The Doctor of Pimlico

The Doctor of Pimlico (1919) is a mystery novel by Anglo-French writer William Le Queux. Published at the height of Le Queux’s career as a leading author of popular thrillers, The Doctor of Pimlico is a story of mystery, idolization, and international crime. Using his own research and experience as a journalist and adventurer, Le Queux crafts an accessible, entertaining tale for readers in search of a literary escape. Known for his works of fiction and nonfiction on the possibility of Germany invading Britain-a paranoia common in the early twentieth century-William Le Queux also wrote dozens of thrillers and adventure novels for a dedicated public audience. Although critical acclaim eluded him, popular success made him one of England’s bestselling writers. In The Doctor of Pimlico, a writer befriends a retired General whose legendary career consisted of expeditions in Egypt, Afghanistan, Burma, and France. Walter Fetherston, an internationally renowned mystery novelist with a reputation for cosmopolitan excess, meets and immediately falls in love with General Sir Hugh Elcombe’s daughter, the beautiful Enid Orlebar. Hoping for marriage, Fetherston has his dreams disrupted when a newcomer to the General’s social circle proves to have a strange and nefarious influence on those around him. Dr. Weirmarsh, a surgeon based in London, possesses a hypnotic personality and seems to hold considerable sway over the lives of the General and Enid. Looking for answers, Fetherston uses his skill as a mystery writer to play the part of the detective, traveling across Europe in an effort to uncover the doctor’s murky past. What he finds is more shocking, and much more extensive, than he could ever have imagined. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of William Le Queux’s The Doctor of Pimlico is a classic mystery novel reimagined for modern readers.