The Master of Mystery

Book excerpt: Jack London's "The Master of Mystery" is set in a Native American fishing village in Alaska. A woman has lost her most valuable possession: the blankets of a deceased Englishman. The culprit must be found, but what makes matters more complicated is that the local shaman has fallen out of favor, forcing a feared shaman from outside the village to come to their aid. Can he help them, and will the culprit be found? The short story is one of London's stories inspired by the period the writer spent at the Klondike Gold Rush in the late 19th century and was published in the early 20th century. Jack London (1876–1916) was an American writer and social activist. He grew up in the working class, but became a worldwide celebrity and one of the highest paid authors of his time. He wrote several novels, which are considered classics today, among these 'Call of the Wild', 'Sea Wolf' and 'White Fang'.