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True Detective Stories from the Archives of the Pinkertons
This volume of six detective stories was published in 1897.
About the
Allan Pinkerton (21 July 1819 – 1 July 1884) was a Scottish American detective and spy, best known for creating the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, the first detective agency of the United States.
In 1849 Pinkerton was appointed as the first detective in Chicago. In the 1850s, he partnered with Chicago attorney Edward Rucker in forming the North-Western Police Agency, later known as the Pinkerton National Detective Agency and still in existence as Pinkerton Consulting and Investigations, a subsidiary of Securitas AB. Pinkerton's business insignia was a wide open eye with the caption "We never sleep." As the United States expanded in territory, rail transportation increased. Pinkerton's agency solved a series of train robberies during the 1850s, first bringing Pinkerton into contact with George McClellan and Abraham Lincoln.
Prior to his service with the Union Army, he developed several investigative techniques that are still used today. Among them are "shadowing" (surveillance of a suspect) and "assuming a role" (undercover work). Following the outbreak of the Civil War, Pinkerton served as head of the Union Intelligence Service in 1861–1862 and foiled an alleged assassination plot in Baltimore, Maryland, while guarding Abraham Lincoln on his way to his inauguration. His agents often worked undercover as Confederate soldiers and sympathizers, in an effort to gather military intelligence. Pinkerton served in several undercover missions under the alias of Major E.J. Allen. Pinkerton was succeeded as Intelligence Service chief by Lafayette Baker. The Intelligence Service was the forerunner of the U.S. Secret Service.
Be sure to look for other books based on the Pinkerton
- Claude Melnotte as a Detective and Other Stories
- The Detective and the Somnambulist; the Murderer and the Fortune Teller
- The Model Town and the Detectives; Bryan as a Detective
About the
Allan Pinkerton (21 July 1819 – 1 July 1884) was a Scottish American detective and spy, best known for creating the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, the first detective agency of the United States.
In 1849 Pinkerton was appointed as the first detective in Chicago. In the 1850s, he partnered with Chicago attorney Edward Rucker in forming the North-Western Police Agency, later known as the Pinkerton National Detective Agency and still in existence as Pinkerton Consulting and Investigations, a subsidiary of Securitas AB. Pinkerton's business insignia was a wide open eye with the caption "We never sleep." As the United States expanded in territory, rail transportation increased. Pinkerton's agency solved a series of train robberies during the 1850s, first bringing Pinkerton into contact with George McClellan and Abraham Lincoln.
Prior to his service with the Union Army, he developed several investigative techniques that are still used today. Among them are "shadowing" (surveillance of a suspect) and "assuming a role" (undercover work). Following the outbreak of the Civil War, Pinkerton served as head of the Union Intelligence Service in 1861–1862 and foiled an alleged assassination plot in Baltimore, Maryland, while guarding Abraham Lincoln on his way to his inauguration. His agents often worked undercover as Confederate soldiers and sympathizers, in an effort to gather military intelligence. Pinkerton served in several undercover missions under the alias of Major E.J. Allen. Pinkerton was succeeded as Intelligence Service chief by Lafayette Baker. The Intelligence Service was the forerunner of the U.S. Secret Service.
Be sure to look for other books based on the Pinkerton
- Claude Melnotte as a Detective and Other Stories
- The Detective and the Somnambulist; the Murderer and the Fortune Teller
- The Model Town and the Detectives; Bryan as a Detective
- GenresHistoryNonfictionCrime
260 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1897
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 21, 2020
Satu hal yang kutangkap: ternyata jaman dulu detektif punya kewenangan menangkap penjahat (hanya perlu minta surat ke pejabat kota).
Dan buku ini lebih kepada cerita kesuksesan bagaimana cara organisasi biro detektif Pinkerton menangkap penjahat. Tak ada unsur misteri bagaimana pengungkapan kasus seperti buku-buku detektif lainnya.
Ya sebenarnya sudah diungkapkan sih di blurb buku: “terlepas dari fakta bahwa dalang perampokan diketahui dan sebagian besar uang sudah ditemukan kembali, cara perampokan masih menjadi misteri”
Dan buku ini lebih kepada cerita kesuksesan bagaimana cara organisasi biro detektif Pinkerton menangkap penjahat. Tak ada unsur misteri bagaimana pengungkapan kasus seperti buku-buku detektif lainnya.
Ya sebenarnya sudah diungkapkan sih di blurb buku: “terlepas dari fakta bahwa dalang perampokan diketahui dan sebagian besar uang sudah ditemukan kembali, cara perampokan masih menjadi misteri”
January 26, 2016
Good read.
Some really interesting and true stories of crimes committed yesteryear. The history of the Pinkertons is very much worth your time!
Some really interesting and true stories of crimes committed yesteryear. The history of the Pinkertons is very much worth your time!
November 26, 2016
Great old stories
Fun journey through old times of crime solving before science did all the work. Great read. Would recommend to younger generations.
Fun journey through old times of crime solving before science did all the work. Great read. Would recommend to younger generations.
September 22, 2020
Entertaining bit of history
These stories made for a bit of light reading to give me a change of pace from my usual reading habits. I think the last was my favorite because it shows the Pinkertons are human after all. Even though they recovered the money, the man still managed to escape their hands.
I recommend this for anyone who likes a bit of true crime from this period in history. The late 1800s were certainly an interesting time. I’ve learned that although tech has advanced, little has changed in the criminal world from then to now. That or history truly does repeat itself.
These stories made for a bit of light reading to give me a change of pace from my usual reading habits. I think the last was my favorite because it shows the Pinkertons are human after all. Even though they recovered the money, the man still managed to escape their hands.
I recommend this for anyone who likes a bit of true crime from this period in history. The late 1800s were certainly an interesting time. I’ve learned that although tech has advanced, little has changed in the criminal world from then to now. That or history truly does repeat itself.
November 2, 2017
soooo boring. i'm sorry.
pertama, saya pikir ini buku adaptasi serial True Detective yg ga jadijadi saya tonton itu. ternyata (kesimpulan) saya kasus dalam buku ini memang kisah nyata semua. saya ga nyari tau juga, sih, hanya menerka.
sayangnya buku ini ga ditulis senyaman novel novel detektif lain benarbenar monoton, kayak lagi baca laporan kantor polisi.
pertama, saya pikir ini buku adaptasi serial True Detective yg ga jadijadi saya tonton itu. ternyata (kesimpulan) saya kasus dalam buku ini memang kisah nyata semua. saya ga nyari tau juga, sih, hanya menerka.
sayangnya buku ini ga ditulis senyaman novel novel detektif lain benarbenar monoton, kayak lagi baca laporan kantor polisi.
March 21, 2023
Good book. Worth a few euros for sure.
More of a gateway to further reading I would imagine though. Fairly short and not in depth in detail justvwhats necessary.
Anyone familiar with “Deadwood” will enjoy reading about the Pinkertons. Very shrewd people
More of a gateway to further reading I would imagine though. Fairly short and not in depth in detail justvwhats necessary.
Anyone familiar with “Deadwood” will enjoy reading about the Pinkertons. Very shrewd people
January 17, 2018
Really interesting insight into the operations of the Pinkertons and some of their more incredible stories. quite fun to find out hours train and bank robbers used to work... and get get caught.
January 10, 2019
It was okay, but not mind blowing. Is this really true story?
August 9, 2020
such a very good book
February 1, 2021
Great historical read
Colorful characters of truth, a time period that draws you in in each short story. It was fun to read and it’s history impressive for investigations of its time. Beware though. Some things are brutal truth and details.
Colorful characters of truth, a time period that draws you in in each short story. It was fun to read and it’s history impressive for investigations of its time. Beware though. Some things are brutal truth and details.
April 15, 2013
despite the first letter from the first word to every story/chapter was not there. The lengths that people go to to steal money is amazing. Each story involved a lot of people and at times was hard to follow.
April 16, 2015
This was just a straight-forward telling of some of Pinkerton's famous cases. It was interesting, but not suspenseful. It did show resourcefulness of this agency.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews