Mary Helena Fortune (circa 1833 - circa 1910) was an Australian mystery, suspense, and horror writer who wrote under the pseudonyms "Waif Wander" and "W.W." She was one of the earliest female detective writers in the world (if not the earliest). She was also probably the first to write from the viewpoint of the detective. A prolific storyteller, she wrote at least 500 detective stories over 40 years, many featuring Detective Mark Sinclair. This volume reprints 15 of her classic stories (many for the first time) and is the largest collection of her work ever published.

Included are:

  • THE RED ROOM
  • THE SPIRITS OF THE TOWER
  • THE GREENSTONE GRAVES
  • AT "THE RANGES"
  • ILLILLIWA
  • MY LODGER
  • HEATHERVILLE
  • THE WHITE MANIAC; A DOCTOR'S TALE
  • THE SECRET OF THE KEYS
  • TRACES OF CRIME
  • THE QUEEN OF COOINDA
  • THE BRAND OF CAIN
  • THE ST. JOHNS
  • AT THE NEW YEAR
  • THE MURDER AT OZER'S
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Mary Fortune

Mary Fortune (c. 1833-1910?) migrated from Canada to the Australian goldfields in 1855. She published her first detective stories in the Australian Journal in 1865, using the pseudonyms of 'Waif Wander' and 'W. W.'. In all, she wrote over 500 detective stories over 40 years, most featuring Detective Mark Sinclair. Her one book, The Detective's Album (1871), is the first known collection of detective fiction stories by a woman. She died an alcoholic, the date and place still unknown - somehow fitting for this pioneering woman of mystery.

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John Gregory Betancourt

John Gregory Betancourt is a writer of science fiction, fantasy and mystery novels as well as short stories. He has worked as an assistant editor at Amazing Stories and editor of Horror: The Newsmagazine of the Horror Field, the revived Weird Tales magazine, the first issue of H. P. Lovecraft's Magazine of Horror (which he subsequently hired Marvin Kaye to edit), Cat Tales magazine (which he subsequently hired George H. Scithers to edit), and Adventure Tales magazine. He worked as a Senior Editor for Byron Preiss Visual Publications (1989-1996) and iBooks. He is the writer of four Star Trek novels and the new Chronicles of Amber prequel series, as well as a dozen original novels. His essays, articles, and reviews have appeared in such diverse publications as Writer's Digest and The Washington Post

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B00QL9TH1W
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