
In this clever early‑twentieth‑century mystery, seasoned investigator Guy Garrick is called in to untangle a baffling case that begins with a stolen automobile and a trail of blood mysteriously splattered across its interior. The only clues are a dubious story about a farmer’s cow, a nervous driver in a cap and goggles, and a series of contradictory eyewitness accounts that leave the detectives grasping at thin threads.
As Garrick and his colleague McBirney interview the bewildered owner of the missing car, they discover a web of half‑truths and amateur sleuths who may be more hindrance than help. Their probing reveals the uneasy world of early automobile culture, where flashy cafés, secretive clubs, and the ever‑present lure of a reward blur the line between crime and coincidence. The investigation promises sharp dialogue, keen observation, and a race against time to catch a cunning perpetrator before the evidence fades.
Language
en
Duration
~6 hours (361K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2004-02-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1880–1936
Best remembered for creating Craig Kennedy, the “scientific detective,” he helped shape early American crime fiction with stories that mixed mystery, journalism, and new technology. His fast-moving adventures also spilled into silent-film serials, making him a bridge between pulp storytelling and the movies.
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