I'm not sure if Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes ignited interest in the subject, or if it was the White Chapel murders, but I can't seem to think of a time earlier than that where "murder mysteries" seemed mainstream (though I admit I'm not well educated on the subject, and I'm only familiar with British and American history). I know the idea of crimes and law enforcement has changed dramatically over the course of human history, but was there a time when the art of investigation first started capturing the public interest?