The Conjure-man Dies:a Harlem Mystery

Description

A unique crime classic: the very first detective novel written by an African-American, set in 1930s New York with only Black characters. When the body of Nâ€™Gana Frimbo, the African conjure-man, is discovered in his consultation room, Perry Dart, one of Harlemâ€™s ten Black police detectives, is called in to investigate. Together with Dr Archer, a physician from across the street, Dart is determined to solve the baffling mystery, helped and hindered by Bubber Brown and Jinx Jenkins, local boys keen to clear themselves of suspicion of murder and undertake their own investigations. The Conjure-Man Dies (1932) was the very first detective novel written by an African-American. A distinguished doctor and accomplished musician and dramatist, Rudolph Fisher was one of the principal writers of the Harlem Renaissance, but died in 1934 aged only 37. With a complex and gripping plot, vividly drawn characters and unique cultural elements, Fisherâ€™s witty novel is a genuine crime classic from one of the most exciting eras in the history of Black fiction. THIS DETECTIVE STORY CLUB CLASSIC includes an archival introduction by New York crime writer Stanley Ellin, plus Fisherâ€™s last published story, â€˜John Archerâ€™s Noseâ€™, in which Perry Dart and Dr Archer return to solve the case of a young man murdered in his own bed.

About the Author

One of the premier writers of the Harlem Renaissance, Rudolph Fisher wrote stories depicting the multifaceted black urban experience that are still acclaimed today for their humor, grace, and objective view of Harlem life. Through his words, wrote the New York Times Book Review, â€˜one feels, smells, and tastes his Harlem; its people come alive and one cares about them.â€™