Hilda Wade; A Woman with Tenacity of Purpose

Allen, Grant [Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, ed.]

Published by G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York City, 1900

About this Item

pp. x, 383. 8vo. Bound in original olive green cloth. Well-illustrated by the noted artist Gordon Browne, showing the heroine in the fashions of the day. Hinges taped with masking tape (by a prior owner), boards show very light rubbing at the edges and light soiling. There is a very small red stain towards the bottom of the front board. The book is slightly off-set, or cocked. Contents clean, binding sound. With 98 b&w illustrations by Gordon Browne and five pages of publisher's ads at the end of the book. Charles Grant Blairfindie Allen (1848-1899) was born in Kingston, Ontario. At age 13, Allen and his parents moved to the United States. He won a scholarship to Merton College, Oxford (1867-1871), from which he was graduated with a B.A. During 1873-1876, he was professor of mental and moral philosophy in a new college at Spanish Town, Jamaica. After this institution failed, he returned to England, where he pursued writing as a profession. He was perhaps better known as an author of scientific and philosophical books, although he produced over 30 works of fiction, from which most of his income was generated. 'Hilda Wade' is Allen's final work, and all but the last chapter had been completed by the time of his death. His close friend, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, gathered up Allen's notes and completed the final chapter, which effort the publisher acknowledged in a prefatory note. This book is a very early example of a mystery novel with a woman detective as the central character. This copy is the first American edition. It was also published in London by Grant Richards.

Seller Inventory # 9900033843

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Hilda Wade; A Woman with Tenacity of Purpose
• Publisher: G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York City
• Publication Date: 1900
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Gordon Browne illustrations
• Edition: First American edition.
• Seller catalogs:
  • Mystery