Anna Katharine Green

What readers say

Anna Katharine Green is best known as a pioneer of the American detective novel, and her Leavenworth Case predates Sherlock Holmes. Readers praise its twisty, misdirecting plot, locked-room clues, Victorian atmosphere and eccentric Detective Gryce, and many enjoy it as a window into how whodunits began. The common criticisms are wordy, slow, melodramatic prose, a naive and snobbish narrator, stereotyped women, contrived clues and an overexplained ending. Reviewers generally say it is historically important rather than a thrilling modern read.

Best for: Readers who like vintage mysteries and the history of detective fiction and can handle Victorian pacing.

Summary of public reader reviews, updated November 2026.