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Melbourne Trilogy #3
Miss Mephistopheles
A novel by Fergus Hume, author of "The Mystery of a Hansom Cab".
Sequel to Madame Midas.
A WET Sunday—dreary, dismal, and infinitely sloppy. Even the bells ringing the people into evening service seemed to feel the depressing influence of the weather, and their brazen voices sounded hoarse and grumbling, as if they rang under protest. Cold, too !—not a brisk sharp frost —for here in Melbourne frost and snow are unknown ; but a persevering, insinuating, gnawing cold, just disagreeable enough to make one shiver and shake with anxiety to get home to a bright fire and dry clothes. Overhead a leaden-coloured sky, with great masses of black clouds, from out whose sombre bosoms poured the steady rain, splashing noisily on the shining roofs, and swelling the gutters in the streets to miniature torrents.
Sequel to Madame Midas.
A WET Sunday—dreary, dismal, and infinitely sloppy. Even the bells ringing the people into evening service seemed to feel the depressing influence of the weather, and their brazen voices sounded hoarse and grumbling, as if they rang under protest. Cold, too !—not a brisk sharp frost —for here in Melbourne frost and snow are unknown ; but a persevering, insinuating, gnawing cold, just disagreeable enough to make one shiver and shake with anxiety to get home to a bright fire and dry clothes. Overhead a leaden-coloured sky, with great masses of black clouds, from out whose sombre bosoms poured the steady rain, splashing noisily on the shining roofs, and swelling the gutters in the streets to miniature torrents.
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First published January 1, 1890
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About the author
Fergus Hume
861 books51 followersFergusson Wright Hume (1859–1932), New Zealand lawyer and prolific author particularly renowned for his debut novel, the international best-seller The Mystery of a Hansom Cab (1886).
Hume was born at Powick, Worcestershire, England, son of Glaswegian Dr. James Collin Hume, a steward at the Worcestershire Pauper Lunatic Asylum and his wife Mary Ferguson.
While Fergus was a very young child, in 1863 the Humes emigrated to New Zealand where James founded the first private mental hospital and Dunedin College. Young Fergus attended the Otago Boys' High School then went on to study law at Otago University. He followed up with articling in the attorney-general's office, called to the New Zealand bar in 1885.
In 1885 Hume moved to Melbourne. While he worked as a solicitors clerk he was bent on becoming a dramatist; but having only written a few short stories he was a virtual unknown. So as to gain the attentions of the theatre directors he asked a local bookseller what style of book he sold most. Emile Gaboriau's detective works were very popular and so Hume bought them all and studied them intently, thus turning his pen to writing his own style of crime novel and mystery.
Hume spent much time in Little Bourke Street to gather material and his first effort was The Mystery of a Hansom Cab (1886), a worthy contibution to the genre. It is full of literary references and quotations; finely crafted complex characters and their sometimes ambiguous seeming interrelationships with the other suspects, deepening the whodunit angle. It is somewhat of an exposé of the then extremes in Melbourne society, which caused some controversy for a time. Hume had it published privately after it had been downright rudely rejected by a number of publishers. "Having completed the book, I tried to get it published, but everyone to whom I offered it refused even to look at the manuscript on the grounds that no Colonial could write anything worth reading." He had sold the publishing rights for £50, but still retained the dramatic rights which he soon profited from by the long Australian and London theatre runs.
Except for short trips to France, Switzerland and Italy, in 1888 Hume settled and stayed in Essex, England where he would remain for the rest of his life. Although he was born, and lived the latter part of his life, in England, he thought of himself as 'a colonial' and identified as a New Zealander, having spent all of his formative years from preschool through to adulthood there. Hume died of cardiac failure at his home on 11 July 1932.
Hume was born at Powick, Worcestershire, England, son of Glaswegian Dr. James Collin Hume, a steward at the Worcestershire Pauper Lunatic Asylum and his wife Mary Ferguson.
While Fergus was a very young child, in 1863 the Humes emigrated to New Zealand where James founded the first private mental hospital and Dunedin College. Young Fergus attended the Otago Boys' High School then went on to study law at Otago University. He followed up with articling in the attorney-general's office, called to the New Zealand bar in 1885.
In 1885 Hume moved to Melbourne. While he worked as a solicitors clerk he was bent on becoming a dramatist; but having only written a few short stories he was a virtual unknown. So as to gain the attentions of the theatre directors he asked a local bookseller what style of book he sold most. Emile Gaboriau's detective works were very popular and so Hume bought them all and studied them intently, thus turning his pen to writing his own style of crime novel and mystery.
Hume spent much time in Little Bourke Street to gather material and his first effort was The Mystery of a Hansom Cab (1886), a worthy contibution to the genre. It is full of literary references and quotations; finely crafted complex characters and their sometimes ambiguous seeming interrelationships with the other suspects, deepening the whodunit angle. It is somewhat of an exposé of the then extremes in Melbourne society, which caused some controversy for a time. Hume had it published privately after it had been downright rudely rejected by a number of publishers. "Having completed the book, I tried to get it published, but everyone to whom I offered it refused even to look at the manuscript on the grounds that no Colonial could write anything worth reading." He had sold the publishing rights for £50, but still retained the dramatic rights which he soon profited from by the long Australian and London theatre runs.
Except for short trips to France, Switzerland and Italy, in 1888 Hume settled and stayed in Essex, England where he would remain for the rest of his life. Although he was born, and lived the latter part of his life, in England, he thought of himself as 'a colonial' and identified as a New Zealander, having spent all of his formative years from preschool through to adulthood there. Hume died of cardiac failure at his home on 11 July 1932.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 7, 2023
3 Stars.
Very fun to step back into Hume's Melbourne based detective novels and see cross-over again with well established characters. This book has rated lower than the first two, mainly due to that whilst Hume's writing style is still very smooth to read and captivating, this one just doesn't feel as strong as the first two. The plot is rather fun and a great romp, but some of the plot devices just seem too convenient - I might change my mind with time/ a reread, but just how I feel now. This book sort of feels like Hume had pressure from somewhere (whether publishers or such) to churn out another Melbourne mystery novel. That being said, the characters and overall plot was fun, as always and I had a great time reading this.
In addition to this criticism, I feel that how Hume writes about the Jewish characters is very questionable and certainly displays components of anti-Semitic sentiments - I understand that this is an issue due to the historical context of the author and book's time, but of course this soured my reading experience.
Overall, would I recommend this one... maybe? I can see now why The Mystery of a Hansom Cab and Madame Midas are held up as the primary two Melbourne mysteries, with Miss Mephistopheles relegated to the author's back catalogue, but at the same time it was fun to read the final book in the trilogy of sorts and the mystery, overall, was good fun.
Very fun to step back into Hume's Melbourne based detective novels and see cross-over again with well established characters. This book has rated lower than the first two, mainly due to that whilst Hume's writing style is still very smooth to read and captivating, this one just doesn't feel as strong as the first two. The plot is rather fun and a great romp, but some of the plot devices just seem too convenient - I might change my mind with time/ a reread, but just how I feel now. This book sort of feels like Hume had pressure from somewhere (whether publishers or such) to churn out another Melbourne mystery novel. That being said, the characters and overall plot was fun, as always and I had a great time reading this.
In addition to this criticism, I feel that how Hume writes about the Jewish characters is very questionable and certainly displays components of anti-Semitic sentiments - I understand that this is an issue due to the historical context of the author and book's time, but of course this soured my reading experience.
Overall, would I recommend this one... maybe? I can see now why The Mystery of a Hansom Cab and Madame Midas are held up as the primary two Melbourne mysteries, with Miss Mephistopheles relegated to the author's back catalogue, but at the same time it was fun to read the final book in the trilogy of sorts and the mystery, overall, was good fun.
October 9, 2017
Sort of a tragedy suspense mystery. And a story of redemption, which, in an unusual twist, happened toward the beginning. Thrown in was a religious epiphany at the end.
As a side note, it seems that when Mr Hume was a small child, a Jewish family, out for a drive, may have inadvertently run over his dog. He seems to have taken in personally.
As a side note, it seems that when Mr Hume was a small child, a Jewish family, out for a drive, may have inadvertently run over his dog. He seems to have taken in personally.
February 9, 2020
Great mystery! And a satisfying ending to the story that started in Madame Midas. If you enjoy Hume, don't miss this one.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews