A Century of Detection

Twenty Great Mystery Stories, 1841–1940

$39.95

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SKU: 9780786446506 Categories: , , , ,

About the Book

Designed for mystery lovers as well as professors and students in college courses devoted to detective fiction, this anthology features classic texts, pivotal works by lesser-known authors, and unknown gems by major writers not typically associated with the genre.
Providing a chronological and thematic survey of the first 100 years of detection, this volume includes stories by Edgar Allan Poe, Wilkie Collins, Mark Twain, Arthur Conan Doyle, Bret Harte, G.K. Chesterton, Mary Wilkins Freeman, Anna Katharine Green, Baroness Orzcy, Susan Glaspell, Carroll John Daly, Dashiell Hammett, Cornell Woolrich, Pauline Hopkins, Chester Himes and Ralph Ellison.
Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.

About the Author(s)

John Cullen Gruesser is a professor of English at Kean University and has published broadly on detective fiction.

Bibliographic Details

Edited by John Cullen Gruesser
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 378
Bibliographic Info: 6 photos, bibliography
Copyright Date: 2010
pISBN: 978-0-7864-4650-6
eISBN: 978-0-7864-5774-8
Imprint: McFarland

Table of Contents

Preface      1

Introduction      3

THE INVENTION OF MODERN DETECTION

EDGAR ALLAN POE      13

The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe      14

The Purloined Letter by Edgar Allan Poe      42

The Gold-Bug by Edgar Allan Poe      57

VARIATIONS ON POE, EXPANSIONS TO THE FORM

WILKIE COLLINS      87

Who Is the Thief? by Wilkie Collins      87

MARK TWAIN      109

The Stolen White Elephant by Mark Twain      110

G. K. CHESTERTON      126

The Blue Cross by G. K. Chesterton      126

THE WORLD’S MOST CELEBRATED DETECTIVE

ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE      143

A Scandal in Bohemia by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle      143

The Adventure of the Speckled Band

by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle      163

The Adventure of the Final Problem

by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle      183

BRET HARTE      198

The Stolen Cigar Case by Bret Harte      198

GENDER, SEXUALITY, AND DETECTION

MARY WILKINS FREEMAN      209

The Long Arm by Mary Wilkins Freeman      209

BARONESS ORCZY      233

The Ninescore Mystery by Baroness Orczy      233

ANNA KATHARINE GREEN      248

Missing: Page Thirteen by Anna Katharine Green      249

SUSAN GLASPELL      276

A Jury of Her Peers by Susan Glaspell      277

TOUGH GUYS

CARROLL JOHN DALY      297

The False Burton Combs by Carroll John Daly      298

DASHIELL HAMMETT      318

The Road Home by Dashiell Hammett      319

CORNELL WOOLRICH      322

Murder at the Automat by Cornell Woolrich      323

RACE AND DETECTION

PAULINE ELIZABETH HOPKINS      341

Talma Gordon by Pauline Hopkins      342

CHESTER HIMES      355

He Knew by Chester Himes      355

RALPH ELLISON      360

The Birthmark by Ralph Ellison      361

Suggested Reading      367

Book Reviews & Awards

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