The first full-length study of its type highlighting over 400 British literary detectives, many famous through their film and TV adaptations. Using essays to highlight different types of detectives and focusing on some of the more famous such as Sherlock Holmes and Inspector Morse, popular crime fiction writer and former President of Britain's Crime Writers Association, Russell James celebrates the role of the detective in British fiction. Illustrations include original film posters and first edition covers from classic detective fiction. Future books by Russell James in this series will include Great British Fictional Villains and US Fictional Detectives and Villains.
A rollicking look at popular culture’s most beloved sleuth: “For even the casual fan, the history of this deathless character is fascinating” (The Boston Globe). Today he is the inspiration for fiction adaptations, blockbuster movies, hit television shows, raucous Twitter banter, and thriving subcultures. More than a century after Sherlock Holmes first capered into our world, what is it about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s peculiar creation that continues to fascinate us? Journalist and lifelong Sherlock fan Zach Dundas set out to find the answer. The result is The Great Detective: a history of an idea, a biography of someone who never lived, a tour of the borderland between reality and fiction, and a joyful romp through the world Conan Doyle bequeathed us. In this “wonderful book” (Booklist, starred review), Dundas unearths the inspirations behind Holmes and his indispensable companion, Dr. John Watson; explores how they have been kept alive over the decades by writers, actors, and readers; and visits locales—from the boozy annual New York City gathering of one of the world’s oldest and most exclusive Sherlock Holmes fan societies; to a freezing Devon heath out of The Hound of the Baskervilles; to sunny Pasadena, where Dundas chats with the creators of the smash BBC series Sherlock. Along the way, he discovers the ingredients that have made Holmes go viral—then, now, and as long as the game’s afoot.
This book examines the developments in British serial detective fiction which took place in the seven years when Sherlock Holmes was dead. In December 1893, at the height of Sherlock’s popularity with the Strand Magazine’s worldwide readership, Arthur Conan Doyle killed off his detective. At the time, he firmly believed that Holmes would not be resurrected. This book introduces and showcases a range of Sherlock’s most fascinating successors, exploring the ways in which a huge range of popular magazines and newspapers clamoured to ensnare Sherlock’s bereft fans. The book’s case-study format examines a range of detective series-- created by L.T. Meade; C.L. Pirkis; Arthur Morrison; Fergus Hume; Richard Marsh; Kate and Vernon Hesketh-Prichard— that filled the pages of a variety of periodicals, from plush monthly magazines to cheap newspapers, in the years while Sherlock was dead. Readers will be introduced to an array of detectives—professional and amateur, male and female, old and young; among them a pawn-shop worker, a scientist, a British aristocrat, a ghost-hunter. The study of these series shows that there was life after Sherlock and proves that there is much to learn about the development of the detective genre from the successors to Sherlock Holmes. “In this brilliant, incisive study of late Victorian detective fiction, Clarke emphatically shows us there is life beyond Sherlock Holmes. Rich in contextual detail and with her customary eye for the intricacies of publishing history, Clarke’s wonderfully accessible book brings to the fore a collection of hitherto neglected writers simultaneously made possible but pushed to the margins by Conan Doyle’s most famous creation.” — Andrew Pepper,, Senior Lecturer in English and American Literature, Queen's University, Belfast Professor Clarke's superb new book, British Detective : The Successors to Sherlock Holmes, is required reading for anyone interested in Victorian crime and detective fiction. Building on her award-winning first monograph, Late-Victorian Crime Fiction in the Shadows of Sherlock, Dr. Clarke further explores the history of serial detective fiction published after the "death" of Conan Doyle's famous detective in 1893. This is a path-breaking book that advances scholarship in the field of late-Victorian detective fiction while at the same time introducing non-specialist readers to a treasure trove of stories that indeed rival the Sherlock Holmes series in their ability to puzzle and entertain the most discerning reader. — Alexis Easley, Professor of English, University of St.Paul, Minnesota
Christmas time can be murder… A suburban housewife is found dead in her garden. There is no weapon, no witnesses, and the only set of footprints belong to her cat. Probationary detective Kay Hunter and her colleagues are convinced it’s murder – but how can they find a killer when there are no clues? Blood on Snow forms part of the Case Files series of short crime stories from USA Today bestselling author Rachel Amphlett. Police procedural,british detective,female detective,women sleuths,mystery series,serial killer,murder mystery,short story,short stories,murder mysteries,Christmas mystery,cozy mystery,cosy mystery
THE GREAT BRITISH DETECTIVES boxed set is an unparalleled collection that spans the rich tapestry of early twentieth-century British detective literature. Curated to showcase the diversity of narrative techniques, settings, and characters, this anthology embarks on a thrilling journey through the fog-laden streets of London to the country's quaint villages, encapsulating the golden age of detective fiction. The assortment includes seminal works that have shaped the genre, blending intellectual puzzles with suspenseful storytelling, and features contributions from literary titans to hidden gems. The thematic cohesion around mystery and intrigue is brilliantly executed, offering readers an exhaustive exploration of the detective genre's evolution. The authors represented in this collectionamong them Arthur Conan Doyle, G. K. Chesterton, and Edgar Wallacebring together a wealth of literary experience and accolades. Their backgrounds, ranging from journalism to medicine, have informed their storytelling, infusing their narratives with authenticity and complexity. This anthology situates itself within significant literary and cultural movements, reflecting societal anxieties and the universal quest for truth and justice. These narratives not only entertain but also offer intriguing insights into the zeitgeist of early 20th-century Britain. For aficionados of detective stories, THE GREAT BRITISH DETECTIVES boxed set opens a veritable treasure chest of narrative riches. The volume is an indispensable addition to the libraries of those keen to immerse themselves in the intrigue and intellect of classic detective literature. It stands as a testament to the enduring appeal of the genre, inviting readers on a journey of discovery through the minds of its most gifted architects. This collection is not merely a historical artifact; it is a vibrant conversation across generations, inviting reflection on the timeless themes of morality, law, and the human condition.
Written in 1864, this novel set in London depicts Victorian women under a new light thanks to "the initiative in works of progress" of the times, that challenged what was considered not to be "a woman's work". In this novel the English police started employing women in their task force as undercover detectives. Here in the Victorian London we meet Mrs. Paschal, a widow in financial trouble, who "verging upon forty" reinvented herself and "became one of the much-dreaded, but little-known people called Female Detectives". Under cover she bravely chases thieves to secret vaults full of gold, spies on an Italian secret society, solves crimes and rescues the day.
"Genuinely fascinating reading."—The New York Times Book Review "Diverting and patently authoritative."—The New Yorker "Grand and fascinating … a history, a compendium and a critical study all in one, and all first rate."—Rex Stout "A landmark … a brilliant study written with charm and authority."—Ellery Queen "This book is of permanent value. It should be on the shelf of every reader of detective stories."—Erle Stanley Gardner Author Howard Haycraft, an expert in detective fiction, traces the genre's development from the 1840s through the 1940s. Along the way, he charts the innovations of Edgar Allan Poe, Wilkie Collins, and Arthur Conan Doyle, as well as the modern influence of George Simenon, Josephine Tey, and others. Additional topics include a survey of the critical literature, a detective story quiz, and a Who's Who in Detection.
Source documents compiled by insurance investigator Ralph Henderson are used to build a case against Baron "R___", who is suspected of murdering his wife. The baron's wife died from drinking a bottle of acid, apparently while sleepwalking in her husband's private laboratory. Henderson's suspicions are raised when he learns that the baron recently had purchased five life insurance policies for his wife. As Henderson investigates the case, he discovers not one but three murders. Although the baron's guilt is clear to the reader even from the outset, how he did it remains a mystery. Eventually this is revealed, but how to catch him becomes the final challenge; he seems to have committed the perfect crime.
The world-famous locked-room mystery from a master of detective fiction A frightful act of malice committed in Paris: the dastardly attempted assassination of the daughter of a famed scientist who was working late in his laboratory with an assistant when the attack took place in the adjacent room. A locked chamber, windows barred, no one hiding inside. The poor young lady unconscious, covered with blood, violent marks on her throat and a wound at her temple. The scientist’s revolver removed from its cabinet and sealed in the room with her. The only trace of her assailant is a large, bloody handprint on the wall. At a loss, the chief of the Sûreté telegraphs for the famous detective Frédéric Larsan to be assigned to the seemingly unsolvable case. A genre-defining novel, The Mystery of the Yellow Room follows the investigation step by step, with thorough descriptions of the crime scene to allow the reader access to the same opaque clues to the crime that the detectives have. This ebook features a new introduction by Otto Penzler and has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
