âFaulknerâs Follyâ is the second book in the âAlan Fordâ series of detective novels by prolific author Carolyn Wells. In Long Island, artist Eric Stannard is found stabbed to death in his studio â killed with his own etching needle. Local Detective Bobsy Roberts is on the case, but with so many people having a motive for the murder, progress is slow. Top detective Alan Ford is called in to help crack the mysterious case. Carolyn Wells (1862-1942) was a prolific American novelist and poet, best known for her childrenâs literature, mystery novels and humorous verse. Following school in New Jersey, Wells worked as a librarian, where she developed her love of reading. It was during 1896 that Wells' first book âAt the Sign of the Sphinxâ was published. From 1900 she dedicated herself to her literary career, writing over 170 novels in total across a range of genres. Some of her most loved works include the âPatty Fairfieldâ and âMarjorie Maynardâ series for girls, as well as the âFleming Stoneâ mystery series for adults. Wells is also well-known for her humorous nonsense verse, and was a frequent contributor of verse to magazines. She published an autobiography âThe Rest of my Lifeâ in 1937. Wells died in New York City in 1942.