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The Dead Letter (1867) is a detective novel by Metta Victoria Fuller Victor. Published under the pseudonym Seeley Regester, The Dead Letter is the first full-length work of crime fiction in American literature. "I paused suddenly in my work. Over a year's experience in the Dead Letter office had given a mechanical rapidity to my movements in opening, noting and classifying the contents of the bundles before me [...] Young ladies whose love letters have gone astray, evil men whose plans have been confided in writing to their confederates, may feel but little apprehension of the prying eyes of the Department." Richard Redfield is accustomed to boredom in his role as inspector at the post office's dead letter department. Tasked with reviewing the contents of undeliverable letters, Redfield is shocked to discover a clue to the death of his friend two years prior. With the help of Detective Burton, Redfield sets out to uncover the truth, which he hopes will provide belated justice for Henry and peace for his bereaved fiancée Eleanor.
Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book.
With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.
About the author
Metta Victoria Fuller Victor (1831-1885) was an American novelist. Born in Erie, Pennsylvania, she moved with her parents to Wooster, Ohio in 1839. There, she was enrolled at a female seminary with her sister Frances, who would later become a successful novelist and historian. After publishing stories in local newspapers, the two sisters moved to New York City to pursue their literary interests in earnest. There, Metta married publisher Orville James Victor and worked as an editor for several Beadle & Company publications. Using the pen-name Seeley Regester, she published dozens of successful dime novels.
The Dead Letter (1867) has been recognized by scholars as the first full-length work of crime fiction in American literary history.
Summary
The Dead Letter (1867) is a detective novel by Metta Victoria Fuller Victor. Published under the pseudonym Seeley Regester, The Dead Letter is the first full-length work of crime fiction in American literature. “I paused suddenly in my work. Over a year’s experience in the Dead Letter office had given a mechanical rapidity to my movements in opening, noting and classifying the contents of the bundles before me […] Young ladies whose love letters have gone astray, evil men whose plans have been confided in writing to their confederates, may feel but little apprehension of the prying eyes of the Department.” Richard Redfield is accustomed to boredom in his role as inspector at the post office’s dead letter department. Tasked with reviewing the contents of undeliverable letters, Redfield is shocked to discover a clue to the death of his friend two years prior. With the help of Detective Burton, Redfield sets out to uncover the truth, which he hopes will provide belated justice for Henry and peace for his bereaved fiancée Eleanor. Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book. With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.
