved. He is entirely unburdened by social niceties or emotional bias, which allows him to see truths that others miss. His counterpart, Hutchinson Hatch, is the inquisitive reporter who provides the legwork and a touch of human confusion to ground the scientist’s cold observations. Detective Mallory represents the standard police force; he is often frustrated by the scientist’s arrogance but relies on him for results. The criminals they face, such as the master thief Coggins or the obsessive artist St. George, are often defined by a single, driving fixation that eventually becomes their undoing when it collides with the detective’s relentless, logical scrutiny.

In Its Own Voice

"He was slender with the droop of the student in his thin shoulders and the pallor of a close, sedentary life on his clean-shaven face."

The narrator provides this vivid description of the physically unassuming but mentally imposing Dr. Van Dusen.

"The obvious conclusion was that the murderer had loaded his gun from this leather pouch."

In the farmhouse mystery, the investigator reaches this pivotal realization while examining antique equipment, effectively solving the method of the crime.

What It's Really About

At its core, the book explores the tension between order and chaos. The author posits that the universe, however baffling it appears, is fundamentally governed by rules that can be deduced by an objective observer. The central argument is that human malice is rarely as clever as it thinks; it is merely a pattern that, once observed, falls apart under the weight of inquiry. The stories interrogate the fragility of our perceived reality, suggesting that the "impossible" is simply a failure of imagination or a lack of scientific scrutiny. It is an argument for the superiority of the rational mind in an irrational world, valuing the cold, detached analysis of a fact over the subjective, often misleading emotions of the witnesses involved.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy the classic "puzzle" mystery—where the solution is a reward for paying close attention—will find this collection highly satisfying. The prose is efficient, clean, and unadorned, reflecting the analytical nature of its protagonist. It is an ideal read for those who prefer stories that prioritize the "how" and "why" over sustained action or character development.

However, modern readers should be prepared for the limitations of its time. The writing reflects the attitudes of the early twentieth century, including the period's specific, sometimes rigid, social hierarchies and a certain coldness in the depiction of victims. The pacing can feel rapid and sometimes clinical, as the stories are designed to function as self-contained logical exercises rather than immersive novels. Despite these period trappings, there is a distinct pleasure in watching a character like The Thinking Machine dismiss the "impossible" and methodically strip away the mysteries of his environment. What stays with you is the intellectual vigor of the detective—his refusal to be cowed by the strange or the supernatural—and the quiet satisfaction of seeing a convoluted mess transformed, through nothing more than a bit of concentration, into a clear, resolved truth.