The Best American Mystery Stories of the 19th Century

The Best American Mystery Stories of the 19th Century edited by Otto Penzler

Summary: With stories by Washington Irving, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Mark Twain, Louisa May Alcott, L. Frank Baum, Edith Wharton, Stephen Crane, and Jack London, The Best American Mystery Stories of the Nineteenth Century is an essential anthology of American letters. It’s a unique blend of beloved writers who contributed to the genre and forgotten names that pioneered the form, such as Anna Katharine Green, the godmother of mystery fiction, and the African-American writer Charles W. Chesnutt. Of course, Penzler includes “The Murders in the Rue Morgue,” recognized as the first detective story, and with thirty-three stories spanning the years 1824–1899, nowhere else can readers find such a surprising, comprehensive take on the evolution of the American mystery story. Angie's Comments: This is a large volume of mystery stories! The introduction by Otto Penzler gives readers background on the development of the mystery genre. Each story has an introduction by Otto Penzler that contains author biographical information and a view of the story in the development of the genre. The background alone is worth reading the book. The stories are widely different, so some I enjoyed more than others. Some were short, some were longer. Some were more violent, while others were more psychological. There were even a few that were comic. If you love reading mystery fiction written in the 1800s, I highly recommend this book.  Request this item