The Man Who Was Thursday

Seven anarchists. Seven disguises. One impossible mystery. 

Dive into a newly restored edition of G. K. Chesterton’s surreal masterpiece—one of the strangest and most enduring detective novels ever written. 

A century before modern conspiracy thrillers, G. K. Chesterton created a dazzling nightmare of secret societies, shifting identities, and grand questions. 

First published in 1908, The Man Who Was Thursday is a dazzling blend of espionage thriller, satire, and philosophical mystery. The story follows Gabriel Syme, recruited by Scotland Yard to infiltrate a secret council of anarchists whose members are each named for a day of the week. What begins as a clever undercover mission soon spirals into a bewildering chase of disguises, reversals, and deeper questions about order, chaos, and the nature of evil. 

A precursor to the modern speculative thriller, Chesterton’s novel has fascinated readers for more than a century. This fine new edition presents a carefully prepared text and includes a new foreword by Steve Ruskin, offering fresh insight into one of the most imaginative works of early twentieth-century literature. Read what a member of the Chesterton society once called “A great way to start an argument.”