{"product_id":"the-mystery-of-a-hansom-fergus-hume-9781985072206","title":"The Mystery of a Hansom Cab","description":"The Mystery of a Hansom Cab takes place in Melbourne, Australia and involves an investigation into a homicide, after a corpse is discovered in the evening, in a hansom cab. The city of Melbourne plays a significant role in the plot and, as the author describes: \"Over all the great city hung a cloud of smoke like a pall.\" The killer's identity is not as significant a revelation in the story as are the roles of the influential and secretive Frettlby family, and their secret: they have an illegitimate daughter living on the streets. The class divide between Melbourne's wealthy and less fortunate is addressed throughout the plot. The protagonist in the novel is a policeman named Detective Gorby, who is given the task of solving the murder. As Hume describes the character's investigative skills: \"He looked keenly round the room, and his estimate of the dead man's character was formed at once.\" The author commented in a later introduction, \"All of the scenes in the book, especially the slums, are described from personal observation; and I passed a great many nights in Little Bourke Street, gathering material\". At this time, the street had gained notoriety as a place frequented by prostitutes and criminals.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Fergus Hume\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1985072203\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781985072206\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Createspace Independent Publishing Platform\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 02\/05\/2018\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 238\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.71lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.02h x 5.98w x 0.50d","brand":"Fergus Hume","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":48446035722495,"sku":"9781985072206","price":11.75,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_da5c6ed6-a01b-4d85-9dfa-85734c60e630.jpg?v=1777222195","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/the-mystery-of-a-hansom-fergus-hume-9781985072206","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}