The History of Mystery

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A copy of this volume is located at the Denison Public Library.

813.087 COLLINS

The History of Mystery by Max Allan Collins

 The History of Mystery can best be described  as a "coffee table book" . A "coffee table book", just in case you MIGHT be unfamiliar with the term, is a large oversize book, typically made with more pictures to look at than actual print to read.  But that term may be understating the book too much.

Sure it is replete with a lot of pictures, consisting of covers of old pulp magazine covers and old book covers from the time when the book in question was first published. It is an exquisite look into the past bygone days of mystery, stretching all the way from it's beginnings in the late 1800's all the way to the late 1900's. (The book was first printed in 2001.)

But, like I say, don't dismiss it just because the bulk of it is just pictures (although you could get a couple of hours enjoyment just from that).  There is also a pretty fascinating essay on the history of publishing mystery fiction over that time period included.  The essay is by Max Allan Collins, a phenomenal writer in his on right.

From "Mysterious Beginnings" which covers the historical background that preceded the first private eye novels, through chapters dedicated to such icons as Arthur Conan Doyle (creator of Sherlock Holmes), Erle Stanley Garner (creator of Perry Mason and Cool and Lam),  Agatha Christie (creator of  Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple) and others, Collins gives some well told history of the genre. There is even a chapter dedicated to comic strips and comic books: Batman, of course, but Dick Tracy, who isn't exactly a private detective are included.

There is also a section on amateur detectives, such as Jessica Fletcher ("Murder, She Wrote") and a few others who may not be familiar to the newcomer to the genre. I was a big fan of William X. Kienzle's Father Robert Koesler and Harry Kemelman's Rabbi David Small, both of which mixed a little religion with the detective story. And we can't forget the characters who may have got us interested in mystery as kids; The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew and Encyclopedia Brown.

This is not dry boring history: this is the kind of writing you just WISH your high school history textbook had employed. Since Collins is a well-established writer, having written 100's of novels and short stories, he is a deft hand at making history interesting, too.  It helps if you have an interest in the mystery genre, but I think even those with no interest in it could be entertained, just for his skill at writing.

Until next time, happy browsing.

Quiggy

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