Field Detectives

This volume contains some of the best, most memorable and most ‘gentlemanly’ – gentlemen detectives! The character has long been a staple of crime fiction, particularly in the short stories of the British Golden Age (an era of classic murder mystery novels, mostly penned in the 1920s and 1930s). The heroes of these adventures are both gentlemen by conduct, as well as in stature, and never fail to ‘crack the case.’ With typically eccentric and unusual hobbies, almost always conducted in the confines of an English country house, their exploits certainly make for entertaining reading. This book contains such well known classics as ‘The Murders in the Rue Morgue’ by Edgar Allen Poe, ‘On Duty with Inspector Field’ by Charles Dickens, ‘The Adventure of the Speckled Band’ by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and ‘The Hammer of God’ by G. K. Chesterton .... as well as many more besides. We hope the reader enjoys this carefully-selected collection of detective fiction.

A literary examination of the influence of 19th century sleuths on the early hard-boiled investigators, this book explores the importance of works by Edgar Allan Poe, Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to the development of detective series by Carroll John Daly, Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, Brett Halliday, Mickey Spillane, Thomas B. Dewey, John D. MacDonald, Ross Macdonald, Richard S. Prather and William Campbell Gault. Authors from the transitional (1964–1977) and modern periods (1979 to the present) are also discussed to show the ongoing influence of the 19th century detective writers.

The Ambivalent Detective in Victorian Sensation Novels studies how the detective as a literary character evolved through the mid-nineteenth century in England, as seen in sensation novels. In contrast to most assumptions about the English detective, Yoon argues that the detective was more often tolerated than admired following the establishment of professional detectives in the London Metropolitan Police Force in 1842. Through studying the historical and literary contexts between the 1840s to the 1860s, Yoon argues that the detective was seen as a suspicious, even mistrusted and disdained, figure who was nonetheless viewed as necessary to combat rising levels of crime. The detective as a literary character responded to the often contradictory values and aspirations of the middle class, representing an independent masculinity and laying claim to scientific authority. This study surveys novels by Charles Dickens, Mary Elizabeth Braddon, and Wilkie Collins, alongside lesser-known writers like William Russell, James Redding Ware (pseudonym Andrew Forrester), and William Stephens Hayward. This book contributes to the study of mid-nineteenth-century Victorian culture and connects with broader studies of the detective fiction genre.

Eight chilling stories of crime, disaster and unusual deaths from southeastern Pennsylvania. A sequel to the first Dark History book, Murder, Madness, and Misadventure in Southeastern Pennsylvania, this book features more true tales of the region's disasters, deaths and tragedies – offering readers a window into a macabre slice of history. From the “coffin ships” that brought desperate European immigrants to American shores, to an explosion that took the lives of nineteen people, the Greater Philadelphia area has experienced its fair share of tragedy. Learn about the catastrophic fire that took the lives of nine ballerinas, investigate gruesome cases of murder for life insurance, and ponder the possibility that a Pennsylvania businessman appeared in ghostly form on a busy street the day before he died. Finally, one of the most puzzling cold cases in Pennsylvania history is finally solved after more than sixty years using forensic genealogy, while another unidentified little girl still waits for her own justice. Praise for Darkest History Vol. I “..the perfect book to keep you up all night." Philadelphia Magazine "Throughout the book, [Green] iterates that she is writing about history that has been largely forgotten and ignored due to its dark nature. By bringing these stories to the light again, she has given her readers a great gift...” Broad Street Review “….a tribute to suburban Philadelphia weirdness, evildoing, and death.” Montco Today

How can dogs that sniff for excrement, urine, vomit, and mucus help protect animals from extinction? In the race to save endangered animals, finding solutions now is critical. Scat-detection dogs like Wicket, Tucker, and Orbee are conservation heroes and pioneers in a cutting-edge field of science. Canine detectives use their super sense of smell to locate the scat of target animals. From loose bear dung to gooey whale poop, scat can tell scientists valuable information about an animal’s sex, age, diet, and health—all without harming the animal or endangering the researcher.

This book is an observational study of the Japanese detective, demonstrating with extensive field data the process of criminal investigation. It is the first in-depth study of the Japanese criminal justice system at work. Utilizing Ericson's concept of "making crime," Setsuo Miyazawa analyzes the restraints under which Japanese detectives work, and the unique freedoms they have in the investigative process in comparison to American police generally. He also provides a comparative analysis of law enforcement in Japan, the United States, and Europe, and questions how effectively these systems evaluate and enable investigative police work.