The Sea Mystery
"The Sea Mystery" by Freeman Wills Crofts follows Mr. Morgan and his son Evan during a fishing trip in the Burry Inlet, Wales. As they fish, they encounter a mysterious, heavy object underwater. After some effort, they retrieve a large wooden crate, which they plan to examine later. Upon returning to the harbor, they discover a foul smell emanating from the crate. Mr. Morgan, concerned for his son's well-being, decides to report the find to the police without Evan seeing the contents. When Mr. Morgan informs Sergeant Nield about the crate, they return to the harbor with coastguard Manners. Upon inspection, they find the crate contains the decomposed body of a man. The police begin an investigation, noting the body has been dead for several weeks and showing signs of severe trauma. The story unfolds as the authorities work to uncover the mystery behind the man's death and the circumstances surrounding the crate's presence in the inlet.
By Freeman Wills Crofts · First published 1928 · Genre: Mystery, Crime, Thriller · 20 chapters · 90,030 words
First lines
The Burry Inlet, on the south coast of Wales, looks its best from the sea. At least so thought Mr. Morgan as he sat in the sternsheets of his boat, a fishing-line between his fingers, while his son, Evan, pulled lazily over the still water.
What this Textopian page supports
The Sea Mystery is listed on Textopian as a novel by Freeman Wills Crofts, dated 1928 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: 1928 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Mystery, Crime, Thriller, Detective Fiction, Adventure
- Length: 90,030 words
- Structure: 20 chapters, 2,010 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Sea Mystery 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 Sea Mystery?
- How does this novel by Freeman Wills Crofts fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Mystery first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Mystery — The central plot revolves around solving a crime, which is a hallmark of the mystery genre.
- Crime — The narrative involves criminal activities and investigations, aligning it closely with crime fiction.
- Thriller — The tension and suspense throughout the story contribute to its classification as a thriller.
- Detective Fiction — The presence of a detective figure working to unravel the mystery fits the detective fiction genre.
Tags
Mystery · Thriller · Detective Fiction · Crime Novel · British Literature · Classic Mystery · Railway Setting · Small Town Life · Island Setting · Closed Environment · Suspenseful Plot · Plot Twist
Contents
- Mr. Morgan Meets Tragedy
- Inspector French Gets Busy
- Experimental Detection
- A Change of Venue
- Messrs. Berlyn and Pyke
- The Despatch of the Crate
- Dartmoor
- A Fresh Start
- A Step Forward
- London's further Contribution
- John Gurney, Night Watchman
- The Duplicator
- The Accomplice?
- French Turns Fisherman
- Blackmail
- Certainty at Last
- "Danger!"
- On Hampstead Heath
- The Bitterness of Death
- Conclusion