The Toff Down Under

Toff #28

by John Creasey

The Honourable Richard Rollison (aka ‘The Toff’) finds himself involved in a search for a lost relative – there is a large inheritance at stake. However, the aunt of the beautiful heiress is found murdered and the search for who might be prepared to go to such lengths in order to get their hands on the fortune leads to him and the heiress travelling all the way to Australia. There, the mystery deepens and there is clearly significant danger if the enquiry is pursued any further. An exciting finish to the hunt brings this adventure to a surprising finale.

Genres: Mystery

189 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1953

About the author

AKA 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.

Reviews

[ShanDizzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rollison picked up the large, now empty envelope, which was addressed to The Hon. Richard Rollison, 22G, Gresham Terrace, London, W.l. He then read the accountant’s letter, and lingered over the paragraph which ran:
"You will not, of course, be able to act with the same careless generosity as in the past, but with the most rigid control of your personal expenditure, you should be able to live in reasonable comfort but not, naturally, in the style to which you have been accustomed. You might, conceivably, look for a job. Having been a freelance for so long you would not greatly like that, but I think I could give you one or two introductions which might develop into useful opportunities."

Read this book on Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/book/363330203

[John B · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Toff has fallen on hard times and reluctantly decides to become a professional investigator. He becomes involved in a search for a lost relative, in line for a big inheritance, but is drawn in further when the beautiful young heiress's aunt is found murdered. The Toff and the heiress travel to Australia to find out who is prepared to kill to get their hands on the fortune.

I'm a huge fan of John Creasey's work; very tightly written, plots that have nice twists and turns, and the bouts of excitement you only seem to find in good old-fashioned mysteries like this one. I have read better Toff books, and certainly worse ones, but this one is one of the better ones, even if the characterisation and some of the plot elements are a little simplistic. But, saying that, Creasey does his usual magic cramming a great deal of thrills and intrigue into a mere 144 pages.

[Delores Alger · Rating 4 out of 5]

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