Hilda Wade

Hilda Wade is a novel by Grant Allen, originally published as a serial in The Strand. It is notable as an example of early detective fiction with a female protagonist.

Synopsis

Nurse Hilda Wade and the Watson-esque Dr. Hubert Cumberledge attempt to track down the murderous Sebastian. Wade is the daughter of the murder victim, and agrees to marry the persistent Dr. Cumberledge only once Sebastian is brought to justice. After Wade saves Sebastian in Tibet, Sebastian confesses his crimes before dying on the return to England.

Publication

Hilda Wade was published in The Strand from March 1899 to February 1900 in 12 chapters.
The final two chapters were finished posthumously by Allen's friend and neighbor Arthur Conan Doyle.

Themes & Reception

Hilda Wade addresses a variety of themes relevant to late 19th-century medicine, including the applied or abstract nature of biological research, the role of nurses compared to doctors, and particular kinds of knowledge as 'masculine' or 'feminine'.
In contrast with detective fiction like the Sherlock Holmes series that focuses on clues, Hilda Wade focuses on Wade's deduction from the study of human personalities.
Writing in 1995, David Skene-Melvin describes the book as lackluster compared to other romantic intrigues published in the same era.