Andrew Forrester

Born in Southwark, London, in 1832, James Redding Ware wrote under the pseudonym Andrew Forrester. He began in trade before turning to literary work in the 1860s, and went on to become an English writer, novelist, and playwright.

He is especially remembered for early detective fiction, including The Female Detective, which is often noted for featuring one of the first female detectives in fiction. His work appeared during the formative years of the mystery genre, making him an important figure for readers interested in crime fiction before Sherlock Holmes.

Ware's career was broad rather than narrow. Alongside fiction, he wrote journalism and later produced reference works, including his posthumously published Passing English of the Victorian Era, a lively dictionary of slang and unusual expressions. No suitable confirmed portrait image was found from the sources checked, so no profile image is included.