To whisper the name of Charles Pearce is to incite a hoard of wild imaginings, all that makes the flesh creep. Pearce is physically repulsive, tiny in stature, but a Samson in strength. He is a gifted musician, a terrible braggart - and for some reason women find him irresistible. He is also a burglar. And a... read more »
In The Four Pools Mystery the tyrannical plantation owner is deemed responsible for his own murder because of his mistreatment of the former slaves who continued in his employment after the war. A mystery involving 'haints' and suspicious characters, set in the South Virginia during Victorian times. read more »
Since his friend and partner in crime, A. J. Raffles, jumped into the Mediterranean, Bunny Manders has scraped along as best he can. At Raffles’s side, he was witness to, and participant in, the most ingenious burglaries the underworld had ever seen. Without him, Bunny is a struggling ex-convict, so down on his... read more »
Dr. Fu Manchu lives! He has managed to survive the fire in the cottage and has returned to further the plans of his secret society. Dr. Petrie and Nayland Smith must again fight this nefarious villain before he succeeds. This time, he's after Reverend Eltham in order to obtain the name of a secret agent in China... read more »
The Black Star was a master criminal who took great care to never be identifiable, always wore a mask so nobody knew what he looked like, rarely spoke to keep his voice from being recognized, and the only mark left at the scenes of the crimes which he and his gang committed were small black stars which were tacked... read more »
The first in the popular Fu-Manchu mystery series introduces English sleuth Denis Nayland Smith and his companion, Dr. Petrie, to the satanic Dr. Fu-Manchu, a cunning Chinese criminal mastermind who means to rule the world. The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu is the first title in the famous series of Yellow Peril novels... read more »
Pining for a gripping tale from the classic early years of detective fiction? Dip into Jack O' Judgment by Edgar Wallace. Though his intentions might be pure, brutally violent vigilante Jack is bent on revenge -- and he'll do whatever it takes to exact his retribution against the criminal kingpin known as Dan... read more »
If a man is not eager for adventure at the age of twenty-two, the enticement of romantic possibilities will never come to him. read more »
Ruthless criminal masterminds, deliciously devious villains, last-minute escapes, mysterious figures lurking in the shadows, a spunky female detective -- when it comes to classic detective novels, Edgar Wallace's The Clue of the Twisted Candle definitely hits all of its marks. Fans of the genre will adore this... read more »
Charged with the task of engaging with the indigenous peoples of Nigeria during the colonial period, Sanders takes a no-nonsense approach that, though it may offend the sensibilities of current-day readers, is unquestionably effective. Offering readers an action-packed glimpse into a period of history that is often... read more »
The war has led to so many upheavals that not many people now remember the Hergemont scandal of seventeen years ago. Let us recall the details in a few lines. One day in July 1902, M. Antoine d'Hergemont, the author of a series of well-known studies on the megalithic monuments of Brittany, was walking in the Bois... read more »
In The Incredulity of Father Brown, G.K. Chesterton treats us to another set of bizarre crimes that only his 'stumpy' Roman Catholic prelate has the wisdom and mindset to solve. As usual, Chesterton loves playing with early twentieth-century class distinctions, 'common-sense' assumptions, and the often anti-Catholic... read more »
After a tour of duty overseas, the eccentric character Augustus Tibbetts (known as 'Bones' to his associates) returns to London to embark on civilian life. In a series of loosely connected but consistently hilarious tales and vignettes, Bones inadvertently stumbles into a series of improbable but exciting adventures... read more »
A series of tales supposed to be told to a portrait-painter by his sitters; the framework tells us how he came to think of publishing the stories thus collected; the introductions describe the circumstances under which the tales were told. These portions have a delicate every-day interest. The tales are stories of... read more »
It is a time when the major world powers are vying for colonial honors, a time of ju-ju, witch doctors, and an uneasy peace with Bosambo, impressive chief of the Ochori. When Commissioner Sanders goes on leave, the trusty Lieutenant Hamilton takes over administration of the African territories. However, yet again... read more »
Paul and Elisabeth Delroze, while newlyweds, arrive at Ornequin Castle, which is located above the small town of Lorraine Corvigny, a few kilometers from the German border. The castle is owned by the Earl of Andeville, father of Elizabeth, and has been closed since the death of his wife the Comtesse Hermine. By... read more »
The Dead Secret begins with the death bed confession of Mrs Treverton that will take her family by storm. The maid, Sarah Leeson, against the dying wish of Mrs Treverton, hides the letter, and thus the disaster is delayed but not averted. Rosamond, her daughter, who is married to a blind man, gives birth prematurely... read more »
A brilliant but maniacal scientist is determined to unleash a virulent plague that threatens to drive humankind to the brink of extinction. The evil doctor matches wits with two top-notch detectives, one of whom happens to be a young woman. Fans of classic thrillers will relish every minute of The Green Rust. read more »
This is a unique collection of strange stories from the cunning pen of Wilkie Collins, author of The Woman in White and The Moonstone. The star attraction is the novella The Haunted Hotel, a clever combination of detective and ghost story set in Venice, a city of grim waterways, dark shadows and death. The action... read more »
What if the head honcho of one of the country's most lurid gossip rags was suspected of running a very lucrative sideline in extortion of the wealthy and powerful? That's exactly what appears to be the case in The Secret House, a satisfyingly complex tale of treachery, titillation and good, solid detective work. read more »
When the Foreign Secretary, Sir Philip Ramon, receives a threatening, greenish-grey letter; ‘We shall have no other course to pursue but to fulfil our promise. You will die at Eight in the Evening – The Four Just Men’, he remains determined to see his Aliens Extradition Bill made law. A device in the members... read more »
Dick Martin is leaving Scotland Yard. His final job, investigating a stolen book, takes him via a meeting with Doctor Stalletti. Tommy Crawler, Bertram Cody s chauffeur, is also there. Arriving home, Martin finds Lew Pheeney being followed by a man for whom he recently worked. Doing what? demands Martin. Lew finally... read more »
Captain Patrice Belval falls in love with Little Mother Coralie, a nurse who attended to his war injuries, completely unaware of the past and the future involving them. His success at foiling an attempt to kidnap her only begins the dangerous events that follow and the unraveling of past secrets. But each new... read more »
The body of a young man is found splayed out in the middle of one of the most august public squares in England. Soon it is discovered that the dead man was at the center of a beguiling web of entanglements and intrigue. Will the intrepid detectives get to the bottom of things and puncture the thick veil of... read more »
The scene is the south of France. An English lady has been murdered and a beautiful American girl has disappeared. Discovered is a body with a severed hand and an opal bracelet somehow connected to devil worship. Clearly a case for Inspector Hanaud or the Surete and his English friend Mr. Ricardo. Can Hanaud solve... read more »
The House of the Arrow is a detective novel that has inspired movies in French in English, featuring the fictional French detective Inspector Hanaud. When Jeanne-Marie Harlowe is poisoned and her adopted daughter is accused of murder, Inspector Hanaud is called in to investigate. read more »
Read the final twelve stories that Arthur Conan Doyle wrote about his brilliant detective. It is perhaps the most unusual and certainly the darkest collection that he penned. Treachery, mutilation, and the terrible consequences of infidelity are just some of the themes explored in this collection, along with... read more »
The biggest mystery of The Mystery of Edwin Drood is how it ends. It began as a serial, as nearly all of Dickens' novels did, but only six instalments were published before the author's death in 1870. What we know about Edwin Drood is this: he is betrothed to a young woman named Rosa Bud; they are fond of each... read more »
Father Brown is a fictional character created by English novelist G. K. Chesterton, who appears in 50 short stories. Father Brown's powers of detection allow him to sit beside the immortal Sherlock Holmes but he is also, to quote Rufus King, 'in all senses a most pleasantly fascinating human being'. You will be... read more »
When Mr. Thomas Lyne, poet, poseur. and owner of Lyne's Emporium insults a cashier, Odette Rider, she resigns. Having summoned detective Jack Tarling to investigate another employee, Mr. Milburgh, Lyne now changes his plans. Tarling and his Chinese companion refuse to become involved. They pay a visit to Odette's... read more »