Diagnosis: Impossible

by Dr. Sam Hawthorne

Diagnosis: Impossible – The Problems of Dr. Sam Hawthorne is a 1996 collection of twelve short mystery stories by Edward D. Hoch. Set in the fictional New England town of Northmont, Connecticut during the 1920s‑1930s, the tales follow country doctor Sam Hawthorne as he solves a series of seemingly impossible crimes—locked rooms, sealed time capsules, a horse‑and‑buggy that vanishes inside a covered bridge, and other baffling puzzles. Each story offers fair‑play clues that let readers try to crack the case alongside Hawthorne and his skeptical friend Sheriff Lens. The volume includes an introduction by Hoch and a chronology and bibliography of the Sam Hawthorne series compiled by Marvin Lachman.