Melville Davisson Post (1869-1930) was an American author, born in West Virginia. Although Post's name is not immediately familiar to those outside specialist circles, many of his collections are still in print and many collections of detective fiction include works by Post. His best-known character is the mystery-solving, justice dispensing Virginian backwoodsman, Uncle Abner. He also created two other recurring characters, Sir Henry Marquis and Randolph Mason. He also wrote two non-crime novels. His works include: The Man of Last Resort (1897), Dwellers in the Hills (1901), Corrector of Destinies (1909), The Gilded Chair (1910), The Nameless Thing (1912), Uncle Abner: Master of Mysteries (1918), The Sleuth of St. James's Square (1920), The Mountain School- Teacher (1922), Monsieur Jonquelle: Prefect of Police of Paris (1923), Walker of the Secret Service (1924) and The Revolt of the Birds (1927).