The Cask by Freeman Wills Crofts

The Cask by Freeman Wills Crofts follows a managing director who uncovers a cask containing a woman's body and gold coins, prompting a complex investigation filled with deception and murder. As the mystery unfolds, the director grapples with the horror of the crime and the implications of the discovery.

By Freeman Wills Crofts · First published 1926 · Genre: Mystery, Crime, Thriller · 30 chapters · 136,708 words

First lines

Mr. Avery, managing director of the Insular and Continental Steam Navigation Company, had just arrived at his office. He glanced at his inward letters, ran his eye over his list of engagements for the day, and inspected the return of the movements of his Company's steamers. Then, after spending a few moments in thought, he called his chief clerk, Wilcox.

"I see the Bullfinch is in this morning from Rouen," he said. "I take it she'll have that consignment of wines for Norton and Banks?"

What this Textopian page supports

The Cask is listed on Textopian as a novel by Freeman Wills Crofts, dated 1926 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

• Work type: Novel
• Author: Freeman Wills Crofts
• Date: 1926 CE
• Language: English
• Genres: Mystery, Crime, Thriller, Detective Fiction, Literary Fiction
• Length: 136,708 words
• Structure: 30 chapters, 2,999 paragraphs
• Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

Good citation fit

• Work identity for The Cask by Freeman Wills Crofts
• 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 The Cask?
• How does this novel by Freeman Wills Crofts fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
• Where does Mystery first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

• The Sea Mystery by Freeman Wills Crofts
• The Crime At Black Dudley by Margery Allingham
• The Pit Prop Syndicate by Freeman Wills Crofts
• The Greene Murder Case by S. S. Van Dine
• The Talleyrand Maxim by J. S. Fletcher
• Inspector Frenchs Greatest Case by Freeman Wills Crofts

Genres

• Mystery — The plot revolves around a crime and the investigation to uncover the truth.
• Crime — The narrative focuses on criminal activities and their consequences.
• Thriller — The story contains suspenseful elements that keep readers engaged.
• Detective Fiction — The protagonist often employs deductive reasoning to solve the mystery.

Tags

Mystery · Detective Fiction · Crime Novel · British Literature · 1920s Fiction · Railway Setting · Small Town Life · Local Politics · Murder Investigation · Police Procedural · Private Detective · Amateur Sleuth

Contents

• A Strange Consignment
• Inspector Burnley on the Track
• The Watcher on the Wall
• A Midnight Interview
• Felix Tells a Story
• The Art of Detection
• The Cask at Last
• The Opening of the Cask
• M. Le Chef De La Sûreté
• Who Wrote the Letter?
• Mm. Dupierre Et Cie
• At the Gare St. Lazare
• The Owner of the Dress
• M. Boirac Makes a Statement
• The House in the Avenue De L'Alma
• Inspector Burnley up against It
• A Council of War
• Lefarge Hunts Alone
• The Testing of an Alibi
• Some Damning Evidence
• A New Point of View
• Felix Tells a Second Story
• Clifford Gets to Work
• Mr. Georges La Touche
• Disappointment
• A Clue at Last
• La Touche's Dilemma
• The Unravelling of the Web
• A Dramatic Dénouement
• Conclusion

More by Freeman Wills Crofts

• The Starvel Hollow Tragedy (1920)
• The Sea Mystery (1928)
• Inspector French's Greatest Case (1927)
• The Pit-Prop Syndicate (1927)
• The Box Office Murders (1935)
• The Ponson Case (1923)
• The Cheyne Mystery (1926)
• The Purple Sickle Murders (1929)
• All works by Freeman Wills Crofts