The Technique of the Mystery Story (1914) is a book by Carolyn Wells. Before she began writing her Detective Fleming Stone series of mystery novels, Carolyn Wells was a published poet, accomplished children’s author, and professional jingle writer. In the middle of her career, she heard a mystery story by Anna Katharine Green and was instantly hooked. Through years of practice and attention to the craft, she earned a reputation as a leading fiction writer of her generation, an adept craftswoman whose stories appeared in some of the leading newspapers and magazines of the day. “Why is the detective story? To entertain, to interest, to amuse. It has no deeper intent, no more subtle raison d’être than to give pleasure to its readers.” Writing is a simple act, requiring only the mind, a pen, and a piece of paper. But how does one write well, grabbing the reader’s attention and ensuring their time will be rewarded by the end of the story? In The Technique of the Mystery Story, Carolyn Wells cuts to the core of a craft she defined despite coming to it late in her career. Exploring the history of the genre, defining its many different forms, and illuminating the stylistic choices that keep a mystery tale running smoothly, Wells provides an invaluable template for writers looking to follow in her footsteps or for readers looking for access to the mind and process of a woman revered in her field. This edition of Carolyn Wells’ The Technique of the Mystery Story is a classic work of American detective fiction reimagined for modern readers.
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About the author
Carolyn Wells (1862-1942) was an American poet, librarian, and mystery writer. Born in Rahway, New Jersey, Wells began her career as a children’s author with such works as At the Sign of the Sphinx (1896), The Jingle Book (1899), and The Story of Betty (1899). After reading a mystery novel by Anna Katharine Green, Wells began focusing her efforts on the genre and found success with her popular Detective Fleming Stone stories. The Clue (1909), her most critically acclaimed work, cemented her reputation as a leading mystery writer of the early twentieth century. In 1918, Wells married Hadwin Houghton, the heir of the Houghton-Mifflin publishing fortune, and remained throughout her life an avid collector of rare and important poetry volumes.
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