The Cheyne Mystery

This 1926 thriller from Freeman Wills Crofts, sometimes published as Inspector French and the Cheyne Mystery, trades the slow burn of pure detection for chase and adventure. Maxwell Cheyne, a comfortable young man with time on his hands, is drugged and robbed of a document he barely understands, then finds himself hunted by people who will kill to keep a secret. Determined to fight back, he sets out to track the gang himself, aided by a resourceful young woman, before Inspector French steps in to tie the loose ends. It shows Crofts loosening up, mixing his careful plotting with genuine suspense. A free PDF and EPUB edition is available here.