William Murdoch Duncan

William Murdoch Duncan ( pseudonyms John Cassells , John Dallas , Neill Graham , Martin Locke , Peter Malloch and Lovat Marshall ; born November 18, 1909 in Glasgow , † April 19, 1975 in Glasgow) was a Scottish writer.

Life

Duncan's family immigrated to Canada when he was a child. In 1930 he returned to Scotland and studied history at the University of Glasgow . In 1934 Duncan graduated from college. He then worked as a freelance journalist in Canada and Scotland and published hundreds of short stories. Duncan took part in World War II. He retired from the army wounded in 1941. Duncan lived with his wife and two daughters in the Scottish county of Argyllshire .

Duncan is considered a prolific writer and with his publications also surpassed Edgar Wallace , in whose shadow he was all his life.

reception

In addition to many individual novels, Duncan also wrote many series. His protagonist, Detective Superintendent Donald Reamer, called "Dreamer", fought thirteen cases against the crime. Inspector Laurie Hume and Superintendent MacNeill granted Duncan a trilogy each .

As John Cassells, he had Superintendent Flagg investigated in over 30 cases. He had written the first volume for it under his own name, from the second they ran under John Cassells. The next series hero, Ludovic Saxon, called "Picaroon" was a seedy figure who could be found literarily between AJ Raffles ( Ernest William Hornung ) and "The Saint" ( Leslie Charteris ). Picaroon was allowed to wreak havoc in over twenty novels.

Under the name Neill Graham published extensive series about the private detectives Mr. Sandyman and James Malcolm. As Lovat Marshal, he invented the private detective and former boxer "Sugar Kane".

Works (selection)

As William Murdoch Duncan

Dreamer series

• Meet the Dreamer . John Long Books, London 1963.
• Again the Dreamer . John Long Books, London 1966.
• Presenting the Dreamer . John Long Books, London 1966.
• Case for the Dreamer , John Long Books, London 1966.
• Problem for the Dreamer . John Long Books, London 1966.
• Salute the Dreamer . John Long Books, London 1968.
• The Dreamer intervenes . John Long Books, London 1968.
• Challenge for the Dreamer . John Long Books, London 1969.
• The Dreamer deals with murder . John Long Books, London 1970, ISBN 0-0910-2150-2 .
• Details for the Dreamer . John Long Books, London 1971, ISBN 0-0910-7160-7 .
• The Dreamer at large . John Long Books, London 1972, ISBN 0-0911-1550-7 .
• Prey for the Dreamer . John Long Books, London 1974, ISBN 0-0911-8380-4 .
• Laurels for the Dreamer . John Long Books, London 1975, ISBN 0-0912-3540-5 .

Laurie Hume trilogy

1. Murder calls the tune . John Long Books, London 1957.
2. The girl from London. Detective novel ("The murder man", 1959). Goldmann, Munich 1960.
3. The whispering man . John Long Books, London 1959.

Superintendent MacNeill Trilogy

1. Do you know this woman. Detective novel ("Death stands round the corner", 1955). Goldmann, Munich 1956.
2. Business with beauty. Detective novel ("A knife in the night", 1955). Goldmann, Munich 1955.
3. Pennies for his eyes . John Long Books, London 1956.

Superintendet Leslie series

• The council of comforters . John Long Books, London 1967.
• The green triangle . John Long Books, London 1969.

Standalones

• The society of sinners. Detective novel ("The Company of Sinners", 1951). Goldmann, Munich 1955.
• The murderer's mask. Detective novel ("The deathmaster", 1953). Goldmann, Munich 1953.

As John Cassells

Superintendet flag series

• The secret of the nameless. Detective novel ("The league of nameless men", 1948). Desch, Munich 1964.
• The circle of fog. Detective novel ("The circle of Dust", 1950). Goldmann, Munich 1957.
• The black tears. Detective novel ("The waters of sadness", 1950). Goldmann, Munich 1950.
• The gray ghost. Detective novel ("The gray ghost", 1951). Goldmann, Munich 1960.
• Metaxas AG. Detective novel ("Salute Inspector Flagg", 1953). Goldmann, Munich 1956.
• Old oak meeting point. Detective novel ("Case for Inspector Flagg", 1954). Goldmann, Munich 1956.

Picaroon series

• The avenging Picaroon . 1955.
• Meet the Picaroon . 1957.
• Enter the Picaroon . 1958.
• Salute the Picaroon . 1960.
• Prey for the Picaroon . 1963.
• The benevolent Picaroon . 1965.
• The audacious Picaroon . 1967.
• Night of the Picaroon . 1969.
• Quest for the Picaroon . 1970.
• The Picaroon laughs last . 1973.
• The Picaroon gets the run-around . 1976.

Stand-alones

• The choking death. Detective novel ("The Bastion of the Damned" 1946). Reichelt-Verlag, Wiesbaden 1953.
• The sons of the morning . Melrose Press, London 1946.
• The Mark of the Leech . Melrose Press, London 1947.

As John Dallas

• The night of the storm . Jenkins, London 1961.
• Red ice cream. Detective novel ("Red ice", 1973). Goldmann, Munich 1973, ISBN 3-442-04311-5 .

As Neill Graham

Mr. Sandyman series

• The symbol of the cat . 1948.
• Passport to murder . 1949.
• Murder walks on tiptoe . 1951.
• The quest for Mr. Sandyman . 1951.
• Again, Mr. Sandyman . 1952.
• The amazing Mr. Sandyman . 1952.
• Salute Mr. Sandyman . 1953.

James Malcolm series

• Five thousand pounds reward. Detective novel ("Murder is my weakness", 1961). Goldmann, Munich 1962.
• Solo in the boilers. Detective novel ("Murder on the Duchess", 1961). Goldmann, Munich 1969.
• Solo for crying detective. Detective novel ("Graft Town", 1963). Goldmann, Munich 1964.
• A weakness for women. Detective novel ("Label it murder", 1963). Goldmann, Munich 1964.
• Mr. Selden's secret. Detective novel ("Murder made easy", 1964). Goldmann, Munich 1964.
• The cat killer. Detective novel ("Murder of a black cat", 1964). Goldmann, Munich 1968.
• On thin ice. Detective novel ("Murder'S always final", 1965). Goldmann, Munich 1967.
• Money for murder. Detective novel ("Money for murder", 1966). Goldmann, Munich 1968.
• The trick with the rope. Detective novel ("Murder on demand", 1966). Goldmann, Munich 1969.
• 100 hp murder. Detective novel ("Pay off", 1968). Goldmann, Munich 1968.
• Dangerous pavement. Detective novel ("Blood on the Pavement", 1970). Goldmann, Munich 1970.
• Hush money for love letters. Detective novel ("One for the book", 1970). Goldmann, Munich 1970.
• Mink is nice to blackmail. Detective novel ("A matter of murder", 1971). Goldmann, Munich 1972.
• A word with the police. Detective novel ("Murder, double murder", 1971). Goldmann, Munich 1972, ISBN 3-442-04199-6 .
• A piece of the cake. Detective novel ("Frame-up", 1972). Goldmann, Munich 1973.
• The hand in the trap. Detective novel ("Cop in a tight frame", 1973). Goldmann, Munich 1973, ISBN 3-442-04327-1 .
• Closed Tuesday afternoon. Detective novel ("Murder in a dark room", 1973). Goldmann, Munich 1974.

As Martin Locke

• The vengeance of Mortimer Daly . Ward Lock Publ., London 1961.

As Peter Malloch

• The man with the red rose. Detective novel ("Hardiman's landing", 1960). Goldmann, Munich 1961.
• The decision has been made. Detective novel ("Anchor Island", 1962). Goldmann, Munich 1962.
• Escape in the fog. Detective novel ("Fugitive's road", 1963). Goldmann, Munich 1964.
• The millionaire robbery. Detective novel ("Cop-Lover", 1964). Goldmann, Munich 1964.
• It starts on monday. Detective novel ("The Nicholas Snatch", 1964). Goldmann, Munich 1965.
• One look was enough. Detective novel ("The big steal", 1966). Goldmann, Munich 1967.
• Guests at midnight. Detective novel ("Murder of the man next door", 1966). Goldmann, Munich 1967.
• Not a case for amateurs. Detective novel ("Death whispers softly", 1968). Goldmann, Munich 1969.

As Lovat Marshall

Sugar Kane series

• The goldfish bites. Detective novel ("Sugar for the Lady", 1955). Goldmann, Munich 1956.
• Missing: Lena Colling. Detective novel ("Sugar on the kill", 1961). Goldmann, Munich 1962.
• Warning about Toby Green. Detective novel ("Sugar on the Loose", 1962). Goldmann, Munich 1962.
• The first victim. Detective novel ("The dead are silent", 1966). Goldmann, Munich 1966.
• Four feet under the apple tree. Detective novel ("Death is for ever", 1967). Goldmann, Munich 1970.

literature

• Malcolm J. Turnbull: William Murdoch Duncan . In: Ders .: Victims or villains. Jewish images in classic English detective fiction . Popular Press, Bowling Green, OH 1998, ISBN 0-87972-783-7 , p. 130.

Web links

• Literature by and about William Murdoch Duncan in the catalog of the German National Library
• John Cassells. In: www.krimi-couch.de. Archived from the original on June 19, 2017 . 

Individual evidence

1. ^ Wilhelm Goldmann (Hrsg.): Lexicon of Goldmann pocket books . tape 1000 . Goldmann Verlag, Munich 1963, p. 109-110 .