About the Author

AUSTIN PHELPS (1820-1890) was born at West Brookfield, Massachusetts. He was the son of Eliakim Phelps who was a clergyman. He attended the University of Pennsylvania and graduated in 1837 and then went to Yale Divinity School. He was a preacher in Philadelphia, Boston, and then he was a professor at Andover Theological Seminary. He went on to be president at the seminary for ten years. He married Elizabeth Stuart in 1842, when she died, he married her sister, Mary Stuart. He also wrote books on theological topics.

Reviews

"Entertaining and sophisticated, crime writing of a high order." ---The Washington Post