The Silent Bullet (ePub)

Arthur Benjamin Reeve (1880-1936) was an American mystery writer best known for his creation of the character Professor Craig Kennedy, sometimes referred to as 'The American Sherlock Holmes' due to his scientific approach to sleuthing. Reeve's education at Princeton University and Columbia Law School provided him a solid backdrop for crafting intricate narratives. His literary career began with 'The Silent Bullet' (1911), which introduced Kennedy in a series of detective stories that combined science and intrigue. The book was embraced by readers for its use of real scientific knowledge entwined with the plotlines of its stories. Reeve went on to write more than 80 Craig Kennedy stories, collected in various volumes across his career; these tales were instrumental in popularizing scientific detection methods before forensic science became a standard tool for real-life crime solving. His contribution to the genre, while sometimes overshadowed by contemporaries like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, was significant in the evolution of detective fiction. Reeve also contributed to early cinema with adaptations of his stories and engaged in journalistic pursuits that reflected his interests in technology and society. Overall, Reeve's work captures the innovative spirit of early 20th-century American literature and remains an essential reference point for enthusiasts of the detective fiction genre.