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Toff #22
Kill the Toff
Judith Lorne is distraught; her finace, James Mellor, has disappeared. He's accused of murder - something she finds impossible to believe. But the man Clarissa Arden also knows as James Mellor is quite capable of committing murder. James, meanwhile, is in a dingy bedsitter in a state of panic and about to take his own life. Into this confusion steps The Toff.
Moving with denonair charm between the country houses of the gentry and low dives of the East End, he must disentangle the threads of blackmail and hatred if he is to succeed in preventing the deaths of innocent men.
Moving with denonair charm between the country houses of the gentry and low dives of the East End, he must disentangle the threads of blackmail and hatred if he is to succeed in preventing the deaths of innocent men.
284 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 1950
30 people want to read
About the author
John Creasey
705 books79 followersAKA Gordon Ashe, M E Cooke, Norman Deane, Robert Caine Frazer, Patrick Gill, Michael Halliday, Charles Hogarth, Brian Hope, Colin Hughes, Kyle Hunt, Margaret Lisle, Abel Mann, Peter Manton, J.J. Marric, Richard Martin, Rodney Mattheson, Anthony Morton, Jeremy York, Henry St. John Cooper and Margaret Cooke.
John Creasey (September 17, 1908 - June 9, 1973) was born in Southfields, Surrey, England and died in New Hall, Bodenham, Salisbury Wiltshire, England. He was the seventh of nine children in a working class home. He became an English author of crime thrillers, published in excess of 600 books under 20+ different pseudonyms. 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, the basis for the television program Gideon's Way but others include Department Z, Dr. Palfrey, The Toff, Inspector Roger West, and The Baron (which was also made into a television series). In 1962, Creasey won an Edgar Award for Best Novel, from the Mystery Writers of America, for Gideon's Fire, written under the pen name J. J. Marric. And in 1969 he was given the MWA's highest honor, the Grand Master Award.
John Creasey (September 17, 1908 - June 9, 1973) was born in Southfields, Surrey, England and died in New Hall, Bodenham, Salisbury Wiltshire, England. He was the seventh of nine children in a working class home. He became an English author of crime thrillers, published in excess of 600 books under 20+ different pseudonyms. 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, the basis for the television program Gideon's Way but others include Department Z, Dr. Palfrey, The Toff, Inspector Roger West, and The Baron (which was also made into a television series). In 1962, Creasey won an Edgar Award for Best Novel, from the Mystery Writers of America, for Gideon's Fire, written under the pen name J. J. Marric. And in 1969 he was given the MWA's highest honor, the Grand Master Award.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 3, 2021
'The trouble with you, Rollison, is that you’re always a man with a mission. Nothing matters but getting results. You’d have made a good pirate – you’ve the buccaneering way with you. Yes, you were born three hundred years too late...And you’re always kicking against the discipline,’ said the doctor. He glowered up at Rollison, who had Mellor’s arm out of his coat and was rolling up a grubby shirt sleeve. The arm was limp and pink. ‘You always have. The police have never been quick enough or thorough enough for you – you’ve always had to get a step in front of them and show them the way. Or think you’re showing them the way. I doubt if they agree. Why not let the police know all about this young man and save yourself a lot of bother?’
‘It’s the buccaneer in me.’
‘I’m serious.’
‘I’ll be serious. Ninety-nine times in a hundred the police do a good job – a much more effective job than I could hope to do. But every now and again a peculiar case crops up. This is one. Apply rules and regulations to this, and you’ll be in danger of reaching what the world thinks is a right and proper verdict; in fact it would be a travesty. Give rules and regulations the go-by for a bit, and you’ll get justice.'
'Mellor is the illegitimate son of an extremely wealthy old man. The old man has been suffering from heart trouble for some years. Recently, in spite of strict obedience to doctor’s orders, he has become much worse. The doctors say they’re puzzled. I’m not. He’s worse because someone is working on him. I suspected jiggery-pokery shortly after he asked me to look for his son. There is quite a story behind this. He also had a legitimate son, Geoffrey, a year younger than Mellor. The younger son was burned to death, supposedly by accident, nearly a year ago. The fire was in a summer-house, where Geoffrey slept in warm weather. He would have inherited the bulk of a substantial fortune. After his death conscience set to work in the old man, who decided that if he could find his first son, he would do right by him. As they say.’ Rollison’s expression didn’t change, and he looked at the doctor through the haze of steam rising from the coffee. '‘That’s the story as I know it.’‘
‘It’s the buccaneer in me.’
‘I’m serious.’
‘I’ll be serious. Ninety-nine times in a hundred the police do a good job – a much more effective job than I could hope to do. But every now and again a peculiar case crops up. This is one. Apply rules and regulations to this, and you’ll be in danger of reaching what the world thinks is a right and proper verdict; in fact it would be a travesty. Give rules and regulations the go-by for a bit, and you’ll get justice.'
'Mellor is the illegitimate son of an extremely wealthy old man. The old man has been suffering from heart trouble for some years. Recently, in spite of strict obedience to doctor’s orders, he has become much worse. The doctors say they’re puzzled. I’m not. He’s worse because someone is working on him. I suspected jiggery-pokery shortly after he asked me to look for his son. There is quite a story behind this. He also had a legitimate son, Geoffrey, a year younger than Mellor. The younger son was burned to death, supposedly by accident, nearly a year ago. The fire was in a summer-house, where Geoffrey slept in warm weather. He would have inherited the bulk of a substantial fortune. After his death conscience set to work in the old man, who decided that if he could find his first son, he would do right by him. As they say.’ Rollison’s expression didn’t change, and he looked at the doctor through the haze of steam rising from the coffee. '‘That’s the story as I know it.’‘
January 15, 2011
A case of mixed identity as a suspected murderer, James Mellor, is sought. His fiance believes him incapable of murder so the Toff gets involved and wanders from country house to the depths of the East End in an attempt to uncover the truth.
Although not one of Creasey's best, there is no lack of action throughout but the denouement is a little weak.
Although not one of Creasey's best, there is no lack of action throughout but the denouement is a little weak.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews