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Bulldog Drummond #10
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When Colonel Henry Talbot summons Bulldog Drummond and Ronald Standish, it is to inform them of the mysterious death of one of their colleagues – Jimmy Latimer. At the time of his death, he was on a big job, and was travelling on a boat to Newhaven when he died. But there was no sign of any wound, no trace of any weapon when they found him in his cabin. What strikes Drummond and Standish is why millionaire, Charles Burton, would have been travelling on the same boat – arguably the most uncomfortable crossing he could choose and very out-of-character.
367 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1937
8 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
Sapper
267 books37 followersSapper was the pseudonym of Herman Cyril McNeile, whose father was Malcolm McNeile, a Captain in the Royal Navy and, at who was at the time, governor of the naval prison at Bodmin, the town where Herman was born.
McNeile was educated at Cheltenham College and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich and was commissioned into the Royal Engineers in 1907. He went to France in 1914 when World War I broke out and he saw action at both the First and the Second Battle of Ypres where he displayed considerable bravery, was awarded the Military Cross and was mentioned in dispatches.
His first known published work was a series of short war stories based on his own experiences, and published under the name 'Sapper' in the Daily Mail and in the magazine 'The War Illustrated'.
These stories were immediately successful and later sold over 200,000 copies within a year when subsequently republished in book-form. His realistic writing proved most popular at a time of great stress and Lord Northcliff, the owner of the Daily Mail who recognised his talent, was so impressed by that he attempted, but failed, to have McNeile released from the army so he could work as a war correspondent.
After the War was over, in 1919, McNeile resigned from the army with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and became a full-time author, publishing his first novel, Mufti, in that year.
In 1922, he moved to Sussex and lived there for the rest of his life, having married Peggy Baird-Douglas with whom he had two sons.
He began the series for which he now best remembered, that of Hugh 'Bulldog' Drummond in 1920 and thereafter he wrote 10 novels featuring his eponymous hero. The public took to Drummond and McNeile had great financial success.
The first book was adapted for the stage and produced, to great success, at Wyndham's Theatre during the 1921-1922 season with Gerald du Maurier playing the main character. Films followed and the first talkie BullDog Drummond film in 1922 was reputed to have earned McNeile the vast sum of $750,000. There were 26 films made of his books.
As well as Drummond, he wrote about Ronald Standish but the majority of his work was short stories that were published in various popular monthly magazines and continued to earn him good money. Indeed, in addition to his novels, many of his books were short story collections.
He was reputedly an unremittingly hearty man, who even his good friend and collaborator Gerard Fairlie, who continued the Drummond series after McNeile's death with seven further books, described as "not everybody's cup of tea". He died on August 14, 1937 at his home in Pulborough, West Sussex.
His funeral, with full military honours, took place at Woking crematorium.
Gerry Wolstenholme
May 2010
McNeile was educated at Cheltenham College and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich and was commissioned into the Royal Engineers in 1907. He went to France in 1914 when World War I broke out and he saw action at both the First and the Second Battle of Ypres where he displayed considerable bravery, was awarded the Military Cross and was mentioned in dispatches.
His first known published work was a series of short war stories based on his own experiences, and published under the name 'Sapper' in the Daily Mail and in the magazine 'The War Illustrated'.
These stories were immediately successful and later sold over 200,000 copies within a year when subsequently republished in book-form. His realistic writing proved most popular at a time of great stress and Lord Northcliff, the owner of the Daily Mail who recognised his talent, was so impressed by that he attempted, but failed, to have McNeile released from the army so he could work as a war correspondent.
After the War was over, in 1919, McNeile resigned from the army with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and became a full-time author, publishing his first novel, Mufti, in that year.
In 1922, he moved to Sussex and lived there for the rest of his life, having married Peggy Baird-Douglas with whom he had two sons.
He began the series for which he now best remembered, that of Hugh 'Bulldog' Drummond in 1920 and thereafter he wrote 10 novels featuring his eponymous hero. The public took to Drummond and McNeile had great financial success.
The first book was adapted for the stage and produced, to great success, at Wyndham's Theatre during the 1921-1922 season with Gerald du Maurier playing the main character. Films followed and the first talkie BullDog Drummond film in 1922 was reputed to have earned McNeile the vast sum of $750,000. There were 26 films made of his books.
As well as Drummond, he wrote about Ronald Standish but the majority of his work was short stories that were published in various popular monthly magazines and continued to earn him good money. Indeed, in addition to his novels, many of his books were short story collections.
He was reputedly an unremittingly hearty man, who even his good friend and collaborator Gerard Fairlie, who continued the Drummond series after McNeile's death with seven further books, described as "not everybody's cup of tea". He died on August 14, 1937 at his home in Pulborough, West Sussex.
His funeral, with full military honours, took place at Woking crematorium.
Gerry Wolstenholme
May 2010
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 13, 2026
Colonel Henry Talbot, briefly seen at the end of Bulldog Drummond at Bay, calls Bulldog Drummond and a couple of his pals in about Charles Burton, a rich man with a lavish lifestyle about which (and whom) there is very little known. Drummond goes to a new club, The Golden Boot, along with Algy Longforth. They enlist the help of a girl there, Alice Blackton, who works for Burton. Then, when Drummond, Peter Darrell and Ronald Standish are talking to Col. Talbot, they discover that Jimmy Latimer, erstwhile of the British Army, has been killed in France, but not before leaving the mysterious clue 'Sealed Fruit Tins' with Madame Pélain, who knows Humphrey Gasdon, who knows everyone...
Who? What? Who are these people?
A new character is introduced every time Drummond needs to meet someone, and seemingly every time he turns a corner. This complicates the bejesus to of the story, but since most of the stories in this series are pretty simple, I'm giving it an extra star.
The story concludes with something of a Scooby-Doo ending, and an escape which stretches credibility to the point where only someone up way past his bedtime would believe it, but after nine previous novels...what the hell?
And so, I conclude my reading of the Bulldog Drumond novels written by Sapper. The adventures of Bulldog Drummond continue, but written by Gerard Fairlie "Sapper" which I may read later this year. The most impressive thing about these stories is that they are written in a manner as clear as The Great Gatsby and the language doesn't seem to age—unlike, say, Dickens or Dreiser—who, yes, are a bit before 'Sapper', but whose language has aged.
It would be marvellous fun to have a go at writing one of these, but I have to track down the short stories first.
Who? What? Who are these people?
A new character is introduced every time Drummond needs to meet someone, and seemingly every time he turns a corner. This complicates the bejesus to of the story, but since most of the stories in this series are pretty simple, I'm giving it an extra star.
The story concludes with something of a Scooby-Doo ending, and an escape which stretches credibility to the point where only someone up way past his bedtime would believe it, but after nine previous novels...what the hell?
And so, I conclude my reading of the Bulldog Drumond novels written by Sapper. The adventures of Bulldog Drummond continue, but written by Gerard Fairlie "Sapper" which I may read later this year. The most impressive thing about these stories is that they are written in a manner as clear as The Great Gatsby and the language doesn't seem to age—unlike, say, Dickens or Dreiser—who, yes, are a bit before 'Sapper', but whose language has aged.
It would be marvellous fun to have a go at writing one of these, but I have to track down the short stories first.
June 18, 2025
Bulldog Drummond faces an international crisis. Reds plan to bomb the means of production and gas England from the air. A proto James Bond storyline. Also, Algy Longworth makes a good Bertie Wooster when he puts his brain to it!
August 1, 2018
A fast paced adventure story full of twists and turns. Good characters and well written dialogue. A good end to the series of novels
December 17, 2018
Sapper's final Bulldog Drummond novel and still very much on form. It's a good job master criminals feel duty-bound to explain their schemes before killing their victims.
September 18, 2023
Rather old fashioned and politically incorrect but a good yarn. The film was not as good and does not follow the plot. It was called Bulldog Drummond in Africa
March 17, 2016
Sapper (real name Herman Cyril McNeile) is best known as the author of the Bulldog Drummond books, of which this is the last. Sapper died in 1937, the year this book was published.
This is a well-written book, with a rapidly moving plotline. There is not a huge amount of character development for the main characters, but as this is the 10th book in the series, it's safe to assume that their characters would have been well-known to readers of the time. The ending is perhaps concluded a bit quickly, but that would be one of the few criticisms I have.
Of course, it is a book of its time, but the women in the book are far from helpless damsels waiting to be rescued, and most of them are strong characters who play an important role in the plot.
This is a well-written book, with a rapidly moving plotline. There is not a huge amount of character development for the main characters, but as this is the 10th book in the series, it's safe to assume that their characters would have been well-known to readers of the time. The ending is perhaps concluded a bit quickly, but that would be one of the few criticisms I have.
Of course, it is a book of its time, but the women in the book are far from helpless damsels waiting to be rescued, and most of them are strong characters who play an important role in the plot.
January 26, 2013
If I weren't so restrained about reviews, I'd give this one 5 stars. It's the last of H.C. McNeile's Drummond stories and a cracking good yarn.
July 19, 2011
Bulldog Drummond
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews