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Product Description
Product Description
Dick Martin is leaving Scotland Yard. His final job, investigating a stolen book, takes him via a conversation with the librarian Sybil Lansdown to Gallows Cottage and a meeting with Doctor Stalletti. Tommy Crawler, Bertram Cody's chauffeur is also there. Arriving home, Martin finds Lew Pheeney being followed by a man for whom he recently worked. 'Doing what?' demands Martin. Lew finally confesses. 'I was trying to open a dead man's tomb!' The telephone rings. It is Mr Havelock.
About the Author
Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace was born illegitimately in Greenwich, London, in 1875to actors Mary Jane Richards and T. H. Edgar. As an infant he wasadopted by George Freeman, a porter at Billingsgate fish market. Aged eleven, Wallace sold newspapers at Ludgate Circus and upon leaving school took a job with a printer. He later enlisted in the Royal West Kent Regiment, beforetransferring to the Medical Staff Corps, and was sent to South Africa. In 1898 he published a collection of poems called The Mission that Failed, and subsequently left the army to become acorrespondent for Reuters.South African war correspondent for The Daily Mail followed and hisarticles were later published as Unofficial Dispatches. His outspokenness infuriated Lord Kitchener, who removed his credentialsas a war correspondent. He thenedited the Rand Daily Mail, but gambled disastrously on the South African Stock Market. Returning to England, he at first reportedon crimes and hanging trials, before becomingeditor of The Evening News. It was in 1905 that he founded the Tallis Press, publishing Smithy, a collection of soldier stories, and The Four Just Men. The latter waspublished with the ending removed as anadvertising stunt and he offered £500 to readers who could successfully guess the ending. Unfortunately, many did and he was almost bankrupted. At various times Wallacealso worked as a journalist on The Standard, The Star, The Week-End Racing Supplement and The Story Journal. In 1917, he became a Special Constable at Lincoln's Inn and also a special interrogator for the War Office. The Daily Mail sent Wallace to investigate atrocities in the Belgian Congo, a trip that provided material for his Sanders of the River books. In 1923 he became Chairman of the Press Club and in 1931 stood as a Liberal Parliamentary candidatefor Blackpool. mHis first marriage in 1901 to Ivy Caldecott, daughter of a missionary, ended in divorce in 1918 and he later married his much younger secretary, Violet King. Along with countlessarticles, some 23 screenplays and many short stories,Wallacewrote more than 170 books, which have been translated into 28 languages and sales of which have exceeded 50 million copies. Over 160 films have been made from his books - more than any other author. In the 1920's one of Wallace's many publishers claimed that a quarter of all books read in England were written by him. His sales were exceeded only by The Bible. He died in 1932 whilst workingon the screenplay for King Kong,
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the best I have read in recent weeks. It is an intense and gripping story with many little twists. The imagery conjured by Wallace's writing is second to none and can really set your imagination racing. I would recommend this book highly especially as a particularly good bedtime read.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
2 reviews
great book
11 Aug 2010
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
one of my all time favourate books. when I first read this (more than 15 years ago), it was easily one of the scariest books, esp before the finds them :)
3 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Thrilled to see it back in print!
9 Aug 2004
Format:Paperback
I read a first edition copy and I'm thrilled to see this book back in print. It was originally published in 1925.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book even though I had solved the mystery 2/3 of the way through the story. The book reads like a Saturday matinee serial with quick chapters, lots of action and cliff hangers. The romance at the end feels tacked on. There is no reason for the detective and the librarian to fall for each other!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book even though I had solved the mystery 2/3 of the way through the story. The book reads like a Saturday matinee serial with quick chapters, lots of action and cliff hangers. The romance at the end feels tacked on. There is no reason for the detective and the librarian to fall for each other!
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