The Leak

Futrelle, Jacques, 1875-1912Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.4

Word count: 29K words
Chapters: 3

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The Leak by Jacques FutrelleAuthor: Futrelle, Jacques, 1875-1912,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Aug 21, 2011

Editor's review

This is a short detective story by Jacques Futrelle, a standalone work outside his famous "Thinking Machine" Van Dusen series. Futrelle excelled at locked-room puzzles and logical deduction; the story revolves around an information leak and the investigation it triggers, compact in length with clean, sharp suspense. As a public-domain ebook, it preserves the narrative rhythm of early twentieth-century American popular detective fiction: dialogue drives the plot and clues are gathered layer by layer. It suits readers curious about the detective short story before the Golden Age. Don't expect complex social background or character arcs; its value lies in puzzle design and the pleasure of deduction. It can be read in one sitting on a commute or short break, or used as light reading material in the original English to experience the vocabulary and structure of early genre fiction.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy classic detective short stories and prefer logical deduction
English learners who want to practice reading with short original English texts
Readers interested in early twentieth-century American popular literature

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting long, complex plots and deep character development
Those unaccustomed to early English expressions and old-fashioned narrative rhythm

Reading tips

Read through once to grasp the puzzle, then revisit the passages where key clues appear
When encountering unfamiliar words, guess from context first and look them up afterward
Compare with other "Thinking Machine" stories to observe the author's habitual techniques

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Which detective series does this story belong to?

The information indicates it is a standalone short story by Futrelle and is not labeled as part of the "Thinking Machine" series. Expect a single puzzle rather than preset series continuity.

How difficult is the English?

It is early twentieth-century popular fiction English: sentences are not long, but some usages are old-fashioned. Readers at an intermediate level willing to look up words can finish it smoothly.

Is it suitable for reading in one sitting?

It is a short story with concentrated clues, best read in one sitting to keep the suspense continuous; if time is fragmented, it can also be divided at plot turning points.

Comments

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About the author

Futrelle, Jacques, 1875-1912 Author

Jacques Futrelle (1875–1912) was an American writer of detective fiction active at the turn of the twentieth century. Public information about his life is limited, and many details remain little known to Chinese readers. He is best known as the creator of the "Thinking Machine" stories, featuring the scientist Augustus Van Dusen, who solves baffling cases through rigorous logic and scientific reasoning. Five of his works are held in the collection: The Problem of Cell 13, The Leak, The Diamond Master, The Chase of the Golden Plate, and Elusive Isabel. These range from locked-room puzzles and theft investigations to detective adventures and international intrigue, all marked by tight plotting and strong deductive structure. The Problem of Cell 13 is regarded as a classic of locked-room mystery fiction and has exerted a lasting influence on later detective writing in the honkaku tradition.