Earl Derr Biggers 
The Agony Column 

The Agony Column is the perfect combination of mystery and vintage romance. Earl Derr Biggers may have been the only person, besides M.M. The short story begins on July 23, 1914, as Geoffrey West, an American living in London and a devoted reader of the daily newspaper's personal column (known as the "Agony Column in England"), observes a young American woman and her father entering and taking a seat nearby who also reads the Agony Column. He fell in love with it right away. He is so enamored of her that he publishes an advertisement in the column expressing his interest in her. She replies with her name, Sadie Haight, and hotel address, assuring him that she would determine whether or not she is interested after receiving 7 letters from him within 7 days if he is interested. He continues the story in his excellently written daily letters, which she eagerly awaits. His letters provide fascinating tales of his persona, his involvement in the murder of the resident of the rooms above him, and the events that followed. The story revolves around a high-stakes romance between two strangers!