The Mystery of a Hansom Cab - Fergus Hume

The Mystery of a Hansom Cab

By Fergus Hume

  • Release Date: 1886-12-31
  • Genre: Police Procedural
Score: 4
4
From 622 Ratings

Description

An Apple Books Classic edition.

We’ve all heard of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes. But what about the novel that inspired Doyle-and outsold him? Fergus Hume’s <i>The Mystery of a Hansom Cab</i> made him the bestselling crime writer of the 19th century.

The story opens in the dead of night in Victorian-era Melbourne. A man pulls up to a police station and tells them he’s shuttling the body of a murder victim inside his hansom cab. And although he’s laid eyes on the man he believes to be the murderer, the driver can offer no concrete leads.

Hume’s novel is as famous for its plot as it is for its depiction of Melbourne’s class divides at the time. With its portraits of grimy, impoverished neighbourhoods alongside scenes of high-society opulence, The Mystery of a Hansom Cab is an absorbing historical mystery.

Reviews

  • Say

    5
    By sirFlickka
    It’s coolly😭
  • The Mystery of a Hansom Cab

    4
    By Mxpkl
    Gotta love the classics.
  • Family secrets

    5
    By Cubanoso
    This early mystery is a historical document of life in Melbourne at the end of the 19th century. Gorby, the detective who opens the novel disappears one third of the way in the text. There’s humor and a few red herrings. Great book.
  • Fabulous story

    5
    By Msphyt
    So glad I read this story, it was worth it. Very interesting, period in history and the early days of Australia- I knew nothing about this author but mystery from authors of past are always welcome in my book lists!
  • The mystery of the Hansom cab.

    4
    By CP Moo
    Considering the time of writing, I thought it was quite good.
  • Great story

    5
    By Steve j m
    I truly enjoyed the intrigue and twists and turns in the well thought out story. A page turner.
  • Too long

    4
    By Fufubaby
    The plot was great but there was too much unnecessary narrative.
  • The Mystery of a Hansom Cab

    5
    By TRockTb
    Excellent murder mystery
  • A good read

    5
    By cobra429w
    It seemed real. I couldn’t put it down.
  • Meh

    2
    By Tygerlili70
    Victorin, patronizing misogyny full of heavy-handed literary references wrapped around a mediocre plot. Skip this and go directly to anything by Conan Doyle.

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