56 pages • 1 hour read
The Conjure Man Dies: A Mystery Tale of Dark Harlem
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Summary and Study Guide
Overview
Rudolph Fisher’s novel The Conjure-Man Dies was published in 1932. The book is a detective novel that follows Harlem police detective Perry Dart’s investigation into the murder of a fortune teller named N’Gana Frimbo. As he investigates the murder with the help of a physician and a private detective, they realize that the crime is far more complicated than it seems. The novel tackles themes such as Science and Rationality Versus Mysticism and Superstition, The Concealment of One’s Self and Intentions, and Jealousy as a Motive to Commit Murder.
The Conjure-Man Dies was the second novel Fisher wrote, following The Walls of Jericho in 1928. It was long considered the first detective novel written by a Black American author, and it stands out for its Black detective and cast of exclusively Black characters.
This study guide uses the 2021 Collins Crime Club edition of the novel.
Content Warning: This study guide discusses drug and alcohol addictions, as well as domestic violence. The novel features portrayals of racial prejudice and discrimination. The novel also contains dialect commonly used in 1930s Harlem that may be considered stereotypical, insensitive, and/or offensive.
Plot Summary
