Leaves from the Note-Book of a New York Detective. The Private Record of J.B.
New York: Dick & Fitzgerald, 1865. First edition. 8vo, 22.5x14cm, [3], 186pp, double column. Later blue cloth, spine lettered in gilt. Nearly fine, clean and sound with some foxing to preliminaries. Between Poe and Doyle in the evolution of detective fiction, came the American physician, John Babbington Williams (1827-1879) and his stories featuring New York detective, James Brampton. These collected stories make up what is generally considered to be the canon of the first American detective hero, and quite well-defined as such, with Brampton solving a series of crimes using his gifts of observation and deduction.
The collection was printed in London by Maxwell and Co. the same year, both editions being scarce. Worldcat shows 8 holdings for the American edition.
Hubin pg. 439. "In the Queen's Parlor," pgs 51-52. Item #4823
Sold