Live theatre was once the main entertainment medium in the U.S. and the United Kingdom. The preeminent dramatists and actors of the day wrote and performed in numerous plays in which crime was a major plot element. This remains true today, especially with the longest-running shows such as The Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables and Sweeney Todd. While hundreds of books have been published about crime fiction in film and on television, the topic of stage mysteries has been largely unexplored. Covering productions from the 18th century to the 2013-2014 theatre season, this volume is the first history of crime plays according to subject matter. More than 20 categories are identified, including whodunits, comic mysteries, courtroom dramas, musicals, crook plays, social issues, Sherlock Holmes, and Agatha Christie. Nearly 900 plays are described, including the reactions of critics and audiences.

The Ripper of Storyville is the first collection about one of Hoch's most imaginative creations, Ben Snow, the 19th-century gunman who is often confused with Billy the Kid. The book contains 14 stories, including 7 rare adventures published more than 30 years ago in The Saint Mystery Magazine. Introduction by the author; Ben Snow chronology and bibliography by Marvin Lachman.