Final Proof; Or, The Value of Evidence

"Final Proof; Or, The Value of Evidence" by Rodrigues Ottolengui is a captivating detective novel that follows Mr. Barnes, a seasoned detective, and Robert Leroy Mitchel, an intelligent man convinced of matching detectives' wits at their own game, as they unravel a perplexing murder mystery. The story begins with an interesting conversation between the two characters sparked by a newspaper article. They discuss how a body found in the East River strangely matches an individual who supposedly underwent cremation not long before. As Mr. Barnes and Mr. Mitchel carefully scrutinize the evidence, they soon realize discrepancies in the identification of the recovered body, thus pointing toward a web of deceit and possible crime. This intriguing situation sets the scene for a journey filled with suspenseful reasoning, clever deductions, and exciting revelations.