The Stolen Rubens by Jacques Futrelle

When a priceless Rubens painting vanishes from a tightly secured gallery, Professor Augustus S.F.X. Van Dusen—"The Thinking Machine"—is called to crack the case. He uses logic and deduction to unravel how the theft was executed and where the painting has gone. The plot moves briskly through interviews, puzzles, and traps set by an unseen criminal. A clever and precise mystery solved with sheer intellect. A classic story of brain over brute force.