On January 24, 1925, The Saturday Evening Post began its serialization of the book that would make Earl Derr Biggers famous: The House Without a Key, the first of the Charlie Chan series. Chan, the first Chinese detective in literature, was modeled after Chang Apana, a real-life police detective in Honolulu.

The Black Camel is the fourth novel in the Charlie Chan series by Earl Derr Biggers, published in 1929. The story takes place in Honolulu and centers around the murder of a famous Hollywood actress named Shelah Fane, who is in Hawaii for the filming of a movie. The actress is found dead at a luxurious beachfront estate, and suspicion falls on various members of the film crew and other individuals with whom she had close ties.

Charlie Chan, the astute and methodical Chinese-American detective from the Honolulu Police Department, is called to solve the mystery. As Chan delves deeper into the case, he uncovers a series of complex relationships, hidden motives, and past secrets that all play a part in the murder. The novel is noted for its vivid portrayal of 1920s Hawaii, its engaging characters, and its well-crafted plot, which keeps readers guessing until the end

Earl Derr Biggers ultimately wrote six Charlie Chan mystery novels: The House Without A Key, The Chinese Parrot, Behind That Curtain, The Black Camel, Charlie Chan Carries On, and Keeper of the Keys. Each of these books is wonderfully told, and through the later films, radio shows, comics, and television series, Charlie Chan became an enduring popular figure.