Book excerpt: This collection of early work by Earl Derr Biggers was originally published between 1925 and 1928 and we are now republishing it with a brand new introductory biography. "The Charlie Chan Collection - Volume I" contains the first three colourful tales of the original Charlie Chan. In "The House Without a Key" we are introduced to Chan, a corpulent father of nine, as he uses all his considerable faculties to solve the case of a murdered father and a missing jewel box. In "The Chinese Parrot," Chan dons a disguise and goes undercover to solve a complex case involving a fake identity, a kidnapping and a murder. The last story in this volume, "Behind That Curtain", tells the story of the former head of Scotland Yard, a detective who is pursuing the long-cold trail of a murderer. Earl Derr Biggers was born on 26th August 1884 in Warren, Ohio, USA. Biggers received his further education at Harvard University, where he developed a reputation as a literary rebel, preferring the popular modern authors, such as Rudyard Kipling and Richard Harding Davis to the established figures of classical literature. While on holiday in Hawaii, Biggers heard tales of a real-life Chinese detective operating in Honolulu, named Chang Apana. This inspired him to create his most enduring legacy in the character of super-sleuth Charlie Chan. Biggers wrote six Chan novels in total and all were licensed for movie adaptations by Fox Films. These films were hugely popular with several different actors taking the lead role of Chan. They were even a success in China where the appeal of a character from the country being the hero instead of the villain appealed to film-goers. Eventually; over 40 films were produced featuring the character. Biggers only saw the early on-screen successes of Charlie Chan due to his death at the age of only 48 from a heart attack in April 1933.