The Hand of Power

Edgar Wallace

The name, Edgar Wallace, threads through early twentieth century crime fiction like a stream that turns out to be a lot deeper and wider than you thought. During the 1920s and 30s, it was said that one of every four books read in England was written by Wallace, who ultimately produced 173 books and 17 plays. The Hand of Power is a tale about the sale of a desk designed by a butler who murdered his wife. This book has all the aspects of good mysteries from around 1930 a beautiful woman, a young man infatuated with her, a secret society, an evil man, lots of twists of plot, and a surprise ending. It takes place in London and elsewhere in England and on an ocean liner. Highly recommended for people who like to treat a mystery story as a solvable riddle.

The India-Rubber Men

Edgar Wallace

The India-Rubber Men is a gripping thriller of Londons River Police, whose swift launches patrol the Thames and guard the ships that lie in port. Inspector John Wade is given the toughest job of his life when he is assigned the task of running to earth a gang of gunmen in rubber gas-masks, rubber gloves and crepe rubber shoes, who rob banks and jewelers, and even commit murder under the very eyes of the police, and get away with it. Through it all runs the Thames, and there is even time for a little excursion out of London to its upper reaches in Oxfordshire. A classic Wallace, stitching together his favorite themes with enough humor and vigor to keep the reader intrigued till the very end.

The Iron Grip

Edgar Wallace

1929 short story collection by Edgar Wallace revolving around the demobbed soldier (WWI) Jack Wireless Bryce and his engagement by the law firm Hemmer & Hemmer. Operating on the fringes of lawlessness, Bryce uses his brains and brawn to protect a range of the firms more vulnerable and downright gullible clients. His new career as a detective creates a compelling tale of adventure. Most of his adventures involve rescuing various damsels in distress from the clutches of men who are far from gentle. The tales are told with real zip, with a dash of grit and humor. Eventually, however, he is overpowered caught in the tender grip of love from which he has no desire to escape.

The Joker

Edgar Wallace

Mr. Stratford Harlow, the colossus of British Finance, was a gentleman with no particular call to hurry. By every standard he was a member of the leisured classes, and to his opportunities for lingering, he added the desire of one who was pertinently curious. The most commonplace phenomena interested Mr. Harlow. He had all the requisite qualities of an observer; his enjoyment was without the handicap of sentimentality, a weakness which is fatal to accurate judgement. Between Stratford Harlow and James Carlton, whom Harlow described as Scotland Yards most unscrupulous man, there was never open warfare until the murder of Mrs. Gibbons...

The Just Men of Cordova

Edgar Wallace

There are crimes for which no punishment is adequate, offences that the written law cannot redress. The three friends, Pioccart, Manfred and Gonsalez, may be enjoying the exotic, Spanish city of Cordova with its heat and Moorish influences, but they are still committed to employing their intellect and cunning to dispense justice. In The Just Men of Cordova, written in 1917, the just men move into the treacherous, aristocratic world of gambling, horse-racing and high finance. It seems that police services, even governments, have no power to control this world, where blackmail, poison and murder are commonplace. The just men, working outside the law, take it upon themselves to clean things up in their own way.

The Keepers of the Kings Peace

Edgar Wallace

The Keepers of the Kings Peace is another entry in Edgar Wallaces eminently popular Sanders of the River series based on British attempts to bring their administration to darkest Africa. An elite crew of officers is charged with getting to the bottom of a female shamans seemingly miraculous powers, but bumbling new addition Bones keeps getting in the way. Will they be able to stave off a mass rebellion before its too late? Always with tongue in cheek, Edgar Wallace nevertheless provides insights into the period of history at the same time. Wonderful characters, enthralling stories, never a dull moment. These stories are as good as any of the Sanders of the River stories.

The Lady Called Nita

Edgar Wallace

Few people today would recognize the name Edgar Wallace but before his death in 1933 he was a literary force to be reckoned with. He was both prolific and popular and his books reportedly sold at the rate of 5,000 a day. This enjoyable collection includes eight mystery stories by Edgar Wallace: The Lady Called Nita, The Man Who Married His Cook, Mr. Sigees Relations, The Knight Who Could Not Kneel, Her Fathers Daughter, The Dramatic Butler, Diana Helps, Con-Lacto Is Strength. These stories are fast-paced with some surprising twists, well written and great to read. Highly recommended for people who like to treat a mystery story as a solvable riddle.

The Lady of Ascot

Edgar Wallace

She could not yet be called a woman, but she was no longer a child under any circumstances. Curiosity spreads in the small village of Ascot when a wealthy Countess settles there. Even the private investigator John Morlay is enraptured by the young and beautiful Marie Fioli. When he is surprisingly hired by former nanny Maries Beschutzer, he sees a chance to get closer to the Countess. But his mission serves a completely different purpose... As the novel is rather short and quite fast-paced with a lot of scenery-changes and adventures, this nice. The Lady of Ascot is one of the most successful book of the 30s, the golden age of mysteries. Recommended for Edgar Wallace fans and fans of old-time, classic crime thrillers.

The Lady of Little Hell

Edgar Wallace

One of the most prolific writers of the twentieth century, Edgar Wallace was an immensely popular author, who created exciting thrillers spiced with tales of treacherous crooks and hard-boiled detectives. These were largely adventure narratives with elements of crime or mystery, and usually combined a bombastic sensationalism with hammy violence. In this exciting page-turner, originally published in 1929, from the undisputed King of Thrillers, Edgar Wallace, we see the brave women and sturdy men, much rushing to and for, and a dramatic climax. During the 1920s and 30s, it was said that one of every four books read in England was written by Wallace, who ultimately produced 173 books and 17 plays.

The Last Adventure

Edgar Wallace

Edgar Wallace was a prolific author of crime, adventure and humorous stories, whose best known creations include The Four Just Men, Sanders of the River, and J. G. Reeder. Although Wallace wrote many stand alone novels it is, perhaps, for his series based material always popular with readers that he remains best known. The Last Adventure is a story packed with intrigue, treachery, assassinations, and machinations, and it highlights Wallaces unmatched skill in setting a pulse-pounding pace. As the novel is rather short and quite fast-paced with a lot of scenery-changes and adventures, this nice. Edgar Wallace provides a thrill of another sort!

The Law of the Just Men

Edgar Wallace

Written in 1905, this is the first of Edgar Wallaces adventures to feature the Four Just Men, a collective of European men of position who see it as their duty to execute those criminals that, for whatever reason, the law cannot or will not touch. In this adventure, the Four Just Men set their hand against the British Foreign Secretary. Concerned that an extradition bill about to be passed into law will result in the deportation of certain leading dissidents back to their home countries where they face torture and death, they tell the minister that if the bill is not stopped then he will die. The Minister tries to ignore the threats and determines to pass the bill into law. Will he evade death? Will the police track down his persecutors? Will their devilishly cunning scheme work?

The Little Green Man and Other Stories

Edgar Wallace

The Little Green Man and Other Stories is an excellent collection of mystery stories by Edgar Wallace. These are fast-paced, with good twists and turns, an unusual criminal scheme and a little romance. Edgar Wallace was a British novelist, playwright, and journalist who produced popular detective and suspense stories and was in his time "the king" of the modern thriller. Wallaces literary output 175 books, 24 plays, and countless articles and review sketches have undermined his reputation as a fresh and original writer. Moreover, the author was a wholehearted supporter of Victorian and early Edwardian values and mores, which are now considered in some respects politically incorrect. In England, in the 1920s, Wallace was said to be the second biggest seller after the Bible.

The Lone House Mystery and Other Stories

Edgar Wallace

Edgar Wallace, author of The Lone House Mystery, was a celebrated British author in the early twentieth century. Over 160 of his novels have been made into films, and he is known especially for his part in writing the story for the movie King Kong. The dead man was rich. In life he lived in a lonely house by a river. In the earth outside it is the imprint of a bare foot. His secretary, with whom he was having an affair, is locked in a room. The key is in the dead mans pocket. Superintendent Minter considers it a most queer and unsatisfactory case. A thrilling, thoroughly intriguing tale of double murder and love. This collection also includes the following short stories: Clues, The Sooper Speaking, and Romance In It.

The Man at the Carlton

Edgar Wallace

Lew Daney, chief suspect in a jewel robbery and an ensuing murder, vanishes leaving no trace. Once he saved Mary Grier from a knife attack by a madman. Mary Grier now works at Clench House in Scotland as secretary to the miserly Mr. Arkwright, and Mr. Arkwrights nephew and heir is "Tiger" Tim Jordan, an ex-Colonial police officer now holidaying in England and seeking work with Scotland Yard. Jordan doesnt get much of a holiday but he does get the job, after proving his mettle in pursuit of a murderous criminal Lew Daney. "The Man at the Carlton" is a fast-paced, with good twists and turns, an unusual criminal story with a lot of scenery-changes and adventures.

The Man from Morocco

Edgar Wallace

James Lexington Morlake, gentleman of leisure, Lord of the Manor of World and divers other titles which he rarely employed, unlocked the drawer of his elaborate Empire writing-table and gazed abstractedly into its depths. It was lined with steel and there were four distinct bolts. Slowly he put in his hand and took out first a folded square of black silk, then a businesslike automatic pistol, then a roll of fine leather... Suspense novel which takes the reader from London to Sussex and then to Tangier. Edgar Wallace, at the turn of the century and the next two decades, was a writing machine. He wrote scores of novels, plays, short stories, articles, and his most incredible popular work, the screenplay to the famous "King Kong".

The Man Who Bought London

Edgar Wallace

Fleeing unfavorable regulation at home, American millionaire King Kerry and other American robber barons begin buying up London real estate and important London-based businesses, much to the dismay of their competitors and the people of the city. As his empire expands, Kerry is bedeviled by a mysterious enemy troubled by a dark secret from a past romance. Along the way we meet some good, honest people whom he brings into the fold and assists them to a better life, while dealing admirably with the criminals and near-criminals who are attracted to his money. The Man who bought London was written in the year 1915 by Edgar Wallace. This book is one of the most popular novels of Edgar Wallace, and has been translated into several other languages around the world.

The Man Who Changed His Name

Edgar Wallace, Robert Curtis

Over her head hung the menace of murder and; of the man who changed his name...Best remembered for penning the screenplay for the classic film King Kong, author Edgar Wallace was an astoundingly popular luminary in the action-adventure genre in the early twentieth century. The Man Who Changed His Name is a Robert Curtiss adaptation of a screenplay by Edgar Wallace. This story packed with intrigue, mystery, murders, and it highlights Wallaces unmatched skill in setting a pulse-pounding pace. An entertaining tale, this book constitutes a must-read for lovers of crime fiction.

The Man Who Killed X

Edgar Wallace

This novella was created by Edgar Wallace, a famous British author of mystery genre. Best remembered for penning the screenplay for the classic film King Kong, he was an astoundingly popular luminary in the action-adventure genre in the early twentieth century. The Man Who Killed X" is a story packed with intrigue, treachery, assassinations, and machinations, and it highlights Wallaces unmatched skill in setting a pulse-pounding pace. Its all great fun and Wallace keeps the action moving along swiftly, as he always did. Wonderful entertainment and highly entertaining. If you havent discovered the joys of Wallaces thrillers there is a good place to start. Highly recommended.

The Man Who Knew

Edgar Wallace

The body of a young man is found splayed out in the middle of one of the most august public squares in England. Soon it is discovered that the dead man was at the center of a beguiling web of entanglements and intrigue. Constable Wiseman is at the scene, as is the handsome Frank Merril, nephew of rich John Martin. A small, shabby man in an ill-fitting frock coat and large gold rimmed spectacles pulls a newspaper advertisement from the deceaseds waistcoat pocket. Will the intrepid detectives get to the bottom of things and puncture the thick veil of corruption that seems to surround the case? As a writer of detective stories, Mr. Wallace occupies an enviable place. The Man Who Knew shows him at his best.

The Man Who Was Nobody

Edgar Wallace

A slick young man buys a jewel with a cheque that bounces. Then two men are searching for James Tynewood, a young tearaway: one is a police inspector, while the other is his solicitor. But Tynewood has mysteriously disappeared... The Man Who Was Nobody is an enjoyable lightweight murder mystery thriller that manages to preserve at least some of the characteristic Edgar Wallace atmosphere. During the 1920s and 30s, it was said that one of every four books read in England was written by Wallace, who ultimately produced 173 books and 17 plays. Highly recommended for people who like to treat a mystery story as a solvable riddle!

The Melody of Death

Edgar Wallace

An enjoyable short work from Edgar Wallace, originally published in 1915. Few people today would recognize the name Edgar Wallace but before his death in 1933 he was a literary force to be reckoned with. He was both prolific and popular and his books reportedly sold at the rate of 5,000 a day. The Melody of Death is a novel about a young man who starts behaving strangely upon hearing a certain melody. Fearing that he may be suffering from cancer, Gilbert Standerton asks the doctor to deliver the bad news in an unusual way. In the meantime, he desperately searches for a way of providing for his bride after his death-including crime. An excellent minor plot supplies an eerie atmosphere and explains the title. Edgar Wallace provides a thrill of another sort!

The Million Dollar Story

Edgar Wallace

John Sands needed a bride more than that, however, he needed somebody with a criminal mind. Luckily a female convict has escaped from prison that very morning and was sitting in his house. Romance and mystery, with classic twists and turns. As is typical with Wallace, this book includes a death, a love-affair, a kidnapping, an intrepid amateur. British author Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace (1875-1932) was reportedly the second biggest seller after the Bible in his heyday. He was a Reuters war correspondent during the Second Boer War and wrote thrillers to earn money. He later moved to Hollywood as a script writer and died while drafting King Kong.

The Mind of Mr. J.G. Reeder

Edgar Wallace

A series of enthralling mysteries written by Edgar Wallace. They feature the enigmatic figure of Mr. J.G. Reeder who works for the Public Prosecutors office and has the mind of a criminal. At first glance J. G. Reeder is an ordinary, slightly shabby little man with red hair, weak eyes, whiskers, square-toed boots and a chest protector cravat. The eight short stories in this collection deal with a disappearance at sea that is less innocent than it appears to be, with a Hindu criminal mastermind, counterfeiters, dissipated members of the nobility, embezzlers, a fraudulent scheme for finding sunken treasure and an assortment of gangsters. There are frequent murders, more often than not carried out by unusual and exotic means.

The Missing Million

Edgar Wallace

When millionaire Rex Walton mysteriously vanishes on the eve of his wedding, a chain of strange, violent events is set in motion. Intrepid Joan Walton assists Inspector Dicker in the search for her brother. The main suspect is notorious criminal The Panda (The Prince of Blackmailers). You quickly find out that Rex has his own connection to the blackmailer. This is a great example of The Golden Age of Detection. It has many more characters than the typical mystery from this era making it difficult, if not impossible, to simply eliminate the Hero Detective, the Heroine Love Interest, and the Obvious Suspect to figure out who the bad guy is. The Missing Million is a mystery novel from the prolific author of detective fiction Edgar Wallace.