Mystery and Crime Crofts, Freeman Wills: THE PIT PROP SYNDICATE. V1. 2 Jan 2003

[crutledge]

Freeman Wills Crofts (June 1, 1879 Dublin - April 11, 1957 Worthing) was an Irish-English mystery author, one of the 'Big Four' of the Golden Age of Detective Fiction.
Freeman Wills Crofts was born in Dublin and worked in railway engineering. He wrote detective fiction in his spare time until his move to England. Thereafter he wrote full time. To his plots he brought a mind trained in mathematics, specialising in the seemingly unbreakable alibi and transport timetables. His best-known character is Inspector Joseph French. French achieves his results through dogged persistence. Raymond Chandler praised Crofts' plots, calling him 'the soundest builder of them all'.

At all events he was not going to do any spying if that was what Hilliard wanted for he did not for a moment accept that smuggling theory.