Harry Stephen Keeler

Born in Chicago in 1890, Harry Stephen Keeler spent most of his life there and drew heavily on the city in his fiction. He studied electrical engineering and worked as an electrician before turning to writing and editing, bringing an unusual, highly mechanical sense of structure to his stories.

Keeler became a prolific author of mystery, suspense, and some science fiction, producing dozens of novels and many shorter pieces. He is especially remembered for what admirers call his "webwork" plotting: stories packed with digressions, hidden connections, bizarre revelations, and twists that can feel dreamlike as much as logical.

Though never as famous as some of his mystery-writing contemporaries, he developed a loyal following and is still cherished by readers who enjoy the eccentric side of crime fiction. If you like mysteries that are inventive, offbeat, and unlike almost anything else on the shelf, Keeler is a fascinating author to discover.