Doctor Syn: A Smuggler Tale of Romney Marsh conjures the windswept, treacherous flats of Kent, where clandestine trade collides with royal law. At its center stands Doctor Syn, the outwardly decorous vicar of Dymchurch, whose double-edged vocation threads piety with peril and local loyalty with outlawry. Thorndike blends melodramatic flourish with brisk, swashbuckling set pieces and a strong sense of place, marrying regional folklore to the late Victorian–Edwardian adventure tradition revived after Stevenson, to produce a tale both atmospheric and fleet. Arthur Russell Thorndike, a Kent-born actor turned novelist, wrote with a performer's ear for cadence and spectacle. Raised within the cathedral precincts at Rochester and long acquainted with Marsh lore, he channels ecclesiastical nuance and coastal custom into the paradox of a clerical protagonist who navigates secrecy and command. First published in 1915, the book reflects his theatrical instincts—masks, aliases, and crowd choreography—tempered by a regional historian's eye for tides, dykes, and parish economies. Recommended to readers of Stevenson and lovers of coastal historical fiction, this novel rewards anyone interested in the cultural ecology of smuggling and the ethics of communal resistance. It is both a rousing entertainment and a shrewd meditation on identity and law. Quickie Classics summarizes timeless works with precision, preserving the author's voice and keeping the prose clear, fast, and readable—distilled, never diluted. Enriched Edition extras: Introduction · Synopsis · Historical Context · Brief Analysis · 4 Reflection Q&As · Editorial Footnotes.