detective

Detective story - The basic formula is this: a murder occurs; many are suspected; all but one suspect, who is the murderer, are eliminated; the murderer is arrested or dies.

The detective story is surprisingly young, and though many elements of the genre, such as deductive reasoning, are found in earlier works, the first story to feature a fictional detective wasn't created until the nineteenth century. Whodunit? Well, Edgar Allan Poe according to most, though he did use the short story form instead of the novel. Many people find it odd that this very British genre was invented by an American. Of course the novels themselves deal in unlikelihoods, so it is only appropriate that the detective story's beginning be somewhat surprising and unexpected.
After Poe, it was mainly British authors such as Wilkie Collins, Charles Dickens, and Sir Author Conan Doyle who ushered the form through the 19th century, though there were some American and even French contributors too. In the early 20th century Doyle continued to write and was joined by several British women, Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh and Margery Allingham, who all impacted the genre and wrote during what is called the form's "Golden Age". After World War II, the genre morphed into somewhat different forms such as the hard-boiled detective novel, though some of the "Golden Age" style of writing did continue and were typically referred to as "cozies".
Modern day sees something of a second golden age with detective stories on best seller lists, in theaters and television programs. A number of variations, such as the hard-boiled detective novel, the police procedural and spy novels, fractured off from the form at various points and have grown into genres of their own, though this seems to be more the case in America than in Britain. Though no matter where or how, the key elements of a clever detective, a crime and justice prevailing continue to somehow unite these very different forms and keep the detective genre alive.

This pathfinder's coverage extends from the birth of the form until present day, 1841-2001. Most scholars consider Edgar Allan Poe's The Murders in the Rue Morgue, written in 1841, to be the first detective story and, thus, consider 1841 to be the beginning of the form even though, as many authors point out, seeds of the genre are to found as far back as ancient times. These seeds and their role in the birth of the detective genre is beyond the scope of this pathfinder, though when works have contained substantial information on this topic it has been noted. The primary focus of this pathfinder is British works and writers but as is the case with Poe, sometimes Americans are hard to ignore. So in the instances when Americans write about English detectives or places, or play a vital role in the form's development, they have been included.
The intended audience for this work is adult fans of the genre who are interested in moving beyond the novels themselves and want to learn more about the detective story's heritage in order to form a historical framework and to learn about the seminal literary figures in the life of the genre. Though films and television programs of short stories and novels have been made, the film/TV history of the detective and detective novel is another pathfinder topic and is beyond the scope of this work.
The resources used also dictate that the audience be affiliated with The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in order to fully utilize all of the mentioned resources

All libraries are found on the campus of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Davis - Walter Royal Davis Library, commonly called Davis Library.
Davis Ref - The Reference area of Davis Library located on the first floor across from the information commons.
UL Storage - Items in storage while the Robert B. House Undergraduate Library is renovated. Items can be requested and checked out from Davis Library.

The Library of Congress subject headings provide valuable assistance for someone wanting to search the topic further or who wants to search a library system other than UNC-Chapel Hill's. By searching the online catalog using these subject headings, one will see all the items that a particular library has available on that topic. The author selections are either important historically or listed as an example of the time period.

General
Crime Fiction
Detective and mystery stories
Detective and mystery stories, American
Detective and mystery stories, American - History and criticism
Detective and mystery stories, English
Detective and mystery stories, English - History and criticism
Reference Books, Detective and mystery stories
Women detectives, England, Fiction

Selected Early Authors
Poe, Edgar Allan, 1809-1849
Collins, Wilkie, 1824-1889
Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870
Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir, 1859-1930

Selected Golden Age Era Authors
Allingham, Margery, 1904-1966
Carr, John Dickson, 1906-1977
Chesterton, G. K. (Gilbert Keith), 1874-1936
Christie, Agatha, 1890-1976
Innes, Michael, 1906
Marsh, Ngaio, 1895-1982
Sayers, Dorothy L. (Dorothy Leigh), 1893-1957
Tey, Josephine, 1896 or 7-1952

Selected 1940-2001 Authors
George, Elizabeth
James, P. D. (Phyllis Dorothy) 1920-
Blake, Nicholas, 1904-1972
Rendell, Ruth, 1930-

The following call numbers indicate the area where books are located within the library allowing one to go straight to the stacks to look at all the offerings in person. The section is divided into history and authors since these browsing areas are particularly useful for browsing the fiction offerings of key authors who played a role in the development of the detective story.

Fiction
Allingham, Margery PR6001.L678
Christie, Agatha PR6005.H66
Collins, Wilkie PR4494
Dickens, Charles PR4556, PR 4564
Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir, PR4620
James, P.D. PR6060.A467
Marsh, Ngaio PR9639.3.M27
Queen, Ellery PS3533.U4 C
Rendell, Ruth PR6068.E63
Sayers, Dorothy L. PR6037.A95 (note: several books in undergrad library storage)

These works either impacted the development of the genre or are considered to be some noteworthy examples. The emphasis here is on the historical.

Memoirs of Vidocq by Eugène François Vidocq
An early work by a Frenchman that many consider to be an important influence on Poe's work. It is a considered a personal memoir, otherwise it would have contained the first fictional detective central to a story.
Davis HV7911 .V4713 1976

The Murders in Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe found in The Works of Edgar Allan Poe: Sixty-Seven Tales, One Complete Novel and Thirty-One Poems. New York: Avenel Press, 1985.
The first of three short stories featuring Poe's detective Dupin. Together the three of them contain many of the elements that are still featured in detective novels today.
Davis PS2603 1985

The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens
The work that Dickens left unfinished when he died. As such it is considered one of the ultimate mysteries since it's conclusion died with Dickens. Many authors have attempted to finish the novel with their own conclusion.
Davis PR4564.A2 C3, PR4564.A2 C66

The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins.
The first English novel according to most everyone. Considered to be quite good and an entertaining work.
Davis PR4494.M62

The Mystery of the Yellow Room by Gaston Leroux
Written in 1907 this is a historical locked room mystery by the author of The Phantom of the Opera. The book is early in the genre and therefore may be difficult for the modern reader.
Davis PQ2623.E6 M7513 also available online at http://www.blackmask.com/olbooks/ylormdex.htm

At the Villa Rose by A.E.W. Mason
First appearance by Mason's Inspector Hanaud. Originally published in 1910.
Davis PR6025.A79 A9

Trent's Last Case by E. C. Bentley
A popular writer of his time though now mostly unknown, this particular casewritten in 1913 is considered one of his best efforts.
Davis PR6003.E7247 T7

A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The first time we meet Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.
Davis PR4622 .S76 1999

The Red House Mystery by A. A. Milne
Not Winnie the Pooh, but amateur sleuths at a country estate.
Davis PR6025.I65 R4 1976 (UL Storage)

The Tiger in the Smoke by Margery Allingham
One of the better novels by the lesser known of the "Golden Age's" big four writers.
Davis PR6001.L678 T54 1952

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
Christie's first book and the one that seems to have began the "Golden Age".
PR6005.H66 M9 1975

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
One of her more famous works, this book is often referred to in critical studies. It caused controversy in it's time.
Davis PR6005.H66 M84

Killer Dolphin by Ngaio Marsh
One of Marsh's finest novels that combines murder mystery with the theater, her other career. Though Marsh is from New Zealand many of her novels are set in Britain as this one is.
UL Storage PR9639.3.M27 K5

Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers
Famous for both the focus on Sayers's female detective Harriet Vane instead of Lord Peter Wimsey and also the crime. Set at Oxford, it seems modern for its women's issues.
Davis PR6037.A95 G3

The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers
A very clever novel that is Sayers and Lord Peter at their best.
Davis PR6037.A95 N5

A Taste For Death by P. D. James
A novel by one of the 20th centuries more famous writers and her detective Superintendent Adam Dalgliesh. An example of a modern series that has a detective who is an official police investigator and not an amateur.
Davis PR6060.A467 T3 1986

The following selections are oft quoted and oft mentioned in other works. They are, simply put, the primary secondary sources.

Haycroft, Howard. Murder for Pleasure: The Life and Times of the Detective Story. New York: D. Appleton-Century, 1941. (Originally published in 1939).
Davis PN3448.D4 H3
This is the book others seem to most often refer to and cite. Though limited, since it was written around the 100th birthday of the 160 year old genre, the book still contains stellar information about the early years and is particularly interesting regarding the "Golden Age" writers who were contemporaries at the time. It offers an exhaustive look at all the players and has a who's who list, a reader's list, good references, a bibliography, appendix and index.

-----. The Art of the Mystery Story: A Collection of Critical Essays. New York: Biblo and Tannen, 1976. (Originally published in 1946).
Davis PN3448.D4 H28 1975
A much referred to collection of over 50 essays on the detective story. Includes comic writings such as "Watson was a Woman" by Rex Stout as well as more serious ones such as "The Simple Art of Murder" by Raymond Chandler. The scope of these essays is limited to pre-1946 since that is when the collection was first published, but since that is when many important essays were written, the collection is still quite valuable and pertinent today.

Panek, Leroy Lad. Watteau's Shepherds: The Detective Novel in Britain 1914-1940. Bowling Green, OH: Bowling Green Univ. Popular Press, 1979.
Davis PR830.D4 P34
A very well done book regarding the genre's "Golden Age". Eight of the nine chapters are titled with author's names and looks at their works in a literary manner. Though some authors of this time are excluded it is to provide in-depth coverage of the chosen ones: E.C. Bentley, Agatha Christie, A.A. Milne, Dorothy Sayers, Anthony Berkeley Cox, Margery Allingham, John Dickson Carr and Ngaio Marsh. There is also an appendix that deconstructs plots and uses diagrams to demonstrate.

Symons, Julian. Bloody Murder: From the Detective Story to the Crime Novel. New York: Mysterious Press, 1993.
Davis PN3448.D4 S87 1993
(Originally published as Mortal Consequences: A History --From the Detective Story to the Crime Novel. New York: Harper & Row, 1972)
Davis PN3448.D4 S9 1972
The 1993 version has been updated and includes information on recent writers. The author is a somewhat famous novelist himself and in the preface to the third edition says "this is the work of an addict, not an academic". But even an addict can be scholarly and Symons does a superb job of following the history of the genre. The book is a modern look at the genre's history seen through the eyes of one of its writers.

Winks, Robin W. ed. Detective Fiction: A Collection of Critical Essays. Woodstock, VT: Foul Play Press, 1988.
Davis PN3448.D4 D43 1988
A nice collection of essays, several of them written by the editor himself. Also includes the famous "The Guilty Vicarage" by W. H. Auden. Overlaps surprisingly little with Haycraft's collection The Art of the Mystery Story and, though is not nearly as large, it is far more recent. This collection is worthy of a look especially for Auden's interesting piece that was originally published in 1948.

Lehman, David. The Perfect Murder: A Study in Detection. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2000.
Davis PS374.D4 L44 2000
An easy to read book which addresses both American and British authors. It is by no means comprehensive but doesn't claim to be. The author admits that he has ignored some authors when he felt they would be better treated elsewhere. It should also be noted that there are some plot points discussed in the text that may give away too much about certain books' plots. It has been enlarged and updated from a 1989 edition, so 1990s books receive treatment here. The author looks closely at Poe as well as why we read mystery books. Great emphasis is placed on the hard-boiled novels and as such film noir is discussed too. Has lists for further reading as well as a list of the author's personal favorites.

Mann, Jessica. Deadlier than the Male: An Investigation into Feminine Crime Writing. Newton Abbot, GB: David & Charles, 1981.
Davis PR830.D4 M3 1981
Part I focuses on the development of female writers of the genre from pre-Poe and afterward. The role of females is important since the first American detective novelist was a woman, Anna Katherine Green, who wrote around the same time as Wilkie Collins, and because of the vital role women have had in the evolution of the genre. Lesser known women are discussed who receive little ink elsewhere. Part II focuses on the big names of Christie, Sayers, Allingham, Tey and Marsh.

Murch, A. E.. The Development of the Detective Novel. New York: Philosophical Library, 1958.
Davis PN3448.D4 M78
This book looks at the early seeds of the detective novel in addition to the birth and growth as well as why the growth has been so exceptional. A very insightful and well written work that seems to address issues others have not such as the differences in the detective story in America, England and France.

Penzler, Otto, ed. The Great Detectives. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1978.
Davis PS374.D4 G7
The title describes what this book is about - detectives. Each chapter is about a specific detective. The detectives run the gamut from Nancy Drew to The Shadow but do include some others more relevant to our subject. One interesting aspect is that each author wrote the piece about their detective. For example, Ngaio Marsh wrote the piece on Roderick Alleyn. Includes a bibliography and filmography for the selected detectives.

Symons, Julian. The Detective Story in Britain. London: Longmans, Green & Co., 1962.
Davis PR830.D4 S9
A pamphlet that uses the various works to illustrate the evolution of the form. Many novels are mentioned in the text that were once considered excellent and are now virtually forgotten. A select bibliography at the end provides a worthy yet long reading list.

Works about the lives of the authors, written either by themselves or by others, they can provide insight into the people who shaped the form of the detective novel.

Benstock, Ben and Staley, Thomas F. eds. Dictionary of Literary Biography. "Volume 70: British Mystery Writers, 1860-1919". Detroit: Gale Research, 1988.
Davis Ref PS21.D5185 1978

Benstock, Ben and Staley, Thomas F. eds. Dictionary of Literary Biography. "Volume 77: British Mystery Writers, 1920-1939". Detroit: Gale Research, 1989.
Davis Ref PS21.D5185 1978

Benstock, Ben and Staley, Thomas F. eds. Dictionary of Literary Biography. "Volume 87: British Mystery and Thriller Writers Since 1940". Detroit: Gale Research, 1989
Davis Ref PS21.D5185 1978
An excellent resource for browsing since entries include biographies of lesser known writers in addition to the obvious ones. Each article includes author bibliography and books for further reading. Also lists where, if any, manuscript collections of author are primarily located which could be useful for firsthand research. Black and white illustrations are well used.

Kimble, Bobby Ellen with Grant, William E. eds. Dictionary of Literary Biography. "Volume 74: American Short-Story Writers Before 1880". Detroit: Gale Research, 1988.
Davis Ref PS21.D5185 1978
Not a tremendous amount here other than a good section on Edgar Allan Poe on page 303. Browsing could be interesting if only to read about the contemporaries of the "father" of the detective story and what they were writing about.

McDorman, Katherine Slate. Ngaio Marsh. Boston: Twayne, 1991.
Davis PR9639.3.M27 Z79 1991
This is an interesting book for Marsh fans as well as for our general purpose since the author talks about the development of the novel too, p. 133-145. The Preface also provides some information about the development of the novel. Social order in the genre is looked at. More modern writers such as P. D. James and Amanda Cross are mentioned.

James, P. D. Time to be in Earnest: A Fragment of an Autobiography. London: Faber, 1999.
Davis PR6060.A467 Z4785 1999
An autobiography of the recently deceased author. A look at the woman who was one of the first to be called "the next Agatha Christie". Also a good representative example of what autobiographies can offer.

The general sources provide a quick, brief yet solid introduction to the topic. The detective/mystery oriented sources serve more as reference books to consult about a known issue, though several of their introductions do serve a similar introductory role as an entry in a general source.

DeAndrea, William L. Encyclopedia Mysteriosa: A Comprehensive Guide to the Art of Detection in Print, Film, Radio, and Television. New York: Prentice Hall General Reference, 1994.
Davis Ref PN 3448. D4 D34. 1994
Includes entries for characters, authors, novels and films, TV and radio programs, and, surprisingly, actors. When applicable includes bibliographic listings at the end of entry. Also includes several much longer boxed entries on such subjects as "Dime Novels" and "Mystery Magazines" but, oddly, there is no entry at all for "Golden Age" in the main part, though it is included in the glossary. The work does have a variety of entries- everything from Miami Vice to Patricia Cornwell to classics like Agatha Christie. And though it doesn't list books here, it does list films. Includes a small glossary as well as lists of mystery organizations, mystery periodicals and mystery bookstores, though this information is several years old and probably somewhat dated.

Herbert, Rosemary, ed.. The Oxford Companion to Crime and Mystery Writing. New York: Oxford, 1999.
Davis Ref PN3448.D4 O94 1999.
Fine introduction that also shows the breadth that this work covers as well as the movement of the genre of mystery and crime novels into legitimate academic studies. The emphasis is not on biography - only 149 author entries, but the bibliography is a strong point. For our purposes, the evolution of the detective novel, there is a nice multi-page entry under "History of Crime and Mystery Writing" on pages 210-222. There are also two entries dealing with the golden age under "Golden Age Form" and "Golden Age Traditions," pages 183-188. Entries are entertaining. For instance there is an entry for a sometimes used term "Silly-Ass Sleuth" of which Lord Peter Wimsey is an example. There are bibliographies at the end of entries and all entries are signed.

Murphy, Bruce F. The Encyclopedia of Murder and Mystery. New York: St. Martin's Minotaur, 1999.
Davis Ref PN3448.D4 M87 1999
Contains a short general bibliography at the beginning with more specific ones attached to entries, though they seem somewhat weak compared to the Oxford work. Author mentions in "About this book" (viii) that complete bibliographies can be found in other sources. Preface is a well written, good essay on the mystery story's struggle with respect as opposed to the serious novel. Entries are good though some seem a bit biased and some seem a bit broad for most mystery readers. For example there is an entry for The Great Gatsby since it contains aspects of mystery within it.

Osborne, Charles. The Life and Crimes of Agatha Christie: A Biographical Companion to the Works of Agatha Christie. New York : St Martin's Press, 1999. (Original copyright 1982)
Davis PR6005.H66 Z78 1999
Osborne provides a very thorough look at the works of Christie. He is obviously and admittedly a fan but that does not prevent him from pointing out sloppy errors in Christie's works. He does seem to let his personal feelings show a bit too much sometimes. This book is not recommended if new to Christie's works since sometimes too much information, though never the murderer, is given away. Excellent bibliography that lists all of Christie's works with a key as to which detective was featured. Author has adapted three of Christie's plays into novels. Organized with a book-by-book history and gives a description/review of books as well as discusses any stage, film and TV history relevant to the work.

Penzler, Otto, et al, compliers. Detectionary: A Biographical Dictionary of Leading Characters in Detective and Mystery Fiction Including Famous little-known sleuths, their helpers, rogues both heroic and sinister, and some of their most memorable adventures, as recounted in novels, short stories, and films. Woodstock, NY: Overlook Press, 1977
(original copyright 1971 - published as "private, limited, numbered edition, by Hammermill Paper Company, for its clients and colleagues in the world of book publishing" but, due to demand, now in mass publication)
Davis Ref. PN 3448. D4 D4 1977
Written for the "aficionado" and "casual reader" (v). Includes characters who never made it to novels but only appeared in magazines. Also includes selected films that showcase "the best detective work done in films" (x). Work is divided into 4 sections: Detectives, Rogues & Helpers, Cases and Movies. There are small black and white photos at top of nearly every page. Paragraph long entries give quick biography of the characters and a quick synopsis of cases and movies. There is a nice index at the end that divides authors' work based on which detective is featured. Includes generic mystery fiction as well, so some of the information, particularly in the movie section, is broad and the reader will need to do some sifting.

Schellinger, Paul, ed. Encyclopedia of the Novel. "Crime, Detective, and Mystery Novel". Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, 1998. Available online using LION. Search under "L" at www.eresources.lib.unc.edu and use subject search for "mystery".
Gives a quick history of the form's appeal then moves into early books, that while not quite detective novels, contained elements that are integral to the form. Specific early books are mentioned and discussed which is nice if one is interested in the history leading up to the initial gelling of the form. A nicely written and easy to read broad view of how the forms relate to each other and how they differ.

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Bibliographies

These are lists of books, usually annotated, that will provide basic information on the works and may include a brief review of it as well.

Bleiler, Richard J. Reference Guide to Mystery and Detective Fiction. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1999.
Davis Ref. PN 3448.D4 B54 1999
Incredibly comprehensive and well-done annotated guide to reference works about mystery and detective fiction. Includes sections for: encyclopedias and dictionaries; readers' guides and genre bibliographies; general bibliographies and library catalogues; national bibliographies; geographical guides/maps; awards lists; publisher bibliographies; magazine and anthology indexes; biographical sources (listed by individual author); character indexes and bibliographies; secondary literature; cataloguing guides; artist studies; media catalogues and guides; calendars; directories of dealers and their price guides; electronic sources; core publications; and finally, professional organizations. There is also an index. This book could be overwhelming for a beginner but would be a good follow-up to this pathfinder if the reader hungers for more murder mystery information.

Green, Joseph and Finch, Jim. Sleuths, Sidekicks and Stooges: An Annotated Bibliography Of Detectives, Their Assistants And Their Rivals In Crime, Mystery And Adventure Fiction, 1795-1995. Hants, England: Scolar Press, 1997.
Davis Ref Folio PN 3448. D4 G744 1997
Preface gives a nice summary and history. This work's main goal was as a bibliography of detectives since they felt that had not really been done and that many readers know the detectives better than the authors. It provides information on numerous detectives. This is a useful source for lesser known detectives but the more famous are probably better treated elsewhere. The layout is a detriment since the division form sometimes makes it difficult to see where the main entries begin. Still, a nice book for the most part with publication records and sidekicks listed under the detective entry.

Hubin, Allen J. Crime Fiction II: A Comprehensive Bibliography 1749-1990. New York: Garland Publishing, 1994.
Davis Ref Z2014.F4 H83 1994
An extensive author index takes up the entire (and physically large) first volume. The second volume has a title index, settings index, series index, and series character chronology as well as a film, a screenwriters and a directors index. This is frequently referred to in other works as being a substantial work, though it's not very friendly for browsers. Small type may be off-putting to some as well as the various codes used. The introduction and a list of abbreviations will provide enlightenment if the reader is willing. The series character chronology does have some browsing use. Categories are: year, character, type, country, book type, number of books and author. So if you know you like amateur detectives based in England you can find that quite easily (once again though you must check abbreviation list).

Johnson, Timothy W. and Julia Johnson, eds. Crime Fiction Criticism: An Annotated Bibliography. New York: Garland, 1981.
Davis Ref. Z2014.F4 J63
Criticism not of the detective stories, but a secondary bibliography, one of criticism of the genre. A valuable, surprisingly browsable gem though somewhat dated now.

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Abstracts & Indexes

These works provide searching capabilites which allowing narrowing of the genre to a particular author or area..

Contento, William G. with Greenberg, Martin H. Index to Crime and Mystery Anthologies. Boston: G.K. Hall, 1991.
Davis Ref Z2014.F4 C58
Scope is limited to short mystery fiction. Contains a nice bibliography and index for hard to find short stories. Introduction is easy to read and includes interesting tidbits such as Nathaniel Hawthorne's son, Julian, edited popular multi-volume anthologies. This book covers areas that others have either not really dealt with directly or have glossed over. The reader must consult the introduction and abbreviation list but the entries are bolded and easy to see. The index can be searched several ways but the "author list: stories" and "book contents" should both be most useful.

ABELL (Annual Bibliography of English Language and Literature)
Access available for UNC students, faculty and staff either on campus or off campus where a proxy server has been set up. Access through http://eresources.lib.unc.edu under the letter "A".
This is a bibliographic database for periodical type works about literature from 1892 to the present. Use keyword "mystery" and for title keyword use "murder" for 72 hits (35 records). You can also try to use mystery for keyword again then name of a particular author for subject. Also, use keyword "detective" and receive 1445 hits (1274 records). This can be narrowed further based on topics and time periods.

JSTOR
Access available through http://eresources.lib.unc.edu, under the letter "J".
A non-profit organization that has over 117 academic journals digitized, many dating from the 1800s. Does not have listings for last 2-5 years of journals. Many useful articles can be found about such things as the use of Shakespeare in the detective story and are available in full text. A generic search of "detective" and "mystery" in full text found 183 hits.

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Web Resources

Sources available on the web, though typically less scholarly than the other sources, still have lots of good accurate information. All were last updated 12/11/2001.

A Guide to Classic Mystery and Detection
http://members.aol.com/mg4273/classics.htm
An almost exhaustive treatment of the subject. This site is nicely arranged and what it lacks in design it more than makes up for in content.

The Life and Times of Ngiao Marsh
http://www.unc.edu/~belll/pathfinder/ngaio.html
A pathfinder website, similar to this one in style and layout, by SILS student Laura Bell. Provides a listing of various sources available at UNC-Chapel Hill's Library System specfically for Nagio Marsh.

The Mysterious Homepage
http://www.webfic.com/mysthome/mysthome.htm
An amazing site but for how long is the question since it is for sale. It is substantial in it's links though some of them are dead. A person could spend hours just wondering through this site. The site is organized but some annotations with the links could prevent some false leads. On the whole though, amazing breadth.

Mystery Reader's Journal
http://www.mysteryreaders.org/
This is the webpage of the journal of Mystery Readers International, which is a quarterly review where each issue is based on a theme such as Legal Mysteries and Senior Sleuth. Interesting to browse but not good for searching.

MysteryNet
http://www.mysterynet.com/
Can be accessed directly or linked to from LION (http://eresources.lib.unc.edu). They are in the business of short-form and interactive mysteries on the web. Their free resource here is wonderful. It is a professional page with lots of information that is well organized.

Netlibrary via NCLIVE
http://www.eresources.lib.unc.edu under "N" or once an account has been created www.netlibrary.com
Full Text of Wilkie Collin's The Moonstone can be checked out as well as numerous other titles. This is part of a multi state consortium however and the ebook may be checked out as one copy is available for all.

The Top 100 Mystery Novels of All Time
http://www.id-online.de/ufo/co3-crow.htm
As chosen by the Mystery Writer's of America in 1995. This webpage was listed in Bleiler's Reference Guide to Mystery and Detective Fiction.

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Please contact R. D. Towery, a graduate student at the School of Information and Library Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with any questions or comments.

Background Texture from http://imagine.metanet.com. Images from the following sources: Poe - www.memory.loc.gov/ammem/ today/jan19.html, Collins - www.gasson.demon.co.uk/ detective_fiction.html, Holmes - www.joanhansen.com/, Christie - www.nwrain.net/~monlux/ AffairatStyles.html, James - www.bookbrowser.com/Reviews/ JamesPD/certain.html, Sherlock shadow - clipart.


Edgar Allen Poe's Murders in the Rue Morgue	The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins	Sherlock Holmes	A pulp version of Agatha Christie's first book	P. D. James is a modern day favorite

Introduction & Scope	Browsing Areas	Histories & Studies	Bibliographies
Locations	Key Literary Works	Biographies & Autobiographies	Abstracts & Indexes
LC Subject Headings	Frequently Mentioned Texts	Guides, Encyclopedias & Dictionaries	Web Resources