Martin Hewitt is called in to investigate the mystery surrounding Charles Laker, a clerk who has vanished with £15,000 of his bank's money. All the evidence suggests he has bolted to the continent, but he may have left a false trail. Can Hewitt trace his steps, track him down and recover the cash? Story begins at 00:01:18

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00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:18 The Case of Laker, Absconded
01:01:36 Credits, thanks and further listening

Arthur Morrison (1863–1945) was a journalist and author who made his name with realistic portrayals of English working class life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, typified by his most famous novel, 'A Child of the Jago' (1896). In addition, he composed numerous short stories for periodical publication between 1891 and 1913, with themes ranging from horror and the supernatural to detective tales. In the latter genre he created two popular contemporary "rivals of Sherlock Holmes", Martin Hewitt and Horace Dorrington.

Morrison was born in Poplar, in the east end of London, into a working class family. His father, a dock worker, died of tuberculosis when Arthur was eight. He began his career as an office boy at the London School Board and gradually worked his way up through the ranks of various publications, first as a clerk and eventually as a journalist and editor. He married Elizabeth Thatcher in 1892, and their son Guy was born the following year.

Morrison's detective character Martin Hewitt first appeared in The Strand Magazine just weeks after Conan Doyle apparently killed off Sherlock Holmes in 'The Final Problem', beginning with 'The Lenton Croft Robberies' in March 1894. Morrison was initially uncredited as the author, although his name was finally printed at the end of the series. The stories were illustrated by Sidney Paget, who had illustrated all the Holmes adventures for The Strand.

Hewitt was deliberately conceived by Morrison as a more realistic contrast to the "superman" figure of Holmes: he's workmanlike, practical and down to earth. That first series featured monthly in The Strand until September 1894; they were then collected in book form under the title 'Martin Hewitt, Investigator'. Two subsequent series of adventures featuring Hewitt appeared in The Windsor Magazine in 1895 and 1896, with a fourth and final series appearing in 'The London Magazine' in 1902–03. The stories are narrated by Hewitt's friend (and sometimes companion) Brett, a lawyer-turned-journalist. However, Brett is a far less active participant in the narrative than Dr. Watson, often not appearing at all in the story himself, merely relating events in the third person. In 'The Case of Laker, Absconded', Brett only makes a brief direct appearance mid-way through the story, before Hewitt explains all to him at the end.

Morrison's second detective character, Horace Dorrington, made his debut in The Windsor Magazine in January 1897, in 'The Dorrington Deed Box'. Dorrington is another unusual detective: described as "deeply corrupt" and a "lower class answer to Sherlock Holmes", he blurs the lines of the law, never afraid to resort to blackmail, burglary or fraud to achieve his results.

In addition to his career as a successful author of fiction, Morrison was also a collector of Japanese artwork, publishing a noted book and several articles on the subject. On his death his collection of Japanese paintings, prints and ceramics was left to the British Museum, his son Guy having pre-deceased him.

'The Case of Laker, Absconded' formed part of the second series of Martin Hewitt stories and first appeared in The Windsor Magazine in May 1895. It was later published in book form as part of the second volume of collected stories, 'The Chronicles of Martin Hewitt' (1896).

The image on the title card incorporates a photograph (c.1895) of the Bank of England and Royal Exchange buildings at the junction of Threadneedle Street and Cornhill, in the heart of the City of London.

Recording © Bitesized Audio 2024