Colonel Thorndyke's Secret

In the summer of 1782 the quiet life of a country squire in rural England is shattered when a priceless diamond‑set bracelet, taken from a Hindu idol in India, finds its way into the Thorndike family. The relic’s secret is known only to the wounded colonel who brought it home, and his sudden death leaves the young heirs bewildered and uneasy, aware that unseen eyes are already watching them.

Determined to protect his kin and retrieve the hidden treasure, the squire’s younger son abandons his comfortable countryside existence and enlists with the London police. As he learns the craft of detection, he confronts a tangled web of highwaymen, mysterious Lascars, and a string of ominous incidents that threaten the family’s safety. The early chapters blend the bustle of late‑eighteenth‑century village life with the intrigue of a cross‑continental theft, promising a gripping tale of courage, loyalty, and a young man’s first steps toward becoming a true detective.