Hunted Down: The Detective Stories of Charles Dickens

Hunted Down is a fascinating selection of Charles Dickens’ detective stories. This classic anthology also includes snippets of Dickens’ other novels about lawmen and crime. Dickens himself was briefly law clerk for the firm of Ellis and Blackmore and later a legal stenographer. During this time he had the opportunity to ride along with detectives as they patrolled London streets. He observed police practices, murder trials, and even attended public executions. From this firsthand experience, Dickens created his most memorable crime-fighting characters such as Mr. Nadgett in the book Martin Chuzzlewit which many consider to be the first realistic detective novel, and from Bleak House, Inspector Bucket.