A. E. Martin (1885–1955)
Author of The Outsiders
Works by A. E. Martin
Place names in Victoria and Tasmania 2 copies
The bridal bed murders 1 copy
The curious crime 1 copy
The Power Of The Leaf 1 copy
The Shudder Show 1 copy
Associated Works
Australian Hauntings: A Second Anthology of Australian Colonial Supernatural Fiction (2011) — Contributor — 10 copies
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Martin, Archibald Edward
- Birthdate
- 1885
- Date of death
- 1955
- Gender
- male
- Short biography
- A. E. Martin (1885-1955) was born in North Adelaide and grew up in Orroroo. With C.J. Dennis, he founded and co-owned the weekly newspaper, Gadfly, which folded in 1909. In 1912 Martin left for the fairgrounds of Europe, where Houdini became his mentor, and he later became involved in promoting circus events and vaudeville acts back in Australia. After the war he wrote and published magazines for soldiers and children's comics. Martin did not begin his career as a novelist until he was over fifty. In 1942 he won an award from the Australian Women's Weekly for ''Common People''. Many of Martin's mystery novels were published in America and Britain. He also had short stories published in US mystery magazine Ellery Queen and wrote radio plays and serials for George Edwards productions. He died of cancer in 1955. Many of the characters in Martin's novels were drawn from his experience of showbusiness and circus life. Bibliography Sinners Never Die (1944) The Misplaced Corpse (1944) Common People (1944) Death in the Limelight (1946) The Curious Crime (1952) The Bridal Bed Murders (1953) Short Stories The Power of the Leaf published in: Dead Witness: Best Australian Mystery Stories edited by Knight, Stephen
- Nationality
- Australia
- Birthplace
- North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Associated Place (for map)
- South Australia, Australia
Members
Reviews
The full title of the this novel – at least the edition I read – is COMMON PEOPLE: MURDER IN SIDESHOW ALLEY which gives a little more of a flavour of what is to come. The book’s original American title – THE OUTSIDERS (1945) – also offers a good feel for its story’s subject matter Initially published as a serialised story in an Australian magazine in 1943, as a novel it was first released a year later and tells the story of a group of ‘freaks’…carnival and circus acts who show more do what they can to get by in a world that either pointedly ignores them or stares rudely. The central character is not really one of them but feels an affinity with these outsiders having grown up an orphan and never really fitting in with ‘normal’ people. Pelham – or Pel as he’s generally known – is what today we’d call an entrepreneur but who is described in the book as
…he was city – a lurker, a fellow who lived on his wits, with no trade, no profession, relying on his imagination for his bread and butter.
His central work in this story is the financing. promoting and running of a 10-week show displaying the world’s most successful starving man to the people of London. Business-wise things are going well but on the eve of his big show’s commencement an old friend of Pel’s is murdered. This horror happens in the flat underneath the one in which Pel and his sideshow act friends are celebrating so they all become potential suspects and at least one policeman is champing at the bit to arrest at least one of ‘the freaks’.
The character of Pel must surely be at least a little autobiographical given A.E. (Archibald Edward) Martin’s own potted history which includes several years on the European carnival circuit with Houdini as his mentor. He also worked as a journalist, magazine owner, travel agent and publicist for a variety of the kinds of acts we meet in the book before turning his hand to writing (both fiction and non fiction). This breadth of experience gives COMMON PEOPLE its authentic feel and the sense that the reader is being drawn into a different world rather than being asked to point and snigger at it which could so easily have happened. There’s no hint that the author is laughing at or exploiting these people which gives the reader permission to simply be fascinated in learning about this truly absorbing world.
The plot rocks along at a fair pace with Pel hooking up with a couple of more enlightened policemen than the one who sneers at and suspects all the carnival acts. Even so there are a couple of genuine suspects among the crowd and suspicions must be worked through before a satisfactory resolution comes to pass. All the while we are treated to the trials and tribulations of being a carnival act or the promoter of one which provides the story with a lot of warm humour.
My only disappointment in reading the book – given the author was born in my home town – is that there is very little Australian about it. Aside from one character claiming to be an Australian that is. But for someone not terribly fond of the circus I found myself completely absorbed in this tale and its characters and gripped by the classic whodunit suspense. I’m grateful (as ever) to the people at Wakefield Press who included this story in the series of forgotten Australian crime classics they released in the 80’s and 90’s. show less
…he was city – a lurker, a fellow who lived on his wits, with no trade, no profession, relying on his imagination for his bread and butter.
His central work in this story is the financing. promoting and running of a 10-week show displaying the world’s most successful starving man to the people of London. Business-wise things are going well but on the eve of his big show’s commencement an old friend of Pel’s is murdered. This horror happens in the flat underneath the one in which Pel and his sideshow act friends are celebrating so they all become potential suspects and at least one policeman is champing at the bit to arrest at least one of ‘the freaks’.
The character of Pel must surely be at least a little autobiographical given A.E. (Archibald Edward) Martin’s own potted history which includes several years on the European carnival circuit with Houdini as his mentor. He also worked as a journalist, magazine owner, travel agent and publicist for a variety of the kinds of acts we meet in the book before turning his hand to writing (both fiction and non fiction). This breadth of experience gives COMMON PEOPLE its authentic feel and the sense that the reader is being drawn into a different world rather than being asked to point and snigger at it which could so easily have happened. There’s no hint that the author is laughing at or exploiting these people which gives the reader permission to simply be fascinated in learning about this truly absorbing world.
The plot rocks along at a fair pace with Pel hooking up with a couple of more enlightened policemen than the one who sneers at and suspects all the carnival acts. Even so there are a couple of genuine suspects among the crowd and suspicions must be worked through before a satisfactory resolution comes to pass. All the while we are treated to the trials and tribulations of being a carnival act or the promoter of one which provides the story with a lot of warm humour.
My only disappointment in reading the book – given the author was born in my home town – is that there is very little Australian about it. Aside from one character claiming to be an Australian that is. But for someone not terribly fond of the circus I found myself completely absorbed in this tale and its characters and gripped by the classic whodunit suspense. I’m grateful (as ever) to the people at Wakefield Press who included this story in the series of forgotten Australian crime classics they released in the 80’s and 90’s. show less
I didn't think this was as good as the first of his I read. It would have made a great B grade Hollywood movie, black and white, made in a week when that used to be the way.
Love the Mexican knife-thrower, thoroughly jealous type bursting into every which place looking for his girlfriend and excitedly throwing knives about.
Bit more here: https://alittleteaalittlechat.wordpress.com/2016/12/31/death-in-the-limelight-by...
Love the Mexican knife-thrower, thoroughly jealous type bursting into every which place looking for his girlfriend and excitedly throwing knives about.
Bit more here: https://alittleteaalittlechat.wordpress.com/2016/12/31/death-in-the-limelight-by...
I didn't think this was as good as the first of his I read. It would have made a great B grade Hollywood movie, black and white, made in a week when that used to be the way.
Love the Mexican knife-thrower, thoroughly jealous type bursting into every which place looking for his girlfriend and excitedly throwing knives about.
Bit more here: https://alittleteaalittlechat.wordpress.com/2016/12/31/death-in-the-limelight-by...
Love the Mexican knife-thrower, thoroughly jealous type bursting into every which place looking for his girlfriend and excitedly throwing knives about.
Bit more here: https://alittleteaalittlechat.wordpress.com/2016/12/31/death-in-the-limelight-by...
I hope to put together a more detailed picture of AE Martin at a later date. I became curious about him because we sold an extremely rare set of The Gadfly, a short-lived Adelaide magazine put out by CJ Dennis between 1906 and 1909. Martin was the assistant editor and that was in his early twenties. Others involved included Alice Grant Rosman.
He went on to have a fascinating life in the circus, becoming a promoter who brought shows to Australia. Consequently we can have faith in his picture show more of the carnival freak characters he portrays in this whodunnit. It was his world.
After WWII he reinvented himself and became a writer of popular regard after winning a substantial prize offered by the Australian Women’s Weekly.
More on him anon.
rest here: https://alittleteaalittlechat.wordpress.com/2016/10/23/the-chinese-bed-mysteries... show less
He went on to have a fascinating life in the circus, becoming a promoter who brought shows to Australia. Consequently we can have faith in his picture show more of the carnival freak characters he portrays in this whodunnit. It was his world.
After WWII he reinvented himself and became a writer of popular regard after winning a substantial prize offered by the Australian Women’s Weekly.
More on him anon.
rest here: https://alittleteaalittlechat.wordpress.com/2016/10/23/the-chinese-bed-mysteries... show less
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