“I never saw a Purple Cow,
I never hope to see one;
But I can tell you, anyhow,
I’d rather see than be one.”
By Gelett Burgess, who also wrote,
“Ah, yes, I wrote the “Purple Cow”—
I’m Sorry, now, I wrote it;
But I can tell you Anyhow
I’ll Kill you if you Quote it!”
That’s the same Gelett Burgess who wrote The Master of Mysteries, a Library of Congress Crime Classic, although I suspect he was much prouder of the stories of Astro the Seer and his sidekick and assistant, Valeska Wynne. Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress, wrote a short introduction to the book, but it’s Leslie S. Klinger’s introduction that provides the background.
In 1908, the stories of Astro the Seer began to appear in Associated Sunday Magazine. It was part of the flood of Sherlock Holmes imitators. Burgess published the stories for two years in a newspaper supplement, and then in book form in 1912. Astro was orphaned during the Armenian genocide, and then trained as a mystic. His career as a psychic, as told in the collection of stories, took place in New York City where he and his assistant Valeska took cases involving serious crimes, but also lighter topics such as thwarted romances. Although the stories appear to be separate ones, a few characters appear in several stories, and the account of Astro’s quiet and growing love for Valeska carries through the entire book until it culminates in several of the last stories.
While I enjoyed the crime elements of these stories, I can see why Gelett Burgess’ stories were forgotten. The humor and mystery elements, even the light romantic elements, are entertaining. But, Astro’s scientific experiments and philosophizing are a little too much for the modern reader. I’m afraid the so-called psychic, a shrewd student of human nature, should have stuck with his vibrations, auras, and crystals. When he went off track, I tended to lose interest and skim the story until the action started again.
Although I read the entire book, The Master of Mysteries is one collection that I found to be a curiosity piece rather than the rediscovery of a true classic.
The Master of Mysteries by Gelett Burgess. Sourcebooks/Poisoned Pen Press, 2023. ISBN 9781728264011 (paperback), 496p.
FTC Full Disclosure – I read a galley for a journal review.
I do find a lot of these old books like this one to be too dated for modern sensibilities. Yet, I am glad they reprinted it and I am still planning on reading it if my library gets a copy. Otherwise, I wouldn’t spend the money to buy it. I have read other old books that I thought were more worth reading, like Octavus Roy Cohen’s Jim Hanvey, Detective.
You’re right, Jeff. I liked the Jim Hanvey book much more.
The other one I thought of in this context was Rodrigues Ottolengui, FINAL PROOF (1898). He was a fascinating person, a dentist and writer of Sephardic descent from Charleston, South Carolina. The book was recognized by Ellery Queen as one of the most important collections of detective stories. Ottolengui specialized in orthodontics and root canal.
Since that one hasn’t been reprinted, I probably won’t be able to find it. Thanks, Jeff.