Fergus Hume (1859–1932) was an English novelist best known for his bestselling mystery The Mystery of a Hansom Cab (1886), one of the earliest detective fiction sensations of the Victorian era. Born in England and raised in New Zealand, he later settled in Australia, where his breakthrough novel achieved remarkable international success. Hume went on to write more than 130 novels, including The Green Mummy (1908), a mystery infused with Gothic atmosphere and intrigue. Although his later works never equaled the fame of his debut success, he remained a prolific and influential figure in early crime fiction.