The News

Web Site Showcases
American Detective Fiction

Posting all Detective Fiction
Prior to Conan Doyle

Fully Searchable

The mission of the Westminster Detective Library to catalog and make available online all the short fiction dealing with detectives and detection published in the United States before Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “A Scandal in Bohemia” (1891).

This site grew out of research for the anthology Early American Detective Stories (McFarland 2008) that I edited with my mentor and colleague LeRoy Lad Panek (1943-2021), winner of two Edgar awards for his contributions to the scholarly field of detective criticism. We uncovered a treasure-trove of forgotten and previously unavailable detective stories, many more than could be included in a single anthology. And so this on-going project was born.

The site includes a working bibliography; full-text copy of entries are added as they are prepared. A few stories that were published in Britain but which appear to have been previously published in America have also been included and are indicated by an asterisk in the bibliography. I welcome comments and solicit both additional bibliographical entries and texts.

Mary M. Bendel-Simso, editor

Select Story

The Mansion of Mysteries

by Amy Randolph

“Really,” said old Major Dedbrook, “I am not one that believes in meddling in his neighbor’s affairs—not as a general rule, at least—”

“Certainly not,” said Dr. Purpledown, solemnly taking snuff, and indulging himself with the mildest of sneezes.

“But,” resumed the major, “there are times when one owes a duty to our common humanity. There are seasons, Purpledown, when all frivolous form and ceremony should be laid aside!”

“Of course,” nodded Dr. Purpledown, secretly wondering whither all these remarks tended.

“And that is the reason I sent for you today,” added Major Dedbrook.

“Exactly,” said the doctor, more inwardly puzzled than ever.

“I want your advice,” said the major.

Dr. Purpledown’s carmine face brightened; he had begun to fear that his old friend wanted to borrow money, and had already, in his inmost mind, composed a form of words which should, as compactly as possible, express his anxiety to oblige Major Dedbrook, the narrowed state of his exchequer, and the general impossibility of raising any stated amount, from ten dollars up to two hundred!

“Oh!” said he. “Yes. Exactly!”

Major Dedbrook rose from the easy-chair in which he had been enjoying his after-dinner wine and walnuts, took his friend by the arm with one hand, and with the other drew aside the maroon draperies of the window.

“Do you see yonder house?” said he, lowering his voice to a mysterious under-tone.

“… Read More

Miscellany

The Detective of the Present -- Finn and Jourdan

Time was when a detective was a man who detected things. A detective is still that in some European countries; and he still detects things—in novels. There's Buckett in “Bleak House” who detects Lady Dedlook, and there's that detective in Collin’s story of the “Moon Stone,” quite a detector. New York used to have Old Hayes, who could detect a thing or two; Paris has had Vidocq, and Bow street has had Forster.* But the race has died out entirely in America, and is dying out in England.

Commissioner Jourdan, of Brooklyn, has been making an effort to raise up a detective or two and has actually produced Corr and Bill. Corr and Bill were raised to the Vidocquian task of tracing a mystic murder. Finnan is a hatter; and Finnan has been in States Prison. That ought to be enough for any detective such as Corr to concluded that Finnan did the deed. Edgar A. Poe could not reason out a conclusion clearer than that. So Corr went to where Finnan was making hats.

Is Finnan here? Yes—want to see him?