The John Rhode Detective Library brings together sixteen of the most compelling and ingeniously plotted mysteries featuring Dr. Lancelot Priestley, one of the most distinctive sleuths of the Golden Age of detective fiction. Created by Cecil John Charles Street, writing as John Rhode, Dr. Priestley is a logician, a scientist, and an armchair detective whose calm reasoning and analytical mind unravel even the most baffling of crimes. This illustrated collection includes standout titles such ...

The Mysterious Suspect, first published in 1953 (and also known by the title By Registered Post), is part of the series of mysteries featuring private detective Dr. Priestley. Author John Rhode, a pen name of Cecil Street (1884-1964), was a prolific writer of mostly detective novels, publishing more than 140 books between 1924 and 1961.In The Mysterious Suspect, wealthy industrialist Peter Horningtoft is found dead in his study after apparently dri...

Dr. Priestley Lays a Trap, first published in 1933 (and also known by the title The Motor Rally Mystery), is part of the series of mysteries featuring private detective Dr. Priestley. Author John Rhode, a pen name of Cecil Street (1884-1964), was a prolific writer of mostly detective novels, publishing more than 140 books between 1924 and 1961.From the dustjacket: The death of Lessingham and his companion, Purvis, was, indeed, a tragic affair; but ...

Death on the Boat Train, first published in 1940, is book no. 32 in the series of mysteries featuring private detective Dr. Priestley and Scotland Yard's Superintendent Hanslet and Inspector Jimmy Waghorn. Author John Rhode, a pen name of Cecil Street (1884-1964), was a prolific writer of mostly detective novels, publishing more than 140 books between 1924 and 1961. From the dustjacket: Fair blew the wind from France, and the Channel steamer Isle of Jethou rolled ...

Murder at Derivale, first published in 1958, is book no. 66 in the Dr. Priestley detective story series. Author John Rhode, a pen name of Cecil Street (1884-1964), was a prolific writer of mostly detective novels, publishing more than 140 books between 1924 and 1961. Murder at Derivale one of the final books in the Priestley series, has Inspector Jimmy Waghorn (assisted by the now elderly Dr. Priestley) investigating the death by poisoning of a man found dead in a...

''The Figure of Eight'' (1931) by Cecil Waye (John Rhode/Miles Burton) is a 1930s thriller featuring private investigator Christopher Perrin. It focuses on international intrigue, starting with the mysterious, non-violent death of a woman on a London bus, which leads to a plot involving murdered diplomats, stolen documents, and a sinister secret society. A woman, later identified as Lola Martinaes, is found in an unshakeable, fatal sleep on a bus. Christopher Perrin, a private investigator...

The Complete Collection of Dr. Priestley. Vol. 1 (Twenty Novels). Illustrated presents a rich and immersive introduction to one of the most enduring detectives of the Golden Age of British mystery fiction—Dr. Lancelot Priestley. Created by John Rhode (the pseudonym of Major Cecil Street), Dr. Priestley is a master of logic and deduction who solves crimes not by chasing suspects, but by calmly analyzing facts and exposing contradictions. This volume gathers twenty of the most engaging and c...

The Fatal Garden, first published in 1949, is book no. 49 in the series of mysteries featuring private detective Dr. Priestley and Scotland Yard's Superintendent Waghorn. Author John Rhode, a pen name of Cecil Street (1884-1964), was a prolific writer of mostly detective novels, publishing more than 140 books between 1924 and 1961. From the dustjacket: "Yes, the initial murder in this book was certainly committed on a path in a garden; but it is possible that the ...

A man lies dead of a gunshot, yet the fatal bullet has simply vanished – no slug, no casing, nothing – and only the coolly logical Dr Priestley can explain the seemingly impossible.The Elusive Bullet is a classic Dr Lancelot Priestley puzzle from John Rhode, the best-known pseudonym of Major Cecil Street, a mainstay of the golden age of detection. Priestley, an irascible retired academic who solves crimes by pure reason, confronts a killing that defies eve...

Sixpennyworth by John Rhode is a classic Golden Age detective story featuring the meticulous and methodical investigations typical of Rhode’s celebrated Inspector Lancelot Priestley series. Known for his ingenious plotting and focus on scientific and logical methods of detection, Rhode delivers a story where careful observation and deductive reasoning are key to unraveling a puzzling crime. The story begins with a seemingly ordinary transaction—or a trivial purchase—worth only sixpence. Ye...

The Murders in Praed Street features Dr. Lancelot Priestley, an eccentric scientist and mathematician. The novel's first part introduces the neighborhood of Praed Street, its shopkeepers, and their families. Among these characters are the first victims of a series of shocking murders that terrorize London and baffle the police. In the second part, Scotland Yard seeks the help of Dr. Priestley, who is eager for "some enticing problem, mathematical or human." To confirm his theory o...

We rely on your support to help us keep producing beautiful, free, and unrestricted editions of literature for the digital age. Will you support our efforts with a donation ? The Murders in Praed Street features Dr. Lancelot Priestley, an eccentric scientist and mathematician. The novel's first part introduces the neighborhood of Praed Street, its shopkeepers, and their families. Among these characters are the first victims of a series of shocking murders that terrorize London and baffle t...