The Mystery of a Hansom Cab.

Fergus W. Hume

The Mystery of a Hansom Cab.

London:

The Hansom Cab Publishing Company

1888

Touted as the two-hundred-thousandth printing of the second edition of likely the first runaway bestseller in detective fiction. While the fantastic and prominently displayed sales numbers may have been exaggerated by the publishers, there is no doubt that the novel was highly successful. The first Melbourne edition of 5,000 copies sold in a week. The first London edition of 25,000 copies sold in three days. Originally appearing in wrappers, this copy has been hardbound with the wrappers intact. Unfortunately for Hume, a young Australian barrister, he sold the rights for a small sum soon after the first printing. He moved to London, where he continued his detective fiction career. A Haycraft-Queen selection.

From the Collection of Jeffrey Johnson