About This Book

“It is the observation of small things that makes a good detective, for it is often the most trivial circumstance which supplies the first link in the chain.” —James Brampton

Twenty years before the Sherlock Holmes mysteries were written, a fictional New York private investigator was celebrated for his ability to solve crimes based on the principles of observation and deductive reasoning that later became Holmes’ hallmark. Originally published in 1864 and never before reprinted, Leaves from the Note-Book of a New York Detective features twenty-nine cases of James Brampton, the first American detective hero to appear in fiction. The book opens with a chance meeting between a medical doctor, John Babbington Williams (the actual author of the stories), and detective James Brampton. They become acquaintances, and after Brampton has retired after twenty years of service, he sends his case notebooks to Dr. Williams to be edited and published. The result is a stunning collection of intriguing mysteries, including “The Defrauded Heir,” “The Phantom Face,” “A Satanic Compact,” and “The Walker Street Tragedy.” In case after case, using his power of observation, detective Brampton is able prove the innocence of the wrongly accused. Never before reprinted, this first modern edition of this important work now takes its place once more in the development of detective fiction between Edgar Allan Poe and Arthur Conan Doyle, the casebook of the original American detective hero.

John Babbington Williams (1827–79) was a medical doctor who contributed stories to magazines of the time.

Praise for Leaves from the Note-Book of a New York Detective:

“A welcome link to the chain connecting the early masters of detective fiction. . . . The collection offers a window into the early days of American detective fiction and the power of deductive thinking.”—Sarah Weinman, Los Angeles Times

“This story collection featuring New York City private detective James Brampton will intrigue Sherlock Holmes fans, given the number of eerie parallels between the two characters.”—Publishers Weekly