
Martin Hewitt started as a modest clerk, yet his uncanny knack for gathering impossible evidence turned a routine probate dispute into a courtroom sensation. After the Bartley case, he declined lucrative offers and launched his own private investigation firm, insisting on handling each matter alone. His genteel demeanor masks a razor‑sharp eye that outmaneuvers both criminals and counsel. Hewitt’s simple method—observe, collect, and let the facts speak—has made him a sought‑after detective.
The story is narrated by Brett, a journalist who becomes Hewitt’s reluctant confidant after a fire forces them to safeguard vital papers. Together they revisit the Lenton Croft robberies, a daring series of thefts that first displayed Hewitt’s talent for turning scraps of paper and corridor diagrams into solid leads. As Brett follows Hewitt’s meticulous reasoning, listeners are drawn into a world where ordinary observation becomes extraordinary deduction, offering a glimpse into the early days of a detective whose quiet brilliance would soon make him legendary.
Language
en
Duration
~5 hours (311K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Suzanne Shell, Andrea Ball and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.
Release date
2004-02-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1863–1945
Best known for vivid stories of London's East End, he wrote fiction that brought working-class neighborhoods and street life into sharp focus. His best-known books include Tales of Mean Streets and A Child of the Jago, works still remembered for their unsentimental realism.
View all books
by Arthur Morrison

by Arthur Morrison

by Arthur Morrison

by Arthur Morrison

by Arthur Morrison

by A. A. (Alan Alexander) Milne

by Dorothy L. (Dorothy Leigh) Sayers