CARTER, Nick, fictional detective who was both a character in, and the pen name of authors of a series of dime novels published in the United States by Street&Smith in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Carter seems to have been invented by John Russell Coryell, who possibly based the character on the historical detective Allan Pinkerton. Other contributors to the series includes T.C. Harbaugh, G.C. Jenks, and E.T. Sawyer. The first of the 1,076 titles in the series was The Old Detective's Pupil (published in 1886). The Nick Carter novels, of which some 4 million copies were sold inspired radio plays and movies.

Who would of thought that in the 1900's there were two famous Nick Carter's? Please be warned that the Nick Carter Mystery books are pretty good but they're meant for an adult audience. For instance: Nick Carter; Carnival For Killing was inappropriate for younger folks. It's written in a classic Harlequin Romance style.