The Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library is celebrating its centennial this year (1924-2024). The Library is listed in the National Registry of Historic Places. She still stands proud and well used. Long gone is the old card catalog, all those cards are now online. A lot has changed, but a lot has remained the same. Curious Shirley did some research. What mystery authors might have been part of this library's collection back 100 years ago? Here’s what I came up with:

Edgar Allen Poe (1809-1849). His most popular “The Murders in the Rue Morgue.”

Dame Agatha Christie (1891-1976). Considered her best mystery “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.”

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930). Who else but “Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.”

Dashiell Hammett (1894-1961). “The Maltese Falcon” and “The Thin Man.”

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894). “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.”

Raymond Chandler (1888-1959). “The Big Sleep” and “Farewell My Lovely” (Philip Marlowe).

Mary Roberts Rinehart (1876-1958). Her most famous is “The Circular Staircase.”

Dorothy Sayers (1893-1957. She was known for the erudite detective stories featuring the “Lord Peter Wimsey” mysteries.

G.K. Chesterton 1874-1936). “The Innocence of Father Brown.”

Wilkie Collins (1824-1936). “Woman in White” and “The Moonstone.”

Dame Ngaio Marsh (1899-1982). “Roderick Alleyn Mysteries.” Known for her literary style and acute characterization.

A.A. Milne (1882-1956). “The Red House Mystery.”

Emile Gaboriau (1832-1873). Considered the Edgar A. Poe of France. His classic style included “L'Affaire Le Rouge.”

All of these authors and titles are still listed in the library's catalog and are available today!

Happy reading mystery lovers!