author
Dick Donovan
1843–1934
A wildly prolific Victorian writer, he published mystery, horror, adventure, and historical fiction under several names, with his Dick Donovan detective stories once rivaling the popularity of Sherlock Holmes. His work helped shape the lively, fast-moving style of early popular crime fiction.
2 Audiobooks
Tales of terror
by Dick Donovan
About the author
Born in Southampton on May 28, 1843, James Edward Preston Muddock wrote under his own name and under the pen name Dick Donovan. He was a British journalist as well as a novelist, and sources describe him as an especially prolific author of mystery and horror fiction.
His Dick Donovan stories made him a standout figure in late Victorian popular fiction. Contemporary reference sources note that, for a time, these detective tales were as popular as Arthur Conan Doyle's, and that between 1889 and 1922 he published nearly 300 detective and mystery stories. He also wrote widely in other genres, including thrillers, adventure stories, and historical novels.
Muddock died on January 23, 1934. Today he is remembered as an energetic, versatile storyteller whose work sits at the crossroads of Victorian sensation fiction, early detective stories, and popular horror.