First published in 1886, "The Mystery of a Hansom Cab" was a sensation, selling hundreds of thousands of copies worldwide. It has lost none of its page-turning power in the century since.

Set in gold-rich Melbourne in the late nineteenth century, "Hansom Cab" tells a devilishly tricky tale of murder and intrigue.

Fergus Hume was renowned as the bestselling mystery writer of Victorian times after his first book, The Mystery of a Hansom Cab, broke all records. In 1901 he returned to form with this ingenious tale, selected to represent Hume's prolific output by Collins' Detective Club panel in 1930. Cicero Gramp was, according to himself, a 'professor of elocution and eloquence' - to anyone else he was no more than an engaging and extremely craft vagabond. Hence it was that he found himself awakened from his sleep in the corner of the churchyard, the cheapest available lodging, by men's voices at an hour past midnight. Two dark figures silhouetted for an instant against the white mausoleum where lay the body of the millionaire Richard Marlow. Then the turning of a key in the iron door of the vault. Silence. Two figures moving back into the night carrying a sinister burden - what Gramp guessed was the body of Marlow. But when a search was made in the vault, Marlow's coffin was found shut, and not empty: only the body in it was not Marlow's but that of another man - murdered! And that is only the first puzzle in The Millionaire Mystery . . .

The Mystery of a Hansom Cab (1886) is a mystery novel by Fergus Hume. An immediate bestseller for Hume, The Mystery of a Hansom Cab is a gripping novel with an atmospheric intensity and tightly wound mystery worthy of the best of Victorian fiction. Published the year before Arthur Conan Doyle's debut, A Study in Scarlet (1887), Hume's novel became the first international bestseller to be published in Australia. Adapted countless times for film, theater, radio, and television, The Mystery of a Hansom Cab is a classic detective story and a landmark in Australian literature. In Melbourne, Australia, a cabman stops to pick up a presumably drunk passenger. Helped into the cab by an unknown man, who claims to be a friend, the gentleman settles in for the ride homeward. Accustomed to such things, especially in the darkness of early morning, the cabman begins his ride. When he asks his passenger for directions, however, he receives no response, and turns to find that the man is dead. He drives straight to the local police station, where Detective Gorby begins his investigation. Was the friend in fact the murderer, or was he simply a good Samaritan who believed he was helping a drunk man make it home? When the killer is discovered, however, the mystery remains. Over the story looms the shadow of the Frettlby family, whose secrets threaten to smother all of Melbourne. The Mystery of a Hansom Cab is a masterpiece of slow-burning suspicion between the rich and the poor, a story of law and those willing to break it. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Fergus Hume's The Mystery of a Hansom Cab is a classic of Australian mystery and detective fiction reimagined for modern readers.

Madame Midas (1888) is a mystery novel by Fergus Hume. Although not as successful as The Mystery of a Hansom Cab (1886), an immediate bestseller for Hume, Madame Midas is a gripping novel with forbidden romance and a tightly wound mystery worthy of the best of Victorian fiction. From an author whose work inspired Arthur Conan Doyle, Madame Midas is a story of fortune and loss set in the shadow of Australia's nineteenth century gold rush. In the mid-nineteenth century, Robert Curtis-along with countless other desperate and adventurous men-journeyed to Australia in search of fortune. Having established a successful mine in Ballarat, Curtis settled in Melbourne, where he married and had a daughter. In her youth, Miss Curtis was the talk of the town, and though she could have chosen any man for her husband, she found herself attracted to Mr. Villiers, a charming-yet-suspicious gentleman. Not long after their wedding, his intentions become all too clear, and soon his gambling threatens to erase the Curtis fortune. Outraged and disgraced, Mrs. Villiers flees to Ballarat, where she turns her attention to managing her father's mine. Known to the local people as Madame Midas, she maintains a hard exterior in order not only to hide the truth of her past, but to guard herself from the cruelty of men. When a pair of escaped prisoners lands on the nearby shore, however, her newfound security faces a formidable threat. Madame Midas is a tale of love lost and found, of violence and greed in a country built on shallow, unstable foundations. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Fergus Hume's Madame Midas is a classic of Australian mystery and detective fiction reimagined for modern readers.

The Secret Passage (1905) is a mystery novel by Fergus Hume. Although not as successful as The Mystery of a Hansom Cab (1886), an immediate bestseller for Hume, The Secret Passage is a gripping novel with an atmospheric intensity and tightly wound mystery worthy of the best of Victorian fiction. From an author whose work inspired Arthur Conan Doyle, The Secret Passage is a story of murder with a haunting, original conclusion. Susan Grant, a young woman seeking employment, arrives at Rose Cottage, the home of Miss Loach. After a brief but intense interview, Susan begins working as a parlor maid, quickly discovering the high standard to which Miss Loach holds her employees. Across town, her sister Mrs. Octagon, a writer with a penchant for self-promotion, lives with her husband, Peter, and daughter, Juliet. Speaking with Juliet following afternoon tea one day, Mrs. Octagon raises the topic of her sister, whose quiet life she deeply disapproves of. At this moment, as though by a stroke of fate, her husband bursts in with the news of Miss Loach's murder. As Jennings, a local detective, begins his investigation, he discovers a broad cast of friends, employees, and acquaintances, all of whom harbor some motive-but who could have been driven to murder? Was it Susan, whose history working for a mysterious Spaniard seems questionable at best? Was it Mrs. Octagon, from whom the topic of her sister had always drawn the bitterest of words? As The Secret Passage winds toward its cunning conclusion, one thing becomes clear-the line between malice and murder remains murky, even under the brightest of lights. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Fergus Hume's The Secret Passage is a classic of English mystery and detective fiction reimagined for modern readers.

The Silent House (1899) is a mystery novel by Fergus Hume. Although not as successful as The Mystery of a Hansom Cab (1886), an immediate bestseller for Hume, The Silent House is a gripping novel with an atmospheric intensity and tightly wound mystery worthy of the best of Victorian fiction. From an author whose work inspired Arthur Conan Doyle, The Silent House is a story of murder with a haunting, original conclusion. At twenty-five, Lucian Denzil is at the very beginning of his career as a barrister. Settling into a serious life, he rents a modest home in Pimlico on Geneva Square. Although he endeavors to focus and live only for his work, Lucian cannot help but notice the stories told by neighbors and servants about No. 13, a home near his own on the square. Decades prior to his settling in Pimlico, No. 13, now known as “the silent house,” was the site of a gruesome murder. Over the years, it had gone unoccupied and fallen into general disrepair. In 1895, a quiet, reclusive man named Mark Berwin moved into the home, where he lived alone, and to which he could not infrequently be seen returning in the dead of night in a drunken, disturbed state. One night, while walking through Geneva Square to his own home, Lucian encounters Berwin who, intoxicated and confused, requires the young man’s assistance. Helping the older gentleman make his way to No. 13, Lucian feels a growing unease, a sense of something that will lead him not only to the heart of a local mystery, but into the depths of the silent house itself. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Fergus Hume’s The Silent House is a classic of English mystery and detective fiction reimagined for modern readers.

The Silent House (1899) is a mystery novel by Fergus Hume. Although not as successful as The Mystery of a Hansom Cab (1886), an immediate bestseller for Hume, The Silent House is a gripping novel with an atmospheric intensity and tightly wound mystery worthy of the best of Victorian fiction. From an author whose work inspired Arthur Conan Doyle, The Silent House is a story of murder with a haunting, original conclusion. At twenty-five, Lucian Denzil is at the very beginning of his career as a barrister. Settling into a serious life, he rents a modest home in Pimlico on Geneva Square. Although he endeavors to focus and live only for his work, Lucian cannot help but notice the stories told by neighbors and servants about No. 13, a home near his own on the square. Decades prior to his settling in Pimlico, No. 13, now known as "the silent house," was the site of a gruesome murder. Over the years, it had gone unoccupied and fallen into general disrepair. In 1895, a quiet, reclusive man named Mark Berwin moved into the home, where he lived alone, and to which he could not infrequently be seen returning in the dead of night in a drunken, disturbed state. One night, while walking through Geneva Square to his own home, Lucian encounters Berwin who, intoxicated and confused, requires the young man's assistance. Helping the older gentleman make his way to No. 13, Lucian feels a growing unease, a sense of something that will lead him not only to the heart of a local mystery, but into the depths of the silent house itself. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Fergus Hume's The Silent House is a classic of English mystery and detective fiction reimagined for modern readers.

Miss Mephistopheles (1890) is a mystery novel by Fergus Hume. Although not as successful as The Mystery of a Hansom Cab (1886), an immediate bestseller for Hume, Miss Mephistopheles is a gripping novel with forbidden romance and a tightly wound mystery worthy of the best of Victorian fiction. A sequel to Madame Midas (1888), a story of fortune and loss set in the shadow of Australia's nineteenth century gold rush, Miss Mephistopheles examines the solidarity between women abused and abandoned by men. Having lost her family fortune to a deceitful husband, Mrs. Villiers flees to Ballarat, where she turns her attention to managing her father's mine. Known to the local people as Madame Midas, she maintains a hard exterior in order not only to hide the truth of her past, but to guard herself from the cruelty of men. There, she rescues a young girl named Kitty Marchurst, a preacher's daughter misled by a wicked ex-convict. Raising her daughter Meg, Marchurst becomes a star in the Melbourne burlesque scene, acquiring wealth and fame beyond her wildest dreams. When her beloved diamonds are stolen, however, her world-and the city itself-threaten to come crashing down. Enmeshed in this mystery are an American insurance agent and Mrs. Villiers' estranged husband, shadowy figures who move in and out of respectable society looking for vulnerable marks. Miss Mephistopheles is a tale of violence and greed set in a country built on wealth gathered too quickly to last. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Fergus Hume's Miss Mephistopheles is a classic of Australian mystery and detective fiction reimagined for modern readers.

Madame Midas (1888) is a mystery novel by Fergus Hume. Although not as successful as The Mystery of a Hansom Cab (1886), an immediate bestseller for Hume, Madame Midas is a gripping novel with forbidden romance and a tightly wound mystery worthy of the best of Victorian fiction. From an author whose work inspired Arthur Conan Doyle, Madame Midas is a story of fortune and loss set in the shadow of Australia’s nineteenth century gold rush. In the mid-nineteenth century, Robert Curtis—along with countless other desperate and adventurous men—journeyed to Australia in search of fortune. Having established a successful mine in Ballarat, Curtis settled in Melbourne, where he married and had a daughter. In her youth, Miss Curtis was the talk of the town, and though she could have chosen any man for her husband, she found herself attracted to Mr. Villiers, a charming-yet-suspicious gentleman. Not long after their wedding, his intentions become all too clear, and soon his gambling threatens to erase the Curtis fortune. Outraged and disgraced, Mrs. Villiers flees to Ballarat, where she turns her attention to managing her father’s mine. Known to the local people as Madame Midas, she maintains a hard exterior in order not only to hide the truth of her past, but to guard herself from the cruelty of men. When a pair of escaped prisoners lands on the nearby shore, however, her newfound security faces a formidable threat. Madame Midas is a tale of love lost and found, of violence and greed in a country built on shallow, unstable foundations. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Fergus Hume’s Madame Midas is a classic of Australian mystery and detective fiction reimagined for modern readers.

The Secret Passage (1905) is a mystery novel by Fergus Hume. Although not as successful as The Mystery of a Hansom Cab (1886), an immediate bestseller for Hume, The Secret Passage is a gripping novel with an atmospheric intensity and tightly wound mystery worthy of the best of Victorian fiction. From an author whose work inspired Arthur Conan Doyle, The Secret Passage is a story of murder with a haunting, original conclusion. Susan Grant, a young woman seeking employment, arrives at Rose Cottage, the home of Miss Loach. After a brief but intense interview, Susan begins working as a parlor maid, quickly discovering the high standard to which Miss Loach holds her employees. Across town, her sister Mrs. Octagon, a writer with a penchant for self-promotion, lives with her husband, Peter, and daughter, Juliet. Speaking with Juliet following afternoon tea one day, Mrs. Octagon raises the topic of her sister, whose quiet life she deeply disapproves of. At this moment, as though by a stroke of fate, her husband bursts in with the news of Miss Loach’s murder. As Jennings, a local detective, begins his investigation, he discovers a broad cast of friends, employees, and acquaintances, all of whom harbor some motive—but who could have been driven to murder? Was it Susan, whose history working for a mysterious Spaniard seems questionable at best? Was it Mrs. Octagon, from whom the topic of her sister had always drawn the bitterest of words? As The Secret Passage winds toward its cunning conclusion, one thing becomes clear—the line between malice and murder remains murky, even under the brightest of lights. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Fergus Hume’s The Secret Passage is a classic of English mystery and detective fiction reimagined for modern readers.

Miss Mephistopheles (1890) is a mystery novel by Fergus Hume. Although not as successful as The Mystery of a Hansom Cab (1886), an immediate bestseller for Hume, Miss Mephistopheles is a gripping novel with forbidden romance and a tightly wound mystery worthy of the best of Victorian fiction. A sequel to Madame Midas (1888), a story of fortune and loss set in the shadow of Australia’s nineteenth century gold rush, Miss Mephistopheles examines the solidarity between women abused and abandoned by men. Having lost her family fortune to a deceitful husband, Mrs. Villiers flees to Ballarat, where she turns her attention to managing her father’s mine. Known to the local people as Madame Midas, she maintains a hard exterior in order not only to hide the truth of her past, but to guard herself from the cruelty of men. There, she rescues a young girl named Kitty Marchurst, a preacher’s daughter misled by a wicked ex-convict. Raising her daughter Meg, Marchurst becomes a star in the Melbourne burlesque scene, acquiring wealth and fame beyond her wildest dreams. When her beloved diamonds are stolen, however, her world—and the city itself—threaten to come crashing down. Enmeshed in this mystery are an American insurance agent and Mrs. Villiers’ estranged husband, shadowy figures who move in and out of respectable society looking for vulnerable marks. Miss Mephistopheles is a tale of violence and greed set in a country built on wealth gathered too quickly to last. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Fergus Hume’s Miss Mephistopheles is a classic of Australian mystery and detective fiction reimagined for modern readers.

The Mystery of a Hansom Cab (1886) is a mystery novel by Fergus Hume. An immediate bestseller for Hume, The Mystery of a Hansom Cab is a gripping novel with an atmospheric intensity and tightly wound mystery worthy of the best of Victorian fiction. Published the year before Arthur Conan Doyle’s debut, A Study in Scarlet (1887), Hume’s novel became the first international bestseller to be published in Australia. Adapted countless times for film, theater, radio, and television, The Mystery of a Hansom Cab is a classic detective story and a landmark in Australian literature. In Melbourne, Australia, a cabman stops to pick up a presumably drunk passenger. Helped into the cab by an unknown man, who claims to be a friend, the gentleman settles in for the ride homeward. Accustomed to such things, especially in the darkness of early morning, the cabman begins his ride. When he asks his passenger for directions, however, he receives no response, and turns to find that the man is dead. He drives straight to the local police station, where Detective Gorby begins his investigation. Was the friend in fact the murderer, or was he simply a good Samaritan who believed he was helping a drunk man make it home? When the killer is discovered, however, the mystery remains. Over the story looms the shadow of the Frettlby family, whose secrets threaten to smother all of Melbourne. The Mystery of a Hansom Cab is a masterpiece of slow-burning suspicion between the rich and the poor, a story of law and those willing to break it. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Fergus Hume’s The Mystery of a Hansom Cab is a classic of Australian mystery and detective fiction reimagined for modern readers.