(April 9th, 1875 – April 15th, 1912)
Jacques Heath Futrelle was an American journalist and detective story writer who died in the sinking of the RMS Titanic. His detective stories feature Professor Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen, also known as "The Thinking Machine" for his use of logic.
The Problem of Cell 13Jacques Futrelle The premise of this locked-room story is wonderful. The protagonist is Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen who is in a scientific debate with Dr. Charles Ransom and Alfred Fielding. Augustus, also known as "The Thinking Machine", claims that nothing is impossible when logic and clear thinking are applied. To prove his point, they conduct an experiment where Van Dusen is locked up in a prison for one week with the challenge to escape, which of course he does. But the real fun is in how he does it. It is a tour de force of logic and deductive thinking. Highly recommended to all locked room crime lovers. ... | $3.99 to wish list |