Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 888

Museum Catalog Note This issue features the opening of a serial mystery story titled "Nightshade in New York" by Captain Howard Holmes, author of "Hiram Hawk, the Harlem Detective." The narrative follows young lawyer Amos Shartle and the elderly attorney Harlan Hope, whose quiet evening is disrupted by the mysterious arrival of a cadaverous-faced visitor claiming to be "Nightshade." A threatening letter discovered by Hope's daughter Ruby reveals cryptic demands regarding "the pulling of the last cord" and references to a "Major," suggesting blackmail or extortion. After Nightshade's departure, Hope collapses in distress. Shartle attempts to follow the visitor but loses him in the city streets. The subsequent scenes reveal Nightshade meeting with an elegant accomplice, discussing their scheme to extract Hope's considerable fortune through threats tied to an incident at "the Springs." The nature of their leverage remains unclear.