author
Arthur L. (Arthur Livermore) Meserve
1838–1896
A prolific writer of 19th-century frontier adventure stories, he helped shape the fast-paced world of the American dime novel. His tales are packed with scouts, danger, and dramatic wilderness action.
1 Audiobook
Death-Dealer, the Shawnee Scourge; or The Wizard of the Cliffs
by Arthur L. (Arthur Livermore) Meserve
About the author
Born in Bartlett, New Hampshire, on April 18, 1838, Arthur Livermore Meserve became a regular contributor to the dime-novel market, especially through publishers such as Beadle and Munro. He was the only son in a family of seven children, and both of his parents had worked as schoolteachers.
Meserve is best remembered for popular adventure fiction set on the American frontier, including stories such as Death-Dealer, the Shawnee Scourge; or, The Wizard of the Cliffs, The Indian Spirit; or, Perils of the Border, and The Chief of the Miami. His work reflects the tastes of late-19th-century popular fiction: quick-moving plots, wilderness settings, and high-stakes confrontations.
He died in 1896, but his stories continued to circulate in libraries, reprints, and digital archives long afterward. Today, he is mainly of interest to readers and researchers exploring dime novels, frontier fiction, and the history of popular publishing in America.