The second in the ‘Fleming Stone’ series of mystery novels by popular author Carolyn Wells, ‘The Gold Bag’ centres on the mysterious murder of a wealthy businessman Joseph Crawford - killed in the comfort of his own home. Amateur young detective Herbert Burroughs is on the case, but finds himself increasingly baffled by the many clues he unearths. Matters are complicated when he realises he is growing romantically attached to one of the suspects, and so he calls on the famous investigator Fleming Stone for help. Carolyn Wells (1862-1942) was a prolific American novelist and poet, best known for her children’s literature, mystery novels and humorous verse. Born in New Jersey, following school Wells worked as a librarian where she developed her love of reading, and her first book ‘At the Sign of the Sphinx’ was published in 1896. From 1900 Wells dedicated herself to her literary career, writing over 170 novels in total across a range of genres. Some of her most loved works include the ‘Patty Fairfield’ and ‘Marjorie Maynard’ series for girls, as well as the ‘Fleming Stone’ mystery series for adults. Wells is also well-known for her humorous nonsense verse, and was a frequent contributor of verse to magazines. She published an autobiography ‘The Rest of my Life’ in 1937. Wells died in New York City in 1942.Fleming Stone is a private investigator with a flair for reading books and people. New York police department often resorts to her skills when a crime turns out to be too complicated for them to resolve. Carolyn Wells’ Fleming Stone series follow the eponymous character’s adventures as she solves crimes and mysteries.
