The Birth of M.E. Meegs, a short story, is the first Emmie Reese Mystery and a companion to the Harry Reese Mysteries. Emmie is an aspiring journalist with an unusual outlook on life. In this story, she becomes involved with a death in the English county of Lancashire when one of her stories is found in the dead man's pocket. Over several months, while pursuing her career and assorted other schemes, she helps solve the case through transatlantic correspondence.