Frederick Irving Anderson (1877–1947)

Of all the mystery reprints that Dover Publications has done over the years, I think this is the most interesting and unconventional. I know that any number of their reprints of classic English mystery fiction are superior as mysteries and probably as prose as well. But there is something about these stories that capture a particular distinctive flavor of American popular fiction of the time.

None of the stories can be thought of as in any way realistic - the police detective in the main sequence seems to be able to have every single member of the New York City police force at his call - but they provide excellent atmosphere and some ingenious puzzles. Several of the stories take place in a relatively rural and remote location - I don't know if its upstate New York, or perhaps Vermont - but they are wonderful and have stuck with me for many years.… (meer)