Sexton Blake Bibliography: 1940

Notes: This is believed to be a revised version of an older story (as yet unidentified).

Unrated

Notes: The Council of Eleven — made up of powerful, well-organised criminals — pulls off an amazing bank heist which leaves the police baffled. The bank manager calls in Sexton Blake who, after discovering that the criminals burrowed into the vault from an adjoining antiques shop, finds a ring inscribed with a crest designed from the letters of the French word for 'eleven'. After an attempt is made on his life, Blake again encounters the number eleven among the clues. Good solid investigative work leads to the Baron de Beauremon, a man who frequents one of Blake's high society clubs. De Beauremon has as his base a chateau in France. Blake follows the trail to Paris where, again, the Council tries to murder him. Believing that they have successfully done away with the detective, the villians begin to move their stolen bullion. But Blake intercepts the shipment and, with Tinker's help, makes off with it. He returns the fortune to the bank.

Trivia: This is a revised version of UNION JACK issue 555 THE COUNCIL OF ELEVEN (1914).

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: Story features Professor Kew and is believed to be a revised version of an older story (as yet unidentified).

Unrated

Notes: George Marsden Plummer boards a boat bound for Southampton. One of the passengers is an elderly Chinese Mandarin — a bitter enemy of all things British — together with his secretary Sin Fung. When the Mandarin dies, Sin Fung inherits his wealth. Plummer, who spies upon the deathbed scene, immediately kills the secretary and, using the art of disguise, takes his place. He mutilates the face of the corpse and sets it adrift on The Jilt. A few days after, the boat is found and Plummer is reported dead by the British press. Six months pass, and a series of mysterious disappearances has Sexton Blake baffled. A politician's secretary and a millionaire businessman have vanished without a trace. Then Japanese detective Hashira reports to Blake that embassador General Tai has also disappeared, along with valuable papers he had in his possession. The detective learns that the General was last seen in conversation with Sin Fung and that a yellow button was left on the spot. This has upon it the insignia of an unknown secret organisation. Two government officials visit the detective and inform him that a number of sensitive documents have been stolen and apparently sold to Germany. But the copies handed over to the foreign power are copies containing fake information. If this continues, it could lead to war. Blake realises that the villain responsible is prone to vanity and so publishes a statement in the press in which he brags about his ability. This is calculated to draw his opponent into the open. The ruse works; that evening two large boxes are delivered to Baker Street — they contain the tied and gagged forms of the missing secretary and businessman! Blake visits General Tai's daughter, Chrysantheme, and arranges for her to seduce Sin Fung into revealing himself. As he leaves, he encounters Sin Fung arriving and recognises his glance of terror and fury as belonging to Plummer. The master villain, meanwhile, after visiting Chrysantheme, faces a visit from three elders of the secret Society of the Yellow Button. They pierce his disguise but before they can harm him, Plummer sends them falling through a trap door into a cell. Tinker, who has gained entry to Plummer's hideout, witnesses this but is then captured himself. Sexton Blake infiltrates his enemy's base and discovers General Tai locked in a cage and Tinker bound to a post. He frees them both. Next, he recovers the stolen documents. Plummer lures Chrysantheme back to his hideout intending to abduct her. Blake, Tinker and the General, who are waiting in ambush, capture him, and place him in the custody of the police. A few days later, Plummer escapes.

Trivia: Plummer was raised in Melbourne by a Chinese nurse. Sexton Blake owns a property in Bedford Street, off the Strand, which he often uses when he needs to perform a quick change. This story is a revised version of UNION JACK issue 334 (1910). This review is taken from that original story.

Rating: ★★★★★

Notes: To celebrate the coming of age of his eldest son — who is away fighting on the Front — Lord Coniston is planning a lavish party at the family estate in Devon. On the occasion, the Coniston diamonds — a priceless necklace — will be worn by Lady Conniston. What the family don't know is that The Council of Eleven intend to use the occasion to steal the jewels. Sexton Blake is among the invited but, during his journey to Devon, he is inexplicably attacked by a stranger on the train. The man escapes. Shrugging it off as the act of a lunatic, the detective arrives at Coniston Hall and meets his fellow guests who are helping to prepare the banquet. Among them is a Mr Gordon who is wheelchair-bound. There is also a beautiful young woman named Miss Farquhar, who seems strangely familiar to Blake. Later, while strolling in the woods, the detective is nearly hit by a bullet fired from a rifle. Once again, his mystery assailant gets away. That night, the banquet is held and during its course the lights go out and the diamond necklace is stolen. While investigating, another shot narrowly misses Blake. The rifleman flees but leaves behind a knife which was taken from the room in which Gordon is staying. This raises Blake's suspicions and he suddenly pierces the disguises and realises that Gordon is Duke Paul Servitch and Miss Farquhar is Madame Rénée Montara of the Council of Eleven. He sends for Tinker and Pedro but his cablegram is intercepted and his assistant is captured en route. Pedro escapes and, later that night, finds Blake and leads him to the house where the boy is being held captive. There, Blake engages in a terrific fight with Baron Robert de Beauremon. The detective triumphs and takes the Baron and other members of the Council prisoner. He rescues Tinker and recovers the diamonds but, at the last moment, all the Council members escape thanks to a bungling police officer.

Trivia: Blake uses his pseudonym of John Carter. This is a reprint of UNION JACK issue 594 THE CONNISTON DIAMONDS (1915). This review is from a reading of that original story.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Notes: When Dr. Huxton Rymer tries to join forces with Mademoiselle Yvonne Cartier in the tropical country of Salvarita, he gets his wish but on her terms, not his. Together they plot to steal two million in bullion from the country's President — a man named Pearson, who is one of the men responsible for the downfall of Yvonne's family. They succeed in this endeavour and also kidnap Pearson, so that he is blamed for the disappearance of the funds. Sexton Blake is commissioned to investigate and sends Tinker on ahead to Salvarita. However, the detectives are being watched and, out at sea, Tinker is attacked and thrown overboard. Blake is loaned a yacht and travels to the tropical country which he enters disguised as a sailor. He too, though, is being observed and is followed and stabbed in the back. Ten days later he regains consciousness to find himself in the care of a Spanish woman. The crew of his yacht, with help from Pedro, track him down and the group sets sail on the trail of Yvonne, whom Blake has identified as Pearson's kidnapper. Meanwhile, Tinker, who after many hours at sea was rescued by a passing ship, makes his way back to London and then on to Hong Kong to rendezvous with Blake. After they are reunited, Tinker sneaks aboard Yvonne's yacht, the Fleur-de-Lys, but is captured. Blake disguises himself as the vessel's Chinese cook and joins the crew. Days later, as they approach an island near Fiji, he doses the food with a sleeping draft and thus gains the upper hand. Blake releases President Pearson and hands over the yacht and prisoners to him. Some considerable time later, back at Baker Street, the detective learns that Pearson has been assassinated by a disgruntled soldier and Yvonne and her crew have escaped. Yvonne severs her alliance with Dr. Huxton Rymer.

Trivia: This an abridged version of WHEN GREEK MEETS GREEK which appeared in UNION JACK issue 488 (1913).

Rating: ★★★★★

Notes: Three Englishmen have learned that a secret Chinese society named The Brotherhood of the Golden Beetle intends to bring Europe under the heel of the Orient. Two of these men return to Britain before the Brotherhood is aware of their knowledge. The third, Sir George Halliday, is hunted but appears to get away. The leader of the Yellow Beetle, Wu Ling, calls a meeting at which he announces his attention to travel to London to kill the three men and begin a campaign of terror. But unknown to him, Sir George is not only still in China but is spying on that very meeting! Weeks later, in London, Godfrey Carslake, who is engaged to Halliday's daughter, summons Sexton Blake after finding Sir George dead in his study. At the scene, Pedro goes wild and chases a yellow beetle from the room. Even though Halliday's death seems to be from heart failure, Blake thinks otherwise and begins researching rare poisonous beetles. Soon he has a close encounter with one of the insects which is placed in his bedchamber by one of the Brotherhood. He is saved from death by Pedro. Tinker, meanwhile, surprises Wu Ling when the Chinaman enters the Baker Street house on some nefarious mission. The villain escapes but Tinker follows him to the house next door to Halliday's. There he is captured and taken to another premises where he is condemned to the 'Room of Glass'. Halliday's daughter is also kidnapped, to be held until all her father's papers, which may contain details of the Brotherhood, are handed over. Sexton Blake follows with the police in tow. He wins a fist-fight against Wu Ling and rescues Tinker and the girl, narrowly avoiding a swarm of deadly yellow beetles. Most of the oriental gang are rounded up but Wu Ling escapes and manages to destroy Halliday's papers, leaving Blake unaware of the Brotherhood's purpose.

Trivia: This is an abridged reprint of UNION JACK issue 507 THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE YELLOW BEETLE (1913).

Rating: ★★★★★

Notes: George Marsden Plummer disguises himself as Jules Armand, an eccentric French police officer sent to England to help hunt the notorious Parisian safe-cracker, Antoine Ferre. Plummer has caused the real Armand to be locked in an insane asylum, so he has free reign to impersonate the man. Sexton Blake also wants to get his hands on the French criminal but is investigation makes little headway until an Australian dealer in silver, Mr. Danvers, is attacked and left for dead in an empty office. He had recently met with a financier named John Marsh to conclude a very profitable deal (for Marsh). Clues lead Blake to connect the crime with a room in the building opposite, overlooking the office across an alley. It is also an empty office — room number 11. By mid-afternoon it emerges that all Danvers' securities have been withdrawn from his various bank accounts — by him — after he was found injured and hospitalised! That evening, Jules Armand invades the home of John Marsh and holds its owner at gunpoint. Armand had been watching as Marsh attacked Danvers in room 11 and transferred his body via a portable bridge to the building opposite. He had tackled the criminal but Marsh had wriggled out of his grasp, leaving Armand with nothing but his coat. The bogus policeman reveals that he knows that Marsh is really Antoine Ferre. The latter, in turn, recognises that he is not being addressed by the real Armand. Furthermore, the coat had contained all Danvers' papers which were used to withdraw the man's fortune. Obviously the man currently pointing a gun at him is a master criminal: Plummer! The two men agree to a villainous alliance. When Blake, Tinker and Pedro arrive at Marsh's house, they are attacked by their opponents (who remain unseen) and are left tightly gagged and bound in the cellar. In his disguise, Plummer has free-reign at Scotland Yard and uses this opportunity to confuse the investigation. But Blake, after freeing himself from captivity, remains suspicious of Marsh — and Tinker, while investigating room 11, overhears absolute proof of the two villains' real identities. Unfortunately, he is once again captured and imprisoned. His Guv'nor, meanwhile, learns that Plummer and Marsh are robbing their next millionaire. He tracks them to Paris and and arrests John Marsh. He also brings back from France a companion: the real Jules Armand. Plummer flees but falls into Blake's trap and is caught. He and Marsh receive twenty-year sentences.

Trivia: This is an abridged reprint of The Mystery of Room 11 from UNION JACK issue 342 (1910). The notes are based on a reading of the original version. See that issue for further information.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Notes: This is believed to be a revised version of an older story (as yet unidentified).

Unrated

Notes: This is believed to be a revised version of an older story (as yet unidentified).

Unrated

Notes: This is believed to be a revised version of an older story (as yet unidentified).

Unrated

Notes: Story features Zenith the Albino. This is an abridged reprint of UNION JACK issue 1,276 THE CASE OF THE GREY ENVELOPE (1928).

Unrated

Notes: This is a reprint of UNION JACK issue 1,242 THE MYSTERY OF THE DYED RATS (1927).

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: This is believed to be a revised version of an older story (as yet unidentified).

Unrated

Notes: A young army medical officer, Norman Grant, consults Sexton Blake after his wealthy uncle is strangled to death. The evening before the murder, Grant had quarrelled with his relative — Ezra Grant — about the man's young ward, Elma Travers, who Norman wants to marry. Because of this, Detective Harker of Scotland Yard suspects him of the crime. Blake travels to Ezra Grant's home and examines the body and the evidence surrounding it. He quickly concludes that someone is actively trying to frame Norman for the murder. Furthermore, the criminal is still in the vicinity, as is proven when someone shoots at the detective when he's walking in the woods. Later that night, Blake encounters a group of shadowy figures gathered around a car in the woods. They capture him and, binding weights to his ankles, throw him into a nearby pond. Norman comes to his rescue and the mysterious men flee. Next morning, at the inquest into Ezra Grant's death, it is discovered that the body has gone missing. Amid the confusion, a figure steps into the room — it is Ezra Grant! The old man explains that he is a cataleptic and had a seizure when he was attacked in his study. Lapsing into unconsciousness, his state was so death-like that his assailant, as well as everybody else, was fooled into thinking him deceased. He makes it clear that Norman was the attacker in question but refuses to prosecute. A few days later, Blake receives a letter from Norman in which the young man explains that his uncle, unable to bear the fact that his nephew tried to murder him, has taken his own life; Norman saw his body in the pond. Blake reveals that he has cracked the case: a criminal gang, working with Ezra Grant's valet, had killed the old man. When the detective had arrived on the scene, they'd tried to throw him off the scent by removing the body. The head of the gang, an incredibly talented actor and master of disguise named Leon Kestrel had entered the house in the guise of the supposedly dead man. The aim of the crime was to have one of Ezra's less reputable relative's inherit the estate; thus the subsequent 'suicide' (it is the real Ezra Grant in the pond). Blake uses this to draw Kestrel into a trap at Ezra's lawyer's office. It works, to an extent ... the detective catches the gang and proves Norman Grant's innocence. Leon Kestrel, however, eludes him.

Trivia: This is an abridged reprint of UNION JACK issue 620 (1915), the story that marked Leon Kestrel's debut. The review is based on a reading of that issue.

Rating: ★★★★★

Notes: Story features Waldo the Wonder-Man. This is an abridged reprint of UNION JACK issue 1,104 THE LEOPARD OF DROONE (1924).

Unrated

Notes: A mysterious creature seems to be lurking in a Scottish loch. The inn on the shoreline has been losing business these past weeks and Lorn, the landlord, seems frightened. His daughter, Lucy, and the potman, Tom, are getting worried, especially as there are currently just two guests, Mr Jamieson and Mr Gordon. Then, one day, a car crashes nearby and its two uninjured occupants book rooms. They are Sexton Blake and Tinker. Late in the evening Tom tells them that there is a man-eating monster in the lake. They are doubtful until, looking out of the window, they see a body floating near the shore and something large and black briefly breaking the surface. When they return to report that the man has died a violent death, Tom is found in the cellar, hanging by the neck: murdered! The killer, hiding behind wine barrels, shoots out the lights and makes a run for it. He makes it down to the edge of the lake before Blake and Tinker spot him and give chase. Just after the fleeing figure plunges into a clump of trees, a black form rises from the lake and seems to lurch ashore beside him. A scream rents the air and the creature sinks from view. The murderer has vanished, seemingly eaten. Suddenly a roar of water is heard. A mountain resevoir has broken and a tidal wave is sweeping along the loch. Blake and Tinker take cover inside the inn. Cut off, the inhabitants decide to turn in for the night. But no sooner has the detective gone to his room than a dark figure shoots at him and vanishes. Blake is unable to identify his would-be assassin and his fellow guests were all together at the time. Then Gordon is stabbed to death and, once again, everyone has a clear alibi. Blake gathers them all into the lounge. When he hears the stairs creak, he rushes out to see who's there. The stairs are empty but, behind him, the room is plunged into darkness and Lorn is shot dead. Accusations follow and, amid the confusion, Jamieson is stabbed to death. Blake and Tinker pursue the unknown killer through the building and into a secret passge which runs from the cellar to an underground cavern. There, the secret of the loch is docked. The murder is exposed and killed and a Nazi plot defeated.

Trivia: This is the last ever issue of Detective Weekly. The story should not be cofused with THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY second series issue 400, which has the same title but is an entirely different tale.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Trivia: KNOCK-OUT drops 'THE' from its title.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: Blake is out to rescue Doctor James, the inventor, and get back the plans of a flying battleship, which have been stolen by their old enemy the Hooded Stranger. The arch-crook, together with Doctor Krim, is working against British interests from their flying battleship. Now, though, Blake and Tinker have been captured. They are bound and secured inside the "flying egg," which is then lowered until it's hanging two hundred feet below the battleship. Blake realises that the egg is used to observe the ground when the main craft is travelling above the clouds. After managing to escape their bonds, they smash a porthole and clamber out onto the top of the egg.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Trivia: KNOCK-OUT incorporates THE MAGNET.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: Blake has unmasked the Hooded Stranger and has discovered that the arch-crook can alter his appearance at will. Now, the villain escapes from prison after exchanging places with a warder. He sets out to revenge himself on Sexton Blake. The latter, meanwhile, is summoned by Sir John Charters, chief of the British Secret Service, who has a new mission for him.

Trivia: Mrs. Bardell makes a rare appearance in KNOCKOUT!

Rating: ★★★★☆

Notes: Sir John Charters, chief of the British Secret Service, informs Sexton Blake that the enemy has got hold of a secret weapon. News comes through that the Hooded Stranger has escaped. Blake hopes the criminal will lead him to the weapon. A week later, he and Tinker discover their foe hiding in plain sight at a theatre, performing as "The Man With a Thousand Faces." The villain, however, spots them in the audience. He disguises himself as Blake, goes on stage, and announces himself as the detective. Pointing to the real Blake, he accuses him of being a fifth columnist.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: This was the last Blake story by Walter Shute. Ultimately, the author dropped out of writing and became a taxi driver.

Unrated

Notes: Story features Zenith the Albino. This is a reprint of THE MYSTERY OF THE SHOT P. C. which appeared in THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY 2nd series issue 155 (1928).

Unrated

Notes: Story features Leon Kestrel. This is a reprint of THE RED HEART OF THE INCAS, SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY 1st series issue 86 (1919).

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: This is a reprint of THE TERROR OF GOLD-DIGGER CREEK in THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY 2nd series issue 158 (1928).

Unrated

Notes: This is a rewrite of SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY 1st series issue 63 THE SECRET OF THE HULK (1918), which was written by Andrew Murray.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: Story features Gunga Dass.

Unrated

Notes: When John Langton, the assistant manager of a merchant company, is critically wounded in an accident, his younger brother admits to stealing £100 from the firm and asks Langton to confess to this crime to save him from imprisonment. Langton, believing that he has but hours to live, reluctantly agrees and writes a bogus confession. When Septimus Dempster, the general manager of the company, receives this note, he alters the amount to £10,000 and steals the money for himself, adding it to the huge amount he has already embezzled. When Langton unexpectedly recovers from his injury, he finds that his brother has been killed on the Front and he, John, has been accused of Dempster's crimes. He is committed to a seven year term at Bleakmoor Prison. A year later, he joins forces with Aubrey Dexter, who has been imprisoned for just over nineteen months of a fifteen-year sentence, and they escape. After Langton tells the cracksman his story, the two men part company in London and Langton gives himself up to Sexton Blake. The detective agrees to investigate the case and Langton leaves, escaping from beneath the nose of Detective-Inspector Coutts. Blake tells Tinker to shadow Septimus Dempster. Meanwhile, believing that Dempster is hoarding the stolen money, Dexter pays him a visit at his house. A struggle ensues during which a shot is fired from outside, killing Dempster. This attracts Tinker, who enters the house only to be knocked unconscious by Dexter. Thinking that Sexton Blake is hot on his heels, the crook flees, leaving the money behind. Tinker recovers long enough to summon Blake. He investigates the scene and discovers the hidden loot. Believing that Dexter will return for this, Blake joins the Special Constables who patrol a reservoir behind the house. He is thus able to keep watch and, a few days later, apprehends the ace cracksman as he enters the house. With Dexter captured, Blake investigates further and discovers that the shot that killed Dempster was fired by his disgruntled father-in-law. While he is examining this evidence, Dexter overpowers him and escapes. Dempster's killer is caught, John Langton is declared innocent of all crimes, but Dexter remains at liberty.

Trivia: The governor of Bleakmoor Prison is named Colonel Newlands and he is not on good terms with Sexton Blake. Blake has a private dressing room in Dasset Street off the Strand.

It is stated that Dexter had been convicted after being arrested by Sexton Blake and Detective-Inspector Coutts. In fact, the arrest was made by Blake and Detective-Inspector Martin (see THE MARK OF THE MAIMED HAND, UNION JACK issue 619, 1915).

This is a reprint of SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY 1st series issue 28 SEXTON BLAKE, SPECIAL CONSTABLE (1917). It may be that in that issue the Detective-Inspector is Martin rather than Coutts (to be confirmed — The review is based on a reading of this issue.).

Rating: ★★★★★

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: This is a reprint of THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY 2nd series issue 152 (1928).

Unrated

Notes: A rich recluse named Gabriel Smeeth pleads for Sexton Blake's protection, claiming that three attempts to murder him have been made during the past week. The detective, believing the story to be fake, dismisses the man and sets off for a conference in Geneva. Five minutes after his departure, Smeeth returns and informs Tinker that he has just been attacked again. The youngster agrees to drive Smeeth to the train station. On the way, someone shoots at his passenger but misses. Two days later, Smeeth is found murdered. When Blake returns, he is able to assert that the body is not Smeeth but a "double," who is eventually identified as Perun Zandik, the former dictator of Sudenia, one of the newly-formed Balkan provinces. Detective-Inspector Rossiter joins Blake in investigating the matter. The following evening, a Sudenian woman, Natalie Legros, arrives to identify the corpse as that of her cruel husband, Pierre Legros. However, when Blake points out that the corpse does not have pierced ears, she realises that it is just a lookalike. Blake seeks Sudenia's former court physician, Dr. Maravitch, who lives in London but has gone missing. After a week has passed, Rossiter reports that Maravitch has been located, having been subjected to a murder attempt. Blake learns from the doctor that the dead dictator's doppelgänger, Pierre Legros, is really named Ivan Jagish. While following up on the clues, the detective is attacked by a gang of Sudenian men. The battle is ferocious and Blake nearly loses his life, being saved only by timely intervention from Tinker. The thugs flee, but Tinker and Pedro follow their trail. Blake, recovering in hospital, receives a call to inform him that Pedro has been found with a bullet wound in his shoulder. He retrieves the injured hound and is led to an empty manor house, where Tinker and Natalie are being held captive. Blake summons Rossiter who arrives with a force of men. Breaking in, they overpower the villains, including Ivan Jagish aka Pierre Legros. Blake explains the scheme, crimes and motives of Jagish, the former State double of Sudenia. The criminal is sent to the hangman.

Trivia: Blake makes use of a couple of "deputies" — Barry and Lucas — for the purpose of shadowing a suspect.

There's some squirm-inducing racist language in this story, which was the final Sexton Blake written by the last of his Edwardian authors: William J. Bayfield.

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ Eric Parker's fantastic cover promises a lot with its depiction of a ranting Hitler ... but, unfortunately, it bears no relation to the contents; the dictator of this rather ill-written and dull yarn is another man entirely.

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: Harry 'Headline Hal' Haldane — reporter with the Daily Gazette — lives in a cheap boarding house with various members of the theatre set. When one of these, a man known as Cosmo, the Crimson Conjurer, is found in his locked room dead with a knife in his throat, Detective-Inspector Coutts is quickly on the scene, accompanied by Tinker. They call in Sexton Blake but his behaviour seems rather more eccentric than usual and he's dismissive of Tinker's theory that a man known as Metaxas, a Mexican knife thrower, is the killer. Tinker, however, learns that Metaxas lives in the boarding house to the rear in a room with a window directly opposite to Cosmo's. After an abrupt comment from Blake, he decides to investigate further on his own. The atmosphere between him and his 'guv'nor' steadily worsens — with the detective summarily dismissing Tinker's suggestions — then erupts into a terrible argument. Tinker storms out and declares that their partnership is over. Teaming up with Hal Haldane, he discovers that Metaxas has got a job at a circus and decides to get employment there himself in order to watch the man. Upon arrival he makes friends with a young girl named Lolita and is hired by the manager, Mr Moxer. He also quickly learns that Lolita's mother is terrified of Metaxas. Soon Tinker is joined by Hal who proceeds to ingratiate himself with Metaxas in order to learn more about him. Another addition to the circus arrives the next day in the form of Bert Nixon, one time member of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. The American cowboy and Mexican knife-thrower form an immediate dislike for one another. One afternoon, after the circus has moved to a new town, Tinker is walking in the nearby countryside when he is knocked unconscious by Metaxas, who leaves him tied and bound in an old barn, intending to do away with him after nightfall. However, it is not the Mexican who returns but a masked man who might, thinks Tinker, be Nixon. This man brags that he is the killer of Cosmos before setting fire to the barn, leaving Tinker there to die. The young detective manages to escape and, realising that his theory has been completely wrong, decides to get in touch with Blake ... only to find that the detective is not at home. After a another violent encounter with Metaxas and a confusing confrontation with Nixon, Tinker wakes the next morning in a complete quandry. Who is the killer and why is Mrs Duval so scared of the Mexican? The answers comes in a sequence of shocking revelations. Sexton Blake, it turns out, has been far closer than Tinker suspected ... and the killer is closer still! Detective-Inspector Coutts swoops in the nick of time, catching the criminal, and Blake and Tinker are reunited, putting their quarrel behind them.

Trivia: Detective-Inspector Coutts has 'rather prominent teeth'. Sexton Blake's handwriting is 'microscopic' and neat. This is a reprint of THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY 2nd series issue 171 (1928).

Rating: ★★★★☆

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: This is a reprint of THE CONSULTING ROOM CRIME from THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY 2nd series issue 327 (1932).

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: Story features Splash Page. This is a rewrite of THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY 2nd series issue 164 (1928) which was written by Gwyn Evans.

Unrated

Notes: Pilot Jake Thorne, forced to crash land in the sea, realises his passenger is a crook with a briefcase crammed with money. Thorne drowns the man, takes the money, hides it in a cutlery box, and leaves the box in a Dutch pawnshop for safety. When a tough guy approaches him and claims the money as his, Thorne kills him, too, but then notices he is being watched, and realises he is up against a gang. World War II commences, and to avoid the crooks, Thorne joins the Army. Nine months later, the wife of Major Jim Storm visits Sexton Blake. Her husband has gone AWOL and is being hunted by a beautiful Frenchwoman. Blake discovers that Major Storm purchased expensive diamond earrings and was robbed of these jewels by a man named Blanchard, who was also looking for a tin despatch case. Then, Major Storm’s batman also goes missing—his name … Jake Thorne! Blake concludes that it is a case of espionage, with Thorne sending secrets to the Frenchwoman via the unwitting Storm. It then emerges that a soldier named Heinmann has gained the box from under Thorne’s nose. The Frenchwoman comes forward and overturns Blake’s theory by introducing herself as Secret Service agent Mademoiselle Yvonne de Braselieu (here making her debut). Meanwhile, Tinker meets her British counterpart, Beltom Brass (his first appearance, also). De Braselieu explains to Blake that half a million intended to fund anti-British, pro-German espionage had been stolen by a traitor then “acquired” by Thorne. Now, the espionage gang has gained the pawn ticket from the Major’s despatch box. Blake and his allies round up the gang but its leader, Heinmann, eludes them, murders Thorne, and sets off for Rotterdam. Yvonne, however, has followed him, and soon Blake, Brass and Tinker catch up. Heinmann is captured, the major is located and liberated, and the money is recovered.

Trivia: In the second paragraph of this novel, Mademoiselle de Braselieu receives her first ever mention, but her name is given as Annette. Later, when she finally appears in the story, she has become Yvonne, which is the name she bears in all subsequent stories.

Very unusually, there’s a reference to a much earlier case, written by another author, when Blake meets a police officer he rescued from a fire at the end of THE BLACK RAT by G. H. Teed (UNION JACK · Issue 701 · 17/3/1917). The master crook of that case, the Black Rat himself, is also mentioned.

Rating: ★★★★★

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: None at present.

Unrated

Notes: This is a reprint (except with all the incidental character names changed) of DEAD MAN'S BAY from THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY 2nd series issue 358 (1932), which was written by Mark Osborne (John W. Bobin).

Unrated