First published in 1912. According to Wikipedia: "Ernest William Hornung (7 June 1866 – 22 March 1921) was an English author and poet perhaps best known for writing the A. J. Raffles series of stories about a gentleman thief in late 19th-century London. Hornung was educated at Uppingham School; as a result of poor health he left the school in December 1883 to travel to Sydney, where he stayed for two years. He drew on his Australian experiences as a background when he began writing, initially short stories and later novels... Although much of Hornung's work has fallen into obscurity, his Raffles stories continued to be popular, and have formed numerous film and television adaptations. Hornung's stories dealt with a wider range of themes than crime: he examined scientific and medical developments, guilt, class and the unequal role played by women in society. Above all there are two threads that run through a sizeable proportion of his books: Australia and cricket, the latter was also a lifelong passion."