"Whoever sees only the smiling side of life sees only part of life."

Step into the dualities of the human soul with Robert Barr’s 1894 masterpiece, a collection of twenty-four stories that bridge the gap between Victorian morality and modern cynicism. In The Face and the Mask, the "face" society demands rarely matches the "mask" that reality forces us to wear.

From the fog-choked streets of London to the anarchist cells of Paris, these narratives explore the anxieties of a world on the brink of a new century:

The Great Pegram Mystery: A brilliant, sharp-witted satire of the Sherlock Holmes phenomenon, featuring the deductive antics of Sherlaw Kombs.

The Doom of London: A haunting precursor to ecological science fiction, predicting a suffocating catastrophe in the heart of the British Empire.

The Chemistry of Anarchy: A high-stakes exploration of technological ethics, explosives, and political extremism.

The Gambling Underworld: Gritty, proto-noir tales of risk and ruin featuring recurring characters Pony Rowell and the empathetic Mellish.

About the Author & Work

Barr, a contemporary and close friend of Arthur Conan Doyle and co-founder of The Idler with Jerome K. Jerome, delivers a masterclass in the "ironic twist."

Whether you are seeking a character-driven mystery for a rainy weekend or a deep dive into the historical anxieties of the industrial age, this anthology remains a vital artifact of the late 19th-century literary landscape.

Perfect for fans of classic British mysteries and early speculative thrillers.

Rediscover a forgotten master of suspense today.

Sarah Hazin

Voice

Published audiobooks