The Lost Parchment (ePub)

Fergusson Wright Hume, known professionally as Fergus Hume, was an English novelist renowned for his contribution to the mystery and detective fiction genre. Born on July 8, 1859, in England, Hume emigrated to New Zealand with his family as a teenager and later moved to Melbourne, Australia, where he was admitted to the bar. However, despite his legal background, his passion for writing prevailed. Driven by the immense success of novels like 'The Mystery of a Hansom Cab' (1886), which outsold 'Sherlock Holmes' stories at the time and has been credited with inspiring the greater proliferation of detective fiction, Hume dedicated his career to writing. His oeuvre includes over 130 novels featuring intricate plots and emphasizing the detailed work of detectives - a novelty at the time of their publication. 'The Lost Parchment' (1894) is just one of many in which Hume's talents as a master of the literary puzzle come to fore. Like many of his works, it showcases the influence of Wilkie Collins and the sensation novel movement, which was marked by domestic crime, professional detectives, and a melodramatic flair. Hume's intricate narratives and clever resolutions have earned him a distinctive place in the annals of crime fiction, influencing the genre to this day. He died on July 12, 1932, in England, leaving behind a prolific legacy that continues to entertain and intrigue readers worldwide.