The Four Feathers by A. E. W. Mason
Alfred Edward Woodley Mason (7 May 1865 Dulwich, London - 22 November 1948 London) was a British author and politician, writing under the name A. E. W. Mason. He studied at Dulwich College and graduated from Trinity College, Oxford in 1888. He was elected as a Liberal Member of Parliament in the 1906 general election. Mason served in the First World War, being promoted to Captain in 1914. His military career included work in naval intelligence, serving in Spain and Mexico, where he set up counter-espionage networks on behalf of the British government. Mason was the author of more than 20 books, including At The Villa Rose (1910), a mystery novel in which he introduced his French detective, Inspector Hanaud. His best-known book is The Four Feathers, which has been made into several films. Many consider it his masterpiece.
