Van Dine, S. S.

S.S Van Dine is the pseudonym of Willard Huntington Wright, born in 1888, whose eminent career as a crime novelist opened with "The Benson Murder Case" in 1926. Before this he was well known as an art critic, journalist and socialite; he was Editor-in-Chief of The Smart Set Magazine, Editor of The International Studio, and author of several books, including a study of Nietzsche and works on modern painting. Forced through overwork to take a long rest, and forbidden by his doctors to do any 'serious' reading, Wright read over two thousand detective novels and books on criminology. Subsequently,...