Isabel Egenton Ostrander (1883–1924) was a mystery writer of the early twentieth century who used her own name and the pseudonyms Robert Orr Chipperfield, David Fox, and Douglas Grant. Christopher B. Booth is sometimes (falsely) credited as a

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...

of hers. She was born in New York City to Thomas E Ostrander and Harriet Elizabeth Bradbrook. Her Ostrander pedigree goes back to seventeenth-century Kingston, New York. She married songwriter

Arthur J. Lamb Arthur J. Lamb (12 August 1870 – 10 August 1928) was a British lyricist best known for the 1897 song " Asleep in the Deep" and the 1900 song "A Bird in a Gilded Cage". He collaborated with many song-writers, including siblings Albert Von Ti ...

in June 1907 and filed for divorce 11 months later. In the discussions of which writer invented the

blind detective ''Blind Detective'' is a 2013 Hong Kong-Chinese action film, action crime film, crime romantic comedy film directed by Johnnie To and starring Andy Lau and Sammi Cheng. The film was shown as part of the Shanghai International Film Festival. Plot ...

, Ostrander is one of the candidates. The first book publication of her Damon Gaunt is a 1915 novel ''At One-Thirty'', but there might be a misplaced earlier short story: periodical publication of many mystery short story writers is often lost or partial. For example, blind detective

Thornley Colton Clinton Holland Stagg (November 1888 – May 3, 1916) was an American screenwriter, journalist, and author. Career as an author Stagg created the fictional sleuth Thornley Colton, known as ''Problemist'', the genre's first blind detectiv ...

appeared in some short stories in ''People's Ideal Fiction Magazine'' in early 1913 that weren't collected in book form until 1915, while Max Carrados by

Ernest Bramah Ernest Bramah (20 March 186827 June 1942), the pseudonym of Ernest Brammah Smith, who was an English author. He published 21 books and numerous short stories and features. His humorous works were often ranked with Jerome K. Jerome and W. W. J ...

reached the periodicals in 1913, but anthologization in 1914. In no case is bibliography complete for periodicals, and either might be the first, though Max Carrados was the first in book publication. In the 1920s, Ostrander was notable enough that

Agatha Christie Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, (; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictiona ...

parodied her in her Tommy and Tuppence anthology, '' Partners in Crime''. We find Tommy and Tuppence modeling their detective skills after Ostrander's characters, McCarty and Riordan.

Bibliography

*"The One Who Knew," ''

The All-Story ''Argosy'', later titled ''The Argosy'', ''Argosy All-Story Weekly'' and ''The New Golden Argosy'', was an American pulp magazine from 1882 through 1978, published by Frank Munsey until its sale to Popular Publications in 1942. It is the first ...

'', Oct, Nov, Christmas 1911, Jan, Feb 1912 *"The Heritage of Cain," '' The Cavalier'', Mar 30, Apr 6, Apr 13, Apr 20, Apr 27, May 4, May 11, 1912 *"The Affair Across the Street," ''The Cavalier'', Sep 13, Sep 20 1913 *"Eyes That Saw Not," ''The Cavalier'', Feb 14, Feb 21, Feb 28, Mar 7 1914 *"The Man Who Died," ''

All-Story Cavalier Weekly ''Argosy'', later titled ''The Argosy'', ''Argosy All-Story Weekly'' and ''The New Golden Argosy'', was an American pulp magazine from 1882 through 1978, published by Frank Munsey until its sale to Popular Publications in 1942. It is the first ...

'', Dec 12 1914 * ''At One-Thirty'', a Damon Gaunt novel, Grosset, 1915 *"The Crevice"

ith William J. Burns The Ith () is a ridge in Germany's Central Uplands which is up to 439 m high. It lies about 40 km southwest of Hanover and, at 22 kilometres, is the longest line of crags in North Germany. Geography Location The Ith is immedia ...

'' The Blue Book Magazine'', Jan, May, Jun, Jul 1915 *"Mystery of the Poison Pen," ''

All-Story Weekly ''Argosy'', later titled ''The Argosy'', ''Argosy All-Story Weekly'' and ''The New Golden Argosy'', was an American pulp magazine from 1882 through 1978, published by Frank Munsey until its sale to Popular Publications in 1942. It is the first ...

'', May 5, May 12, 1917 *"Between Heaven and Earth," ''All-Story Weekly'', Jun 9, Jul 7 1917 *"The Fifth Ace," '' The Argosy'', Dec 15 1917 as Douglas Grant *"Suspense, " ''All-Story Weekly'', Apr 6, Apr 13, Apr 20, Apr 27 1918 *"Booty," ''The Argosy'', Nov 16 1918 as Douglas Grant *''The Island of Intrigue'', novel, 1918, basis for the 1919 film, '' The Island of Intrigue'' *"The Single Trace, ''Argosy'', Sep 13 1919 as Douglas Grant *"Ashes to Ashes," ''All-Story Weekly'', Sep 27, Oct 4, Oct 18, Oct 25, Nov 1 1919 *"Anything Once," ''Argosy'', Apr 10 1920 as Douglas Grant *"The Shadowers / 1: The Man Who Convicted Himself," ''All-Story Weekly'', May 1, May 8, 1920 as David Fox. *"How Many Cards?," ''

Argosy All-Story Weekly ''Argosy'', later titled ''The Argosy'', ''Argosy All-Story Weekly'' and ''The New Golden Argosy'', was an American pulp magazine from 1882 through 1978, published by Frank Munsey until its sale to Popular Publications in 1942. It is the first ...

'', Aug 7 1920 *"Two-Gun Sue," ''Argosy All-Story Weekly'', Mar 4 1922 as Douglas Grant *"The Doom Dealer," ''Argosy All-Story Weekly'', Mar 24 1923 as David Fox. *"Annihilation," ''Argosy All-Story Weekly'', Nov 17, Nov 24, Dec 22, Dec 29 1923 *"Bright Lights," ''Argosy All-Story Weekly'', Dec 22, Dec 29 1923 as Robert Orr Chipperfield *"Liberation, " ''Argosy All-Story Weekly'', Jul 19 1924 * ''The Sleeping Cat'', Burt, 1926 * ''The Mathematics of Guilt'', McBride, 1926

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ostrander, Isabel 1883 births 1924 deaths Women mystery writers 20th-century American women writers 20th-century American short story writers Pseudonymous women writers American mystery writers American women short story writers 20th-century pseudonymous writers Writers from New York City