John Thorndyke's Cases related by Christopher Jervis and edited by R. Austin Freeman

"John Thorndyke's Cases" by R. Austin Freeman is a compilation of early 20th-century detective stories that centers around Dr. John Thorndyke, a medical-legal expert who uses science and observation to crack crimes. The book starts in Little Sundersley, where Dr. Christopher Jervis begins a seaside practice as Thorndyke visits. Their walk on the beach changes when they find strange fooprints suggesting a crime, leading them to a murdered person. Looking at the footprints and items near the body, the beginning story introduces scientific investigation and clever thinking, setting the tone for exciting mysteries later.