Gerald Verner (1897–1980) was a writer of thrillers, writing more than 120 novels translated into over 35 languages. Many of these were adapted into radio serials, stage plays and films.

Biography

Verner was born John Robert Stuart Pringle in

Streatham Streatham ( ) is a district in south London, England. Centred south of Charing Cross, it lies mostly within the London Borough of Lambeth, with some parts extending into the neighbouring London Borough of Wandsworth. Streatham was in Surrey ...

, London on 31 January 1897 and died at Broadstairs, Kent, England on 16 September 1980. In his early days he used to write entirely under the name of Donald Stuart, including 44 stories for the Sexton Blake Library. He also wrote 6 stories for Union Jack and 3 for ''The Thriller'' under this pseudonym as well as two stage plays and two films. His other pseudonyms include Derwent Steele, Thane Leslie and Nigel Vane. In the 1930s he wrote for the magazines ''The Thriller'' and ''Detective Weekly''. With changed names of titles and the protagonists many of these stories were recycled as novels for the publisher Wright & Brown. Some of his novels have been reprinted as recently as 2012 (''The 'Q' Squad''). WorldCat
/ref> Verner's style was heavily influenced by that of

Edgar Wallace Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace (1 April 1875 – 10 February 1932) was a British writer of crime and adventure fiction. Born into poverty as an illegitimate London child, Wallace left school at the age of 12. He joined the army at age 21 and was ...

. He was a favourite of the

Duke of Windsor Duke of Windsor was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 8 March 1937 for the former monarch Edward VIII, following his Abdication of Edward VIII, abdication on 11 December 1936. The Duchy, dukedom takes its name from ...

, who was presented with a specially bound set of 15 of Verner's thrillers. His 1949 novel '' The Whispering Woman'' was adapted into a 1953 film '' Noose for a Lady''. He also wrote

stage plays A play is a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between characters and is intended for theatrical performance rather than mere reading. The creator of a play is known as a playwright. Plays are staged at various levels, ranging f ...

including adaptations of

Peter Cheyney Reginald Evelyn Peter Southouse-Cheyney (22 February 1896 – 26 June 1951) was a British crime fiction writer who flourished between 1936 and 1951. Cheyney is perhaps best known for his short stories and novels about agent/detective Lemmy C ...

's '' The Urgent Hangman'' into '' Meet Mr. Callaghan'' (1952) ( filmed in 1954), Cheyney's '' Dangerous Curves'' into '' Dangerous Curves'' (1953) and the

Agatha Christie Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, (; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English people, English author known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving ...

thriller ''

Towards Zero ''Towards Zero'' is a work of detective fiction by Agatha Christie, first published in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company in June 1944 and in the UK by the Collins Crime Club in July of the same year. The first US edition of the novel retailed a ...

'' (1956).

Biography

References

Further reading