The Conjure-Man Dies: A Harlem Mystery

The Conjure-Man Dies: A Harlem Mystery
Stanley Ellin

Rudolph Fisher

The first known mystery novel written by an African-American, originally published in 1932.When the body of N’Gana Frimbo, the African conjure-man, is discovered in his consultation room, Perry Dart, one of Harlem’s ten black police detectives, is called in to investigate. Together with Dr Archer, a physician from across the street, Dart is determined to solve the baffling mystery, helped and hindered by Bubber Brown and Jinx Jenkins, local boys keen to clear themselves of suspicion of murder and undertake their own investigations.The Conjure-Man Dies (1932) was the very first detective novel written by an African-American. A distinguished doctor and accomplished musician and dramatist, Rudolph Fisher was one of the principal writers of the Harlem Renaissance, but died in 1934 aged only 37. With a complex and gripping plot, vividly drawn characters and unique cultural elements, Fisher’s witty novel is a genuine crime classic from one of the most exciting eras in the history of black fiction.THIS DETECTIVE STORY CLUB CLASSIC includes an archival introduction by New York crime writer Stanley Ellin, plus Fisher’s last published story, ‘John Archer’s Nose’, in which Perry Dart and Dr Archer return to solve the case of a young man murdered in his own bed.

‘THE DETECTIVE STORY CLUB is a clearing house for the best detective and mystery stories chosen for you by a select committee of experts. Only the most ingenious crime stories will be published under the THE DETECTIVE STORY CLUB imprint. A special distinguishing stamp appears on the wrapper and title page of every THE DETECTIVE STORY CLUB book—the Man with the Gun. Always look for the Man with the Gun when buying a Crime book.’

Wm. Collins Sons & Co. Ltd., 1929

Now the Man with the Gun is back in this series of Collins Crime Club reprints, and with him the chance to experience the classic books that influenced the Golden Age of crime fiction.

Copyright (#ulink_73908e30-57ff-5599-9309-686eabaae50e)

Collins Crime Club

an imprint of

HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

www.harpercollins.co.uk (http://www.harpercollins.co.uk)

First published by Covici-Friede, New York 1932

‘John Archer’s Nose’ first published in The Metropolitan by Meeks Publishing Co. 1935 Introduction first published by Arno Press Inc. 1971

First edition cover art by Charles H. Alston 1932

Cover layout design © HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2017

A catalogue copy of this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

Source ISBN: 9780008216450

Ebook Edition © February 2017 ISBN: 9780008216467

Version: 2016-11-18

Contents

Cover (#u98654cc4-4a06-55fd-b5c4-acad2688f06c)

Title Page (#u00b5c280-cddd-5e24-8eec-30e1261c2a8d)

Copyright (#u8b26d9ff-6242-54f0-b507-dde9207e594b)

Introduction (#u539bc71e-6588-5a05-908e-c9f6b98b51bd)

Chapter I (#u858c286e-71c1-515b-9f32-1b4575456f23)

Chapter II (#uf03a4483-1312-5fac-a45f-bfbdd66a009b)

Chapter III (#u85b7ad6c-5cef-56c3-8865-3b00f64530be)

Chapter IV (#u782ac574-ef1c-56d7-940b-6cf000323e30)

Chapter V (#u689b5f74-86ba-5241-bd8a-2c4b349511cc)

Chapter VI (#u5161f0b6-9d58-5bd2-a36a-10216948a60c)

Chapter VII (#u2ae2903f-1bd9-5c14-be04-a73868cb1c5d)

Chapter VIII (#u2c6935a9-76e4-56a9-b390-157bce51a02a)

Chapter IX (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter X (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter XI (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter XII (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter XIII (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter XIV (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter XV (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter XVI (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter XVII (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter XVIII (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter XIX (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter XX (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter XXI (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter XXII (#litres_trial_promo)