• Nothing But Murders and Bloodshed and Hanging - Paperback
Nothing But Murders and Bloodshed and Hanging
Nothing But Murders and Bloodshed and Hanging

    Nothing But Murders and Bloodshed and Hanging - Paperback

    $22.23
    In stock!
    People are currently viewing this
    Select The Options Above
    Description

    by Mary Fortune (Author), Lucy Sussex (Introduction by), Lucy Sussex (Notes by)

    A murderer is identified by a team of oxen. A dead man rises from a watery grave to indict his killer. A phantom hearse gliding through Melbourne's slums foretells violent death. A seamstress turns -detective to avenge her friend's homicide. A locked-tent mystery.

    Such are the themes of Mary Fortune's ingenious and dramatic crime stories. Between 1865 and 1910 she wrote over 500 of them; they comprise the first ever detective fiction series written by a woman. Set in the outback, on the goldfields, and in the burgeoning metropolis of Melbourne, they offer a vivid account of life and death in colonial-era Australia. Fortune tackled subjects such as murder, armed robbery, bootlegging, and sexual violence with a frankness unprecedented for a woman in the 19th century, in styles ranging from melodrama and Gothic horror to social realism and what is now called noir. This book brings together 17 of her finest stories, edited and introduced by literary historians Lucy Sussex and Megan Brown.

    Born in Ireland in 1832, Fortune arrived in Australia during the gold-rush, which she observed firsthand and depicted in many of her stories. A brief, bigamous marriage to a policeman gave her inside knowledge to write about crime, and over the next 40 years her prolific output was serialized under the title The Detective's Album in the mass-circulation Australian Journal. She often lived precariously--struggling with alcohol, unable to prevent her son drifting into a life of crime--and preserved her privacy by publishing under pseudonyms. Her anonymity meant that when she died in 1911 she was almost lost to literary history. Only recently have Mary Fortune's true identity and her extraordinary life story emerged.

    This collection, together with a simultaneously published biography, will confirm Mary Fortune's status as a trailblazing crime writer.

    "The themes of marriage, murder, and gendered violence resonate with contemporary concerns. The writing is beautiful, complex, and thrilling . . . From the small towns of the goldfields to the arid yet lush landscape of the outback, and back to society living in Melbourne, these stories will enthral you."--Candice Fox
    Number of Pages: 310
    Dimensions: 0.7 x 9 x 6 IN
    Publication Date: March 04, 2025
    Add to Cart Select The Options Above

    Reviews

    Exceptional Support and Clean Code

    I was impressed by how fast the support team responded to my questions. Even as someone with basic coding knowledge, I found the theme incredibly easy to work with. The code is well-organized, and everything runs smoothly.

    — Lucas M

    Small Business Owner (Electronics Store)

    Reliable Theme with Excellent Customer Service

    After trying multiple themes, I finally chose Wokiee — and haven’t looked back. It’s reliable, modern, and easy to customize without coding. What impressed me most was their support team: fast, helpful, and willing to assist even with third-party issues. That level of service is rare!

    — Sophie N

    Owner of a Home Decor Store

    Beautiful Design and Great Flexibility

    Wokiee is hands down the best Shopify theme I’ve used. The design options are stunning and fully customizable. I was able to build a high-converting store without any external developers.

    — Rachel L

    Fashion Brand Founder

    Top-Notch Support and Regular Updates

    The customer support team is incredible — helpful, responsive, and very professional. They’ve helped me resolve everything from layout tweaks to app integrations. Plus, the theme is regularly updated with new features.

    — David P

    Shopify Consultant

    Amazing Customization Options"!

    Wokiee gave me full creative control over my store’s layout and visuals. The theme’s design blocks are so flexible that I could create something truly unique — without touching a single line of code.

    — James T

    Handmade Goods Seller

    High-Quality Theme with Professional Code

    You can tell Wokiee was built by pros. The code is clean and optimized for performance. No bloated features — just what you need. My store loads fast and looks great on all devices.

    — Anna V

    UI/UX Designer