Penny Dreadfuls
The cheap, blood-soaked serial fiction the comic book descends from
Before the comic book there was the penny dreadful — lurid, serialized, and sold to the working-class Victorian reader for a penny an installment. Highwaymen, vampires, murderers, and boy heroes, printed fast on cheap paper with sensational woodcut covers. This is where mass-market illustrated storytelling begins.
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277 complete issues, every page restored — read them in full, free. More added daily. Browse by author →
The Mysteries of the Court of London George W. M. Reynolds's serialized tales of Regency and Victorian London weave together orphaned sisters, dissolute aristocrats, mysterious marriages at St. George's Church, criminal conspiracies, and characters revived from the dead. Each installment advances multiple interwoven plots across fashionable drawing rooms, remote farmhouses, and royal villas.
Read · 394 pages 1849 The Mysteries of the Court of London, Volume III (Second Series), by George W.
Read · 394 pages 1849 This serial installment, titled "The Brothers," introduces two contrasting aristocratic siblings at Oxford University in 1824.
Read · 394 pages 1849 The Mysteries of the Court of London by George W.
Read · 395 pages 1849 Contents of "The Mysteries of the Court of London," Vol.
Read · 397 pages 1850 George W. M. Reynolds's serialized novel epitomizes the penny blood—cheap weekly installments that gripped Victorian working-class readers with lurid tales of crime, corruption, and hidden vice.
Read · 397 pages 1850 The Mysteries of the Court of London by George W.
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Read · 397 pages 1850 By George W. M. Reynolds. London: John Dicks, 1868.
Read · 397 pages 1850 Mysteries of the Court of London, Vol.
Read · 397 pages 1850 This volume by George W. M. Reynolds continues The Mysteries of the Court of London, a sprawling Victorian serial narrative.
Read · 394 pages 1860 The Mysteries of the Court of London, Volume VII
A serial mystery-romance set in fashionable Regency London.
Read · 394 pages 1860 This volume, the seventeenth in Reynolds' ongoing serial The Fortunes of the Ashtons, advances multiple interwoven plots.
Read · 400 pages 1860 The Mysteries of the Court of London, Volume V, is a serialized melodrama featuring French émigré nobleman and their English associates conspiring to restore royalty in post-Revolutionary France.
Read · 400 pages 1860 This volume contains multiple interconnected narratives of intrigue, crime, and passion centered on aristocratic life.
Read · 391 pages 1860 This serialized novel, set in January 1795, opens at the George and Blue Boar tavern in Holborn where commercial travellers gather.
Read · 394 pages 1860 This serialized narrative, The Mysteries of the Court of London, presents a Gothic melodrama centered on Pauline Clarendon and her sister Octavia's entanglement with the Prince of Wales.
Read · 400 pages 1900 This aristocratic melodrama, set in 1825, opens at Saxondale Castle in Lincolnshire, a medieval estate spanning two courtyards with Gothic architecture.
Read · 393 pages 1900 Volume XIII of this serial narrative presents a domestic melodrama featuring the aristocratic Saxondale household and neighboring gentry.
Read · 393 pages 1900 "The Fortunes of the Ashtons," by G.W.M.
Read · 393 pages 1900 This volume, by George W. M. Reynolds, presents a serialized melodrama spanning thirty-one chapters.
Read · 400 pages 1900 This volume, part of G.W.M. Reynolds's serialized novel The Fortunes of the Ashtons, contains thirty-six chapters of melodramatic narrative spanning domestic intrigue, mystery, and sensational plot developments.
Read · 400 pages 1900 This volume from George W. M. Reynolds's The Fortunes of the Ashtons (Volume IV of the London edition) is a serialized gothic narrative blending mystery, melodrama, and domestic intrigue.
Read · 392 pages 1900 This volume contains the concluding narrative of George W.M.
Read · 399 pages 1900 Volume V of The Mysteries of the Court of London contains serialized fiction centered on a plot to restore the French monarchy.
Read · 400 pages 1900 This serial narrative opens at fashionable St.
Read · 394 pages 1900 This serialized melodrama, attributed to anonymous authorship, follows the sensational discovery of a woman named Ariadne revived from apparent death during her own funeral.
Read · 399 pages 1900 The Mysteries of the Court of London by George William MacArthur Reynolds, published by John Dicks in 1849.
Read · 400 pages 1900 This volume of the serial features a complex melodramatic narrative centered on secret maternal crisis, scandal, and criminal conspiracy at a royal villa in Geneva.
Read · 393 pages 1900 This melodramatic serial features multiple interconnected plots populated by aristocratic characters and criminal elements.
New Nick Carter Weekly New Nick Carter Weekly serialized detective adventures featuring the titular sleuth and his associate Trim, following cases from Sydney and Cape Town to Mexico and Maine. Published by Street & Smith in 1897, each issue continued multi-part stories involving missing persons, dynamite attacks, and international investigation.
Read · 36 pages 1897 This issue of New Nick Carter Weekly (No.
Read · 36 pages 1897 Street & Smith, 1897. This issue introduces "Tim Carter" (identified as the protagonist of a serial by the author of "Nick Carter"), a young detective returning from Mexico after dismantling a criminal society called the Nanigos.
Read · 36 pages 1897 Trim in Kansas City; or, The Detective's Experiment in Second Sight
This issue features the beginning of a detective serial by the author of "Nick Carter." The protagonist Trim, a
Read · 36 pages 1897 This issue contains the serial "Nick Carter at the Track; or, How He Became a Dead Game Sport." A Wall Street broker named James Wheeler seeks detective Nick Carter's help recoveri
Read · 36 pages 1897 This serial installment features Farmer Josiah Hatgood from Berlin, Vermont, arriving at New York's Grand Central Depot in June with a traveling bag and green umbrella, on his first visit to the city.
Read · 36 pages 1897 This issue of New Nick Carter Weekly (No.
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Read · 36 pages 1897 This issue, published by Street & Smith in September 1897, features the opening installments of a detective serial by the author of the Nick Carter series.
Read · 36 pages 1897 This issue features the debut of "The Hold-Up at the Casino," authored by the creator of the Nick Carter detective series.
Read · 36 pages 1897 This issue features a serial titled "In Nick Carter's Hands," credited to the author of Nick Carter stories.
Read · 36 pages 1897 This installment from Nick Carter Weekly (October 2, 1897) features the serial "Nick Carter's Detective School; or, The Young Reporter's First Case" by the author of Nick Carter.
Read · 36 pages 1897 How His... (title cut off), by the author of "Nick Carter," represents a serial adventure story published in the New Nick Carter Weekly (No.
Read · 36 pages 1897 This issue features "Trim in Cape Town: Or, The Man With a Strange Line," by the author of "Nick Carter," a serial adventure narrative.
The Works of George W. M. Reynolds George W. M. Reynolds's serialized melodramas feature aristocratic intrigue, bandit abductions, and Gothic secrets across European settings—from Saxondale Castle to London's corrupt nobility to a haunted French château near the Pyrenees. His narratives interweave crime, romance, and moral transgression among the wealthy and titled.
Read · 392 pages 1870 This volume presents a serialized melodrama titled "The Fortunes of the Ashtons," authored by Reynolds.
Read · 392 pages 1870 This volume presents the opening installment of The Mysteries of the Court of London, a serialized narrative spanning thirty-nine chapters.
Read · 393 pages 1870 This volume collects the serialized narrative The Mysteries of the Court of London, a melodramatic tale of illicit affairs and dark secrets among the English aristocracy.
Read · 392 pages 1870 The Works of George W. M. Reynolds
This volume contains the domestic intrigue melodrama "Lady Saxondale's Crimes," set in 1825 at Saxondale Castle in Lincolnshire.
Read · 393 pages 1870 This volume presents "Lady Saxondale's Crimes" by George W.
Read · 392 pages 1870 This volume contains "The Mysteries of the Court of Kunandt," a Gothic serial by G.
Tip Top Weekly Tip Top Weekly serialized adventures of Frank Merriwell across railroads, mines, Yale athletic fields, and theatrical companies, following the resourceful protagonist through work, competition, and drama. These 1897–1898 issues showcase the prolific Frank Merriwell serials that made the weekly a popular fixture of American mass-market publishing.
Read · 37 pages 1897 This issue of Top Top Weekly (April 10, 1897) features "Frank Merriwell's Dash; or, Yale Against the Field," a complete story by the author of Frank Merriwell.
Read · 35 pages 1897 FRANK MERRIWELL IN THE MINES; OR, THE BLIND SINGER OF SILVER BLUFF
This issue contains two narratives.
Read · 35 pages 1897 Frank Merriwell as "Anchor"; or, The Winning Pull in the Tug of War is the principal serial.
Read · 35 pages 1898 This serial installment from Tip Top Weekly (July 16, 1898) begins a story by the author of "Frank Merriwell." The narrative follows a well-dressed, polished youth who arrives at a railroad roundhouse seeking work as an engine wiper.
Read · 35 pages 1898 This issue features the opening installment of "Frank Merriwell's Father: The Man with Money to Burn" by the author of "Frank Merriwell." The serial concerns Frank Merriwell, a you
Frank Reade Library Serial adventures featuring inventor Frank Reade and his son, piloting steam-powered contraptions—mechanical men across the plains, airships through clouds, submarines into ocean depths—while rescuing companions from perils spanning deserts, skies, and sea floors. Each issue unfolds ongoing narratives of invention, pursuit, and exploration across American frontiers real and imagined.
Read · 24 pages 1892 This issue of "The Steam Man of the Plains" features an ongoing serialized adventure.
Read · 400 pages 1894 This issue of the Frank Reade Library presents "Six Weeks in the Clouds: Or, Frank Reade, Jr.'s Air-Ship the Thunderbolt of the Skies," credited to "Noname." The serial follows inventor Frank Reade Jr.
Read · 17 pages 1895 "Six Sunken Pirates; or, Frank Reade, Jr.'s Marvelous Adventures in the Deep Sea" is a science-fiction adventure serial by "Noname" featuring the inventor protagonist Frank Reade Jr.
Read · 16 pages 1898 This scientific romance serial features inventor Frank Reade, Jr., and his mechanical marvel, the Steam Man—a giant anthropomorphic automaton of steel standing perhaps thirty feet tall.
The Mysteries of London Serialized narratives exploring 1840s London through interconnected plots: imprisoned characters and reformation visits; three travelers of different social classes arriving at Euston Square; an Irish waterman, blind beggar, and other Thames-side figures in a French-translated adventure. Each issue unfolds the city's hidden networks of crime, class, and moral complexity.
Read · 399 pages 1846 Volume II (Second Series) of this penny dreadful contains a serialized novel of urban crime and mystery.
Read · 396 pages 1847 The Mysteries of London; or Revelations of the British Metropolis presents a serialized adventure narrative translated from the French by K.
Read · 394 pages 1850 This issue of The Mysteries of London; or, Lights and Shadows of London Life presents a social panorama centered on three travelers arriving by rail at Euston Square in June 1845.
A Study in Scarlet Arthur Conan Doyle's detective narrative unfolds through Watson's firsthand account: a wounded army surgeon returning from Afghanistan seeks London lodgings, setting the stage for crime investigation. Serialized penny dreadful editions brought this foundational mystery to working-class readers in weekly installments.
Agnes G. W. M. Reynolds's serial melodrama follows young women navigating London's marriage market and a French exile restored to fortune after political persecution, unfolding across fashionable drawing rooms and Florentine intrigue with sharp social observation and Gothic plot turns.
Beadle's Half Dime Library Beadle and Adams's weekly serials (1860–1883) delivered frontier action to working readers: Edward S. Ellis's "Seth Jones" follows a Pennsylvania emigrant and Yankee scout navigating 1775 western New York, while Joseph E. Badger's serialized western plunges an emigrant wagon train into the violent "pouderee"—a tornado of snow, hail, and rockfall across the prairie.
Beautiful Rienzi *Beautiful Rienzi; or, The Secret Vendetta*, from Street & Smith's Select Series (May 1890), presents Annie Ashmore's romantic melodrama of an eighteen-year-old Italian orphan reuniting with her family in New York after years abroad. Readers encounter Ivanilla Rienzi's entanglement with her estranged sister Isolina against a backdrop of vendetta and family secrets.
Belle Rose
Read · 394 pages 1895 Belle Rose: A Romance of the Cloak and Sword, by Amédée Achard (translated by William Hale, Street & Smith Publishers, 1895), is a historical adventure novel set primarily in 1663 France.
Read · 391 pages 1895 This issue of the Paris Series presents Belle-Rose, a historical romance by French author Amédée Achard, translated by William Hale.
Black Bess *Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road* serialized the exploits of highwayman Dick Turpin and his legendary mare across installments spanning years, weaving cases of mistaken identity, mansion intrigues, and roadside robbery into episodic narratives of fugitives and stolen fortunes.
Read · 395 pages 1866 This issue of Black Bess; or, The Knight of the Road contains Chapter DCCCXXXIX–DCCCXL of an ongoing serial narrative.
Read · 400 pages 1868 This issue features "Black Bess; or, the Knight of the Road," a serial adventure narrative centered on the celebrated highwayman Dick Turpin and his mare.
Diamond Dick Diamond Dick, Jr.: The Boys' Best Weekly serialized detective mysteries and Western adventures by W. B. Lawson, following young hero Bertie Wade through tales of suspicious millionaires on remote estates and Spanish gamblers in Cripple Creek mining camps. These five-cent weeklies blended crime investigation with frontier intrigue for boys' audiences in the 1890s-1900s.
Ellen Percy
Geheimnisse des Londoner Hofes *Geheimnisse des Londoner Hofes* presents G. W. M. Reynolds's historical novel in German translation, following the entanglements of British nobility through serialized installments. Readers encounter Lord Florimel's broken engagement, letters from his betrothed Pauline Clarendon, and conspiracies whispered between aristocrats and modistes in the drawing rooms of London society.
Happy Days *Happy Days: A Paper for Young Americans* serialized bicycle adventures and war narratives for young readers in the 1890s, featuring stories like Albert J. Booth's account of two seventeen-year-old boys circumnavigating the globe and H. K. Shackleford's Spanish-American War tale of a boy outmaneuvering a Cuban governor.
Joseph Wilmot
Penny Blood Serial Fiction Penny Blood Serial Fiction presents serialized melodramas from 1870, including tales of provincial crime and aristocratic scandal. Readers will encounter commercial travellers bearing accusations of fraud, baronets in legal peril, and dramatic equestrian disasters at grand estates, rendered in the sensational prose of authors like G. W. M. Reynolds.
Should She Have Left Him? *Should She Have Left Him?*, a domestic melodrama by Barclay North (William C. Hudson), serialized from an 1894 Cassell edition and reissued by Street & Smith in 1900, opens at Saratoga where a newlywed wife contemplates her marriage while men below discuss secrets that threaten her happiness. The narrative explores bigamy and its consequences through the lives of the recently married Trescotts.
The Prairie Detective *The Secret Service*, a monthly crime-detection periodical from Street & Smith, follows frontier lawmen through Western settings populated by buffalo hunters and trappers. This 1889 installment features Leander P. Richardson's serial detective narrative set on the Kansas prairies.
The Young Briton Young Briton serialized adventure narratives for working-class British readers, mixing exotic colonial tales with domestic melodrama. These restored issues feature "The Lake of Light," following protagonist Sam Small through African kingdoms and forced marriage, alongside Bracebridge Hemyng's "Sam Sawbones," chronicling a medical student's rescue of a gentleman's daughter and entry into wealthy society.
Standalone books & one-shots Self-contained novels, serials and one-off issues — each restored end to end.
Read · 308 pages The Child of Waterloo, or, The Horrors of the Battle-Field "The Child of Waterloo; or, The Horrors of the Battle-Field," by George W.
Read · 201 pages Alfred de Rosann Alfred de Rosann: The Adventures of a French Gentleman, by George W.
Read · 273 pages Alfred de Rosann by G.W.M. Reynolds By G. W. M. Reynolds, this 1839 penny dreadful serial follows a French aristocratic family fleeing the Revolution's violence.
Read · 190 pages Penny Blood Serial Cover By George W. M. Reynolds, this serial follows French émigrés fleeing Revolutionary terror in 1793.
Read · 248 pages Angelina: Or, The Mystery of St. Mark's Abbey ANGELINA; or, The Mystery of St.
Read · 281 pages Pickwick in der Fremde (Pickwick Abroad) This is the fifth and sixth installments of a German translation of G.W.M.
Read · 257 pages A Sequel to Don Juan This anonymous verse narrative continues Byron's celebrated poem in octava rima form.
Read · 278 pages Alfred; or, The Adventures of a French Gentleman By George W.M. Reynolds, this serial chronicles the fortunes of French émigrés during the Revolutionary period.
Read · 399 pages The Steam-Packet: A Tale of the River and the Ocean This page consists entirely of advertisements for works published by W.
Read · 398 pages The Mysteries of the Court of London by Pauline Clarendon This multi-chapter serial narrative, set in January 1795, opens with a sensational account delivered by traveling merchant Mr.
Read · 37 pages Mary Price; or, The Adventures of a Servant Girl A domestic drama in two acts adapted from G.
Read · 400 pages The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss This serial opens in July 1435 in Bohemia.
See 177 more standalone works
Read · 400 pages The Gift of the Sailor: The String of Pearls & Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street Sweeney Todd, the Demon-Barber of Fleet Street is a serial narrative by James Malcolm Rymer and Thomas Preskett Prest spanning 177 chapters.
Read · 396 pages The String of Pearls; or, The Barber of Fleet Street This 1850 penny dreadful serialization concerns Sweeney Todd, a Fleet Street barber during the reign of George III.
Read · 151 pages The Seamstress; or, The White Slave of England This serial novel by G.W.M. Reynolds, illustrated by Henry Andelay, introduces Virginia Mordaunt, an impoverished eighteen-year-old seamstress living in a squalid attic on Tavistock Street in London.
Read · 231 pages The Soldier's Wife By G. W. M. Reynolds, serialized in penny dreadful format by T.
Read · 400 pages The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality is a domestic melodrama by George W.
Read · 204 pages Rose Mortimer; Or, The Ballet-Girl's Revenge This British penny dreadful installment features "Rose Mortimer; or, The Ballet-Girl's Revenge," credited to "A Comedian of the T.R.
Read · 276 pages Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night (1866)
This illustrated penny dreadful follows Ivan, a murderer and criminal overlord, through supernatural and violent encounters in rural Cornwall during the reign of King James II.
Read · 339 pages La taverne du diable (The Devil's Tavern) This French edition (Michel Lévy Frères, 1867) opens on the courtroom confession of Elisa Sydney, whose entire history is then recounted.
Read · 300 pages Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter This penny dreadful issue, published in 1867 by the Newsagents' Publishing Company, contains Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter, a maritime romance illustrated with engravings.
Read · 318 pages Spring-Heel'd Jack, The Terror of London This penny dreadful issue features "Spring-Heel'd Jack: A Romance of the Nineteenth Century," attributed to the author of "The Confederate's Daughter." The narrative depicts London
Read · 390 pages The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain This issue contains "The Boy Soldier; or, Garibaldi's Young Captain," a serialized adventure narrative.
Read · 196 pages The Skeleton Crew; Or, Wildfire Ned This illustrated serial story, published by the Newsagents' Publishing Company in 1867, unfolds a tale set in rural England over a century before publication.
Read · 24 pages The Woodwose of Cannock Chase This penny dreadful issue contains two serials.
Read · 98 pages The Frozen Crew Of The Ice-Bound Ship; Or, Terrors Of The Arctic Region This penny publication presents "The Frozen Crew and Ice-Bound Ship; or, The Terrors of the Arctic Regions," subtitled "A Romance of the Wild and Wonderful." Chapter One, "The Pira
Read · 399 pages The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London This penny dreadful installment, dated 1868, presents the opening of "Book I: The Man Without a Name." The featured narrative follows Harold, a river boy living rough in seventeenth-century London during the plague year of 1645.
Read · 4 pages Young Men of Great Britain
Read · 105 pages Despard, the Spy: Or, The Fall of Montreal This Dime Novel No. 178 (March 16), by W.
Read · 20 pages The Bandit Queen: A Tale of Italy This issue features four serialized stories by Leon Lewis, Hero Strong, Howard W.
Read · 386 pages Die Indische Fürstin oder Geheimnissvolle Verbrechen The Indian Duchess; or, Mysterious Crimes, a serialized novel by G.
Read · 20 pages The Duchess's Revenge or The Three Warnings This issue features "The Duchess's Revenge; or, The Three Warnings," an original Italian story.
Read · 400 pages Varney El Vampiro This 2008 scholarly edition, edited by Curt Herr, reproduces Varney the Vampire; or, The Feast of Blood, James Malcolm Rymer's 1845 penny dreadful serial.
Read · 312 pages The Freemason's Daughter: A Novel THE FREEMASON'S DAUGHTER: A Novel
This three-volume novel by J.
Read · 38 pages Alice Bridge of Norwich This August 1881 issue of the Seaside Library contains Alice Bridge of Norwich: A Tale of the Time of Charles the First, by Rev.
Read · 32 pages The Deadwood Dick Library: Denver Doll's Device This installment, by E. L. Wheeler (author of "Deadwood Dick" novels), opens in a mountain gulch where prospectors Walt Christie, Jacob Strauss, a Chinaman named Chug, and a prisoner named Tom Jarvis are camped.
Read · 33 pages Night-Hawk, The Mounted Detective This issue of the Old Sleuth Library presents "Night-Hawk, the Mounted Detective," by Old Sleuth.
Read · 267 pages Bonny Jean, and A Severe Threat This double number from Street & Smith's Select Series (November 1887) contains two stories by Mrs.
Read · 56 pages Manfred's Quest: Or, The Mystery of a Trunk This issue of Old Sleuth Library (No.
Read · 372 pages Ruby's Reward "Ruby's Reward" by Mrs. Georgie Sheldon is a domestic drama serialized in this issue.
Read · 16 pages The Golden Argosy: Tom Gale's Ride "Tom Gale's Ride," by George H.
Read · 24 pages The War Library: Phil, the Scout This issue of The War Library contains "A Story of Pittsburg Landing," a Civil War serial narrative featuring Phil Lamonte, a Union scout.
Read · 16 pages Ching Ching's Novelettes No. 1: Snapson of the 'Snake' This penny dreadful serial, "Snapson of the 'Snake,'" depicts a maritime murder plot.
Read · 208 pages Darke Darrell, the Boy Detective This issue features "Darke Darrell, The Boy Detective" by Frank H.
Read · 284 pages Octavia's Pride; or, The Missing Witness This issue of Street & Smith's Select Series presents "Octavia's Pride; or, The Missing Witness" by Charles T.
Read · 8 pages The Banner Weekly: 'The Captain's Enemy' This issue features two distinct literary works.
Read · 235 pages The Twin Detectives; or, The Robbers of the Tomb This issue of "The Secret Service Series" (No.
Read · 298 pages A Heart's Bitterness This issue of The Select Series (May 1889) features the serialized novella "A Heart's Bitterness," author unnamed, a domestic romance concerning Violet Ainslie, a wealthy heiress raised in isolation by her grandmother in Lincolnshire.
Read · 218 pages A Servant of Satan: Romantic Career of Prado the Assassin This 1889 serial by Louis Bérard presents the confessional account of Prado, an assassin executed by guillotine in Paris.
Read · 204 pages Mezzoni the Brigand This is the first issue of Street & Smith's serial "Mezzoni the Brigand; or, The King of the Mountains" by Lieutenant Murray, part of their Sea and Shore Series.
Read · 230 pages Roanoke of Roanoke Hall: A Romance Roanoke of Roanoke Hall, by Malcolm Bell (1889), is a historical adventure novel set in 1685 during Monmouth's Rebellion.
Read · 216 pages The American Marquis by Nick Carter The American Marquis; or, Detective Foe Vengeance
This serialized detective story, authored by Nick Carter, follows Clinton Hastings, a poor American artist living in Morlaix, Brittany.
Read · 32 pages The Human Vampire; Or, The Elixir of Life The Log Cabin Library, Vol. I, No.
Read · 199 pages The King's Talisman This issue of The Select Series (No.
Read · 233 pages Under His Thumb This issue of The Secret Service Series (No.
Read · 400 pages Witch Hazel; or, The Secret of the Locket "The Secret of the Locket" by Mrs.
Read · 267 pages A Parisian Romance The issue contains "A Parisian Romance," novelized by A.
Read · 314 pages A Silver Brand This issue of The Select Series (No.
Read · 253 pages At a Girl's Mercy, or, The Fortunes of War Street & Smith's Select Series No.
Read · 235 pages Beautiful but Poor Beautiful But Poor by Julia Edwards (The Select Series, No.
Read · 232 pages Bob Younger's Fate This issue of The Secret Service Series (No.
Read · 48 pages Buffalo Bill: His Life and Adventures in the Wild West This number features the opening installment of Buffalo Bill: His Life and Adventures in the Wild West, written by Captain Marcy Hunter.
Read · 263 pages Detective Bob Bridger This issue of The Secret Service Series features "Detective Bob Bridger, or The Man from Scotland Yard" by R.M.
Read · 364 pages Her Royal Lover: A Novel A romantic novel by Mary Corelli (here attributed as "Ary Icilaw"), translated by Mrs.
Read · 394 pages His Other Wife: A Novel This issue of Street & Smith's Select Series (No.
Read · 201 pages Jack and His Seven Foes Jack and His Seven Foes, serial fiction (Chapter 1–2), author unnamed.
Read · 329 pages José This 1890 Street & Smith penny dreadful publication presents Jose by Otto Ruppius (translated from German), edited by Lillie E.
Read · 235 pages Laura Brayton This issue of Street & Smith's The Select Series (No.
Read · 288 pages Leather-Clad Tales of Adventure and Romance, No. 38 This issue of Leather-Clad Tales (No.
Read · 31 pages Old Cap. Collier Library No. 379: The Lawyer Detective This issue of the Old Cap. Collier Library contains "The Lawyer Detective: Or, The Mystery at Three Oaks Ranch" by Will Winch, a detective story serialized across thirty pages.
Read · 220 pages Old Specie, the Treasury Detective; or, The Harbor Lights of New York This issue presents the opening installment of "Old Specie, the Treasury Detective; or, The Harbor Lights of New York," a crime detection serial by Alexander Robertson, M.D., publi
Read · 253 pages Rocky Mountain Sam The Sea and Shore Series, No. 21 (July 1890), published by Street & Smith.
Read · 271 pages Roxy Hastings This issue of The Select Series (No.
Read · 394 pages Stella Rosevelt This issue of the Primrose Series (No.
Read · 233 pages That Girl of Johnson's This issue of the Select Series contains the serialized romantic drama "That Girl of Johnson's" by Jean Kate Ludlum, spanning chapters I through XXXVI.
Read · 68 pages The Armourer's Apprentice This illustrated penny dreadful from The Aldine Publishing Company (London) opens with "The Armourer's Apprentice: A Story of the Battle and the Breeze," set in autumn 1185.
Read · 284 pages The Illegal Marriage This issue of The Select Series (No.
Read · 217 pages The Yankee Champion By Sylvanus Cobb, Jr.; issued monthly as part of the "Sea and Shore Series" (No.
Read · 297 pages Weaker than a Woman Issue No. 45 (June 11, 1890) of The Select Series, a weekly American fiction publication by Street & Smith.
Read · 316 pages A Social Meteor This issue of the Primrose Series (No.
Read · 297 pages Sardou's Cleopatra This issue of The Primrose Series (No.
Read · 321 pages Sealed Lips Sealed Lips (Bouche Close), translated from the French of Léon de Tinseau by Anna Dyer Page, depicts the aftermath of a triumphant operatic premiere in Paris.
Read · 325 pages The Man in Possession The Man in Possession opens at Euston Station on a foggy pre-Christmas day, where two young strangers—a well-dressed gentleman waiting for his wealthy Irish aunt and a composed you
Read · 331 pages The Price He Paid This issue of The Primrose Series (No.
Read · 219 pages The Vestibule Limited Mystery This issue of Street & Smith's "Secret Service Series" (No.
Read · 251 pages The Widowed Bride This issue of The Select Series (No.
Read · 242 pages Thrice Wedded, but Only Once a Wife This issue of The Select Series (No.
Read · 329 pages Vashti's Fate Vashti's Fate; or, Purified by Fire, by Helen Corwin Pierce (1891), published by Street & Smith in their "Select Series" (No.
Read · 32 pages The Safe Breakers' Gang "A Safe Breakers' Gang: The Three H.'s Great Skill" by Capt.
Read · 93 pages Violet Lisle This issue of Street & Smith's Eagle Series presents "Violet Lisle" by Bertha M.
Read · 68 pages Yellowstone Jack: Trappers of the Enchanted Ground This issue of Boys' First-Rate Pocket Library from the Aldine Publishing Company features a serialized Western adventure.
Read · 32 pages The Dragoon Detective; Or, A Man of Destiny A woodcut illustration captures three men in violent struggle over a pistol, its drama heightened by sharp contrasts of black ink on white.
Read · 400 pages A League of Three: Boy's Detective Stratagems A League of Three; or, A Boy's Detective Stratagems
This serial by Old Sleuth follows Madison Heath, a seventeen-year-old orphan and gifted athlete, who leaves his mountain villag
Read · 36 pages Frank Reade, Jr., With His New Steam Horse Among The Cowboys; Or, The League Of The Plains This is a science fiction adventure serial published by Aldine Publishing Company in their "O'er Land & Sea" Library (price twopence).
Read · 296 pages The Opposite House: A Novel This 1894 novel by Nataly von Eschstruth, translated from the German, traces the reformation of a dissolute young merchant.
Read · 16 pages Yale Murphy, the Great Short-Stop Yale Murphy, the Great Short-Stop
This baseball serial by Billy Boxer follows Midget Murphy, a diminutive but skilled short-stop on the Southland, Massachusetts team.
Read · 237 pages A Daughter of Delilah The OCR is severely degraded and largely illegible, making reliable content identification impossible.
Read · 215 pages A Daughter of Maryland By G. Waldo Browne, published by Street & Smith (copyright 1895).
Read · 164 pages A Final Triumph; or, A Lady Bachelor No. 20: "A Lady Bachelor, or A Final Triumph" by Old Sleuth (1895)
This serial detective narrative opens at a summer hotel where an unnamed male observer, physically disabled and
Read · 332 pages Love at the Loom This issue (No. 1091) of the New Eagle Series contains the complete serialized novella Love at the Loom; or, Her Gallant Sweetheart by Geraldine Fleming, author of Hearts of Stone and The Curse of Beauty.
Read · 283 pages Richard Forrest, Bachelor This September 1892 issue of the Primrose Series (No.
Read · 18 pages The Halfpenny Marvel, Vol. 5, No. 109 This issue of the penny dreadful features "The Phantom Mountain," a serialized adventure story by an unnamed author.
Read · 20 pages The Halfpenny Surprise, Vol. I, No. 20 This issue features two serials: "The River of Death; Or, The Queen of the Forest," which appears as the primary story, and "The Halfpenny Surprise," presented in installments.
Read · 395 pages The Island School This issue contains the opening installment of "The Island School," an original adventure narrative by E.
Read · 150 pages The King of the School, or, Who will Win? This story serial follows Frank Egerton's arrival at Lexicon College for the autumn term.
Read · 21 pages The Wizard of Granada "The Wizard of Granada" by M. T.
Read · 35 pages Frank Merriwell in Mexico: The Search for the Silver Palace This weekly serial by the author of "Frank Merriwell" follows the young protagonist, alongside Professor Scotch and Hans Dunnerwust, a Dutch comic character.
Read · 279 pages In Sight of St. Paul's This issue of Street & Smith's Drama Series contains In Sight of St.
Read · 280 pages Mrs. Bob: A Novel Issue No. 16 of the Criterion Series (August 1895) presents Mrs.
Read · 263 pages The Blockade Runner This issue presents "The Blockade Runner," a serialized story by J.
Read · 232 pages Under Fire: A Tale of the Shenandoah Valley This Flag Series installment, "Under Fire" by T.
Read · 52 pages Army and Navy Weekly This November 1897 issue of Army and Navy, a weekly publication for boys (five cents), features complete stories and serials centered on military and naval academy life.
Read · 16 pages Captain Joe; or, The Days of the Mint This issue features "Captain Joe; or, The Days of the Mint," a serial adventure narrative.
Read · 36 pages New Nick Carter Weekly #18 This serial installment, authored by the creator of Nick Carter, opens at Sheepshead Bay racecourse on a June afternoon during the Treadwell Plate steeplechase—a prestigious long-d
Read · 36 pages New Nick Carter Weekly #24 This issue of the New Nick Carter Weekly (June 12, 1897, No.
Read · 316 pages Penny Blood: Serial Sensation and Working-Class Entertainment I appreciate the effort, but this OCR text is not from a Victorian penny dreadful.
Read · 64 pages The Arm Chair Library No. 79: The Haunted Homestead By Mrs. Emma D. K. N. Southworth
This Gothic-inflected romance serial opens with the narrator Agnes recounting her childhood fascination with ghosts, which yields only a broken no
Read · 240 pages The Mission of Poubalov This serialized Russian-American melodrama depicts Ivan Strobel's wedding day interrupted by political intrigue.
Read · 35 pages Tip Top Library: Frank Merriwell in the South Seas This penny dreadful issue features the first installment of "Frank Merriwell in the South Seas: The Cast for Life," a serialized adventure narrative by the author of "Frank Merriwe
Read · 248 pages When London Sleeps This penny dreadful novelization adapts Charles Darrell's successful stage drama.
Read · 35 pages Frank Merriwell's Catch This issue of Tip Top Weekly (No.
Read · 39 pages Frank Merriwell's Fame This issue of Tip Top Weekly (No.
Read · 36 pages Klondike Kit's Chum, or, A Hot Strike on Vulture Hill This installment features "Klondike Kit's Chum; or, A Hot Strike on Vulture Hill," continuing the adventures of the titular prospector.
Read · 290 pages A Fair Fraud A Fair Fraud by Mrs. Emily Lovett Cameron, published by Street & Smith, is a domestic novel in the sentimental tradition.
Read · 231 pages Ensign Merrill This issue of Ensign Merrill by Lieut.
Read · 359 pages Her Faithful Knight This 1899 serial romance by Gertrude Warden follows Aylmer Read, a seven-and-twenty-year-old journalist newly returned to London from provincial employment.
Read · 295 pages Lady Evelyn This issue of Street & Smith's ten-cent novel series (No.
Read · 175 pages Out of the Past Out of the Past by Eleanor Hooper Coryell (1899) opens with the discovery of a dead woman in St.
Read · 68 pages The "Blacklisted" Cadet Issue dated March 38 [sic]. "The Blacklisted Cadet," Chapter 41, continues with "Seeing Things." A messenger boy falls down stairs at Annapolis Naval Academy, claiming he was pushed by an "Indian princess" figure no one else can find.
Read · 86 pages The Curse Upon Mitre Square The OCR is severely corrupted, containing primarily Cyrillic characters and garbled text.
Read · 350 pages The Girl from Hong-Kong: A Story of Adventure Under Five Suns By St. George Rathborne, this adventure novel follows Terry Donahue, a British exile, who pursues a woman named Doris through colonial India during a period of plague and famine.
Read · 239 pages The Wreck of the South Pole and Other Strange Tales The Wreck of the South Pole: Or The Great Dissembler and Other Strange Tales, by Charles Curtz Hahn, comprises twelve separate works.
Read · 278 pages Trooper Tales This is an illustration page for a book, not a penny dreadful
The content is the preliminary matter and opening story from Trooper Tales: A Series of Sketches of The Real American
Read · 68 pages True Blue: Stirring Stories of Naval Academy Life This serialized naval adventure, authored by Ensign Clarke Fitch, U.S.N., concerns Clif Faraday, a naval cadet at Annapolis, and his attendant Hannibal.
Read · 36 pages Work and Win #07: Fred Fearnot as Actor This installment of the Fred Fearnot serial (No.
Read · 196 pages A Queer Race: The Story of a Strange People This serialized adventure novel follows Sidney Erie, an underwriter at the Oriental and Occidental Marine Insurance Company, facing financial ruin from two major maritime disasters.
Read · 396 pages A Struggle for a Ring This 1883 novel by Bertha M. Clay, serialized in the New York Weekly, traces the misadventures following Lord Vivian Carsdale's impulsive marriage to Alice Derwent, daughter of a dancing master.
Read · 239 pages Der mord in der droschke (The Mystery of a Hansom Cab) This German-language translation of Fergus Hume's The Mystery of a Hansom Cab, published by Street & Smith in 1900, presents a serialized detective mystery set in Melbourne, Australia.
Read · 270 pages In Barracks and Wigwam This issue of the Medal Library series (No.
Read · 293 pages In the Sunk Lands This issue features "In the Sunk Lands; or, The Adventures of the N.T.C.
Read · 38 pages Marion Marlowe Entrapped, or, The Victim of Professional Jealousy This serial by Grace Shirley, appearing in My Queen, a weekly periodical for young women, centers on operatic intrigue in New York's theatrical world.
Read · 37 pages Marion Marlowe in Buffalo, or, Betrayed by a Rival Company Marion Marlowe in Buffalo; or, Betrayed by a Rival Company
This theatrical melodrama by Grace Shirley centers on actress Marion Marlowe and the Temple Theatrical Company's troubles in Buffalo.
Read · 37 pages Marion Marlowe in Society, or, A Race for a Title Marion Marlowe in Society; or, A Race for a Title" by Grace Shirley follows the introduction of Marion Marlowe, a young former actress from the country, into New York high society.
Read · 38 pages Marion Marlowe's Christmas Eve, or, The Treachery of a Factory Inspector This issue of My Queen, a weekly journal for young women (No.
Read · 38 pages Marion Marlowe's Cleverness, or, Exposing a Bold Fraud This serialized story by Grace Shirley, published November 17, 1900, follows a complex romance and revenge plot set in New York.
Read · 38 pages Marion Marlowe's Courage: A Brave Girl's Struggle for Life and Honor This 1900 weekly for young women features the serial "A Brave Girl's Struggle for Life and Honor" by Grace Shirley, a melodramatic narrative of urban peril and resilience.
Read · 38 pages Marion Marlowe's Disappearance, or, Almost a Crime This serial installment by Grace Shirley opens with a Broadway confrontation.
Read · 38 pages Marion Marlowe's Escape, or, A Dangerous Mistake on the Road This issue of the Temple Theatrical Company serial, authored by Grace Shirley, chronicles the opening scenes of a theatrical tour departing New York for Cohoes.
Read · 38 pages Marion Marlowe's Money, or, Brave Work in the Slums This serial by Grace Shirley, published November 10, 1900, features Marion Marlowe, an ambitious young woman from Connecticut who has come to New York to study voice and pursue an opera career.
Read · 38 pages Marion Marlowe's Noble Work, or, The Tragedy at the Hospital This October 1900 serial by Grace Shirley follows three newly graduated physicians from the College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Read · 38 pages Marion Marlowe's Peril, or, A Mystery Unveiled By Grace Shirley
This melodramatic serial centers on Marion Marlowe, a recent country immigrant to New York who becomes a newspaper reporter for the New York Star.
Read · 38 pages Marion Marlowe's Skill, or, A Week as a Private Detective This 1900 issue features "Marion Marlowe's Skill" by Grace Shirley, a detective mystery serial.
Read · 36 pages Marion Marlowe's Triumph, or, In Spite of Her Enemies This serial by Grace Shirley follows Marion Marlowe, a country girl boarding at Mrs.
Read · 38 pages Marion Marlowe's True Heart, or, How a Daughter Forgave This serialized story by Grace Shirley concerns a rural family crisis.
Read · 398 pages Moths by Ouida This serialized novel by Ouida (pseudonym of Maria Louise Ramé) opens at the fashionable seaside resort of Trouville.
Read · 37 pages Old Shadow Shot Old Shadow-Shot, featured serial.
Read · 36 pages Phil Rushington's Search, or, The Unknown Rider of the Ring This issue contains "Phil Rushington's Search; Or, The Unknown Rider of the Ring," a serial by Stanley Norris set in the Mossman & Rushington traveling circus.
Read · 336 pages The Dugdale Millions The Dugdale Millions: A Novel by Barclay North (William C.
Read · 233 pages The Los Huecos Mystery This German-language serialized novel, translated from English, concerns Roger Barrett, a young man found dying from rattlesnake poisoning near the San Lorenzo River in California.
Read · 261 pages Thrice Lost, Thrice Won Thrice Lost, Thrice Won (Issue No.
Read · 32 pages Wildcat Bob, the Boss Bruiser This Edward L. Wheeler serial presents a frontier crime narrative spanning mining camps and railroad lines.
Read · 37 pages A Lover's Quarrel, or Marion Marlowe's Deceitful Friend A Lover's Quarrel; or, Marion Marlowe's Deceitful Friend
This serial by Grace Shirley concerns a theatrical company temporarily stranded in a New York hotel.
Read · 38 pages A Wonderful Secret, or Marion Marlowe's Discovery A Wonderful Secret; or, Marion Marlowe's Discovery by Grace Shirley represents a domestic drama serialized in this penny dreadful issue.
Read · 38 pages An Interrupted Wedding, or Marion Marlowe as Maid of Honor An Interrupted Wedding; or, Marion Marlowe as Maid of Honor
"An Interrupted Wedding" is a sentimental domestic narrative by Grace Shirley, serialized in this April 1901 issue.
Read · 324 pages D'Artagnan, the King Maker This 1901 Street & Smith edition presents an historical novel by Alexandre Dumas, translated by Henry L.
Read · 292 pages His Grace This serialized novel by W. E. Norris follows Philip Martyn, a failed solicitor dismissed by his Uncle John for lacking the aptitude for law.
Read · 400 pages I Forbid the Banns! This issue of "I Forbid the Banns!" by Frank Frankfort Moore, a serialized novel, concerns a dialogue-driven romantic comedy set aboard the steamship Carnarvon Castle.
Read · 272 pages In Search of an Unknown Race This 1901 Street & Smith publication by Frank H.
Read · 37 pages Marion Marlowe in Chicago, or, Trapped by a Lunatic This issue of My Queen, a weekly journal for young women, features the serial "Marion Marlowe in Chicago; or, Trapped by a Lunatic" by Grace Shirley.
Read · 37 pages Marion Marlowe in Cleveland, or, The Mystery of the Red Rose This 1901 penny dreadful serial by Grace Shirley follows Marion Marlowe, star of the Temple Theatrical Company, after she receives threatening anonymous letters.
Read · 37 pages Marion Marlowe in Columbus, or, Accused of a Crime This issue of My Queen, a weekly journal for young women published by Street & Smith (January 19, 1901), features the serialized story "Marion Marlowe in Columbus; or, Accused of a Crime" by Grace Shirley.
Read · 37 pages Marion Marlowe in Denver, or, The Tragedy of Pike's Peak This issue features "Marion Marlowe in Denver; or, The Tragedy of Pike's Peak," by Grace Shirley, the primary serial installment.
Read · 37 pages Marion Marlowe in Indianapolis This issue presents the opening serial installment of Grace Shirley's adventure story.
Read · 37 pages Marion Marlowe in Omaha, or, Held up by Accident This issue features the serial "Marion Marlowe in Omaha; or, Held Up by Accident" by Grace Shirley.
Read · 38 pages Marion Marlowe in Salt Lake City This issue features the serial "Marion Marlowe in Salt Lake City; or, A Bad Deal in Mormon Land" by Grace Shirley.
Read · 38 pages Marion Marlowe in St. Louis, or, A Forger's Bold Deed This issue features "Marion Marlowe in St.
Read · 38 pages Marion Marlowe in St. Paul, or, The Company's Mascot in a Double Deal This issue of a Street & Smith weekly story paper (No.
Read · 38 pages Marion Marlowe in Washington, or, Meeting the President This issue of My Queen (No. 24, March 9, 1901), a weekly publication issued by Street & Smith, contains the beginning of a serialized story titled "Among the Elite in Washington; or, Meeting the President" by Grace Shirley.
Read · 38 pages Marion Marlowe on the Prairie, or, A Thrilling Ride Across Kansas This issue of My Queen, a weekly journal for young women published by Street & Smith, contains "Marion Marlowe on the Prairie; or, A Thrilling Ride Across Kansas" by Grace Shirley.
Read · 356 pages On the Trail of Geronimo On the Trail of Geronimo; or, In the Apache Country
By Edward S.
Read · 299 pages Paddling under Palmettos This 1901 Street & Smith publication by St.
Read · 34 pages Pluck and Luck #139: Jack Wright and His Deep Sea Monitor This issue presents the opening of a serialized adventure novel featuring Jack Wright, a teenage submarine inventor and millionaire residing in Wrightstown on the Atlantic coast.
Read · 291 pages Sunset Ranch: A Story of a Boy's Adventures in the West Sunset Ranch: A Boy's Story of Adventure in the West
By St.
Read · 37 pages The Boy Captain of the Black Swallow The Boy Captain of the "Black Swallow": A Stirring Tale of the Anglo-American War of 1812
This serial concerns Arthur Denwood, a twenty-year-old Maine fisherman of distinguished p
Read · 37 pages The Golden Harpoon This serial adventure by an unnamed author follows the whale-ship Montpelier anchored off Kamchatka in the Okhotsk Sea.
Read · 36 pages Under Lock and Key; or, Marion Marlowe's Last Role This weekly serial for young women, authored by Grace Shirley, opens with attorney Richard Carson eavesdropping in a restaurant and overhearing his client Reginald Brookes professi
Read · 36 pages Might and Main Library, No. 56: Winning His Rights Winning His Spurs; or, The Fortunes of Vernon Craig, attributed to "One of the Boys," is a mystery-adventure serial appearing in this 1907 issue of The Winner Library.
Read · 15 pages As Ruinas de Pompeya (The Ruins of Pompeii) This issue of Os Bons Romances (The Good Novels), a Portuguese monthly serial publication from December 4, 1911, features a detective serial titled "As Ruínas de Pompeia" (The Ruins of Pompeii), starring the famous detective Sherlock Holmes.
Read · 392 pages The Chinese Parrot (Charlie Chan Detective Series) The Chinese Parrot by Earl Derr Biggers is the second novel in the Charlie Chan detective series, originally serialized in the Saturday Evening Post from June to July 1926.
Browse by publication
14 titles with their own shelves.
Street & Smith's New York Weekly
The Flag of Our Union
Golden Days for Boys and Girls
The New York Weekly
Young Men of Great Britain
Mystery Magazine
The Story Paper
The Weekly Novelette
The Boys of New York
Frank Leslie's Boys and Girls Weekly
Famous Crimes
The Mysteries of the Court of London
The New York Ledger
Pickwick Abroad
Assorted single issues
123 more from smaller titles, shelved by decade.
All works shown are in the public domain, digitally restored by ComicBooks.com.