Fergus Hume - Icon Profile | Alexandria
Fergus Hume (1859-1932) stands as one of the most enigmatic figures in Victorian crime fiction, whose meteoric rise to literary fame with "The Mystery of a Hansom Cab" (1886) revolutionized the detective novel genre and laid groundwork for future mystery writers. Born in England and raised in New Zealand, Fergusson (Fergus) Wright Hume emerged as an unlikely literary sensation after relocating to Melbourne, Australia, where he worked as a barrister's clerk while harboring ambitious dreams of theatrical and literary success.
First appearing in Melbourne's literary scene in the mid-1880s, Hume's initial foray into writing came from an unexpected source: his desire to emulate the success of Émile Gaboriau's detective stories. After approaching local publishers with his theatrical works without success, he decided to study the popular fiction market and craft a detective novel that would capture the public's imagination. The result was "The Mystery of a Hansom Cab," initially self-published in Melbourne in 1886 and sold for a mere £50 to a London publisher, which became an unprecedented international bestseller, ultimately selling over 500,000 copies in its time.
The novel's success, however, proved both a blessing and a curse for Hume. Despite writing over 140 novels throughout his career, he never again achieved the same level of commercial success or critical acclaim as his first work. His subsequent novels, ranging from detective fiction to romance and supernatural tales, demonstrated his versatility as a writer but often struggled to emerge from the shadow of his debut. Hume's work notably influenced the development of the detective fiction genre, particularly in its detailed portrayal of urban life and crime, predating Conan Doyle's first Sherlock Holmes novel by two years.
Today, Hume's legacy persists as a fascinating study in literary fortune and the evolution of crime fiction. His masterwork remains a cornerstone of Australian literary history and continues to intrigue scholars exploring the development of detective fiction. The question of why such a prolific author became so singularly associated with one work, despite his vast output, remains a compelling mystery in itself, inviting modern readers to rediscover his forgotten works and reassess his place in the literary canon.