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Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} Edgar Wallace Selected Novels by Edgar Wallace Edgar Wallace. Sharon and her husband have been in the used and rare mystery book business for 17 years, but Sharon has been reading classic mysteries for more than half a century - from Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle, Dorothy Sayers, to Dashiell Hammett and many more. Before there was Tom Clancy or Stephen Coonts, before Robin Cook or James Patterson, before Helen MacInnes or Alistair MacLean, before them all was (Richard) (Horatio) Edgar Wallace (1875-1932), the inventor of the modern thriller. Wallace, raised in the slums of southeast London, had a varied career after finishing school. He worked in a printing firm, a shoe shop, a rubber factory, as a merchant seaman, a plasterer and a milk delivery boy. He served in the Royal West Kent Regiment in England (1893-1896) and the Medical Staff Corps in South Africa (1896-1899). His writing career began, as with so many authors, in journalism. As special correspondent for Reuters news agency (1899-1902) and London’s Daily Mail (1900-1902), he saw the Boer War in South Africa first hand. Wallace continued to write for newspapers until his death in 1932. Edgar Wallace was an incredibly prolific writer, producing over 200 works - including 170 novels - in addition to his newspaper articles. His first book, The Mission That Failed !, A tale of the Raid, and Other Poems , was published in 1898 and his last one in 1932. Most of his novels are thrillers. Though very popular with readers, Wallace faired less well with critics who pointed out the unseemliness of an author polishing off a novel over the weekend. His frenetic pace led to errors such as mid-book name changes, gaps in plotting, and - according to his critics - massive use of cliche. Since Wallace originated many of the now trite thriller terms and situations, that last accusation is probably inaccurate. Colin Watson, writing in Snobbery with Violence: Crime Stories and their Audience , conceded that “trying to assess Wallace’s work in literary terms would be as pointless as applying sculptural evaluation to a load of gravel.” But that, of course, is not the point. The point is that Edgar Wallace had an uncanny awareness of what the Fin de Siecle and World War I generations wanted to read. By 1906 when Wallace’s first crime novels appeared, there were serious rumblings in Britain’s Empire on which the sun never set; a war between Germany and Britain was expected in the near future; France, Italy and the Balkans were in ferment; and the United States of America was the brash new kid on the block. In short, the world was changing much more rapidly than was comfortable for a lot of folks, the security of Queen Victoria’s long reign was gone, and things were going to get worse before they got better. When the world is going to Hell in a handbasket, Wallace’s stories are very reinforcing. They are full of terrifyingly malignant criminals with massive intellects, frighteningly mysterious events and sometimes excessively twisty plots. But in the end, the sleuth, a pretty ordinary-type good guy triumphs in a self-deprecating way and the criminal receives his justly severe punishment. The Crimson Circle, The India Rubber Man , and Terror Keep are perfect examples of Wallace’s ability to create a really scary sense of menace from an unknown quarter until the sleuth solves the puzzle and the fear dissipates like mist on a hot day. Every bit as enjoyable as the storyline is the sub-text of British culture. Each Wallace novel is a mini social history text, recalling a time, place, and set of mores that are no more. Taken in order they offer insights into the span of time from 19th century global king pin to post-World War I existentialism and economic depression. How wonderful to step back to a time when master criminals, unknown poisons, and terror in the fog were the scariest things on tap. Edgar Wallace (34 books) Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace (April 1, 1875–February 10, 1932) was a prolific British crime writer, journalist and playwright, who wrote 175 novels, 24 plays, and countless articles in newspapers and journals. Over 160 films have been made of his novels, more than any other author. In the 1920s, one of Wallace's publishers claimed that a quarter of all books read in England were written by him.… (more) Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace (April 1, 1875–February 10, 1932) was a prolific British crime writer, journalist and playwright, who wrote 175 novels, 24 plays, and countless articles in newspapers and journals. Over 160 films have been made of his novels, more than any other author. In the 1920s, one of Wallace's publishers claimed that a quarter of all books read in England were written by him. (citation needed) He is most famous today as the co-creator of "King Kong", writing the early screenplay and story for the movie, as well as a short story "King Kong" (1933) credited to him and Draycott Dell. He was known for the J. G. Reeder detective stories, The Four Just Men, the Ringer, and for creating the Green Archer character during his lifetime. Edgar Wallace. Author. He worked for many years as a journalist, but with his first mystery novel "The Four Just Men" (1905), he obtained a great success. In 1915, he wrote his first script, "Nurse and Martyr" and this year were released eight silent films from his stories at the rate of one a month. Wallace also directed the motion pictures "Red Aces" (1929) and "The Squeaker" (1930). Eventually writing more then 150 novels, among his better known books are "The Ringer," "The Case of the Frightened Lady" and "The Calendar." He died in Hollywood, California in 1932 while working on the screenplay of "King Kong" (1933). A memorial plaque was erected for him on a building at the corner of Fleet Street in London, England, near where he sold newspapers as a boy in Ludgate Circus. Author. He worked for many years as a journalist, but with his first mystery novel "The Four Just Men" (1905), he obtained a great success. In 1915, he wrote his first script, "Nurse and Martyr" and this year were released eight silent films from his stories at the rate of one a month. Wallace also directed the motion pictures "Red Aces" (1929) and "The Squeaker" (1930). Eventually writing more then 150 novels, among his better known books are "The Ringer," "The Case of the Frightened Lady" and "The Calendar." He died in Hollywood, California in 1932 while working on the screenplay of "King Kong" (1933). A memorial plaque was erected for him on a building at the corner of Fleet Street in London, England, near where he sold newspapers as a boy in Ludgate Circus. Family Members. Bryan Edgar Wallace. Michael Blair Leon Wallace. Flowers. See more Wallace memorials in: How famous was Edgar Wallace? What was Edgar famous for? Sign-in to cast your vote. Maintained by: Find a Grave Originally Created by: José L Bernabé Tronchoni Added: 20 Oct 2004 Find a Grave Memorial 9683672 Source Hide citation. Add Photos for Edgar Wallace. Fulfill Photo Request for Edgar Wallace. Photo Request Fulfilled. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request. Edgar Wallace. TO all outward appearance, Douglas Camp¬bell was a dour and possibly a short-tempered man of forty-eight, tall and broad of shoulder. He had what women describe as a bad-tempered face, since, through no fault of his own, his eyebrows met. As chairman and general manager of the Federated Assurances it was only right and proper that he should be credited with a total absence of any sense of humour. He was, as all who have met him will testify, a grave and serious man, who used precise language cautiously. He sat at his table one spring morning reading his correspondence. Presently he put the letters down and looked at his watch. "I am expecting Mr. Robert Brewer in a few minutes," he said. The Standard History of the War Vol. I. Edgar Wallace. IT is unnecessary within the scope of this volume to do more than sketch the events which led to a condition of war between Great Britain, France, Russia, Belgium and Servia on the one part, and Germany and Austria- Hungary on the other. The assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his consort at Sarajevo, on July 25, was the ostensible reason for the presentation of the Austro- Hungarian note to Servia. This made demands upon Servia with which no self- governing state could comply, and was followed by military preparations in the dual kingdom. Russia, who saw in these demands an oblique challenge to her as guardian of the Slav peoples, at once began to move. But at the. The Four Just Men. Edgar Wallace. IF you leave the Plaza del Mina, go down the narrow street, where, from ten till four, the big flag of the United States Consulate hangs lazily; through the square on which the Hotel de la France fronts, round by the Church of Our Lady, and along the clean, narrow thoroughfare that is the High Street of Cadiz, you will come to the Café of the Nations. At five o'clock there will be few people in the broad, pillared saloon, and usually the little round tables that obstruct the sidewalk before its doors are untenanted.