The Mystery of 31 New Inn is a classic detective novel by R. Austin Freeman, featuring forensic expert Dr. John Thorndyke and his assistant Dr. Jervis, who investigate a mysterious death at an old London inn, uncovering a plot involving a contested will, potential poisoning (likely opium), and a complex web of clues like broken glass, an upside-down picture, and a veiled woman, all solved through meticulous scientific deduction. The story, originally a novella, was expanded into a novel and is known for blending scientific investigation with classic mystery tropes.
№ 3 in the Doctor Thorndyke series.
Dr. Jervis is summoned to the aid of a dying man, but on arrival, he finds the man already dead of an opium overdose. Could the man's death be related to will that was abruptly, and recently, changed for no obvious reason Dr. Thorndyke is called to investigate and see if he can link the two cases.
The Mystery of 31, New Inn was written as a novella in 1905 and expanded into a novel in 1912. Dr. Jervis, a Watson-esque sidekick introduced in The Red Thumbmark, takes a prominent role.
