Edgar Wallace enjoyed writing science fiction. „Planetoid 127”, first published in 1929 but reprinted as late 1962, is a short story about an Earth scientist who communicates via wireless with his counterpart on a duplicate Earth orbiting unseen because it is on the opposite side of the Sun. The idea of a mirror Earth or mirror Universe later became a standard subgenre within science fiction. The story also bears similarities to Rudyard Kipling’s hard science fiction story ...
„There is a man in London – I guess he is still in London, though I have not had news of him in months – he’ll be useful to you, Penn, if you ever need help.” And so begins this story. It is impossible not to be thrilled by Edgar Wallace. „Penelope of the Polyantha” is a crime novel by this pioneer of detective fiction. One of the most prolific writers of the twentieth century, Edgar Wallace was an immensely popular author, who created exciting thrillers spiced with tales o...
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”. In this work, the spies from Japan conspire to steal the Channing „preparedness” fortune and invade the United States, beginning in New York, then allying themselves with Mexicans across the border. They are stopped by the efforts of munitions factory heiress Patria Channing and U.S. Secret Service ...
This unique thriller collection contains the 24 short vintage crime stories – a complete series featuring Police Constable Lee of the London „D” Division, written by the great Edgar Wallace. P.-C. Lee is a typical Wallace character, full of wit and charm. A number of these were reprinted in Ideas in 1928-1929 and in other magazines. Nine of the P.-C. Lee stories were later included in the 1961 collection „The Undisclosed Client and Other Stories”. Written by prolific writer...
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. Born into poverty as an illegitimate London child, joining the army at 21, he was a war correspondent during the Second Boer War for Reuters and The Daily Mail. This early work by Edgar Wallace was originally published in 1923. „The Books of Bart” is a novel of relationships and d...
Colonial adventures in a 6 volume collection set on the „Dark Continent”. Sanders and Co. return to Africa (following the events in Bones in London) to bring the old Kings country under the Union Jack and to try and find what has happened to a missionary and his daughter. It is written in a delightfully humorous style. „Sandi, the King-maker” among other novels by Edgar Wallace conveys the paternal attitude that England’s officials felt toward the native tribes of Africa. P...
Thomas Maple lives on Crystal Palace Road with his niece Verity. He works for a firm of bank note engravers. However, the dollar bills he shows Wentworth Gold are forgeries – perfect except for the missing Treasury sign. When Verity meets her new employer she develops serious misgivings, and arriving back home she can hear a menacing voice. „"A Debt Discharged"” is a novel about forged dollar bills and a young girl’s investigations into her suspicious new employer. These we...
This book belongs to the pen of a well-known British author of mystery genre Edgar Wallace and was written during the Great War (the WW1). It is set in a possible 1925, ten years after the war has ended. Wallace utilized his experiences of the Boer War in two Future-War novels „Private Selby” and „1925: The Story of a Fatal Peace”. „1925” accurately predicts that a short peace would be followed by a German attack on England. As you get closer to the end you wonder how on ea...
A man ends up stabbed to death on a street in London’s Tidal Basin, victim of the almost mythical murderer roaming the streets of London, the Devil of Tidal Basin. But why is another bandit suddenly sighted in Tidal Basin as well? What connection had the Devil with White Face? Superintendent Mason, one of the Yard’s Big Five wanted to know, and what Superintendent Mason wanted to know he generally found out. Criminals knew him as „Sympathetic” Mason, because of his curious ...
This collection includes 7 mystery short stories, set in Victorian England. These stories depict adventures and misadventures of Elegant Edward, a charming London crook and his attempts to commit the perfect crime. The stories are pleasant and well written and definitely a product of their time and place. 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. Re...
Here is Edgar Wallace’s famous stage-play as told by Robert Curtis in story form with all the dramatic excitement and suspense that thrilled theatre-goers. Robert Curtis was the private secretary to British crime writer Edgar Wallace. Curtis and Wallace met for the first time in 1913, before parting following the outbreak of World War One, as Curtis had to do his military service. In 1918 he was reunited with Wallace who employed him as his secretary, he had the task of cop...
Every city has its own peculiar voice. Neither the harsh roar of London, the nerve destroying staccato of sound which belongs exclusively to New York, nor the kettledrum buzz of Madrid is comparable with the voice of Paris, which is mainly vocal.""Queer thing about Paris, sir,"” said Jim Selby, „"somebody is always talking.""The staid Vice-Councillor of the British Embassy lifted his head, and, being literally-minded, listened.""I hear nobody–except you,"” he said.""The Ear...
„The Yellow Snake” is an entertaining and breathtaking 1926 thriller by the master of mystery Edgar Wallace. Fing-Su is a graduate of Oxford and head of the dread Society of the Joyful Hands, which he leads in his quest to dominate the world. The name „Yellow Snake” was bestowed on him by his opponent, Clifford Lynne. A bit more practical than Fu Manchu, Fing-Su employs terrestrial strategies like blackmail, bribery, and kidnapping to further his own nefarious aims. Under h...
„The Feathered Serpent” is a mystery-thriller novel penned by the remarkably prolific Edgar Wallace. A number of people receive threatening cards emblazoned with the device of a feathered serpent, a device that we later find is associated with ancient Aztec religion and with a cult that still exists in Mexico and Central America. Reporter Peter Dewin suspects the card mysteriously left in the handbag of actress Ella Creed is a publicity stunt. He soon discovers that a wealt...
„The Exploits of Airman Hay” is a series of ten stories about an intrepid aviator by the name of Captain Murray Hay. The stories fast-paced with some surprising twists and turns, well written and great to read. The book presents the stories under the titles found in Edgar Wallace’s manuscript, most of which correspond to those used in Topical Times. Edgar Wallace was a prolific author of crime, adventure and humorous stories, whose best known creations include „The Four Jus...
Ex police officer Socrates Smith and his brother Lexington, who is also an amateur sleuth, are invited to spend a weekend at Peter Mandle’s country home. Shortly after they arrive the brothers notice many precautions taken against intruders, a message flashed in Morse code, and someone skulking across the lawn. „Come three oaks”, it spells in Morse code. Early next morning the brothers take a stroll, and there, tied to an oak branch, is a body with a purple mark where the b...
Edgar Wallace (1875-1932) was a publishing phenomenon in his day, his name being synonymous with the word „thriller,” a genre some would credit him with inventing. His popularity at the time was comparable to that of Charles Dickens – one of Wallace’s publishers claimed that a quarter of all books read in England were written by him. „The Thief in the Night” is an enjoyable easy going, fast moving mystery novella, set in England during the 1928’s. Diamond plaques are being ...
Inspector Wembury’s day turns from bad to worse when a legendary assassin who was supposed dead in Australia returns to England seeking vengeance for the murder of his sister. The detective teams up with Lomond, a police doctor, to try to find „The Ringer” who is a mysterious, revenge-driven serial killer and master of disguise. When a lawyer receives a bouquet with a note informing him that he’ll be dead in forty-eight hours, Wembury and his men embark on a frantic quest t...
„The Gambling Girl”, by Edgar Wallace is a book of short story mysteries. Bill and Mary met at a gambling casino and both are imprisoned for reasons that are murky. Bill was a former detective with the American Army at G.H.Q. Mary’s past was more mysterious. From that day forward however, neither of their lives would ever be the same again. Fast-paced, with good twists and turns, an unusual mystery scheme and a little romance. It’s all great fun and Wallace keeps the action...
Ein offensichtlich geisteskranker Serienmörder übt an vermeintlichen Verbrechern, die mangels Beweisen nicht verurteilt werden konnten, gnadenlose Selbstjustiz. Er enthauptet seine Opfer, ihre Köpfe schickt er mit einem Begleitschreiben in Kartons verpackt an Scotland Yard. Als ein Beamter des Außenministeriums umgebracht wird, beauftragt Geheimdienst-Chef Major George Staines den fähigen Detektiv Michael Brixan, die Ermittlungen aufzunehmen. Die Spuren führen ihn in den kl...
Nacht für Nacht Im Herrenhaus von Monks Hall hört man Orgelmusik. Über das Anwesen geistert eine Gestalt in einer schwarzen Mönchskutte. Nachts, wenn der unheimliche Mönch umgeht und sich seine Opfer sucht. Doch wer ist der unheimliche Mönch, der nachts im Herrenhaus umherschweift und seine Opfer sucht? Wird Inspektor Elk noch rechtzeitig eingreifen können?
Zwei Gangsterbanden terrorisieren die Reichen Londons. Die „Gesellschaft zur Sicherung wohlhabender Bürger” garantiert den Reichen Londons Sicherheit – vorausgesetzt, sie bezahlen dafür. Wer der Aufforderung nicht nachkommt oder gar die Polizei verständigt, wird ermordet. Auch Elias Tanner, ein wohlhabender Bürger, wird erpresst. Seine Sekretärin Lilian Ranger findet dies heraus und verständigt die Polizei. Kurze Zeit später wird Tanner ermordet...
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 Wallace’s unmatched skill in set...
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 br...