John Creasey
The Toff and the Lady
Pbk published May 2005 by Tethered Camel Pub at £7.99
ISBN: 1904612024
See Review by
Martin Edwards
- author of the highly acclaimed Harry Devlin Mysteries
In all John Creasey’s books, the hero is the guy in the white hat, even if he bends the rules, and the villain gets what’s coming to him or her. Even in the hectic 21st century (especially in the hectic 21st century!) we sometimes need to know that the good guy always wins…
Seven years after John Creasey’s death in 1973, his books were out of print but now, starting with the Toff series, Creasey is back to delight both old and new readers with his skilful storytelling of timeless heroes and villains.
Four Toff books from the 1930s and 1940s are the first John Creasey re-issues from Tethered Camel Publishing, with one new Toff book per month from then on. The books are fascinating documents of social history, dancing between English high society and the bars and fight clubs of the East End of London. They are also ripping yarns.
In The Toff, John Creasey created a true old-fashioned hero who champions ladies, rights wrongs and grits his teeth to overcome impossible odds. Will he win, though? Of course he will. This is nostalgia at its best….the fun is in the telling.
John Creasey (1908 - 1973) was the world’s most prolific author.
The 'UK King of Crime’ wrote 562 crime and mystery books, selling more than 80 million copies worldwide in 28 languages over five decades. His most famous characters include The Baron, Inspector West and Gideon. The Creasey Dagger is the UK’s top award for first time crime novelists with winners including Patricia Cornwell and Minette Walters.
Creasey is an inspiration to the aspiring but as yet unpublished author. He had 743 rejection slips before his first book was accepted. He never stopped believing in himself and he never gave up.
He wasn’t afraid to take risks either – writing under 10 different names and changing styles with each character.
At least 5000 different editions of Creasey’s work were published in 28 different languages. There are 11 different series, four of them (Roger West, the Toff, the Baron and Patrick Dawlish) with either 50 titles reached or very close, two series (Dr Palfrey and Department Z) with over 30 titles, and the great Gideon with 21. A further 50-odd titles have been published as written by Michael Halliday.
All his books were written first in longhand on specially ruled paper and revised five or six times before going to the publisher - often 12 months after the first draft was finished.
John Creasey lived near Salisbury, Wiltshire, England on land once given to Sir John Botenham by King John. He was married four times, had three sons, three daughters-in-law and seven grandchildren.
The technical bit: Barbara Cartland wrote more books than John Creasey—an average of eight books a year, totalling 623 in 77 years of writing. Creasey wrote 13 books per year in 41 years of writing, making him 171% more prolific.
John Creasey
Introducing the Toff
Pbk published May 2005 by Tethered Camel Pub at £7.99
ISBN: 1904612032See Review by
Martin Edwards
- author of the highly acclaimed Harry Devlin Mysteries
In all John Creasey’s books, the hero is the guy in the white hat, even if he bends the rules, and the villain gets what’s coming to him or her. Even in the hectic 21st century (especially in the hectic 21st century) we sometimes need to know that the good guy always wins…
Seven years after John Creasey’s death in 1973, his books were out of print but now, starting with the Toff series, Creasey is back to delight both old and new readers with his skilful storytelling of timeless heroes and villains.
Four Toff books from the 1930s and 1940s are the first John Creasey re-issues from Tethered Camel Publishing, with one new Toff book per month from then on. The books are fascinating documents of social history, dancing between English high society and the bars and fight clubs of the East End of London. They are also ripping yarns.
In The Toff, John Creasey created a true old-fashioned hero who champions ladies, rights wrongs and grits his teeth to overcome impossible odds. Will he win, though? Of course he will. This is nostalgia at its best….the fun is in the telling.
John Creasey (1908 - 1973) was the world’s most prolific author.
'The King of Crime’ wrote 562 crime and mystery books, selling more than 80 million copies worldwide in 28 languages over five decades. His most famous characters include The Baron, Inspector West and Gideon. The Creasey Dagger is the UK’s top award for first time crime novelists with winners including Patricia Cornwell and Minette Walters.
Creasey is an inspiration to the aspiring but as yet unpublished author. He had 743 rejection slips before his first book was accepted. He never stopped believing in himself and he never gave up.
He wasn’t afraid to take risks either – writing under 10 different names and changing styles with each character.
At least 5000 different editions of Creasey’s work were published in 28 different languages. There are 11 different series, four of them (Roger West, the Toff, the Baron and Patrick Dawlish) with either 50 titles reached or very close, two series (Dr Palfrey and Department Z) with over 30 titles, and the great Gideon with 21. A further 50-odd titles have been published as written by Michael Halliday.
All his books were written first in longhand on specially ruled paper and revised five or six times before going to the publisher - often 12 months after the first draft was finished.
John Creasey lived near Salisbury, Wiltshire, England on land once given to Sir John Botenham by King John. He was married four times, had three sons, three daughters-in-law and seven grandchildren.
The technical bit: Barbara Cartland wrote more books than John Creasey—an average of eight books a year, totalling 623 in 77 years of writing. Creasey wrote 13 books per year in 41 years of writing, making him 171% more prolific.