Since this month we’ve been delving into the origins of the genre, I thought it might be fun to look at the books that launched legendary series of murder mysteries. Most readers know about Poirot’s debut in The Mysterious Affair at Styles and Jane Marple’s first bow in The Murder

In retrospect, the earliest days of mystery fiction feel much like the Wild West — anything is fair game. Victorian-era authors relied on unbelievable coincidences, absurd jumps in logic, and outright chicanery to wrap up their stories. Some 30 years later, a sheriff brought order this lawless land. Anglican priest

Looking for a summer read that won’t break the bank? Try one of these public domain mysteries below. Each exists outside of copyright and can be downloaded and read for free. On a side note, should you always seek out authorized copies when purchasing books that have fallen out of