For much of the history of Victorian Literature and even today, there has been a natural fascination with all forms of crime and criminal plots in the news. This is a fascination that goes back long before publications like the Strand and the Ludgate monthly, to a time when it was the criminals who were written as being the heroes (Pittard 2003). Indeed, there was a natural market for stories about crime and criminals. Ever since the Newgate Calendar began reporting from the prisons, there was a sparked interest in crime, and many periodicals and magazines were quick to capitalize on this (Murray 2016). However, it wasn't until the middle of the 19th century that there would be a shift, namely in the rise of the detective akin to what was popularized by Charles Dickens' Inspector Bucket. Of course, the one who would become an icon for this genre was none other than Sherlock Holmes himself. So popular were the tales of his exploits that many more had taken an interest in the field of detective work in order to continue the genre. 

Our Mission

Our mission is to answer the public's desire for stories about dastardly crooks and the detectives who solve them. We do this not only to educate and inform the public about these crimes, but also teach them a lesson or two about society and what issues sit beneath each of these stories. With many shifts in education, economics, religion, and a growing fascination with the public in being able to engage with these issues, we have made it our duty to give them a chance to reach them (Korbitz 2002).  

Despite our noble intentions, we are not without critics. Many social analysts such as Arnold Smith have noted how they believe stories such as our might actually be a sign of moral degeneration in our nation. (Smith 1904). They have argued that our stories seek only to fulfill the bored masses' desire for mindless entertainment and the thrill of these violent tales. As a response to this, we feel it is our duty to go beyond this preconceived notion that all crime reports in the news are just sating the reader's desire for sensational entertainment. In reality, the idea that people enjoying these darker stories means they must have a criminal mind couldn't be further from the truth. In reality, detective stories inspire the reader to analyze both the scenes of the crime as well as the social issues behind them. As we follow each detective, we follow them as they expose the rotten underbelly of our society rather than celebrate it, and we get to share in their victory as they unravel the schemer's plot. So in short, the only things being promoted in these stories of sleuths are intelligence, social commentary, and having an eye for detail.