Hagar Of The Pawnshop

by Fergus Hume

Hagar Of The Pawnshop is a novel written by Fergus Hume. The story revolves around a young woman named Hagar who is forced to work in a pawnshop after her father's sudden death. Hagar is a strong-willed and determined character who faces a number of challenges in her new job. She must deal with difficult customers, navigate the complex world of pawnbroking, and try to keep her own personal life in order. Along the way, Hagar meets a number of interesting characters, including a handsome young man named Jack, who becomes her love interest. As the story unfolds, Hagar finds herself caught up in a web of intrigue and danger, as she becomes involved in a plot to steal a valuable diamond. With its fast-paced plot, engaging characters, and vivid descriptions of life in a pawnshop, Hagar Of The Pawnshop is a captivating read that will keep readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end.Hagar hesitated. The article, notwithstanding its workmanship, its age, and its historical associations, was worth very little. Had its interest consisted of these merely, she would not have taken the key in pawn. But the row of mysterious figures decided her. Here was a secret, connected--as was probable from the remark of the old man--with a hidden treasure. Remembering her experience with the cryptogram of the Florentine Dante, Hagar determined to retain the key, and, if possible, to discover the secret.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

Genres: 19th Century, Mystery, Historical, Fiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 1898

About the author

Fergusson 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.

Reviews

[Mark Goodwin]

This is a novel containing 12 chapters about a pawn-broker in the slums of London. Each chapter is lightly intertwined with the others. The first chapter sets up the story - the next ten can stand on their own as little mystery short stories and the finally chapter concludes the book. A rather decent read in that it is not a long tedious read and can be taken in short spurts without having to remember details further back in the story.

[Charles van Buren]

Features, as a main character, a Gypsy girl, October 1, 2016

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This review is from: Hagar of the Pawn-Shop (Kindle Edition)

Circa 1898 mystery stories by Fergus Hume, an Englishman who grew up in Australia. Hume was the author of THE MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB which is said to have been the best selling mystery novel of the Victorian era. The writing of Hagar of the Pawn Shop is good and the stories interesting though some are predictable. The book did not sell as well the hansom cab mystery. Just a little of the 19th century British attitude of superiority is noticeable. The thread linking all of the stories is a Romany Gypsy girl named Hagar who runs a pawn shop. There is some period slang easily understood in context.

The free Kindle edition has some formatting problems with words breaking at the end of lines.

[Julie Davis]

I loved this fun collection of stories. Hagar, a clever and intuitive gypsy girl, solves mysteries connected with items brought to the pawn shop she manages. Things as diverse as an exotic Persian ring, a Chinese war god idol, an old pair of boots, and a silver teapot are the keys to puzzles that are entertaining to watch Hagar unravel. I also liked Hagar's own story which comes to a very satisfying ending.

[Esperanza]

Me atrajo mucho el concepto de la primera detective romaní de la literatura en el Londres del siglo XIX, y me alegra mucho haberle dado una oportunidad a esta obra. Un recopilatorio de las primeras aventuras de Hagar Stanley, que son breves pero interesantes y con un pequeño giro argumentativo en cada una, todas relacionadas con peculiares objetos que llegan a su tienda de empeños. Espero poder encontrar las siguientes entregas para seguir los próximos casos de Hagar de cerca.

[Rozonda]

Although a bit too sentimental at times, this collection of mysteries solved by a beautiful gypsy lady left in charge of a pawnshop with mysterious clients, is nevertheless refreshing because it was published in the 1920s yet it features a brave, intelligent and independent woman as a heroine. The plots of the mysteries are also clever and nicely built.

[wally]

1st from hume for me.
26 jun 16
27 jun 16 finished. great story! story is 11 or 12 chapters long, each chapter a stand-alone story though each story has hagar of the pawn shop as the central character, each story/chapter a bit of a mystery, an entertainingly good read. well worth the time. ooga booga.

[Ez]

Gaslight crime with a fierce lady sleuth, who foils all manner of dark deeds while working in a pawn shop littered with treasures.... and very outmoded racial viewpoints.

The latter makes the stories uncomfortable despite the mould breaking heroine.

[Tomás García]

A so so story but entertaining

[Caron]

My favorite Hume story. This is the book that made me realize he is more storyteller than murder mystery writer.

[Майя Ставитская]

The 12 chapters of the book are the encircling plot of Hagar + 10 stories in which she acts as a detective in a skirt, and at the same time as the arbiter of justice in the part of the universe entrusted to her care. And at least cut me, at least eat me. but these novels are charming. If you are tired of a world in which "everything is not so clear" - a gypsy from a pawnshop is what the doctor prescribed for a gloomy autumn weekend

Цыганочка с выходом
Мохнатый шмель на душистый хмель,
Цапля серая в камыши.
А цыганская дочь за любимым в ночь.
По родству бродяжьей души.
А вот кому викторианский ретродетектив? Вы не представляете, какая это милота! История,винтажная, во всех возможных смыслах: написана новозеландцем, жившим на рубеже позапрошлого и прошлого веков, но стилистически выглядит, как из времен Диккенса или даже Теккерея. В бумажном варианте пережила одно издание Эксмо в недалеком 2017, но особенности начитки аудиоварианта с несклоняемой Агарью заставляют подозревать едва ли не советское издание. Аудиокнига вышла в 2018, но шильдик "1С" тоже отсылает к лохматым девяностым. А каковы характеры! Полутонов в мире Фергюса Хьюма не существует, если негодяй, то совершенный: мерзко ухмыляется, торжествующе хохочет, замышляет чудовищные злодеяния и воплощает их, не дрогнув. Если положительный герой (вернее героиня) - то образец всех совершенств. Агарь умна, красива, добра, находчива, честна, может за себя постоять и обладает манерами леди, хотя росла в таборе.

Я сказала о винтажности. Удивительно, но при всей нарочитой старомодности, "Агарь из ломбарда" совершенно феминистская история. Это о достойной женщине, которая берет свою судьбу в собственные руки, достигает успеха в деле, изначально мужском, следует намеченным путем и не стремится к замужеству. Но давайте по порядку, Агарь Стэнли появляется на пороге ростовщической лавки старого Иакова Дикса, который был когда-то женат на цыганке по имени тоже Агарь, и просит о крове и пище. Взамен она обещает любую домашнюю работу и помощь в ломбарде. Гадкий старик неплохо разбирается в людях и уже было готов сделать ее наследницей, взамен сбежавшего когда-то давно из дома сына (а именно из-за этого полуцыгана, прибившегося к ромам, Агарь покинула родной табор, ее предназначали в жены чужаку, чего девушка категорически не желала). Так вот. от наследства героиня отказывается, но говорит, что станет заниматься делами лавки до появления законного наследника, и обещание свое выполняет.

12 глав книги - это опоясывающий сюжет Агари+10 историй, в которых она выступает детективом в юбке, а заодно уж и вершителем правосудия на вверенном ее заботам участке вселенной. И вот хоть режьте меня, хоть ешьте. но новеллы эти очаровательны. Если вы устали от мира, в котором "не все так однозначно" - цыганка из ломбарда - то, что доктор прописал для хмурых осенних выходных. Тем более, что читает Олег Попов восхитительно имитируя акценты и вообще чудно (ну, за исключением имени героини, которое принципиально отказывается склонять - какая-то у него несгибаемая Агарь получилась).

[Cindy B.]

Mystery-solver and Scrupulously honest Hagar (the gypsy) runs a pawnshop for someone else to inherit, lives poorly while riches grow and resolves problems and mysteries for the clients of the pawnshop. Well narrated by Grant Hurlock (Librivox). Recommended.

It didn’t really take me that long to finish - the Thanksgiving and Christmas season
and NewYear’s came up ... Just FYI. 🤓

[John Brugge]

I stumbled on this in Librevox and it was a surprisingly good set of stories to fall asleep to. Then I read that Hume’s first book was a popular mystery that inspired Conan Doyle to create Sherlock Holmes and felt like this was an author more people should know about. Apparently more famous in his own day and amazingly prolific.

[Jeff Hobbs]

Read so far:

The Coming of Hagar--2
The First Customer and the Florentine Dante--3
The Second Customer and the Amber Beads--3
The Third Customer and the Jade Idol--
The Fourth Customer and the Crucifix--
The Fifth Customer and the Copper Key--3
The Sixth Customer and the Silver Teapot--
The Seventh Customer and the Mandarin--
The Eighth Customer and the Pair of Boots--
The Ninth Customer and the Casket--3
The Tenth Customer and the Persian Ring--
The Passing of Hagar--