Madame Midas

Copy of the book, Madame Midas, Fergus Hume's second book after his best-selling The Mystery of a Hansom Cab, with an introduction by Simon Caterson. The book was first published in 1888. It is a story of crime set in the Ballarat goldfields. The story itself has no connection with East Melbourne but the central character, Madame Midas, is based on Alice Cornwell who did have some connection to East Melbourne. In 1886 she set in motion the construction of the East Melbourne landmark, Queen Bess Row [see link below]. During that year she lived in Powlett Street East Melbourne, at the same time as Fergus Hume was living in George Street and writing The Mystery of a Hansome Cab. It is likely they met in East Melbourne.