Classic American Crime Writing of the 1920s—including House Without a Key, The Benson Murder Case, The Tower Treasure, The Roman Hat Mystery, The Tower Treasure, and Little Caesar—offers some of the very best of that decade’s writing. Earl Derr Biggers wrote about Charlie Chan, a Chinese-American detective, at a time when racism was rampant. S. S. Van Dine invented Philo Vance, an effete, rich amateur psychologist who flourished while America danced and the stock market rose. Edwin Stratemeyer, a man of mystery himself, singlehandedly created the juvenile mystery, with the beloved Hardy Boys series. The quintessential American detective Ellery Queen leapt onto the stage, to remain popular for fifty years. W. R. Burnett, created the indelible character of Rico, the first gangster antihero. Each of the five novels included is presented in its original published form, with extensive historical and cultural annotations and illustrations added by Edgar-winning editor Leslie S. Klinger, allowing the reader to experience the story to its fullest. Klinger's detailed foreword gives an overview of the history of American crime writing from its beginnings in the early years of America to the twentieth century.
"This 1958 Edgar Award winner for best novel from Lacy (1911–1968) masterfully combines a classic genre trope with a powerful depiction of the impact of racism in 1950s America."— Publishers Weekly, Starred Review "Though private investigators were the most popular figures in crime writing, especially in the work of Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, Ellery Queen, and Rex Stout, no one had created a Black hard-boiled private eye in a noir setting until Ed Lacy's Room to Swing."—Leslie Klinger, from Introduction College-educated and decorated war-veteran Toussaint Moore, finds that his employment options are limited as a Black man in 1950s America. With little choice, he seeks out a living as a private eye, serving Black clients in his hometown of Harlem. When hired by the television producers of a reality show called "You—Detective!" Touie must keep tabs on the whereabouts of an accused child molester. While waiting for the episode to air, Touie finds the man murdered and becomes the prime suspect in the investigation. Forced to flee, he goes to a small Ohio town where the deceased was wanted for his crime. "Lacy asks whether a Black man (in the late fifties) can go everywhere he needs to, with the freedom his job requires, in order to conduct the investigation necessary to crack a case."—Criminal Element
"Nobody" by Louis Joseph Vance is as adventure novel that takes readers on a high-stakes journey full of crime and chaos. A burglary that doesn't go according to plan, aliases, fraud, false witnesses, and a Machiavellian plot to do whatever it takes to make things turn out alright, in the end, are just some of the themes that continue to make this tale an exciting and action-packed romp for readers.
100 American Crime Writers features discussion and analysis of the lives of crime writers and their key works, examining the developments in American crime writing from the Golden Age to hardboiled detective fiction. This study is essential to scholars and an ideal introduction to crime fiction for anyone who enjoys this fascinating genre.
Manfred, the lord of the castle of Otranto, has long lived in dread of an ancient prophecy: it's foretold that when his family line ends, the true owner of the castle will appear and claim it. In a desperate bid to keep the castle, Manfred plans to coerce a young woman named Isabella into marrying him. Isabella refuses to yield to Manfred's reprehensible plan. But once she escapes into the depths of the castle, it becomes clear that Manfred isn't the only threat. As Isabelle loses herself in the seemingly endless hallways below, voices reverberate from the walls and specters wander through the dungeons. Otranto appears to be alive, and it's seeking revenge for the sins of the past.
At the height if his popularity, S.S. Vane Dine pens a locked-room mystery with a lethal dose of sex and sin where infamous actress, "The Canary," is murdered in her cage after a passionate night with her lover. Margaret Odell, the famous Broadway beauty and ex-Follies girl known as "The Canary", is found murdered in her ransacked apartment, her jewelry stolen. It appears to be a robbery gone wrong, but the police can find no physical evidence to pinpoint a culprit. No one witnessed anyone entering or leaving, and the only unwatched entrance to the apartment building was bolted from the inside. Who could have killed the Canary in her locked cage? Margaret was seeing a number of men, ranging from high society gentleman to ruthless gangsters, and more than one man visited her apartment on the night she died.
Get thousands of facts at your fingertips with this essential resource. The World Almanac® and Book of Facts is America’s best-selling reference book of all time, with more than 82 million copies sold. For more than 150 years, this compendium of information has been the authoritative source for all your entertainment, reference, and learning needs. The 2020 edition of The World Almanac reviews the biggest events of 2019 and will be your go-to source for questions on any topic in the upcoming year. Praised as a “treasure trove of political, economic, scientific and educational statistics and information” by The Wall Street Journal, The World Almanac and Book of Facts will answer all of your trivia needs effortlessly—from history and sports to geography, pop culture, and much more. Features include: Decade in Review: As the ‘teens’ decade closes, take a look at the highlights, low points, and everything-in-between of the past 10 years. From the introduction of Obamacare and iPads in 2010 to “Old Town Road” and the immigration policy debate in 2019, The World Almanac provides a recap of events and puts into perspective just how much has—and hasn’t—changed in the last 10 years. 2020 Election Preview: The World Almanac provides a comprehensive look at the entire 2020 election process, including a calendar of state primaries and caucuses. Also includes 2019 election results for governors’ seats and special congressional elections. World Almanac Editors’ Picks: Never Say Die: With Tiger Woods achieving the seemingly impossible in 2019 with his 15th major title—his first Masters win in 14 years—the editors list their favorite major comeback moments from athletes across the sports universe. The World at a Glance: This annual feature of The World Almanac provides a quick look at the surprising stats and curious facts that define the changing world. Statistical Spotlight: A popular annual graphic feature highlights statistics relevant to the biggest news of the year. These data visualizations provide important context and new perspectives to give readers a fresh angle on key issues. The Year in Review: The World Almanac takes a look back at 2019 while providing all the information you'll need in 2020. 2019—Top 10 News Topics: The editors of The World Almanac list the top stories that held the world's attention in 2019. 2019—Year in Sports: Hundreds of pages of trivia and statistics that are essential for any sports fan, featuring coverage of the women’s World Cup soccer tournament; a preview of the upcoming 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan; the World Series, improved MLB player stats, and much more. 2019—Year in Pictures: Striking full-color images from around the world in 2019, covering news, entertainment, science, and sports. 2019—Offbeat News Stories: The World Almanac editors select some of the most unusual news stories of the year. World Almanac Editors' Picks: Time Capsule: The World Almanac lists the items that most came to symbolize the year 2019, from news and sports to pop culture. New Sections: Reorganized chapters on “Food and Agriculture,” “Educational Statistics,” and “Colleges and Universities” make it easier to find information about subjects like nutrition, student loans, a directory of colleges, and much more. Other New Highlights: New statistics on income tax reform, top-grossing movies, biggest YouTube channels, religious populations in the U.S. and worldwide, and much more.
The essential literary collection of H. P. Lovecraft’s ten finest short stories, from the celebrated editor of the two-volume New Annotated H. P. Lovecraft. An indispensable collection of the best of one of literature’s “most critically fascinating and yet enigmatic figures” (Alan Moore), featuring H. P. Lovecraft’s most bone-chilling tales, including: “Dagon”, “The Outsider”, “The Music of Erich Zann”, “The Rats in the Walls”, “The Call of Cthulhu", “The Colour Out of Space”, “The Dunwich Horror”, “The Shadow over Innsmouth”, “The Shadow Out of Time” and “The Haunter of the Dark”. Though he died an unknown, dejected pulp-magazine writer in 1937, Howard Phillips Lovecraft is now considered the first great “genius of weird fiction” (Peter Straub). There is no better guide through the peculiarities of his universe than Leslie S. Klinger, whose work as annotator of the “exciting and definitive” (Danielle Trussoni, New York Times Book Review) New Annotated H. P. Lovecraft has proven him a leading Lovecraft scholar. Keenly aware of the author’s inspiration of “dozens—hundreds—of stories written by others playing in [his] galactic sandbox,” Klinger now presents this essential reader’s edition for both fanatics and newcomers to the canon. Equipped with explanatory annotations and sharp historical insight, this highly accessible?collection features Lovecraft’s ten most profound and unnerving short stories. From the early tale “Dagon” to the mature and sprawling “The Haunter of the Dark,” these expertly curated stories built a Lovecraftian sense of dread that has reverberated in the world of horror literature for generations: that all of us are “outsiders” in the universe.
