Annotated anthology textbook of detective stories for American high schools, containing literary history and criticism with student exercises designed to deepen similar literary sensibilities.

Contains: Edgar Allan Poe The murders in the Rue Morgue -- The purloined letter -- The gold bug -- Arthur Conan Doyle Study in scarlet (excerpts) -- Final Problem Adventure of the Empty House The American Sherlock Holmes: Ellery Queen The telltale bottle -- My queer dean! -- The adventure of the president's half dome -- The others: The problem of cell 13 by Jacques Futrelle -- The invisible man by G.K. Chesterton -- The mystery of Hunter's Lodge by Agatha Christie -- The adventurous exploit of the cave of Ali Baba by Dorothy Sayers -- Mr. Strang performs an experiment by William Brittain -- There were female sleuths before women's liberation: Locked doors by Mary Roberts Rinehart -- Village murders by Agatha Christie -- You bet your life by Stuart Palmer -- Mom and the haunted mink by James Yaffe -- Variations: In the heat of the night (excerpts) by John [Dudley] Ball -- The world series murder by Rex Stout -- The day the children vanished by Hugh Pentecost -- The stolen cigar case by Bret Harte.