"In the Shadow of Agatha Christie" is a collection of 16 short story mysteries that were originally published between 1850 and 1917. They were set in France, England, Australia, Austria, and America. Some of the stories were a person talking about a crime after it was solved, so it's more a "crime story" than a "mystery." The stories that followed someone as they solved a mystery were usually pretty straight-forward and involved few clues. Short stories can't be very complex, but some of the authors relied upon the clever crime to hold the reader's interest whereas others developed the main characters as well. I enjoyed about 2/3rds of the stories and thought "Jury of Her Peers" was the best of the collection. There was no sex. There was a very minor amount of bad language.

"The Advocate's Wedding Day" by Catherine Crowe (originally published 1850, set late 1790s)
"The Squire's Story" by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell (pub. 1853, set 1769-1775)
"Traces of Crime" by Mary Fortune (pub. 1865)
"Mr Furbush" by Harriet Prescott Spofford (pub. 1865)
"Mrs. Todhetley's Earrings" by Ellen Wood (pub. 1873)
"Catching a Burglar" by Elizabeth Corbett (pub. 1893)
"The Ghost of Fountain Lane" by C. L. Pirkis (pub. 1893)
"The Statement of Jared Johnson" by Geraldine Bonner (pub. 1899)
"Point in Morals" by Ellen Glasgow (pub. 1899)
"The Blood-Red Cross" by L. T. Meade and Robert Eustace (pub. 1902, set Nov. 1899)
"The Regent's Park Murder" by Baroness Orczy (pub. 1901)
"The Case of the Registered Letter" by Augusta Groner (pub. 1910)
"The Winning Sequence" by M.E. Braddon (pub. 1896)
"Missing: Page Thirteen" by Anna Katherine Green (pub. 1915)
"The Adventures of the Clothes-Line" by Carolyn Wells (pub. 1903)
"Jury of Her Peers" by Susan Glashell (pub. 1917)

Like the British Library Crime Classics series, this anthology revives 'lost' female writers of detective fiction who preceded Agatha Christie and the other big names. Some of these women are known for other genres (Elizabeth Gaskell), others have disappeared. Sadly, it's often clear to see why their work hasn't survived: like 'lost' male crime authors, these stories may feel dated and clunky.

That said, this remains an interesting collection for its historical value and for tracing the evolution of detective fiction.

For my 500th Review of 2017 I wanted something special to mark the occasion. With an upcoming movie based on one of Agatha Christie’s books and being a staunch supporter of female writers this seemed like the perfect way to celebrate. Recently I reviewed a short story collection from the mystery genre that covered stories across 150 years yet only around 5% of the book was devoted to female writers despite the fact they have made their own mark on the publication industry. Having a book devoted to those missing voices, showcasing the women who opened doors for Christie and so many others, is empowering.

Leslie Klinger starts off with a history of the huge impact Agatha Christie had over an astounding career that was longer than even the most famous, esteemed Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. We learn that though Sherlock Holmes made the crime/mystery genre popular in the late 19th century, female writers had already been providing their own literary creations long before he embarked upon the world. Yet they were not given the same recognition for their equally talented efforts.

Even hardcore mystery fans may not recognize the names of the authors presented in this anthology or know how long back the female voice stretches but thanks to Mr. Klinger they are no longer lost in the dust of the past. The irony that it took a man to settle that wrong against my fellow gender has not been lost on me.

The first female detective was Mrs. G. in the apropos named story The Female Detective published in the mid 1800s but the first female crime-writer came much earlier from the British culture. The history lessons continue as we bounce around the western hemisphere from France to England to the States learning how the various cultures influenced authors, publications and notoriety.

After the highly detailed and meticulously researched history lessons conclude, the fun starts with stories by some of the strongest women to grace the world’s literary stage. Klinger did a wonderful job reminding us that women have had a voice much longer than most know and we owe it to them to remember their hard work in a time when men were the dominant force.

These stories provide a window into the past, into a time when women couldn’t be on bestseller lists or given the same recognition as men. Their stories are the product of the time, places, people and culture they were created in so it’s important to remember that before passing judgement. You may like some, love some, hate some or be indifferent but in the end you should respect them because each in her own way was leaving a mark upon a world that didn’t care what they had to say simply because of their gender.

The Advocate’s Wedding Day by Catherine Crowe
The Squire’s Story by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell
Traces of Crime by Mary Fortune
Mr. Furbush by Harriet Prescott Spofford
Mrs. Todhetley’s Earrings by Ellen Wood
Catching a Burglar by Elizabeth Corbett
The Ghost of Fountain Lane by C. L. Pirkis
The Statement of Jared Johnson by Geraldine Bonner
Point in Morals by Ellen Glasgow
The Blood-Red Cross by L. T. Meade and Robert Eustace
The Regent’s Park Murder by Baroness Orczy
The Case of the Registered Letter by Augusta Groner
The Winning Sequence by M. E. Braddon
Missing; Page Thirteen by Anna Katherine Green
The Adventure of the Clothes-Line by Carolyn Wells
Jury of Her Peers by Susan Glaspell