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Continue reading →: A rogues gallery: prisoner photographs in the nineteenth centuryIn the mid-1850s discussions began about the ways in which photography might be used to help fight crime and make it easier for police to identify habitual criminals. The rapid expansion of modes of transport had created a new ‘transient’ criminal and police were looking for more reliable ways to…
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Continue reading →: My year with Agatha: 1920s ‘it’ girlThe 1920s was a period of significant change for British society and in the personal life of Agatha Christie. In The Secret of Chimneys and The Seven Dials Mystery, readers are introduced to ‘it’ girl Eileen ‘Bundle’ Brent, who epitomises the new woman of the Roaring Twenties.
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Continue reading →: Mary Fortune: Australia’s first female crime writerMary Fortune was Australia’s first female crime writer, publishing over five hundred detective stories in The Australian Journal over nearly half a century. Her tales, featuring Detective Mark Sinclair are a fascinating insight into nineteenth century Victoria and police procedure.
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Continue reading →: My year with Agatha: 1920s Agatha abroadIn 1922, as The Secret Adversary was published, Agatha Christie embarked on a grand tour around the world as part of the British Empire Mission. She longed to see the world, and her experiences inspired her writing, leaving a lasting impression and a lifelong passion for travel.
Hello,
I’m Melissa
I’m a Librarian with an Agatha Christie obsession. You’ll often find me with my nose in a book. My areas of interest for my research and writing include: the history of crime and policing, true crime & crime writing, Victorian era literature, British history, folk and fairy tales, children’s literature, local and family history, special collections, libraries, and oral histories.
I’m currently based in Melbourne, Australia, but spent 14 years living in Edinburgh, Scotland, which I consider my true home.
In the library with Mel 