Melville Davisson Post was an American mystery writer best known for his crime and detective fiction. He gained fame through the Uncle Abner stories and The Strange Schemes of Randolph Mason, highlighting clever plots and compelling narrative twists.
If you enjoy reading books by Melville Davisson Post then you might also like the following authors:
G. K. Chesterton mixed detective fiction with sharp wit, humor, and thoughtful philosophical observations. His detective Father Brown solves mysteries with careful logic and deep insight into human nature.
A great place to start is the collection The Innocence of Father Brown, where Chesterton showcases his talent for blending clever plots and keen character analysis.
Arthur Conan Doyle created Sherlock Holmes, probably the most famous detective ever written. Doyle's stories emphasize logical deduction, detailed observation, and complex yet elegant plots.
Begin with The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, a collection of stories that highlight Holmes's legendary mind, Doyle's crisp style, and engaging mysteries.
R. Austin Freeman specialized in methodical detective fiction featuring Dr. John Thorndyke, a medical jurist and forensic investigator. Freeman's careful, scientifically grounded plots emphasize detailed evidence and logical deduction.
Try The Red Thumb Mark, the first Thorndyke novel, where Freeman demonstrates a precise approach to forensic detection.
Jacques Futrelle crafted clever logic-based mysteries featuring Professor Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen, known as "The Thinking Machine." Futrelle's puzzles often focus on impossible-seeming situations that his detective solves through sheer mental reasoning.
A classic example is The Problem of Cell 13, a fascinating demonstration of Futrelle's creative plots and logical approach.
Baroness Orczy, famous for The Scarlet Pimpernel, also wrote memorable detective stories featuring "The Old Man in the Corner," an odd and clever amateur sleuth. Her detective tales focus on subtle observation, logic, and intriguing storytelling.
Begin with The Old Man in the Corner, a collection that displays Orczy's storytelling skills and her ability to craft suspenseful, satisfying puzzles.
Ellery Queen's mysteries often involve clever puzzles and logical deductions, inviting readers to solve the cases alongside the detective.
In books like The Greek Coffin Mystery, readers follow the character Ellery Queen through complex plots full of twists, intellectual challenges, and surprising revelations.
John Dickson Carr masterfully crafts locked-room mysteries with seemingly impossible scenarios that ultimately reveal logical solutions.
His novel The Hollow Man is a prime example, providing puzzling situations and clever detective work that keeps readers guessing until the end.
Dorothy L. Sayers combines traditional mysteries with insightful character studies and strong literary quality.
Her detective Lord Peter Wimsey, especially in novels such as Gaudy Night, solves cases that explore deep human psychology, social issues, and fascinating moral dilemmas.
Agatha Christie is famous for her intricate plots and memorable characters. Her clear storytelling and carefully constructed mystery puzzles, as seen in Murder on the Orient Express, encourage readers to play detective themselves, making her stories timeless favorites.
Arthur B. Reeve creates mysteries that blend detective work with science, featuring a scientific investigator who applies cutting-edge methods (for his time).
In The Silent Bullet, his detective Craig Kennedy uses inventive technology and forensic science to unravel complex cases, engaging readers who appreciate logical reasoning and clever applications of early scientific knowledge.
Fans of Melville Davisson Post who enjoy clever puzzles and unique detective methods might like Ernest Bramah. Bramah's detective Max Carrados is distinctive because he solves cases brilliantly despite being blind, using sharp powers of observation and deduction.
In the stories collected in Max Carrados, Bramah offers a refreshing take on detective fiction with intricate plots, wit, and memorable twists.
If you appreciate the classic feel and intellect-driven style of Melville Davisson Post, then S. S. Van Dine could be right up your alley. His detective, Philo Vance, investigates methodically through logic and relentless questioning.
Van Dine's mysteries have intricate puzzles and a sophisticated air, as shown clearly in the carefully crafted crime within The Benson Murder Case.
Fans of the atmospheric and intellectual depth found in Post's mysteries could enjoy Edgar Allan Poe, whose short detective stories set the foundation for the modern mystery genre. Poe's works have gothic ambiance, precise logic, and eerie suspense.
In The Murders in the Rue Morgue, Poe demonstrates sharp deductive reasoning through his analytical detective, C. Auguste Dupin.
Readers who like Post’s skillful storytelling and suspenseful atmosphere may enjoy Wilkie Collins, a Victorian novelist with an engaging and complex narrative style. Collins often blended detective fiction with psychological tension and social commentary.
His famous novel The Moonstone is a pioneer of detective fiction, smoothly combining intriguing characters with suspenseful storytelling.
Readers drawn to the methodical, careful unraveling of crimes in Post’s writing would likely enjoy Freeman Wills Crofts. Crofts is known for meticulous plotting and a systematic approach to solving crimes.
His popular detective, Inspector French, solves intricate puzzles through patient attention to detail and step-by-step reasoning, as showcased vividly in the gripping railroad mystery The Cask.