S.S. Van Dine books

S.S. Van Dine was the pen name of American art critic Willard Huntington Wright, who created the wealthy amateur detective Philo Vance in a series of twelve mystery novels published between 1926 and 1939.

Anthologies

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Murder Plus 1992 Buy

Philo Vance Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
O Caso Benson 1926 N/A
O Crime da Canária 1927 N/A
The Canary Murder Case 1927 Buy
La fine dei Greene 1928 N/A
The Greene Murder Case 1928 Buy
L’enigma dell’alfiere 1928 N/A
The Bishop Murder Case 1928 Buy
La dea della vendetta 1929 N/A
The Scarab Murder Case 1929 Buy
Il caso del terrier scozzese 1933 N/A
The Kennel Murder Case 1933 Buy
The Dragon Murder Case 1934 Buy
Il mistero del drago 1934 N/A
The Casino Murder Case 1934 Buy
Il mistero di casa Garden 1935 N/A
The Garden Murder Case 1935 Buy
Sequestro di persona 1936 N/A
The Kidnap Murder Case 1936 Buy
Il caso Gracie Allen 1938 N/A
The Gracie Allen Murder Case / The Smell of Murder 1938 Buy
The Benson Murder Case 1926 Buy
The Winter Murder Case 1939 Buy

S.S. Van Dine was one of the most popular mystery writers in America during the late 1920s and early 1930s. His real name was Willard Huntington Wright, and before turning to fiction he had been an art critic, editor of The Smart Set magazine, and author of books on modern painting. After a serious illness forced him to spend years in bed, he read thousands of detective novels and decided he could do better.

The Benson Murder Case (1926) introduced Philo Vance, a cultured, opinionated amateur detective who assists the New York District Attorney. The first six novels were enormous hits, and Vance became one of the most recognizable fictional detectives in America. The later novels sold less well, and Wright died in 1939 shortly after completing The Winter Murder Case, the twelfth Vance novel. The series includes editions in Portuguese and Italian alongside the original English texts.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has S.S. Van Dine written?

S.S. Van Dine has written 23 books across two series.

What was S.S. Van Dine's first book?

S.S. Van Dine’s first book is O Caso Benson, published in 1926.

Who was S.S. Van Dine?

S.S. Van Dine was the pen name of Willard Huntington Wright (1888-1939), an American art critic and literary editor who turned to mystery fiction after a nervous breakdown. He created the character Philo Vance, a wealthy New York socialite who solves murder cases, and the first six Vance novels were massive bestsellers in the late 1920s.

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