The Stowmarket Mystery is a mystery novel written by Louis Tracy and first published in the United States in 1904 (it was published a year earlier in England).

The novel introduces us to Reginald Brett, a lawyer by profession but an amateur detective. Reginald is a keen investigator who works alongside Inspector Winter.

Both take notice of the David Hume-Frazer case. This man was accused of the murder of his cousin but was acquitted when no conclusive evidence was found. However, the shadow of suspicion haunts David and affects his personal relationships and the wedding with his fiancée.

The story begins with Frank and Joe Hardy barely avoiding being hit by a speeding driver, who they notice has bright red hair. Later, this same red-haired driver attempts a ferry boat ticket office robbery and successfully steals a yellow jalopy called Queen from the Hardys’ friend, Chet Morton. Due to one witness reporting that the villain had dark hair, the Hardys assume he is using a red wig. It is learned that the thief returned to Chet’s home to steal a tire, helping Frank and Joe to find Queen abandoned in a public wooded area