Fergus Hume, born as the second son to Dr. James Hume, embarked on a life of adventure and creativity at a very young age. His family moved to Dunedin, New Zealand when he was only three, and by 1885, he was admitted to the New Zealand bar. His pursuit of new beginnings took him to Melbourne, Australia where he started as a barristers clerk and eventually fell in love with playwriting. Despite facing rejections from Melbourne theatre managers, Hume found his true calling in mystery writing, becoming a pioneer in the world of detective stories. His life and work laid the foundation for the popularity of detective fiction in the 20th century.