The Black Mask: Mint Editions

Ernest William Hornung (1866-1921) was an English author and poet, best known as a crime writer who often published under his initials, E.W. Hornung. When he was seventeen, Hornung moved to Australia, with the hope that the climate would remedy his poor health. Hornung often referred to this time as one of the best periods of his life, and he based much of his work off an Australian setting. A little over two years later, Hornung returned to England and worked as a journalist during the active period of the infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper, which likely sparked his interest in crime fiction. Hornung married Connie Doyle, the sister of major author Arthur Conan Doyle, in 1893. While the author explored many important themes in his work, the topics of Australia, crime, and cricket were commonly present in his work, signifying Hornung¿s interest and passion for each.