| Dr. Priestley's Quest | |
| Author: | John Rhode |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Language: | English |
| Series: | Lancelot Priestley |
| Genre: | Detective |
| Publisher: | Geoffrey Bles |
| Release Date: | 1926 |
| Media Type: | |
| Preceded By: | The Paddington Mystery |
| Followed By: | The Ellerby Case |
Dr. Priestley's Quest is a 1926 detective novel by John Rhode, the pen name of the British writer Cecil Street.[1] It was the second appearance of the armchair detective Lancelot Priestley, who featured in a long-running series of novels during the Golden Age of Detective Fiction.[2] It has been described as the first major detective novel by the author.[3] In its relationship between Priestley and his secretary and future son-in-law Harold Merefield is shown the influence of Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes and Watson.[4] Similarly, Inspector Hanslet of Scotland Yard fulfils a similar role to that of Lestrade.
Austin Heatherdale is killed on a lonely in what appears to be a casual robbery. However his brother Gerald demonstrates to Priestley that he believes the attack was pre-meditated and fears for his own safety. When he also then dies Priestley sets out to solve the murders of the Heatherdale brothers using pure logic.