The Toff and the Deep Blue Sea (17 page)

“That's fine,” said Rollison. “That's wonderful. There can't be very much more.”

“Some little bits, and I will tell you for your blushes,” declared Simon. “How scared they are of you! .They tell de Vignolles to find out what you know, and he is a failure. You go to the Villa, and Morency makes a big effort to placate you—he shows you that Daphne Myall is alive, does he not?”

“Ah, Daphne. How is—”

“Fine, fine!” announced Simon brightly. “With her mama and papa, here in Nice, one day to be so happy again. So now we know the lots,” he added smugly. “Any questions?”

Rollison eased his position a little. The room was shaded, but it was very warm; and another white sail passed before his eyes. He was getting tired.

“Do you know why they decided to kill me?”

“Oh, they were frightened,” Simon told him, firmly. “No more. So droll, was it not?”

Droll was a word.

Simon didn't know the truth; and Jolly need never know and feel any sense of guilt.

The Toff began to smile.

“Raoul always will be Raoul,” said Simon abruptly, “until they take off his head. But his wife, poor Madeleine, is free to mourn her brother and to hate her husband. But she is alive, and she is beautiful—like all of them,” the clown added, with unexpected tenderness, “and I wish them all the wells.”

He moved, uncoiling himself, then, standing at his full height and looking down with his head on one side: “Pal,” he announced, “you are tired. I go. In the morning, Violette will come to see you. She is grateful to the lunatic Englishman. Also Fifi. Also Panneraude. You have,” he announced severely, “many more responsibilities now, Toff. You have so many more friends.”

 

Published or to be published by

House of Stratus

 

Dates given are those of first publication

Alternative titles in brackets

 

'The Baron' (47 titles) (writing as Anthony Morton)

'Department 'Z'' (28 titles)

'Dr. Palfrey Novels' (34 titles)

'Gideon of Scotland Yard' (22 titles)

'Inspector West' (43 titles)

'Sexton Blake' (5 titles)

'The Toff' (59 titles)

 

along with:

 

The Masters of Bow Street   This epic novel embraces the story of the Bow Street Runners and the Marine Police, forerunners of the modern police force, who were founded by novelist Henry Fielding in 1748. They were the earliest detective force operating from the courts to enforce the decisions of magistrates. John Creasey's account also gives a fascinating insight into family life of the time and the struggle between crime and justice, and ends with the establishment of the Metropolitan Police after the passing of Peel's Act in 1829.

 

These Titles can be read as a series, or randomly as standalone novels

 

1. Meet the Baron 
   (The Man in the Blue Mask)
    
   (1937)
   
2. The Baron Returns 
   (The Return of the Blue Mask)
    
   (1937)
   
3. The Baron Again 
   (Salute Blue Mask)
    
   (1938)
   
4. The Baron at Bay 
   (Blue Mask at Bay)
    
   (1938)
   
5. Alias the Baron 
   (Alias Blue Mask)
    
   (1939)
   
6. The Baron at Large 
   (Challenge Blue Mask!)
    
   (1939)
   
7. Versus the Baron 
   (Blue Mask Strikes Again)
    
   (1940)
   
8. Call for the Baron 
   (Blue Mask Victorious)
    
   (1940)
   
9. The Baron Comes Back 
   (1943)
   
10. A Case for the Baron 
    (1945)
    
11. Reward for the Baron 
    (1945)
    
12. Career for the Baron 
    (1946)
    
13. Blood Diamond 
    (The Baron and the Beggar) (1947)
    
14. Blame the Baron 
    (1948)
    
15. A Rope for the Baron 
    (1948)
    
16. Books for the Baron 
    (1949)
    
17. Cry for the Baron 
    (1950)
    
18. Trap the Baron 
    (1950)
    
19. Attack the Baron 
    (1951)
    
20. Shadow the Baron 
    (1951)
    
21. Warn the Baron 
    (1952)
    
22. The Baron Goes East 
    (1953)
    
23. The Baron in France 
    (1953)
    
24. Danger for the Baron 
    (1953)
    
25. The Baron Goes Fast 
    (1954)
    
26. Nest-Egg for the Baron 
    (Deaf, Dumb and Blonde)
     
    (1954)
    
27. Help from the Baron 
    (1955)
    
28. Hide the Baron 
    (1956)
    
29. The Double Frame 
    (Frame the Baron)
     
    (1957)
    
30. Blood Red 
    (Red Eye for the Baron)
     
    (1958)
    
31. If Anything Happens to Hester 
    (Black for the Baron)
     
    (1959)
    
32. Salute for the Baron 
    (1960)
    
33. The Baron Branches Out 
    (A Branch for the Baron)
     
    (1961)
    
34. The Baron and the Stolen Legacy 
    (Bad for the Baron)
     
    (1962)
    
35. A Sword for the Baron 
    (The Baron and the Mogul Swords)
     
    (1963)
    
36. The Baron on Board 
    (The Mask of Sumi) (1964)
    
37. The Baron and the Chinese Puzzle 
    (1964)
    
38. Sport for the Baron 
    (1966)
    
39. Affair for the Baron 
    (1967)
    
40. The Baron and the Missing Old Masters 
    (1968)
    
41. The Baron and the Unfinished Portrait 
    (1969)
    
42. Last Laugh for the Baron 
    (1970)
    
43. The Baron Goes A-Buying 
    (1971)
    
44. The Baron and the Arrogant Artist 
    (1972)
    
45. Burgle the Baron 
    (1973)
    
46. The Baron - King Maker 
    (1975)
    
47. Love for the Baron 
    (1979)
    

 

These Titles can be read as a series, or randomly as standalone novels

 

1. The Death Miser 
   (1932)
   
2. Redhead 
   (1934)
   
3. First Came a Murder 
   (1934)
   
4. Death Round the Corner 
   (1935)
   
5. The Mark of the Crescent 
   (1935)
   
6. Thunder in Europe 
   (1936)
   
7. The Terror Trap 
   (1936)
   
8. Carriers of Death 
   (1937)
   
9. Days of Danger 
   (1937)
   
10. Death Stands By 
    (1938)
    
11. Menace! 
    (1938)
    
12. Murder Must Wait 
    (1939)
    
13. Panic! 
    (1939)
    
14. Death by Night 
    (1940)
    
15. The Island of Peril 
    (1940)
    
16. Sabotage 
    (1941)
    
17. Go Away Death 
    (1941)
    
18. The Day of Disaster 
    (1942)
    
19. Prepare for Action 
    (1942)
    
20. No Darker Crime 
    (1943)
    
21. Dark Peril 
    (1944)
    
22. The Peril Ahead 
    (1946)
    
23. The League of Dark Men 
    (1947)
    
24. The Department of Death 
    (1949)
    
25. The Enemy Within 
    (1950)
    
26. Dead or Alive 
    (1951)
    
27. A Kind of Prisoner 
    (1954)
    
28. The Black Spiders 
    (1957)
    

 

These Titles can be read as a series, or randomly as standalone novels

 

1. Traitor's Doom 
   (1942)
   
2. The Legion of the Lost 
   (1943)
   
3. The Valley of Fear 
   (The Perilous Country)
    
   (1943)
   
4. Dangerous Quest 
   (1944)
   
5. Death in the Rising Sun 
   (1945)
   
6. The Hounds of Vengeance 
   (1945)
   
7. Shadow of Doom 
   (1946)
   
8. The House of the Bears 
   (1946)
   
9. Dark Harvest 
   (1947)
   
10. The Wings of Peace 
    (1948)
    
11. The Sons of Satan 
    (1948)
    
12. The Dawn of Darkness 
    (1949)
    
13. The League of Light 
    (1949)
    
14. The Man Who Shook the World 
    (1950)
    
15. The Prophet of Fire 
    (1951)
    
16. The Children of Hate 
    (The Killers of Innocence; The Children of Despair)
     
    (1952)
    
17. The Touch of Death 
    (1954)
    
18. The Mists of Fear 
    (1955)
    
19. The Flood 
    (1956)
    
20. The Plague of Silence 
    (1958)
    
21. Dry Spell 
    (The Drought)
     
    (1959)
    
22. The Terror 
    (1962)
    
23. The Depths 
    (1963)
    
24. The Sleep 
    (1964)
    
25. The Inferno 
    (1965)
    
26. The Famine 
    (1967)
    
27. The Blight 
    (1968)
    
28. The Oasis 
    (1970)
    
29. The Smog 
    (1970)
    
30. The Unbegotten 
    (1971)
    
31. The Insulators 
    (1972)
    
32. The Voiceless Ones 
    (1973)
    
33. The Thunder-Maker 
    (1976)
    
34. The Whirlwind 
    (1979)
    

 

(Writing as JJ Marric)

 

These Titles can be read as a series, or randomly as standalone novels

 

1. Gideon's Day 
   (Gideon of Scotland Yard)
    
   (1955)
   
2. Seven Days to Death 
   (Gideon's Week)
    
   (1956)
   
3. Gideon's Night 
   (1957)
   
4. A Backwards Jump
    (Gideon's Month) (1958)
   
5. Thugs and Economies 
   (Gideon's Staff) (1959)
   
6. Gideon Combats Influence 
   (Gideon's Risk) (1960)
   
7. Gideon's Fire 
   (1961)
   
8. A Conference for Assassins 
   (Gideon's March)
    
   (1962)
   
9. Travelling Crimes 
   (Gideon's Ride)
    
   (1963)
   
10. An Uncivilised Election 
    (Gideon's Vote)
     
    (1964)
    
11. Criminal Imports 
    (Gideon's Lot)
     
    (1965)
    
12. To Nail a Serial Killer 
    (Gideon's Badge) (1966)
    
13. From Murder to a Cathedral 
    (Gideon's Wrath)
     
    (1967)
    
14. Gideon's River 
    (1968)
    
15. Darkness and Confusion 
    (Gideon's Power) (1969)
    
16. Sport, Heat & Scotland Yard 
    (Gideon's Sport)
     
    (1970)
    
17. Gideon's Art 
    (1971)
    
18. No Relaxation at Scotland Yard 
    (Gideon's Men) (1972)
    
19. Impartiality Against the Mob 
    (Gideon's Press) (1973)
    
20. Not Hidden by the Fog 
    (Gideon's Fog) (1975)
    
21. Good and Justice 
    (Gideon's Drive) (1976)
    
22. Vigilantes & Biscuits 
    (Gideon's Force)
     
    (1978)
    

 

These Titles can be read as a series, or randomly as standalone novels

 

1. Inspector West Takes Charge 
   (1942)
   
2. Go Away to Murder 
   (Inspector West Leaves Town)
    
   (1943)
   
3. An Apostle of Gloom 
   (Inspector West At Home)
    
   (1944)
   
4. Inspector West Regrets 
   (1945)
   
5. Holiday for Inspector West 
   (1946)
   
6. Battle for Inspector West 
   (1948)
   
7. The Case Against Paul Raeburn 
   (Triumph for Inspector West)
    
   (1948)
   
8. Inspector West Kicks Off 
   (Sport for Inspector West)
    
   (1949)
   
9. Inspector West Alone 
   (1950)
   
10. Inspector West Cries Wolf 
    (The Creepers)
     
    (1950)
    
11. The Figure in the Dusk 
    (A Case for Inspector West)
     
    (1951)
    
12. The Dissemblers 
    (Puzzle for Inspector West)
     
    (1951)
    
13. The Case of the Acid Throwers 
    (The Blind Spot; Inspector West at Bay)
     
    (1952)
    
14. Give a Man a Gun 
    (A Gun for Inspector West)
     
    (1953)
    
15. Send Inspector West 
    (1953)
    
16. So Young, So Cold, So Fair 
    (A Beauty for Inspector West; The Beauty Queen Killer)
     
    (1954)
    
17. Murder Makes Haste 
    (Inspector West Makes Haste; The Gelignite Gang; Night of the Watchman)
     
    (1955)
    
18. Murder: One, Two, Three 
    (Two for Inspector West)
     
    (1955)
    
19. Death of a Postman 
    (Parcels for Inspector West)
     
    (1956)
    
20. Death of an Assassin 
    (A Prince for Inspector West)
     
    (1956)
    
21. Hit and Run 
    (Accident for Inspector West)
     
    (1957)
    
22. The Trouble at Saxby's 
    (Find Inspector West; Doorway to Death)
     
    (1957)
    
23. Murder, London - New York 
    (1958)
    
24. Strike for Death 
    (The Killing Strike)
     
    (1958)
    
25. Death of a Racehorse 
    (1959)
    
26. The Case of the Innocent Victims 
    (1959)
    
27. Murder on the Line 
    (1960)
    
28. Death in Cold Print 
    (1961)
    
29. The Scene of the Crime 
    (1961)
    
30. Policeman's Dread 
    (1962)
    
31. Hang the Little Man 
    (1963)
    
32. Look Three Ways at Murder 
    (1964)
    
33. Murder, London - Australia 
    (1965)
    
34. Murder, London - South Africa 
    (1966)
    
35. The Executioners 
    (1967)
    
36. So Young to Burn 
    (1968)
    
37. Murder, London - Miami 
    (1969)
    
38. A Part for a Policeman 
    (1970)
    
39. Alibi for Inspector West 
    (1971)
    
40. A Splinter of Glass 
    (1972)
    
41. The Theft of Magna Carta 
    (1973)
    
42. The Extortioners 
    (1974)
    
43. A Sharp Rise in Crime 
    (1978)