Black Market by Arthur Gask (1945)
The novel follows the story of Detective Inspector John Dickson, who is assigned to investigate a series of mysterious deaths in London. As he delves deeper into the case, he discovers a sinister black market operation that is responsible for the deaths. With the help of his assistant, Sergeant Tom Smith, Dickson must unravel the mystery and bring the criminals to justice. The novel is set in the 1930s, and explores the dark side of London's underworld. It is a thrilling and suspenseful story, full of twists and turns, as Dickson and Smith battle to uncover the truth. Along the way, they must confront dangerous criminals, and face the consequences of their actions.
By Arthur Gask · First published 1945 · Genre: Crime Fiction, Mystery, Thriller · 2,400 words
First lines
Todhunter McStottlebaugh held quite on important position in the Income Tax Department and, contrary to what some people might have expected, his expression was a mild and gentle one. Happily married, he had a sensible, good-looking wife and three nice children. Certainly, he was a good father and, as far as the neighbors had been able to find out, a faithful husband as well.
What this Textopian page supports
Black Market is listed on Textopian as a short story by Arthur Gask, dated 1945 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Arthur Gask
- Date: 1945 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Crime Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Noir
- Length: 2,400 words
- Structure: 1 section, 79 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Black Market by Arthur Gask
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Black Market?
- How does this short story by Arthur Gask fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Crime Fiction first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Crime Fiction — The book title 'Black Market' implies a criminal underworld, and the plot follows a detective as he investigates a murder in a black market setting.
- Mystery — The book follows a detective as he investigates a murder, and the reader is kept in suspense as the mystery is slowly unraveled.
- Thriller — The book is full of suspense and tension as the detective attempts to solve the murder, and the reader is kept on the edge of their seat as the story progresses.
- Noir — The book has a dark and gritty atmosphere, with a focus on the criminal underworld and the detective's struggle to uncover the truth.
Tags
mystery · thriller · crime · suspense · detective · investigation · secrets · deception · intrigue · black market · moral ambiguity · plot twist