Download or read book The Essential Elements of the Detective Story, 1820-1891 written by LeRoy Lad Panek and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2017-02-20 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Until recently, only a privileged few could read the rare, early writings that formed the basis of detective fiction in America and made it one of the most popular literary genres of the 19th century. Drawing on the unprecedented access provided by digital collections of period newspapers and magazines, this book examines detective fiction during its formative years, focusing on such crucial elements as setting, lawyers and the law, physicians and forensics, women as victims and heroes, crime and criminals, and police and detectives.