John Rhode

Cecil John Street aka John Street aka John Rhode aka Miles Burton aka Cecil Waye was one of the most prolific authors from the Golden Age of detective fiction – over 70 under the pseudonym John Rhode featuring the scientific detections of Dr Lancelot Priestley (although he is called Launcelot in The Motor Rally Mystery) and over 60 featuring amateur sleuth Desmond Merrion under the pseudonym Miles Burton.

Unlike many of his contemporaries, his work is extremely hard to come by – rarely reprinted, and yet in high demand. I’ve managed to procure a large number of his works. To explain the bibliography below – all links go to spoiler free reviews. Titles in italics are ones that I don’t possess (and if you’ve one going spare, do give me a shout…) The Miles Burton list, as I’ve fewer of his, are simply the ones that I’ve got or read.

Some hope has appeared recently for the non-obsessive collector – the British Library have re-issued The Secret Of High Eldersham and Death In The Tunnel and while there is little sign of more of the Miles Burton titles appearing in this range, the Collins Crime Club have re-released The Paddington Mystery, Mystery At Olympia, Death At Breakfast and Invisible Weapons – not his finest work, perhaps, but two good titles and one very good one there (check the reviews to see which one is which). I am given to believe that more might be on the way…

John Rhode – Dr Priestley

• The Paddington Mystery (1925)
• Dr Priestley’s Quest (1926)
• The Ellerby Case (1927)
• The Murders In Praed Street (1928)
• Tragedy At The Unicorn (1929)
• The House On Tollard Ridge (1929)
• The Davidson Case (1929)
• Peril At Cranbury Hall (1930)
• Pinehurst (1930)
• Tragedy On The Line (1931)
• The Hanging Woman (1931)
• Mystery At Greycombe Farm (1932)
• Dead Men At The Folly (1932)
• The Motor Rally Mystery (1933)
• The Claverton Mystery (1933)
• The Venner Crime (1933)
• Poison For One (1934)
• The Robthorne Mystery (1934)
• Shot At Dawn (1934)
• The Corpse In The Car (1935)
• Hendon’s First Case (1935)
• Mystery At Olympia (1935)
• Death At Breakfast (1936)
• In Face Of The Verdict (1936)
• Death In The Hop Fields (1937)
• Death On The Board (1937)
• Proceed With Caution (1937)
• Invisible Weapons (1938)
• The Bloody Tower (1938)
• Death Pays A Dividend (1939)
• Death On Sunday (1939)
• Death On The Boat-Train (1940)
• Murder At Lilac Cottage (1940)
• Death At The Helm (1941)
• They Watched By Night (1941)
• The Fourth Bomb (1942)
• Dead On The Track (1943)
• Men Die At Cyprus Lodge (1943)
• Death Invades The Meeting (1944)
• Vegetable Duck (1944)
• Bricklayer’s Arms (1945)
• The Lake House (1946)
• Death In Harley Street (1946)
• Nothing But The Truth (1947)
• Death Of An Author (1947)
• The Paper Bag (1948)
• The Telephone Call (1948)
• Blackthorn House (1949)
• Up The Garden Path (1949)
• Family Affairs (1950)
• Dr Goodwood’s Locum (1951)
• The Secret Meeting
• Death In Wellington Road (1952)
• Death At The Dance (1952)
• By Registered Post (1953)
• Death At The Inn (1953)
• The Dovebury Murders (1954)
• Death On The Lawn (1954)
• The Domestic Agency (1955)
• Death Of A Godmother (1955)
• An Artist Dies (1956)
• Open Verdict (1956)
• Robbery With Violence (1957)
• Death Of A Bridegroom (1957)
• Murder At Derivale (1958)
• Death Takes A Partner (1958)
• Licensed For Murder (1958)
• Three Cousins Die (1959)
• Twice Dead (1960)
• The Fatal Pool (1960)
• The Vanishing Diary (1961)

John Rhode – Non-Series

• The Alarm (1925)
• Night Exercise (1942)

Miles Burton

• The Secret Of High Eldersham (1930)
• The Three Crimes (1931)
• The Menace On The Downs (1931)
• Death Of Mr Gantley (1931)
• Murder At The Moorings (1932)
• Fate At The Fair (1933)
• Tragedy At The Thirteenth Hole (1933)
• Death At The Cross Roads (1933)
• The Charabanc Mystery (1934)
• To Catch A Thief (1934)
• The Devereux Court Mystery (1935)
• The Milk Churn Murder (1935)
• Death In The Tunnel (1936)
• Murder Of A Chemist (1936)
• Murder In Crown Passage (1937)
• Death At Low Tide (1938)
• The Platinum Cat (1938)
• Death Leaves No Card (1939)
• Mr Babbacombe Dies (1939)
• Murder In The Coalhole (1940)
• Death Takes A Flat (1940)
• Death Of Two Brothers (1941)
• Up The Garden Path (1941)
• This Undesirable Residence (1942)
• Murder M.D. (1943)
• Four-Ply Yarn (1944)
• The Three Corpse Trick (1944)
• Not A Leg To Stand On (1945)
• Early Morning Murder (1945)
• Situation Vacant (1946)
• Heir To Lucifer (1947)
• A Will In The Way (1947)
• Devil’s Reckoning (1948)
• Death In Shallow Water (1948)
• Death Takes The Living (1949)
• Look Alive (1949)
• Beware Your Neighbour (1951)
• Heir To Murder (1953)
• Murder Unrecognised (1955)
• Death In A Duffle Coat (1956)
• Found Drowned (1956)
• The Chinese Puzzle (1957)
• Death Takes A Detour (1958)
• A Smell Of Smoke (1960)
• Death Paints A Picture (1960)
• Legacy Of Death (1960)

Here are a couple of posts that I’ve written about John Street’s work:

• How To Read Cecil Street
• John Rhode – The Story So Far
• Money For Old Rhode