Blockbuster!: Fergus Hume & the Mystery of a Hansom Cab

by Lucy Sussex

Fergus Hume was an aspiring playwright when he moved from Dunedin to Melbourne in 1885. He wrote The Mystery of a Hansom Cab with the humble hope of bringing his name to the attention of theatre managers. The book sold out its first run almost instantly and it became a runaway word-of-mouth phenomenon-but its author sold the copyright for a mere fifty pounds, missing out on a potential fortune. Blockbuster! is the engrossing story of a book that would help define the genre of crime fiction, and a portrait of a great city in full bloom. Rigorously researched and full of arresting detail, this captivating book is a must-read for all fans of true crime, history and crime fiction alike. Winner, Victorian Community History Awards, History Publication Award, 2015 Longlisted, Davitt Awards, Best Non-Fiction Book, 2016 Shortlisted, Ngaio Marsh Award for Non-fiction, New Zealand, 2017

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 192214794X
• ISBN13: 9781922147943
• Release Date: June 2016
• Publisher: Text Publishing Company
• Length: 308 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.0" x 9.8"