"This book is a study of the "mothers" of the mystery genre. Traditionally the invention of crime writing has been ascribed to Poe, Wilkie Collins and Conan Doyle, but they had formidable women rivals, whose work has been until recently largely forgotten. The purpose of this book is to "cherchez les femmes," in a project of rediscovery"--Provided by publisher.

"This volume surveys the first fifty years of the detective story in nineteenth-century America and England, examining not only major works, but also the lesser known--including contemporary pseudo-biographies, magazines, story papers, and newspapers--recently accessible through new media. By rewriting the history of the mystery genre, this study opens up new avenues for literary exploration"--Provided by publisher.