The Soul Scar: A Craig Kennedy Scientific Mystery Novel

"The Soul Scar: A Craig Kennedy Scientific Mystery Novel" by Arthur B. Reeve is a mystery novel written in the early 20th century. The story revolves around Craig Kennedy, a scientific detective, as he investigates the suspicious death of lawyer Vail Wilford, which initially appears to be a suicide. The narrative intertwines themes of psychical analysis and the complexities of human emotion, particularly as they relate to dreams, as Kennedy delves into the psychological backdrop of the case. The opening of the novel introduces Kennedy in his laboratory, where he is interrupted by Doctor Leslie, who presents the puzzling scenario surrounding Wilford's death. As they uncover the details—a cryptic note left to Wilford's wife, Honora, and traces of poison discovered in glasses at the scene—it becomes clear that Honora has had premonitory dreams about her husband's demise. Through their discussion, the plot begins to explore how dreams can reveal hidden desires and fears, setting the stage for a complex investigation that will merge forensic evidence with psychological insight. As Kennedy steps into the world of Wilford and those connected to him, the groundwork is laid for a nuanced exploration of murder, relationships, and the intricacies of the human psyche. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Arthur Benjamin Reeve was an American mystery writer. He is known best for creating the series character Professor Craig Kennedy, sometimes called "The American Sherlock Holmes", and Kennedy's Dr. Watson-like sidekick Walter Jameson, a newspaper reporter, for 18 detective novels. Reeve is famous mostly for the 82 Craig Kennedy stories, published in Cosmopolitan magazine between 1910 and 1918. These were collected in book form; with the third collection, the short stories were published grouped together as episodic novels. The 12-volume publication Craig Kennedy Stories was released during 1918; it reissued Reeve's books-to-date as a matched set.