The Silent Bullet

The Silent Bullet is a collection of 12 detective short stories by Arthur B. Reeve, featuring Craig Kennedy and Walter Jameson—the American Holmes and Watson. Excerpt from the book: 'It has always seemed strange to me that no one has ever endowed a professorship in criminal science in any of our large universities.' 'Why should there be a chair in criminal science?' I remarked argumentatively, settling back in my chair. 'I've done my turn at police headquarters reporting, and I can tell you, Craig, it's no place for a college professor. Crime is just crime. And as for dealing with it, the good detective is born and bred to it. College professors for the sociology of the thing, yes; for the detection of it, give me a Byrnes.' 'On the contrary,' replied Kennedy, 'there is a distinct place for science in the detection of crime. On the Continent they are far in advance of us in that respect. We are mere children beside a dozen crime-specialists in Paris, whom I could name.'