The Collected Mysteries of Fergus Hume (eBook)

Fergus Hume, born Fergusson Wright Hume on July 8, 1859, in England, was a prolific author whose literary career was sparked by an ambition to surpass the popularity of the detective novels of the day. Hume emigrated to New Zealand with his family in the early 1880s, later moving to Melbourne, Australia, where his writing career took flight. His first novel, 'The Mystery of a Hansom Cab' (1886), was an extraordinary success, selling over 100,000 copies and broadly securing his reputation as a master of the mystery genre. Despite this early triumph, none of his subsequent works ever achieved the same level of acclaim, though Hume continued to write avidly, publishing well over 100 novels before his death in 1932. Hume's writing is characterized by intricate plots, a focus on the 'whodunit' aspect of mystery stories, and the deployment of red herrings to mislead readers. His narratives often revolve around criminal investigations led by a shrewd detective and are set against the backdrop of the Victorian era, with its distinct social mores and legal structures. 'The Collected Mysteries of Fergus Hume' encapsulates his oeuvre and underlines his role in shaping the detective fiction genre. While Hume may not have maintained the literary stature of his contemporaries, his work remains an important part of the detective fiction canon and continues to be studied for its significant contributions to the form and evolution of the genre.