Uncle Abner, Master of Mysteries

First there was POE's Dupin, next came CONAN DOYLE's refinement of Sherlock Holmes, and in their wake emerged UNCLE ABNER, one of the most original and brilliant detectives in early mystery fiction. Probably best-known for the "locked room" puzzle, "The Doomdorf Mystery," (which starts this collection originally published in 1918), UNCLE ABNER was a logical detective, whose deductions are based on his knowledge of nature and the psychology of man, these mysteries well stand up to the test of time. My favorites among these tales are: NABOTH's VINEYARD, THE AGE OF MIRACLES, A TWILIGHT ADVENTURE, and THE CONCEALED PATH, but all of them are exciting tales of murderer's undone by the keen-eye and sharp-mind of the Virginian detective, Uncle Abner. IF you've never read these stories before, you're in for a treat. The storytelling is so crisp, it's hard to believe they were written nearly a hundred years ago.

Melville Davisson Post's Uncle Abner is a uniquely American character, a backwoods Father Brown, a strong Protestant instead of a Catholic, with a commanding presence, deep wisdom of the world and the people in it, and an unbreakable devotion to God and His Justice. When Abner sees what others do not, he also sees in it the guiding hand of the Lord. Abner is the perfect man for his milieu, and the milieu provides his mission. Without the support and constraint of the town or city, evil has fewer checks and virtue, when awoken, can become a terrible force. Both cry out for Abner's militant virtue. If you are a fan of mystery stories and you have not read Uncle Abner, your education is incomplete.

Well written mystery and detection stories about a long-gone period in American history. Must remember that these stories were written in 1918 and a bit of racial language is used. The "N" word appears in one story; the speaker is a Black servant who refers to other servants by that word. The narrator is the 11 year old nephew of Uncle Abner. In the 1980's, Uncle Abner stories were revived by John Suter.

This is a great collection of detective stories!!Uncle Abner Rules along with it's reknown mystery author,the late great Melville Davisson Post!!