DENVER DOLL'S PARTNER; or, Big Buckskin, the Sport. The DEADWOOD DICK LIBRARY. Vol V. No. 55

Wheeler, Edward L[ytton. 1845? - 1885]

Published by The Arthur Westbrook Co, Cleveland, 1899

About this Item

29, [3] pp. Last 3 pp blank. Woodcut engraving to p. 1, duplicating wrapper design. 7-5/8" x 5-1/4" The 'Denver Doll', our research indicates, has the distinction of being the one of the earliest female detective characters in US fiction. To quote Wheeler, " . she was a splendid specimen of young womanhood. It was no secret she was a detective; it was no secret she was a terror to. [sic]" This 'Denver Doll' was a creation of the prolific dime novelist Edward L. Wheeler, and while she initially appeared in a November 1882 issue of Beadle & Adam's HALF-DIME LIBRARY series, it is apparent, despite the charm & competence imbued by Wheeler, the 'Denver Doll' failed to rouse the enthusiasm of the early 1880's dime novel customers & she quickly faded from the scene a few months later with the publication of the 4th series title [March 1883]. This quick public expiration has, in turn, contributed to the present scarcity of the 'Denver Doll' series titles, as well as her lack of notoriety in today's mystery-collector circles. in fact, many believe that the first female detective in US literature was Amelia Butterworth, who appeared much later in Anna Katherine Green's 1897 work, THAT AFFAIR NEXT DOOR (cf. Blain. FEMINIST COMPANION, p. 456). This the third title in the Denver Doll series, which initially appeared as DENVER DOLL'S DECOY [Jan, 1883]. And while we readily admit that this is not the 1st edition of the work, given the extremily perishable nature of all dime novel publications, and the rarity of this particular title, any collector wishing to own such would be well served to consider this present copy for his, or her, collection. Overall VG+ - NF (paper beginning to yellow, as usual). A quite nice copy. Color pictorial wrappers, stapled. Series advert rear wrapper. Now housed in a clear archival mylar sleeve 3rd edition (cf. Johannsen 285-1/2DL for the 1883 1st edition). Not in Hubin. Seller Inventory # 27238.1

Bibliographic Details

Title: DENVER DOLL'S PARTNER; or, Big Buckskin, the...

Publisher: The Arthur Westbrook Co, Cleveland

Publication Date: 1899

Binding: Soft cover

Edition: 1st Edition