
Pseudonym of Major (Cecil) John Street, M.C., O.B.E.
- Born: 3 May 1884, Gibraltar
- Died: 8 December 1964, Eastbourne
Overview
“John Rhode’s books will appeal mostly to those who like a really intricate problem, the details of which can all be mapped out on paper. Often one will need a map, ruler, and compass, and some of Mr. Rhode’s problems have been illustrated by diagrams.” – Collins blurb
John Street – soldier, intelligence officer, and electrical engineer – was one of the most respected British detective writers of the Golden Age. He wrote more than 140 well-constructed, straightforward detective stories in the school of R. Austin Freeman and Freeman Wills Crofts.
His best-known pseudonym was John Rhode. His detective is Dr. Priestley, a disputatious scientist with an unholy passion for mathematics. From the mid-1930s, Dr. Priestley retires into the background; he becomes an oracle to policeman Jimmy Waghorn.
For Rhode’s views on his craft, see “Why People Like Detective Stories” (1935).
Recommended books
- The Davidson Case (1929)
- The Claverton Mystery (1933)
- The Venner Crime (1933)
- The Corpse in the Car (1935)
- Death on the Board (1937)
- Vegetable Duck (1944)
- Death in Harley Street (1946)
Street’s second important pseudonym was Miles Burton. Many of these are set in English villages, and pay more attention to character.
- Death of Mr. Gantley (1932)
- The Platinum Cat (1938)
- Murder, M.D. (1943)
- The Three Corpse Trick (1944)
Recommended reading
- Curtis Evans, Masters of the “Humdrum Mystery”: Cecil John Charles Street, Freeman Wills Crofts, Alfred Walter Stewart and the British Detective Novel, 1920-1961 (2012)
Works as John Rhode
- A.S.F. (1924; published in the US as The White Menace)
- The Double Florin (1924) **
- The Alarm (1925)
- The Paddington Mystery (1925; Dr. Priestley) ***
- Dr. Priestley’s Quest (1926; Dr. Priestley) ***
- The Ellerby Case (1927; Dr. Priestley) ***
- The Murders in Praed Street (1928; Dr. Priestley) **(+)
- Tragedy at the Unicorn (1928; Dr. Priestley) **
- The House on Tollard Ridge (1929; Dr. Priestley) ****
- The Davidson Case (1929; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as Murder at Bratton Grange) ****
- Peril at Cranbury Hall (1930; Dr. Priestley)
- Pinehurst (1930; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as Dr. Priestley Investigates)
- Tragedy on the Line (1931; Dr. Priestley) **
- The Hanging Woman (1931; Dr. Priestley) ***
- Mystery at Greycombe Farm (1932; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as The Fire at Greycombe Farm) *
- Dead Men at the Folly (1932; Dr. Priestley)
- The Motor Rally Mystery (1933; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as Dr. Priestley Lays a Trap) **
- The Claverton Mystery (1933; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as The Claverton Affair) ****
- The Venner Crime (1933; Dr. Priestley) ****
- The Robthorne Mystery (1934; Dr. Priestley) **
- Poison for One (1934; Dr. Priestley) **
- Shot at Dawn (1934; Dr. Priestley) **
- The Corpse in the Car (1935; Dr. Priestley) ****
- Hendon’s First Case (1935; Dr. Priestley) ***
- Mystery at Olympia (1935; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as Murder at the Motor Show) **(+)
- Death at Breakfast (1936; Dr. Priestley) ***
- In Face of the Verdict (1936; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as In the Face of the Verdict) ***
- Death in the Hopfields (1937; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as The Harvest Murder) **
- Death on the Board (1937; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as Death Sits on the Board) ****
- Proceed with Caution (1937; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as Body Unidentified) ****
- Invisible Weapons (1938; Dr. Priestley) **
- The Bloody Tower (1938; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as Tower of Evil) ***
- Fatal Descent (1939; co-written with John Dickson Carr; published in the UK as Drop to his Death) **
- Death Pays a Dividend (1939; Dr. Priestley)
- Death on Sunday (1939; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as The Elm Tree Murder)
- Death on the Boat-Train (1940; Dr. Priestley) **(+)
- Murder at Lilac Cottage (1940; Dr. Priestley) **
- Death at the Helm (1941; Dr. Priestley)
- They Watched by Night (1941; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as Signal for Death)
- The Fourth Bomb (1942; Dr. Priestley) **(+)
- Night Exercise (1942; published in the US as Dead of the Night)
- Dead on the Track (1943; Dr. Priestley)
- Men Die at Cyprus Lodge (1943; Dr. Priestley) *
- Death Invades the Meeting (1944; Dr. Priestley) *
- Vegetable Duck (1944; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as Too Many Suspects) ****
- Bricklayer’s Arms (1945; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as Shadow of a Crime)
- The Lake House (1946; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as The Secret of the Lake House) ***
- Death in Harley Street (1946; Dr. Priestley) ****
- Nothing But the Truth (1947; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as Experiment in Crime) *
- Death of an Author (1947; Dr. Priestley) **
- The Paper Bag (1948; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as The Links in the Chain)
- The Telephone Call (1948; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as Shadow of an Alibi) *(+)
- Blackthorn House (1949; Dr. Priestley)
- Up the Garden Path (1949; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as The Fatal Garden) ***
- The Two Graphs (1950; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as Double Identities) **
- Family Affairs (1950; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as The Last Suspect) **
- Dr. Goodwood’s Locum (1951; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as The Affair of the Substitute Doctor) ***
- The Secret Meeting (1951; Dr. Priestley) **
- Death in Wellington Road (1952; Dr. Priestley) ***
- Death at the Dance (1952; Dr. Priestley) **
- By Registered Post (1952; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as The Mysterious Suspect) *
- Death at the Inn (1953; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as The Case of the 40 Thieves) **
- The Dovebury Murders (1954; Dr. Priestley)
- Death on the Lawn (1954; Dr. Priestley)
- The Domestic Agency (1955; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as Grave Matters)
- Death of a Godmother (1955; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as Delayed Payment)
- An Artist Dies (1956; Dr. Priestley; published in the US as Death of an Artist)
- Open Verdict (1956; Dr. Priestley) **
- Robbery with Violence (1957; Dr. Priestley)
- Death of a Bridegroom (1957; Dr. Priestley)
- Murder at Derivale (1958; Dr. Priestley) **
- Death Takes a Partner (1958; Dr. Priestley)
- Licenced for Murder (1958; Dr. Priestley) ***
- Three Cousins Die (1959; Dr. Priestley)
- Twice Dead (1960; Dr. Priestley)
- The Fatal Pool (1960; Dr. Priestley)
- The Vanishing Diary (1961; Dr. Priestley)
As Miles Burton
- The Hardway Diamonds Mystery (1930)
- The Secret of High Eldersham (1930; Desmond Merrion; published in the US as The Mystery of High Eldersham) ***
- The Three Crimes (1931; Desmond Merrion)
- The Menace on the Downs (1931; Desmond Merrion) **
- Death of Mr. Gantley (1932; Desmond Merrion) ****
- Murder at the Moorings (1932)
- Fate at the Fair (1933; Desmond Merrion) **
- Tragedy at the Thirteenth Hole (1933; Desmond Merrion)
- Death at the Cross Roads (1933; Desmond Merrion)
- The Charabanc Mystery (1934; Desmond Merrion)
- To Catch a Thief (1934; Desmond Merrion)
- The Devereux Court Mystery (1935; Desmond Merrion)
- The Milk-Churn Murder (1935; Desmond Merrion; published in the US as The Clue of the Silver Brush) *
- Death in the Tunnel (1936; Desmond Merrion; published in the US as Dark is the Tunnel) **
- Murder of a Chemist (1936; Desmond Merrion) **
- Where is Barbara Prentice? (1936; Desmond Merrion; published in the US as The Clue of the Silver Cellar) **
- Death at the Club (1937; Desmond Merrion; published in the US as The Clue of the Fourteen Keys) **
- Murder in Crown Passage (1937; Desmond Merrion; published in the US as The Man with the Tattooed Face)
- Death at Low Tide (1938; Desmond Merrion) ***
- The Platinum Cat (1938; Desmond Merrion) ***
- Death Leaves No Card (1939; Inspector Arnold only) **
- Mr. Babbacombe Dies (1939; Desmond Merrion) **
- Murder in the Coal Hole (1940; Desmond Merrion; published in the US as Written in Dust) ***
- Mr. Westerby Missing (1940; Desmond Merrion) ***
- Death Takes a Flat (1940; Desmond Merrion; published in the US as Vacancy with Corpse) ***(+)
- Death of Two Brothers (1941; Desmond Merrion)
- Up the Garden Path (1941; Desmond Merrion; published in the US as Death Visits Downspring) **
- This Undesirable Residence (1942; Desmond Merrion; published in the US as Death at Ash House) *
- Dead Stop (1943; Desmond Merrion) ***
- Murder, M.D. (1943; Desmond Merrion; published in the US as Who Killed the Doctor?) ****
- Four-ply Yarn (1944; Desmond Merrion; published in the US as The Shadow on the Cliff)
- The Three Corpse Trick (1944; Desmond Merrion) ****
- Not a Leg to Stand On (1945; Desmond Merrion) **
- Early Morning Murder (1945; Desmond Merrion; published in the US as Accidents Do Happen) ***
- The Cat Jumps (1946; Desmond Merrion) **
- Situation Vacant (1946; Desmond Merrion) **(+)
- Heir to Lucifer (1947; Desmond Merrion) **
- A Will in the Way (1947; Desmond Merrion)
- Death in Shallow Water (1948; Desmond Merrion) **
- Devil’s Reckoning (1948; Desmond Merrion) *
- Death Takes the Living (1949; Desmond Merrion; published in the US as The Disappearing Parson)
- Look Alive (1949; Desmond Merrion) **
- Ground for Suspicion (1950; Desmond Merrion) ***
- A Village Afraid (1950; Desmond Merrion)
- Beware Your Neighbour (1951; Desmond Merrion) **
- Murder Out of School (1951; Desmond Merrion)
- Murder on Duty (1952; Desmond Merrion)
- Something to Hide (1953; Desmond Merrion) *
- Heir to Murder (1953; Desmond Merrion) **
- Murder in Absence (1954; Desmond Merrion)
- Unwanted Corpse (1954; Desmond Merrion)
- Murder Unrecognised (1955; Desmond Merrion)
- A Crime in Time (1955; Desmond Merrion)
- Found Drowned (1956; Desmond Merrion) *
- Death in a Duffle Coat (1956; Desmond Merrion)
- The Chinese Puzzle (1957; Desmond Merrion)
- The Moth-Watch Murder (1957; Desmond Merrion) ****
- Bones in the Brickfield (1958; Desmond Merrion)
- Death Takes a Detour (1958; Desmond Merrion) *
- Return from the Dead (1959; Desmond Merrion) *
- A Smell of Smoke (1959; Desmond Merrion)
- Legacy of Death (1960; Desmond Merrion)
- Death Paints a Picture (1960; Desmond Merrion)
Works as Cecil Waye
- Murder at Monk’s Barn (1931) ***
- The Figure of Eight (1931) *
- The End of the Chase (1932)
- The Prime Minister’s Pencil (1933) *