The diamond master [Paperback]

Jacques Futrelle (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 3, 2009

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: "Sid down, Laadham, sid down," he invited explosively. "I haf yust send der vaiter to der delephone to ask—" There was a restrained note of excitement in the German's voice, but at the moment it was utterly lost upon Mr. Latham. "Schultze, you've probably imported more diamonds in the last ten years than any other half-dozen men in the United States," he interrupted. "I have something here I want you to see. Perhaps, at some time, it may have passed through your hands." He placed the glazed box on the table. For an instant the German stared at it with amazed eyes, then one fat hand darted toward it, and he spilled the diamond out on the napkin in his plate. Then he sat gazing as if fascinated by the lambent, darting flashes deep from the blue-white heart. "Mem Gott, Laadham!" he exclaimed, and with fingers which shook a little he lifted the stone and squinted through it toward the light, with critical eyes. Mr. Latham was leaning forward on the table, waiting, watching, listening. "Well?" he queried impatiently, at last. "Laadham, id is der miracle!" Mr. Schultze explained solemnly, with his characteristic, whimsical philosophy. "I haf der duph'gade of id, Laadham—der dwin, der liddle brudder. Zee here!" From an inner pocket he produced a glazed white box, identical with that which Mr. Latham had just set down, then carefully laid the cover aside. "Look, Laadham, look!" Mr. Latham looked—and gasped! Here was the counterpart of the mysterious diamond which still lay in Mr. Schultze's outstretched palm. "Dey are dwins, Laadham," remarked the German quaintly, finally. "Id came by der mail in dis morning—yust like das, wrapped in paper, but mit no marks, no name, no nod- ings. Id yust came!" With his right hand Mr. Latham lifted the duplicate diamond f...

Product Details

• Paperback: 114 pages
• Publisher: General Books LLC (August 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1458913821
• ISBN-13: 978-1458913821
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Diamond Master, February 20, 2010

By 

antiquary100 (MS) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Diamond Master (Kindle Edition)

This is the first book by Jacques Futrelle I have read so far, and it's a fairly unique mystery. I had read the short story "Problem of Cell 13" right before this one and was interested in reading more Thinking Machine mysteries. As it turns out, this is not about the Thinking Machine, though it is an interesting read. The book begins with a perfect diamond being delivered to an expert diamond dealer. There is no return address, no note explaning the mysterious appearance of the valuable diamond. It is estimated to be worth millions. Later he discover that not only has a diamond been sent to him, but to four other American diamond dealers. All the diamonds match perfectly, even the top diamond expert can't tell one from another. Who sent them? Why? He places detectives on the job. No diamonds matching the description have been imported from any other country. Were they smuggled? or is there some other explanation? Read and find out!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My 2nd Kindle, October 1, 2011

By 

S. M Marson (Lumberton, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Diamond Master (Kindle Edition)

While in high school (1960's), I become engrossed with the THINKING MACHINE short stories of Jacques Futrelle. In my search for more, I found THE LEAK and THE DIAMOND MASTER on Amazon. The price was perfect. With a Kindle, the price was zero.

THE DIAMOND MASTER does not include Futrelle's character Augustus S.F.X Dusenm Ph.D.,LL.D.,F.R.X.,MD, but the storyline is very much in the "Thinking Machine" tradition.

I evaluate stories by answering two questions: First, does the storyline distract me from the exercise machine that I am using while reading the book. For me, the answer was YES. So, that's good. Second, could I figure the ending. Well, sort of. But I needed to finish the novel to make sure I was correct. So that's good.

In the end, THE DIAMOND MASTER is a good read - especially considering the price!

1 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Rip Off Paperback Book, November 22, 2007

By 

P. Coady - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Diamond Master (Paperback)

How would you like to pay $70 for a paperback book less than 200 pages? if so, go ahead and buy this pathetic item. Although the story is good, the advertisement I read implies other stories by this author are included in the book, and why not, for $70 and a paperback to boot. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice....well, you know the rest. Don't bother buying this item.