John Creasey was born in Southfields, Surrey, England on September 17th 1908, and died on June 9th 1973 in Tucson Arizona, USA. He was the seventh of nine children in a working class home. He became an English author of crime thrillers, published 562 books under 28 different pseudonyms, keeping to a consistently high standard of quality throughout. He invented many famous characters who would appear in a whole series of novels. Probably the most famous of these is Gideon of Scotland Yard but others include Department Z, The Toff, Inspector Roger West, and The Baron. After publishing a book in 1930 and a crime thriller in 1932 he was able to turn to full time writing by 1935.
He married Margaret Elizabeth Cooke in 1935, Evelyn Jean Fudge in 1941 and, later, Jeanne Williams. Two of his three sons, Martin and 'Scoop', make fictionalised appearances in several of his books. Creasey was also involved in British national politics. Creasey had his own mystery magazine, along the lines of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine - which ran for 89 issues between 1956 and 1957.
Given his phenomenal output, Creasey is predictably formulaic. At his best, however, he could turn out an engaging story with a modicum of detection. His pseudonyms include Anthony Morton, Norman Deane, Gordon Ashe, Michael Halliday, JJ Marric, Patrick Gill, Robert Caine Frazer, Jeremy York, Kyle Hunt, ME Cooke, Peter Manton, Richard Martin and Rodney Matheson.
Bibliography
Department Z
The Death Miser (1933)
Redhead (1933)
First Came a Murder (1934)
Death 'round the Corner (1935)
The Mark of the Crescent (1935)
Thunder in Europe (1936)
The Terror Trap (1936)
Carriers of Death (1937)
Days of Danger (1937)
Death Stands By (1938)
Menace! (1938)
Murder Must Wait (1939)
Panic! (1939)
Death by Night (1940)
The Island of Peril (1940)
Sabotage (1941)
Go Away Death (1941)
The Day of Disaster (1942)
Prepare for Action (1942)
No Darker Crime (1943)
Dark Peril (1944)
The Peril Ahead (1946)
The League of Dark Men (1947)
The Department of Death (1949)
The Enemy Within (1950)
Dead or Alive (1951)
A Kind of Prisoner (1954)
The Black Spiders (1957)
Sexton Blake
The Case of the Murdered Financier (1937)
The Great Air Swindle (1939)
The Man from Fleet Street (1940)
The Case of the Mad Inventor (1942)
Private Carter's Crime (1943)
The Toff series
Introducing the Toff (1938)
The Toff Goes On (1939)
The Toff Steps Out (1939)
Here Comes the Toff (1940)
The Toff Breaks In (1940)
Salute the Toff (1941)
The Toff Proceeds (1941)
The Toff Goes to Market (1942)
The Toff Is Back (1942)
The Toff Among Millions (1943)
Accuse the Toff (1943)
The Toff and the Curate (1944) aka The Toff and the Deadly Parson
The Toff and the Great Illusion (1944)
Feathers for the Toff (1945)
The Toff and the Lady (1946)
The Toff on Ice (1946) aka Poison for The Toff
Hammer the Toff (1947)
The Toff in Town (1947)
The Toff Takes Shares (1948)
The Toff and Old Harry (1949)
The Toff on Board (1949)
Fool the Toff (1950)
Kill the Toff (1950)
A Knife for the Toff (1951)
The Toff Goes Gay (1951) aka A Mask for the Toff
Hunt the Toff (1952)
Call the Toff (1953)
The Toff Down Under (1953) aka Break the Toff
Murder Out of the Past (1953)
The Toff at Butlin's (1954)
The Toff at the Fair (1954) aka Last Laugh For The Toff
A Six for the Toff (1955) aka A Score for the Toff
The Toff and the Deep Blue Sea (1955)
Make-Up for the Toff (1956) aka Kiss the Toff
The Toff in New York (1956)
Model for the Toff (1957)
The Toff on Fire (1957)
The Toff and the Stolen Tresses (1958)
The Toff on the Farm (1958) aka Terror for the Toff
Double for the Toff (1959)
The Toff and the Runaway Bride (1959)
A Rocket for the Toff (1960)
The Toff and the Kidnapped Child (1960) aka The Kidnapped Child
Follow the Toff (1961)
The Toff and the Teds (1961) aka The Toff and the Toughs
A Doll for the Toff (1963)
Leave It to the Toff (1962)
The Toff and the Spider (1965)
The Toff in Wax (1966)
A Bundle for the Toff (1967)
Stars for the Toff (1968)
The Toff and the Golden Boy (1969)
The Toff and the Fallen Angels (1970)
Vote for the Toff (1971)
The Toff and the Trip-Trip-Triplets (1972)
The Toff and the Terrified Taxman (1973)
The Toff and the Sleepy Cowboy (1974)
The Toff and the Crooked Copper (1977)
The Toff and the Dead Man's Finger (1978)] (with William Vivian Butler)
Other
Seven Times Seven (1932)
Men, Maids and Murder (1933)
The Mountain of the Blind (1960)
The Foothills of Fear (1961)
The Children of Despair (1968)
The Masters of Bow Street (1972)
Inspector West
Inspector West Takes Charge (1942)
Inspector West Leaves Town (1943) aka Go Away to Murder
Inspector West at Home (1944)
Inspector West Regrets (1945)
Holiday for Inspector West (1946)
Battle for Inspector West (1948)
Triumph for Inspector West (1948) aka The Case Against Paul Raeburn
Inspector West Kicks Off (1949) aka Sport for Inspector West
Inspector West Alone (1950)
Inspector West Cries Wolf (1950) aka The Creepers
A Case for Inspector West (1951) aka The Figure in the Dusk
Puzzle for Inspector West (1951) aka The Dissemblers
Inspector West at Bay (1952) aka The Blind Spot
A Gun for Inspector West (1953) aka Give a Man a Gun
Send Inspector West (1953) aka Send Superintendent West
Beauty for Inspector West (1954) aka The Beauty Queen Killer
Inspector West Makes Haste (1955) aka The Gelignite Gang
Two for Inspector West (1955) aka Murder: One, Two, Three
Parcels for Inspector West (1956) aka Death of a Postman
A Prince for Inspector West (1956) aka Death of a Assassin
Accident for Inspector West (1957) aka Hit and Run
Find Inspector West (1957) aka The Trouble at Saxby's
Murder, London - New York (1958)
Strike for Death (1958) aka The Killing Strike
Death of a Racehorse (1959)
The Case of the Innocent Victims (1959)
Murder on the Line (1960)
Death in Cold Print (1961)
The Scene of the Crime (1961)
Policeman's Dread (1962)
Hang the Little Man (1963)
Look Three Ways at Murder (1964)
Murder, London - Australia (1965)
Murder, London - South Africa (1966)
The Executioners (1967)
So Young to Burn (1968)
Murder, London - Miami (1969)
A Part for a Policeman (1970)
Alibi (1971) aka Alibi for Inspector West
A Splinter of Glass (1972)
The Theft of Magna Carta (1973)
The Extortioners (1974)
A Sharp Rise in Crime (1978)
Dr Palfrey
Traitor's Doom (1942)
The Legion of the Lost (1943)
The Valley of Fear (1943) aka The Perilous Country
Dangerous Quest (1944)
Death in the Rising Sun (1945)
The Hounds of Vengeance (1945)
Shadow of Doom (1946)
The House of the Bears (1946)
Dark Harvest (1947)
The Wings of Peace (1948)
The Sons of Satan (1948)
The Dawn of Darkness (1949)
The League of Light (1949)
The Man Who Shook the World (1950)
The Prophet of Fire (1951)
The Children of Hate (1952) aka The Killers of Innocence
The Touch of Death (1954)
The Mists of Fear (1955)
The Flood (1956)
The Plague of Silence (1958)
The Drought (1959) aka Dry Spell
The Terror (1962)
The Depths (1963)
The Sleep (1964)
The Inferno (1965)
The Famine (1967)
The Blight (1968)
The Oasis (1969)
The Smog (1970)
The Unbegotten (1971)
The Insulators (1972)
The Voiceless Ones (1973)
The Thunder-Maker (1976)
The Whirlwind (1979)
As Anthony Morton
Mr Quentin Investigates (1943)
Introducing Mr Brandon (1944)
Meet the Baron (1937) aka The Man in the Blue Mask
The Baron Returns (1937) aka The Return of Blue Mask
The Baron Again (1938) aka Salute Blue Mask
The Baron at Bay (1938) aka Blue Mask at Bay
Alias the Baron (1939) aka Alias Blue Mask
The Baron at Large (1939) aka Challenge Blue Mask!
Versus the Baron (1940) aka Blue Mask Strikes Again
Call for the Baron (1940) aka Blue Mask Victorious
The Baron Comes Back (1943)
A Case for the Baron (1945)
Reward for the Baron (1945)
Career for the Baron (1946)
The Baron and the Beggar (1947)
Blame the Baron (1948)
A Rope for the Baron (1948)
Books for the Baron (1949)
Cry for the Baron (1950)
Trap the Baron (1950)
Attack the Baron (1951)
Shadow the Baron (1951)
Warn the Baron (1952)
The Baron Goes East (1953)
The Baron in France (1953)
Danger for the Baron (1953)
The Baron Goes Fast (1954)
Nest-Egg for the Baron (1954) aka Deaf, Dumb and Blonde
Help from the Baron (1955)
Hide the Baron (1956)
Frame the Baron (1957) aka The Double Frame
Red Eye for the Baron (1958) aka Blood Red
Black for the Baron (1959) aka If Anything Happens to Hester
Salute for the Baron (1960)
A Branch for the Baron (1961) aka The Baron Branches Out
Bad for the Baron (1962) aka The Baron and the Stolen Legacy
A Sword for the Baron (1963) aka he Baron and the Mogul Swords
The Baron on Board (1964)
The Baron and the Chinese Puzzle (1964)
Sport for the Baron (1966)
Affair for the Baron (1967)
The Baron and the Missing Old Masters (1968)
The Baron and the Unfinished Portrait (1969)
Last Laugh for the Baron (1970)
The Baron Goes A-Buying (1971)
The Baron and the Arrogant Artist (1972)
Burgle the Baron (1973)
The Baron - King Maker (1975)
Love for the Baron (1979)
As Norman Deane
Secret Errand (1939)
Dangerous Journey (1939)
Unknown Mission (1940)
The Withered Man (1940)
I Am the Withered Man (1941)
Where Is the Withered Man? (1942)
Return to Adventure (1943)
Gateway to Escape (1944)
Come Home to Crime (1945)
As Gordon Ashe
The Man Who Stayed Alive (1955)
Who Was the Jester? (1940) aka The Masked Gunman
No Need to Die (1956) aka You've Bet Your Life
Death on Demand (1939)
The Speaker (1939) aka The Croaker
Terror by Day (1940)
ecret Murder (1940)
'Ware Danger (1941)
Murder Most Foul (1942)
There Goes Death (1942)
Death in High Places (1942)
Death in Flames (1943)
Two Men Missing (1943)
Rogues Rampant (1944)
Death on the Move (1945)
Invitation to Adventure (1945)
Here Is Danger (1946)
Give Me Murder (1947)
Murder Too Late (1947)
Dark Mystery (1948)
Engagement with Death (1948)
A Puzzle in Pearls (1949)
Kill or Be Killed (1949)
The Dark Circle (1950)
Murder with Mushrooms (1950)
Death in Diamonds (1951)
Missing or Dead? (1951)
Death in a Hurry (1952)
The Long Search (1953) aka Drop Dead
Sleepy Death (1953)
Double for Death (1954)
Death in the Trees (1954)
The Kidnapped Child (1955) aka The Snatch
Day of Fear (1956)
Wait for Death (1957)
Come Home to Death (1958) aka The Pack of Lies
Elope to Death (1959)
Don't Let Him Kill (1960) aka The Man Who Laughed at Murder
The Crime Haters (1961)
Rogues Ransom (1962)
Death from Below (1963)
The Big Call (1964)
A Promise of Diamonds (1965)
A Taste of Treasure (1966)
A Clutch of Coppers (1967)
A Shadow of Death (1968)
A Scream of Murder (1970)
A Nest of Traitors (1970)
A Rabble of Rebels (1971)
A Life for a Death (1973)
A Herald of Doom (1973)
A Blast of Trumpets (1975)
A Plague of Demons (1976)
As Patrick Gill
The Fighting Footballers (1937)
The Laughing Lightweight (1937)
The Battle for the Cup (1939)
The Fighting Tramp (1939)
The Mystery of the Centre-Forward (1939)
The £10,000 Trophy Race (1939)
The Secret Super-Charger (1940)
As J J Marric
Gideon's Day (1955) aka Gideon of Scotland Yard
Gideon's Week (1956) aka Gideon's Fear
Gideon's Night (1957)
Gideon's Month (1958)
Gideon's Staff (1959)
Gideon's Risk (1960)
Gideon's Fire (1961)
Gideon's March (1962)
Gideon's Ride (1963)
Gideon's Vote (1964)
Gideon's Lot (1965)
Gideon's Badge (1966)
Gideon's Wrath (1967)
Gideon's River (1968)
Gideon's Power (1969)
Gideon's Sport (1970)
Gideon's Art (1971)
Gideon's Men (1972)
Gideon's Press (1973)
Gideon's Fog (1974)
Gideon's Drive (1976)
As Robert Caine Frazer
RISC (1959) aka Mark Kilby Solves a Murder
Secret Syndicate (1960) aka Mark Kilby and the Secret Syndicate
The Miami Mob (1960) aka Mark Kilby and the Miami Mob
The Hollywood Hoax (1961)
Mark Kilby Takes a Risk (1962)
Mark Kilby Stands Alone (1962) aka Mark Kilby and the Manhattan Murders
As Abel Mann
Danger Woman (1966)
As Brian Hope
Four Motives for Murder (1938)
As Charles Hogarth
Murder on Largo Island (1944)
As Colin Hughes
Triple Murder (1940)
As Jeremy York
By Persons Unknown (1941)
Murder Unseen (1943)
Murder in the Family (1944)
No Alibi (1944)
Yesterday's Murder (1945)
Find the Body (1945)
Murder Came Late (1946)
Run Away to Murder (1947)
Let's Kill Uncle Lionel (1947)
Close the Door on Murder (1948)
Death to My Killer (1950)
Sentence of Death (1950)
Voyage of Death (1952)
Safari with Murder (1953)
So Soon to Die (1955)
Seeds of Murder (1956)
Sight of Death (1956)
My Brother's Killer (1958)
Hide and Kill (1959)
To Kill or to Die (1960) aka To Kill or Die
As Kyle Hunt
Kill Once, Kill Twice (1957)
Kill a Wicked Man (1958)
Kill My Love (1959)
To Kill a Killer (1960)
As ME Cooke
The Raven (1937) (as M E Cooke)
Fire of Death (1934)
The Black Heart (1935)
The Casino Mystery (1935)
The Crime Gang (1935)
The Death Drive (1935)
No 1's Last Crime (1935)
The Stolen Formula Mystery (1935)
The Big Radium Mystery (1936)
The Day of Terror (1936)
The Dummy Robberies (1936)
The Moat Farm Mystery (1936)
The Hypnotic Demon (1936)
The Secret Formula (1936)
The Successful Alibi (1936)
The Hadfield Mystery (1937)
The Moving Eye (1937)
For Her Sister's Sake (1939)
The Mountain Terror (1939)
The Verrall Street Affair (1940)
As Norman Deane
Play for Murder (1946)
The Silent House (1946)
Intent to Murder (1948)
Why Murder? (1948)
The Man I Didn't Kill (1949)
No Hurry To Kill (1950)
Double for Murder (1951)
Golden Death (1952)
Look at Murder (1952)
Murder Ahead (1953)
Death in the Spanish Sun (1954)
Incense to Death (1954)
As Peter Manton
The Greyvale School Mystery (1937)
Murder Manor (1937)
Stand By for Danger (1937)
The Circle of Justice (1938)
Three Day's Terror (1938)
The Crime Syndicate (1939)
Death Looks On (1939)
Murder in the Highlands (1939)
The Midget Marvel (1940)
Policeman's Triumph (1948)
Thief in the Night (1950)
No Escape from Murder (1953)
The Charity Killers (1954)
The Crooked Killer (1954)
As Richard Martin
Keys to Crime (1947)
Vote to Murder (1948)
Adrian and Jonathan (1954)
As Rodney Mattheson
As Michael Halliday (Jeremy York, Kyle Hunt in the US)
Three for Adventure (1937)
Four Find Danger (1937)
Two Meet Trouble (1938)
Heir to Murder (1940)
Murder Comes Home (1940)
Who Saw Him Die? (1941)
Murder by the Way (1941)
Foul Play Suspected (1942)
Who Died at the Grange? (1942)
Five to Kill (1943)
Murder at King's Kitchen (1943)
Who Said Murder? (1944)
Crime With Many Voices (1945)
No Crime More Cruel (1945)
Murder Makes Murder (1946)
Mystery Motive (1947)
First a Murder (1947)
Lend a Hand to Murder (1948)
No End to Danger (1948)
Who Killed Rebecca? (1949)
The Dying Witnesses (1949)
Murder Weekend (1950)
Dine with Murder (1950)
Quarrel with Murder (1951)
Out of the Shadows (1954)
Death Out of Darkness (1954)
Take a Body (1952)
Lame Dog Murder (1955)
Murder in the Stars (1953)
Man on the Run (1953)
Cat and Mouse (1955) aka Hilda Takes Heed
Murder at End House (1955)
Runaway (1957)
Death of a Stranger (1957) aka Come Here and Die
Murder Assured (1958)
Missing from Home (1959) aka Missing
Thicker than Water (1959)
How Many to Kill (1960) aka The Girl in the Leopard Skin Bag
Go Ahead with Murder (1960) aka Two for the Money
The Man I Killed (1961)
The Edge of Terror (1961)
Hate to Kill (1962)
The Quiet Fear (1963)
Guilt of Innocence (1964)
Cunning as a Fox (1965)
Wicked as the Devil (1966)
Sly as a Serpent (1967)
Cruel as a Cat (1968)
Too Good to be True (1969)
A Period of Evil (1970)
As Lonely as the Damned (1971)
As Empty as Hate (1972)
As Merry as Hell (1973)
This Man Did I Kill? (1974)
The Man Who Was Not Himself (1975)