author
Jacques Futrelle
1875–1912
A pioneer of early puzzle mysteries, he created the brilliant detective known as "The Thinking Machine" and helped shape the logic-driven detective story. His career was cut tragically short in 1912, but stories like "The Problem of Cell 13" still feel clever and fresh.
5 Audiobooks
Elusive Isabel
by Jacques Futrelle
The problem of Cell 13
by Jacques Futrelle
The Chase of the Golden Plate
by Jacques Futrelle
The Leak
by Jacques Futrelle
The Diamond Master
by Jacques Futrelle
About the author
Born in Pike County, Georgia, in 1875, Jacques Futrelle worked first in journalism before turning to fiction. He became known for crisp, entertaining mystery stories built around Professor Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen, nicknamed "The Thinking Machine," a detective who solved impossible problems through pure logic.
His best-known work includes the Van Dusen stories collected in The Thinking Machine and the famous locked-room puzzle "The Problem of Cell 13." Futrelle's writing helped popularize the cerebral detective tale, where reason and deduction matter more than force or chase scenes.
His life ended suddenly in April 1912 when he died in the sinking of the Titanic. Because he published so much in magazines and left behind such memorable puzzle plots, he remains an important and enjoyable figure in classic mystery fiction.