The Black Spider

by Carlton Dawe

Overview

On the sun-drenched Riviera, where the rich and powerful gather to indulge in luxury and leisure, a shadow lurks beneath the glimmering surface. A notorious thief, known only as The Black Spider, has embarked on a spree of audacious heists, targeting the glittering jewels of Europe's elite.

Having evaded all the layers of security, bypassing guards, alarms, and locks, without leaving any sign of forced entry or exit, the Spider leaves behind a calling card: a crude drawing of a black spider, taunting his victims and the authorities alike.

Enter Reginald Cosway, a shrewd and relentless detective who is determined to unmask the Spider and bring an end to the reign of terror gripping the Riviera. As the Spider continues to strike with impunity, Cosway is drawn into a deadly game of cat and mouse, where every move could be his last.

First published in 1911, Carlton Dawe's thrilling novel was subsequently adapted for both the stage and big screen.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940185872987
Publisher:	Serling Lake
Publication date:	08/15/2024
Series:	Impossible Crime Classics
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	411 KB

About the Author

William Carlton Lanyon Dawe was a prolific Australian author whose literary career spanned over four decades. Born in 1865 in Moonta, South Australia, into an old Cornish family, Dawe moved to Melbourne around 1880 with his parents.

Dawe’s early works, published under his given name, William Dawe, included poetry collections such as Sydonia and Other Poems (1885) and Love and the World and Other Poems (1886). His first novel, Zantha (1886), also published under his birth name, represented his initial attempt at fiction. However, it was under the pen name Carlton Dawe that he gained greater recognition, shifting his focus from poetry to the genres of romance, mystery, and crime.

Dawe spent considerable time in Asia, and his novels often explored the complexities of colonial life, interracial relationships, and the challenges faced by white settlers in the Far East. Works such as Yellow and White (1895) and Kakemonos (1897) provide candid accounts of interracial dynamics, while thrillers like Yellow Man (1900) delve into the mysteries of Chinese secret societies.

Dawe settled in England in 1892 and continued to write prolifically. He produced a total of 74 novels between 1890 and 1936. His later years saw a shift towards playwriting, with works like The Black Spider (1927) being produced in London. Despite his success, Dawe remained a somewhat enigmatic figure, with little known about his personal life. He passed away in Middlesex, England, in 1935.