Audiobook · read by volunteers
Raffles, Further Adventures of the Amateur Cracksman
E. W. Hornung (1866–1921)
Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021) · 15 chapters · 5 h 39
About the book
A. J. Raffles is a gentleman, a first-class cricketer and the most elegant burglar in London, and his faithful friend Bunny is once again at his side. Fresh from prison and short of options, Bunny is drawn back into the company of the man he admires and cannot refuse. Together they plan daring raids on the houses of the wealthy, slipping out of drawing rooms and into trouble, with scrapes, close calls and narrow escapes along the way. E. W. Hornung writes with wit and style, and the stories are narrated by Bunny in a voice that is loyal, anxious and entertaining. This second collection of Raffles tales moves briskly from one clever scheme to the next. It is a delightful mix of crime, comedy and Edwardian charm.
Introduction
Ernest William Hornung (1866-1921) was an English author who is remembered above all for his stories of A. J. Raffles, the gentleman thief. He was the brother-in-law of Arthur Conan Doyle, and the Raffles tales are often described as a mirror image of the Sherlock Holmes stories: Bunny, the narrator, plays a Watson-like part, but the hero is a criminal rather than a detective.
Raffles, Further Adventures of the Amateur Cracksman, also published under the title The Black Mask, appeared in 1901. It is the second collection in the series, following the first book, The Amateur Cracksman. Bunny, having served his time after the events that closed the earlier volume, tries to adjust to life, but the pull of his charismatic friend proves hard to resist.
Hornung's strength lies in the way he combines the pleasures of the crime story with a rather ambiguous moral atmosphere. Raffles is charming, resourceful and utterly without scruple, and Bunny's loyalty is both touching and troubling. The stories are fast, funny and well crafted, and they offer a lively picture of the clubs, country houses and London streets of the period.
The recording has fifteen chapters and lasts a little under six hours, read by a LibriVox volunteer. It will appeal to anyone who enjoys classic crime fiction with a light touch. Listeners who have not read the first collection need not worry: each story can be enjoyed on its own, and the relationship between the two friends is explained as it goes. If you like a rogue with good manners, this is your book, and an entertaining way to spend an afternoon.
Public domain
E. W. Hornung died in 1921: the work is in the public domain in Switzerland, more than 70 years after the author’s death.
The LibriVox volunteers dedicated this recording to the public domain.
Sources : LibriVox page · Files at the Internet Archive · Original text