The Amateur Cracksman A J Raffles The Gentleman Thief 1

Gentleman thief Raffles is daring, debonair, devilishly handsome-and a first-rate cricketer. In these eight stories, the master burglar indulges his passion for cricket and crime: stealing jewels from a country house, outwitting the law, pilfering from the nouveau riche, and, of course, bowling like a demon-all with the assistance of his plucky sidekick, Bunny. Encouraged by his brother-in-law, Arthur Conan Doyle, to write a series about a public school villain, and influenced by his own experiences at Uppingham, E. W. Hornung created a unique form of crime story, where, in stealing as in sport, it is playing the game that counts, and there is always honor among thieves.

Gentleman thief Raffles is daring, debonair, devilishly handsome-and a first-rate cricketer. In these eight stories, the master burglar indulges his passion for cricket and crime: stealing jewels from a country house, outwitting the law, pilfering from the nouveau riche, and, of course, bowling like a demon-all with the assistance of his plucky sidekick, Bunny. Encouraged by his brother-in-law, Arthur Conan Doyle, to write a series about a public school villain, and influenced by his own experiences at Uppingham, E. W. Hornung created a unique form of crime story, where, in stealing as in sport, it is playing the game that counts, and there is always honor among thieves.

Indulge in the witty exploits of a gentleman thief as he maneuvers through a world of crime, blending charm and mischief in equal measure. The Amateur Cracksman by E. W. Hornung: Step into the thrilling world of crime and adventure with the esteemed author E. W. Hornung in The Amateur Cracksman. This classic collection of tales introduces readers to the charismatic A. J. Raffles, a gentleman thief with a penchant for intrigue and a code of honor that adds layers of complexity to his criminal exploits. Why This Book? The Amateur Cracksman invites readers to follow the daring escapades of A. J. Raffles, a character who defies traditional notions of crime and justice. E. W. Hornung's skillful storytelling and the moral ambiguity of Raffles create a narrative that captivates audiences with its blend of suspense, wit, and unexpected twists. E. W. Hornung, a master of crime fiction, leaves an indelible mark with The Amateur Cracksman. Immerse yourself in the world of gentlemanly crime as Hornung weaves tales that challenge perceptions and introduce readers to a character whose criminal exploits are as intriguing as they are morally complex.

This carefully crafted ebook: "A. J. Raffles, A Gentleman-Thief: 27 Crime Tales in One Volume" is formatted for your eReader with a functional and detailed table of contents. A. J. Raffles is an 'amateur cracksman' and a gentleman-thief who with his wit and ingenuity befools everyone to get what he wants. Raffles is an antihero. Although a thief, he never steals from his hosts, he helps old friends in trouble, and in a subsequent volume he may or may not die on the veldt during the Boer War. Additionally, the recognition of the problems of the distribution of wealth is a recurrent subtext throughout the stories. Raffles is, in many ways, a deliberate inversion of Sherlock Holmes on which he is based – he is a "gentleman thief", living at the Albany, a prestigious address in London, playing cricket for the Gentlemen of England and supporting himself by carrying out ingenious burglaries. He is called the "Amateur Cracksman", and often, at first, differentiates between himself and the "professors" – professional criminals from the lower classes. Content: The Amateur Cracksman The Ides of March A Costume Piece Gentlemen and Players Le Premier Pas Wilful Murder Nine Points of the Law The Return Match The Gift of the Emperor The Black Mask; or, Raffles: Further Adventures No Sinecure A Jubilee Present The Fate of Faustina The Last Laugh To Catch a Thief An Old Flame The Wrong House The Knees of the Gods A Thief in the Night Out of Paradise The Chest of Silver The Rest Cure The Criminologists' Club The Field of Philippi A Bad Night A Trap to Catch a Cracksman The Spoils of Sacrilege The Raffles Relics The Last Word Mr. Justice Raffles E. W. Hornung (1866–1921) was an English author and poet and also brother-in-law to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Hornung is known for writing the A. J. Raffles series about a gentleman thief based on a deliberate inversion of the Sherlock Holmes series. Hornung dedicated his creation as a form of flattery to Doyle.

A. J. Raffles The Gentleman Thief Series contains 26 short stories and one full length novel as follows: The Amateur Cracksman (8 short stories) The Black Mask (8 Short Stories) A Thief in the Night (10 short stories) Mr. Justice Raffles (A Novel) These crime and adventure stories were written by E. W. Hornung. The story centers around A. J. Raffles, who is a cricketer and gentleman thief in late Victoria London. The character of Raffles has been adapted into Raffles television series. Ernest William Hornung (1866 - 1921),known professionally as E. W. Hornung, was a journalist, poet and English writer. His best known writing was the A. J. Raffles series of novels about a gentleman thief in late 19th century London. Born on 7 June 1866 in Middlesbrough, England, he was the youngest son of John Peter Hornung.He married Constance ("Connie") Aimée Monica Doyle (1868-1924), the sister of his friend Sir Arthur Conan Doyle on 27 September 1893.

The Amateur Cracksman was the original short story collection by E. W. Hornung featuring his most famous character, A. J. Raffles, a gentleman thief in late Victorian Great Britain. It was first published in 1899. The book was very well received and spawned three follow-ups: two more short story collections, The Black Mask (1901) and A Thief in the Night (1904), as well as a full-length novel, Mr. Justice Raffles in 1909.[1]

A. J. Raffles is an 'amateur cracksman' and a gentleman-thief who with his wit and ingenuity befools everyone to get what he wants. Raffles is an antihero. Although a thief, he never steals from his hosts, he helps old friends in trouble, and in a subsequent volume he may or may not die on the veldt during the Boer War. Additionally, the recognition of the problems of the distribution of wealth is a recurrent subtext throughout the stories. Raffles is, in many ways, a deliberate inversion of Sherlock Holmes on which he is based – he is a "gentleman thief", living at the Albany, a prestigious address in London, playing cricket for the Gentlemen of England and supporting himself by carrying out ingenious burglaries. He is called the "Amateur Cracksman", and often, at first, differentiates between himself and the "professors" – professional criminals from the lower classes. Content: The Amateur Cracksman The Ides of March A Costume Piece Gentlemen and Players Le Premier Pas Wilful Murder Nine Points of the Law The Return Match The Gift of the Emperor The Black Mask; or, Raffles: Further Adventures No Sinecure A Jubilee Present The Fate of Faustina The Last Laugh To Catch a Thief An Old Flame The Wrong House The Knees of the Gods A Thief in the Night Out of Paradise The Chest of Silver The Rest Cure The Criminologists' Club The Field of Philippi A Bad Night A Trap to Catch a Cracksman The Spoils of Sacrilege The Raffles Relics The Last Word Mr. Justice Raffles E. W. Hornung (1866–1921) was an English author and poet and also brother-in-law to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Hornung is known for writing the A. J. Raffles series about a gentleman thief based on a deliberate inversion of the Sherlock Holmes series. Hornung dedicated his creation as a form of flattery to Doyle. It seems to be an impossible puzzle but it's easy to solve a Rubik' Cube using a few algorithms.

"Raffles: Further Adventures of the Amateur Cracksman" by E. W. Hornung When the reputations of A. J. Raffles and his companion Bunny Manders are ruined, Raffles is assumed to have drowned in the Mediterranean, and Bunny has faced eighteen months in prison and is struggling to get back on his feet. The book contains the tales No Sinecure, A Jubilee Present, The Fate of Faustina, The Last Laugh, To Catch a Thief, An Old Flame, The Wrong House, and The Knees of the Gods which follow their remarkable reunion, and their joint return to crime, though as hardened criminals rather than respectable gentlemen. The stories are in chronological order, yet each is mostly independent and can be read separately.