R. Austin Freeman Books in Order

R. Austin Freeman is a renowned British author, born in Soho, London on 11 April 1862, to Ann Maria and Richard Freeman, a tailor. Freeman's early life took an unconventional turn when he added the Austin to his original name, Richard. He pursued a medical career, becoming a medical trainee at Middlesex Hospital Medical College and a member of the Royal College of Surgeons. His experiences as an assistant surgeon in Accra, West Africa, greatly influenced his writing, although his time abroad was marked by hardship and poor health. Upon returning to England, Freeman established an eye, ear, nose, and throat practice, but eventually had to give up medicine due to health issues. Freeman's writing career flourished, and he is best known for his detective stories featuring Dr. Thorndyke, a medico-legal forensic investigator. His first Dr. Thorndyke novel, 'The Red Thumb Mark', was published in 1907, and he went on to write numerous acclaimed crime novels, including 'The Adventures of Romney Pringle' (1902), published under the pseudonym Clifford Ashdown.