E. W. Hornung
Biography
Ernest William Hornung (1866–1921) was an English novelist and short story writer, best known as the creator of A. J. Raffles, the gentleman burglar. Born in Middlesbrough and educated at Uppingham School, Hornung spent time in Australia before returning to England, where he married Arthur Conan Doyle’s sister. The Raffles stories—featuring a charming cricketer who moonlights as a jewel thief—deliberately inverted the Sherlock Holmes formula, making the criminal the hero. The stories became enormously popular and influenced the entire genre of gentleman thief fiction.
Common themes in E. W. Hornung's work
Gentleman burglar
A recurring theme throughout E. W. Hornung's writing.
Raffles
A recurring theme throughout E. W. Hornung's writing.
Crime fiction
A recurring theme throughout E. W. Hornung's writing.
Victorian cricket
A recurring theme throughout E. W. Hornung's writing.
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Why E. W. Hornung is still read today
Hornung’s Raffles stories invented the gentleman burglar genre and remain entertaining reads that cleverly invert detective fiction conventions. On TextStack you can read the complete Raffles stories free online.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was E. W. Hornung?
E. W. Hornung (1866–1921) was an English writer who created A. J. Raffles, the gentleman burglar, deliberately inverting his brother-in-law Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes formula.
Where can I read Hornung online?
You can read The Amateur Cracksman, The Black Mask, and A Thief in the Night free online on TextStack.
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