THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN MYSTERY WRITER!!! Philip Schuylar Warne, the first known person of African American descent to publish a mystery in the United States, and Howard W. Macy, whose works predate Warne's, were popular dime novel writers during the latter half of the nineteenth century. Both clever wordsmiths, Warne and Macy demonstrate their skills in the two mystery novellas featured in this book. Published before detective fiction became a widely recognized genre, Warne's Who Was Guilty? (1881) and Macy's The Mystery of Sea Eagle Tavern (1872) will keep readers guessing until both stories' startling conclusions.

In her introduction, editor and popular culture literature scholar Marlena E. Bremseth offers another startling conclusion. Her detective work has unearthed compelling evidence that Philip S. Warne was, in actuality, a pseudonym of Howard W. Macy. Professor Bremseth has published articles in The Dime Novel Round-Up and is current Area Chair of the Dime Novels/Pulps/Juvenile Series Books of the Popular Culture Association.

Who Was Guilty? is the 17th in Crippen & Landru's series of Lost Classics. The cover design is based on a woodcut for Tiger Dick, The Faro King; or, The Cashier's Crime (1878) by Philip S. Warne.