Sherlock Holmes is the most famous of all fictional detectives but, across the Atlantic, he had plenty of rivals. Between 1890 and 1920, American writers created dozens and dozens of crime-solvers. In this thrilling, unusual anthology, editor Nick Rennison gathers together 15 often neglected tales to highlight American crime fiction's early years. The detectives that feature include Professor Augustus SFX Van Dusen, 'The Thinking Machine', even more cerebral than Holmes; Craig Kennedy, the so-called 'scientific detective'; Uncle Abner, a shrewd backwoodsman in pre-Civil War Virginia; Violet Strange, New York debutante turned criminologist; and Nick Carter, the original pulp private eye.

Sherlock Holmes is the most famous of all fictional detectives but, across the Atlantic, he had plenty of rivals.

Between 1890 and 1920, American writers created dozens and dozens of crime-solvers. This thrilling, unusual anthology features stories about 15 of them, including Professor Augustus SFX Van Dusen, 'The Thinking Machine', even more cerebral than Holmes; Craig Kennedy, the so-called 'scientific detective'; Uncle Abner, a shrewd backwoodsman in pre-Civil War Virginia; Violet Strange, New York debutante turned criminologist; and Nick Carter, the original pulp private eye.

Editor Nick Rennison gathers together often neglected tales which highlight American crime fiction's early years. Some of the detectives that feature include:

Craig Kennedy created by Arthur B. Reeve
Madelyn Mack created by Hugo Cosgro Weir
Nick Carter (no credited author)
Uncle Abner created by Melville Davisson
'The Thinking Machine' (Professor Van Dusen) created by Jacques Futrelle
Averages Jones created by Samuel Hopkins Adams

Praise for Nick Rennison:

'A book which will delight fans of crime fiction' - Verbal Magazine

'[An] intriguing anthology' - Mail on Sunday