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Between 1841 and 1844, Edgar Allan Poe invented the genre of detective fiction with three mesmerizing stories of a young French eccentric named C. Auguste Dupin. Introducing to literature the concept of applying reason to solving crime, these tales brought Poe fame and fortune to live on. Years later, Dorothy Sayers would describe "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" as "almost a complete manual of detective theory and practice." Indeed, Poe's short mysteries inspired the creation of countless literary sleuths, among them Sherlock Holmes. Today, the Dupin stories still stand out as unique, utterly engrossing page-turners. …More

Wilkie Collins (1824-1889) was an early master of mystery and suspense, writing such classics as The Moonstone, The Woman in White, and Basil. At the time of their publication, his works were classified as "sensation novels," a subgenre now seen as a precursor to mystery and suspense fiction. …More

This is the story of what a Woman s patience can endure and what a Man s resolution can achieve. …More

This first book by Charles Dickens was never finished, which leads the reader to form his own conclusions. The story surrounds a choirmaster who is in love with his student. There is of course another in love with the same lady. When a murder is committed the reader is not sure who the killer can be. We think we know, but did Dickens have a surprise ending in mind which was never written? …More

Holmes's eyes fairly glittered as he spoke, and he put his hand over his heart and bowed as if to some applauding crowd conjured up by his imagination. "Criminal cases are continually hinging upon that one point. A man is suspected of a crime months perhaps after it has been committed. His linen or clothes are examined, and brownish stains discovered upon them. Are they blood stains, or mud stains, or rust stains, or fruit stains, or what are they? That is a question which has puzzled many an expert, and why? Because there was no reliable test. Now we have the Sherlock Holmes' test, and there will no longer be any difficulty." …More

He lurked in the shadows of the Paris Opera House--a man with the voice of an angel but the face of a monster. His only hope for love is a beautiful soprano who draws him . . . to disaster. …More

British writer GILBERT KEITH CHESTERTON (1874-1936) expounded prolifically about his wide-ranging philosophies-he is impossible to categorize as "liberal" or "conservative," for instance-across a wide variety of avenues: he was a literary critic, historian, playwright, novelist, columnist, and poet. His witty, humorous style earned him the title of the "prince of paradox," and his works-80 books and nearly 4,000 essays-remain among the most beloved in the English language Chesterton is best remembered, perhaps, as a spinner of mystery tales, and for his recurring character of the unlikely detective Father Brown, who debuted in this 1911 collection of stories. …More

Christie launches the legendary career of Hercule Poirot with this classic tale of intrigue. Did one of the Cavendish brothers poison their stepmother, Mrs. Iglethorp, or was it her new husband? …More