Wikipedia article of the day for February 26, 2026
The Wikipedia article of the day for February 26, 2026 is Mary Fortune . Mary Fortune (1832–1911) was an Australian writer who was one of the earliest female authors of detective fiction. Born in Ireland, she lived in Canada before moving to the Australian goldfields in 1855. She began writing for local newspapers soon after her arrival, and was a prolific pseudonymous contributor to The Australian Journal for more than four decades. Her writing primarily consisted of short crime stories – including her best-known work, the 500-story series The Detective's Album (pictured) – but also included serial novels, journalism, poetry, and a memoir. She also wrote romances, Gothic fiction, and ghost stories. Her writing drew on her experiences in the goldfields and in Melbourne's rapidly urbanising environment; she often criticised colonial society and its treatment of women. Despite her popularity as a writer, Fortune experienced unstable housing and alcoholism, and died in poverty....
