The Destroyer by Arthur Gask (1939)
The novel follows the story of Detective Inspector John Dene, who is assigned to investigate a series of mysterious deaths in a small English village. As Dene delves deeper into the case, he discovers a sinister plot involving a secret society and a powerful criminal mastermind known only as “The Destroyer”. With the help of his assistant, Sergeant Tomlinson, Dene must unravel the mystery before the Destroyer can carry out his deadly plan. The novel is a thrilling and suspenseful read, as Dene and Tomlinson race against time to stop the Destroyer and save the village. Along the way, they uncover a web of secrets and lies, and must confront their own inner demons in order to succeed. The Destroyer is a gripping and entertaining read, and a classic of the crime genre.
By Arthur Gask · First published 1939 · Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction · 6,172 words
First lines
In the dark hours of the night the destroyer had descended upon the little village of Finchingfield. Convulsions had seized his victims, their limbs had stiffened, and in a great agony their bodies had been arched. Then death had come, and the friends of man had sped to the Valhalla where the spirits go.
And there they lay--five dogs outstretched upon the village road.
What this Textopian page supports
The Destroyer is listed on Textopian as a novel by Arthur Gask, dated 1939 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Arthur Gask
- Date: 1939 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Detective Fiction, Fiction
- Length: 6,172 words
- Structure: 1 section, 195 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Destroyer by Arthur Gask
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
- The Murder Hole by Anonymous
- A Dead Finger by Sabine Baring Gould
- Who Killed Castelvetri by Gilbert Frankau
- The Other Sense by J. S. Fletcher
- Traces Of Crime by Mary Fortune
- The Martyr On The Land by Arthur Gask
Genres
- Mystery — The Destroyer follows the story of a detective who is trying to solve a mysterious case.
- Thriller — The book is full of suspense and tension as the detective races against time to solve the case.
- Crime Fiction — The book follows the story of a detective who is trying to solve a crime.
- Detective Fiction — The book follows the story of a detective who is trying to solve a case.
Tags
mystery · thriller · suspense · crime · detective · murder · investigation · historical · fiction · psychological · dark · twist