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| 1963 1965 1966 | |
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Publishing: The fifth series of the Sexton Blake Library begins in paperback novel format. Author Edwy Searles Brooks dies aged 76. | |
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THE FIRST SEXTON BLAKE OMNIBUS · 1965 ·
Howard Baker Books · 12/6 THE BREAK OUT by Wilfred McNeilly · Illustrator: None LAIRD OF EVIL by Martin Thomas (Thomas Martin) · Illustrator: None Other content: This Man Blake — A Short History of the Sexton Blake Saga (article) Notes: Reprints of SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY 5th series novels 4 and 5. Unrated |
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THE SECOND SEXTON BLAKE OMNIBUS · 1965 ·
Howard Baker Books · 12/6 MURDERER AT LARGE by W. A. Ballinger (W. Howard Baker) · Illustrator: None LET MY PEOPLE BE by Desmond Reid · Illustrator: None Other content: This Man Blake - A Short History of the Sexton Blake Saga by Anon (probably W. Howard Baker). Notes: Reprints of SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY 5th series novels 1 and 2. Unrated |
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THE THIRD SEXTON BLAKE OMNIBUS · 1965 ·
Howard Baker Books · 12/6 THE WITCHES OF NOTTING HILL by W. A. Ballinger (W. Howard Baker) · Illustrator: Unknown SLAYING ON THE SIXTEENTH FLOOR by Arthur Maclean (George Paul Mann) · Illustrator: Unknown Other content: None Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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THE FOURTH SEXTON BLAKE OMNIBUS · 1965 ·
Howard Baker Books · 12/6 THE MIND KILLERS by Martin Thomas (Thomas Martin) · Illustrator: None VENGEANCE IS OURS by Peter Saxon (W. Howard Baker) · Illustrator: None Other content: Curtain Up! - Sexton Blake on Stage and Screen by Anon. Notes: Reprints of SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY 5th series novels 9 and 10. Unrated |
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 5th series ·
Novel 1 · 5/2/1965 · Mayflower-Dell Books · 2/6 MURDERER AT LARGE by W. A. Ballinger (W. Howard Baker) · Illustrator: Unknown Other content: Letters Notes: After a brief respite, Sexton Blake leaps (or maybe that should be 'limps') back into action with this first novel in the fifth series of his library. MURDERER AT LARGE is the name of a 'real crimes' TV show. And it seems that someone on the production team is taking their research a little too seriously. So Sexton Blake enters the scene and, with a little help from Edward Carter (and it really is a very little), starts to hunt down the killer. He immediately finds himself surrounded by archetypal TV personalities who he has to deal with one by one until the killer is exposed. The plot is so thin and dull that it's not worth dwelling on. Blake does a lot of reminiscing at the start of this story and it really is the best part of the book; way more interesting than the murder mystery itself. There's a strong sense that a great deal of time has passed, that he has lived through many decades. This acknowledgement of his UNION JACK days feels very strange because Blake, Tinker, Mrs Bardell and Pedro appear to be exactly the same age as they were all those years ago. There's an untold tale here! Trivia: Blake is still running his detective agency from offices in Berkely Square; the ones established at the start of the 'New Order' in 1956. But away from his business premises, he's back in Baker Street, though not in the rooms he'd occupied during his Golden Years. At some point, he'd moved out of those and the house had been sold and divided up into offices. Now, for old time's sake, he has purchased the building back and lives in a specially converted top floor apartment. This arrangement may have been added as a result of the real-life alterations to Baker Street which, by the mid-1960s, didn't much resemble the place where Sexton Blake and Sherlock Holmes had lived many decades before. The house is 'almost opposite' the underground station... which supports the location suggested in UNION JACK issue 1,493 THE PLAGUE OF THE ONION MEN (1932). Rating:  The characters in this tale are sketched out so
two-dimensionally that they simply don't convince as real people.
Unfortunately, that includes Blake himself, who probably suffers the
most, being little more than a cypher once the reminiscing scenes have
passed; he's Blake in name only. As for Tinker, he has nothing to do and
spends less time on the page than Mrs Bardell (who doesn't seem herself
either). It's remarkable that back in the days of the UNION JACK a new
high quality adventure was published every week while here we have a
novel that must have had a far longer deadline but which can't hold a
candle to those old stories. Had this been anything other than a Sexton
Blake adventure, I'd have given up on it halfway through. The character
deserved much more.
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 5th series ·
Novel 2 · 5/2/1965 · Mayflower-Dell Books · 2/6 LET MY PEOPLE BE by Desmond Reid · Illustrator: Unknown Other content: None Notes: While planning a fishing holiday, Sexton Blake is approached by an old friend, Professor Malachi O'Beirne, who claims to have seen a leprechaun. Postulating the the 'little people' are actually remnants of an ancient race, O'Beirne persuades the detective to take his holiday in Ireland and help him locate a living example. Blake agrees, half believing that the whole thing is an elaborate prank. On the plane to Ireland, he encounters the Duke of Derwentwater, who he knows from old as half of a criminal team, the partner being Adele, Duchess of Derwentwater. In Ireland, with Pedro, Blake begins his fishing expedition. It's interrupted by a gunshot — an initial assassination attempt by the McCreedy brothers, who, having spotted the detective, have jumped to the conclusion that he's there to investigate their bootlegging operation. Their illegal alcohol has already caused a number of deaths. Blake begins to suspect that they and the Duke might be colluding in some villainous scheme. When he discovers that the Duke owns a nearby castle, he spies on it one night but, while doing so, sees something out of the corner of his eye. A fleeting impression of a small hairy figure is all that registers before, three hours later, he finds himself behind the wheel of his car wondering what just happened. Next morning, it becomes apparent that the professor has vanished. While searching for him, Blake discovers a cave in which the McCreedy's have a still. They interrupt his investigation and capture him, taking him to Derwentwater's castle, where the main bootlegging operation is housed. The detective escapes and destroys the illegal distillery, burning down the castle in the process. The McCreedy's die in the blaze. Blake finds the professor but is pursued by the 'little people' who use their powers of hypnosis to make him forget he ever encountered them. Trivia: Tinker doesn't feature in this story but Pedro gets a big slice of the action; a rare occurrence this late in the Blake saga. Rating: 
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 5th series ·
Novel 3 · 5/3/1965 · Mayflower-Dell Books · 2/6 LAIRD OF EVIL by Martin Thomas (Thomas Martin) · Illustrator: Unknown Other content: Letters Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 5th series ·
Novel 4 · 5/3/1965 · Mayflower-Dell Books · 2/6 THE BREAK OUT by Wilfred McNeilly · Illustrator: Unknown Other content: None Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 5th series ·
Novel 5 · 2/4/1965 · Mayflower-Dell Books · 2/6 SLAYING ON THE 16TH FLOOR by Arthur Maclean · Illustrator: Unknown Other content: None Notes: This is a reprint of SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY 4th series issue 390 FIND ME A KILLER (1957). Unrated |
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 5th series ·
Novel 6 · 2/4/1965 · Mayflower-Dell Books · 2/6 THE WITCHES OF NOTTING HILL by W. A. Ballinger (W. Howard Baker) · Illustrator: Unknown Other content: None Notes: A black magic ceremony at an ancient stone circle goes terribly wrong when Betty Juniper, the young girl hired as the 'sacrificial virgin', doesn't show up... but the crushed remains of an unknown man do. The organiser of the ritual, Mangus Overhead, and his coven flee the blood-drenched scene. At Saltfree Industries, a nearby factory, Sexton Blake is overseeing security arrangements for the owner, Henry Burton. One of the directors, Pumphret, has not been seen since he went walking on the moors. Sexton uses Pedro the bloodhound to follow the scent but finds that the trail mysteriously ends a few yards from the stone circle. Walking a little farther, he finds the shattered body and the paraphernalia left behind by the coven. The corpse proves to be Pumphret. Contacting Tinker, Blake asks him to start investigating the local covens. This leads to the identification of Mangus Overhead as the leader of the group that had been at the stone circle. It also points Tinker towards Betty Juniper. He questions her, beds her, and the next day suggests to Blake that there's more to learn and he should take her out again: "Just to pump her a little more, you understand--" "I understand perfectly," says Blake. So the following day Tinker and Betty walk up to Lover's Leap. They are followed by Mangus. Scared that he might be linked to Pumphret's death, he has sent most of the coven abroad and killed one other. Now, to stop Betty blabbing, he rushes up and pushes Tinker off the edge of the precipice then struggles with the girl. Fortunately, and by sheer coincidence, Sexton Blake is walking Pedro nearby and sees the drama unfolding on the cliff edge. He rushes to the rescue and Mangus, seeking to escape, falls to his death. Tinker's body cannot be found and is presumed washed out to sea by the raging river at the foot of the cliff. That night, Blake returns to the factory and is locked in a refrigeration unit by Burton. Blake has finally realised that Burton killed Pumphret in order to claim a new piece of equipment as his own invention. Tinker turns up and frees the detective, explaining that he fell into deep water then walked home. Why he has come to the factory is never explained. Blake drives off in pursuit of Burton, heading to a nearby airfield where the villain keeps his private jet. The plane takes off but, instead of escaping like any sane criminal would, Burton starts playing cat and mouse with the car, swooping down in an attempt to overturn it with his slipstream. He crashes the plane and dies. Rating:  This is really simplistic stuff with no style and very little
to recommend it. There's also a really insulting and gratuitous scene
where Burton attempts to seduce his secretary who, though she can't
stand him, finds herself responding physically despite herself. The
scene where Tinker beds Betty is also completely out of step with the
things which, in the past, had made the Blake saga so good. Oh, and
Notting Hill is only mentioned once. Best left on the shelf.
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 5th series ·
Novel 7 · 1/5/1965 · Mayflower-Dell Books · 2/6 THE MAN WITH THE IRON CHEST by Richard Williams (Stephen Frances) · Illustrator: Unknown Other content: None Notes: Stephen Frances was better known as Hank Janson. Unrated |
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 5th series ·
Novel 8 · 1/5/1965 · Mayflower-Dell Books · 2/6 WANTED FOR QUESTIONING by Wilfred McNeilly · Illustrator: Unknown Other content: None Notes: After being awoken by an early morning call, which appeared to be a wrong number, Sexton Blake goes to the shooting range in the basement of his Baker Street building. He shoots at a target and from behind it falls Albert Haddock, one time music hall comedian, now — corpse! While examining the man he has just shot dead, Blake is mysteriously rendered unconscious by an unidentified assailant. After regaining his senses and reporting to Detective-Inspector Grimwald, he is given 24 hours to clear himself of a murder charge. Haddock had approached Blake a few days before, claiming to be the victim of a swindle. During the consultation, someone had telephoned Haddock and the comedian had stormed out of Blake's rooms and had later accused the detective of threatening him. Now, Blake is getting the distinct impression that he's being set up. He pays a visit to Haddock's former stage partner and current employee, Ernest Chaddock. Upon leaving the office, he narrowly avoids an attempt on his life. Paula Dane and Marion Lang also encounter difficulties when Haddock's butler locks them in a room. These events lead to the identification of four main suspects. Blake, Tinker, Paula and Marion each take one to investigate and all come to the same conclusion: the suspects have cast-iron alibis. However, when Blake questions an old actor in a bar, the truth dawns on him and he realises how the crime was committed, who did it and why. With the help of the actor, he stages a 'haunting' which frightens the perperator into a full confession. Rating:
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 5th series ·
Novel 9 · Jun. 1965 · Mayflower-Dell Books ·
2/6 THE MIND KILLERS by Martin Thomas (Thomas Martin) · Illustrator: Unknown Other content: None Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 5th series ·
Novel 10 · Jun. 1965 · Mayflower-Dell Books ·
2/6 VENGEANCE IS OURS! by Peter Saxon (W. Howard Baker) · Illustrator: Unknown Other content: None Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 5th series ·
Novel 11 · Jul. 1965 · Mayflower-Dell Books ·
2/6 BEAT ON AN ORANGE DRUM by Desmond Reid (W. Howard Baker and Wilfred McNeilly) · Illustrator: Unknown Other content: None Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 5th series ·
Novel 12 · Jul. 1965 · Mayflower-Dell Books ·
2/6 THE SAVAGE SQUEEZE by Arthur Maclean (George Paul Mann) · Illustrator: Unknown Other content: None Notes: This is a revision of SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY 4th series 376 MASK OF FURY (1957). Unrated |
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 5th series ·
Novel 13 · Aug. 1965 · Mayflower-Dell Books ·
3/6 I, THE HANGMAN by W. A. Ballinger (W. Howard Baker) · Illustrator: Unknown Other content: Letters Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 5th series ·
Novel 14 · Aug. 1965 · Mayflower-Dell Books ·
3/6 THE CASE OF THE STAG AT BAY by Wilfred McNeilly · Illustrator: Unknown Other content: Letters Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 5th series ·
Novel 15 · Sep. 1965 · Mayflower-Dell Books ·
3/6 DEATH IN THE TOP TWENTY by Wilfred McNeilly · Illustrator: Unknown Other content: None Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 5th series ·
Novel 16 · Sep. 1965 · Mayflower-Dell Books ·
3/6 THE FUGITIVE by W. Howard Baker · Illustrator: Unknown Other content: None Notes: This is a revised and expanded version of SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY 4th series issue 359 FRIGHTENED LADY (the issue that introduced Paula Dane and started the 'New Order'). Unrated |
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 5th series ·
Novel 17 · Oct 1965 · Mayflower-Dell Books ·
3/6 THE COMPANY OF BANDITS by Jack Trevor Story · Illustrator: Unknown Other content: None Notes: Arthur Wragg's employer is making millions out of his talent while he receives by return a very average wage. When his wife and daughter are tragically killed in a road accident, he finds that he's suddenly paying more in tax. This injustice makes him realise that, in order to profit, he must become a 'company'. Gathering a group of like-minded people who have been defeated by the rising cost of living and complexities of life, he begins to plan a heist. After two successful 'rehearsals', the company has enough capital to purchase a country house which they use as their HQ. Unfortunately, when a female member of the group purchases a number of board games to keep them amused during the evenings, she arouses the suspicions of an amateur detective; a little boy who telephones Sexton Blake. Blake's curiosity is aroused and he begins to search for the group, his instinct telling him that a crime will soon be committed. And it is. Wragg & Co. net £2,000,000 in a great train robbery. Unfortunately, the clues Blake has gathered soon lead to their arrest and conviction. The money, though, is never found. Blake is not entirely unsympathetic to their 'cause'... and a number of charities find themselves receiving generous donations from an anonymous source. Trivia: According to the author, Sexton Blake's finances aren't particularly healthy. This contradicts earlier tales which, more believably, depict him as very wealthy. Rating: 
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 5th series ·
Novel 18 · Oct 1965 · Mayflower-Dell Books ·
2/6 SUCH MEN ARE DANGEROUS by Martin Thomas (Thomas Martin) · Illustrator: Unknown Other content: None Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 5th series ·
Novel 19 · Nov. 1965 · Mayflower-Dell Books ·
3/6 THE SNIPER by Richard Williams (Stephen Frances) · Illustrator: None Other content: None Notes: Stephen Frances was better known as Hank Janson. Unrated |
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THE SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY · 5th series ·
Novel 20 · Nov. 1965 · Mayflower-Dell Books ·
3/6 THE STRANGE FACE OF MURDER by W. A. Ballinger (Unknown, probably W. Howard Baker) · Illustrator: None Other content: None Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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TIT-BITS · Issue 4,131 · 8/5/1965 ·
George Newnes, London · Price 6d THE GIRL WHO SAW TOO MUCH (Part 1) by Desmond Reid · Illustrator: None Other content: Various articles Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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TIT-BITS · Issue 4,132 · 15/5/1965 ·
George Newnes, London · Price 6d THE GIRL WHO SAW TOO MUCH (Part 2) by Desmond Reid · Illustrator: None Other content: Various articles Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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TIT-BITS · Issue 4,133 · 22/5/1965 ·
George Newnes, London · Price 6d THE GIRL WHO SAW TOO MUCH (Part 3) by Desmond Reid · Illustrator: None Other content: Various articles Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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TIT-BITS · Issue 4,134 · 29/5/1965 ·
George Newnes, London · Price 6d MOSCOW MANHUNT (Part 1) by Philip Chambers · Illustrator: None Other content: Various articles Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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TIT-BITS · Issue 4,135 · 5/6/1965 ·
George Newnes, London · Price 6d MOSCOW MANHUNT (Part 2) by Philip Chambers · Illustrator: None Other content: Various articles Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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TIT-BITS · Issue 4,136 · 12/6/1965 ·
George Newnes, London · Price 6d MOSCOW MANHUNT (Part 3) by Philip Chambers · Illustrator: None Other content: Various articles Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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TIT-BITS · Issue 4,137 · 19/6/1965 ·
George Newnes, London · Price 6d HURRICANE WARNING (Part 1) by Richard Williams (W. Howard Baker) · Illustrator: None Other content: Various articles Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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TIT-BITS · Issue 4,138 · 26/6/1965 ·
George Newnes, London · Price 6d HURRICANE WARNING (Part 2) by Richard Williams (W. Howard Baker) · Illustrator: None Other content: Various articles Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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TIT-BITS · Issue 4,139 · 3/7/1965 ·
George Newnes, London · Price 6d HURRICANE WARNING (Part 3) by Richard Williams (W. Howard Baker) · Illustrator: None Other content: Various articles Notes: None at present. Unrated |
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TIT-BITS · Issue 4,140 · 15/7/1965 ·
George Newnes, London · Price 6d HURRICANE WARNING (Part 4) by Richard Williams (W. Howard Baker) · Illustrator: None Other content: Various articles Notes: None at present. Unrated |
| 1963 1965 1966 | |