E. Phillips Oppenheim was a master of the early 20th-century thriller, and The Yellow Crayon is a perfect bite-sized example of his work. First published in 1905, it feels both of its time and refreshingly direct.

The Story

A man is discovered dead in a London rooming house. The police are stumped. There's no identification, just a yellow crayon and a ripped page from a Bradshaw's railway guide. Enter the clever Mr. Sabin, a gentleman with a knack for seeing what others miss. He's not a professional detective, which makes his logical, step-by-step investigation all the more engaging. He follows the thin trail from a shady foreign diplomat to a possible secret society, using wit and conversation as his main tools.

Why You Should Read It

I love how this story trusts the reader's intelligence. There's no tech, no DNA—just observation and deduction. Mr. Sabin is a fantastic guide: calm, polite, and always three steps ahead. The plot moves quickly, and the central mystery of the crayon and the railway guide is genuinely clever. It’s a reminder of how satisfying a straightforward, well-constructed puzzle can be. You can almost smell the foggy London streets and hear the clatter of horse-drawn cabs.

Final Verdict

This is a must for fans of classic mysteries who enjoy the cerebral style of Sherlock Holmes but want a shorter, self-contained case. It's also a great entry point if you're curious about early crime fiction. If you like your mysteries fast, clever, and free of gore, The Yellow Crayon will be a delightful, quick read. Just be prepared to look at ordinary objects—like a child's crayon—in a whole new, suspicious light.