E. W. Hornung

As this dynamic biography reveals, the writer Ernest William Hornung (1866 - 1921) became a household name in the 1890s. Scion of a wealthy Yorkshire family, he was short-sighted and slight and suffered from severe asthma. Returning home in high spirits from medical treatment in Australia in 1886, he was devastated to find that the family fortunes had collapsed. Already aware that he had a brilliant knack with words, Hornung managed to support himself by his pen alone, contributing short stories to childrens magazines, newspapers, and monthly periodicals. His first published novel proved a sensational best-seller. Peter Rowlands superb literary biography traces Hornungs rise to fame and fortune, as the writer deftly turned his hand to comedy, romance, and drama. In the process, the book untangles the intricate literary network of Victorian London and Hornungs relationships with some of its leading figures, including his brother-in-law Sir Arthur Conan Doyles, and their collaborative ventures.