Miss Mephistopheles (ePub)

Fergusson Wright Hume, known as Fergus Hume, was an English novelist principally remembered for his mystery and detective fiction, and notably his first novel, 'The Mystery of a Hansom Cab' (1886), which became a great success. Born on July 8, 1859, in England, Hume moved to New Zealand with his family during his early life and later relocated to Melbourne, Australia, where he became a barrister. It was in Melbourne that he wrote his debut novel, which went on to sell hundreds of thousands of copies, outstripping works by contemporaries like Conan Doyle. After the success of his first novel, Hume went on to publish over 100 mysteries, often focusing on ingenious plots and the exploits of brilliant detectives. Among his notable works is 'Miss Mephistopheles' (1890), a lesser-known yet intriguing example of his exploration into the criminal underbelly and the fin de siècle society's fascination with both moral ambiguity and the supernatural. In 'Miss Mephistopheles', Hume offers readers an intricate puzzle combined with his trademark flair for vivid characters and sharp dialogue. His literary style, characterized by detailed scene-setting and a keen understanding of the human psyche, influenced the development of the detective fiction genre. Hume died on July 12, 1932, but left behind a rich legacy in the form of his extensive bibliography that remains significant to the critique of genre fiction and the evolution of crime literature.