That Affair Next Door and Lost Man's LaneAnna Katharine Green was the most famous and prolific writer of detective fiction in the United States prior to Dashiell Hammett. Her first novel, The Leavenworth Case, was the bestseller of 1878. Green is credited with a number of “firsts” within the mystery genre, including the gentleman murdered as he makes out his will and the icicle as murder weapon. She created the first female detectives in American fiction. Her amateur spinster sleuth, Amelia Butterworth, became the prototype for numerous women detectives to follow, including Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple. Nosy, opinionated, and tenacious, Amelia Butterworth engages in a sustained rivalry with Ebenezer Gryce, a police detective. In the interaction between these characters, Green developed two more conventions adopted by future generations of mystery writers: the investigation as battle between the sexes and between the professional and the unexpectedly sharp, observant amateur. This volume presents two of Green’s Amelia Butterworth tales: That Affair Next Door (1897) and Lost Man’s Lane (1898). |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
allowed answer appearance asked attention began believe better brother Burnam called closed consider Coroner cried crime detective door doubt dress entered evidently expected eyes face fact fear feel felt find first followed Franklin gave girl give Gryce hand head hear heard hope hour Howard interest keep knew Knollys lady lane leave less light live look Lucetta ma’am manner matter mean mind minutes Miss Butterworth moment morning Mother moved murder nature never night noticed off once parlor passed perhaps person police poor present question reason remarked reply returned rings secret seemed seen short showed side sight smile soon speak standing stepped stopped sure surprise taken talk tell thing thought took turned Van Burnam wait wife wish witness woman young