Fourteen stories and four poems comprise this collection of nineteenth and early twentieth century detective and mystery stories. They include well-known works, like "The shooting of Dan McGrew," and re-discovered gems, such as the earliest fictional appearance of a Mountie, and the first Sherlockian parody.

The Gerrard Street mystery /John Dent -- The episode of the Mexican seer / Grant Allen -- The absent minded coterie ; The adventures of Sherlaw Kombs / Robert Barr -- Bulldog Carney ; Wild oats / William Fraser -- The riders of the plains / Pauline Johnson -- The lean man / Roger Pocock -- The shooting of Dan McGrew ; Clancy of the Mounted Police / Robert W. Service -- Running out of pay dirt / Arthur Stringer -- The blackmailers ; The Marshall murder / Harvey O'Higgins -- Shanley's luck ; The builder / Frank L. Packard -- The legacy hounds (excerpt) / Hubert Footner -- The squad of one / Robert J. C. Stead -- The crushed pearl / R.T.M. Scott.