A little road rage was not unusual even in the 1940s, but the Toff was not expecting bullets to be part of the argument when his Allard blocked the path of an oncoming Daimler in an English country lane. What had been a pleasant day playing cricket became the start of a lethal fight against cocaine rings, gangsters and the criminal empire of The Black Circle.

Paul Laking is dead and the police suspect suicide. Yet Sir John Laking, a highly respected local landowner and magistrate, is missing along with his daughter, and the telephone wires have been cut. And what is this to do with the ‘Mensak Incident’ in which a village has been subjected to bombardment, and the Toff’s (The ‘Honourable Richard Rollison’) fascination with weapons of all kinds, especially from the East? There are hidden crimes, including murder, to be uncovered and it would seem that only the Toff has any chance of getting at the truth, or has he?

The Hon. Richard Rollison - the Toff to the police and underworld of a dozen countries - had always considered himself attractive to beautiful women, but when Irma Cardew came back into his life, he could only wonder who was marked as her current victim. The lovely Irma was charming, witty . . . and guilty of more than one murder. Still, she always managed to be acquitted, no matter how strong the evidence against her. Irma back in action meant that some poor man was soon to be relieved of his bank account, if not his life. The Toff did not know that Irma had set her eyes on him!

The Honourable Richard Rollison, (aka ‘The Toff’) is once again on the cricket field, indulging in one of his favourite pastimes, when he is called away. A girl has been kidnapped and her life is in danger. He has to find a way through hidden secrets from a grim past in order to solve this series of crimes. It opens in the Australian desert - what is the connection? The Born in Surrey, England, into a poor family as seventh of nine children John Creasey attended a primary school in Fulham, London, followed by The Sloane School. He did not follow his father as a coach maker, but pursued various low-level careers as a clerk, in factories, and sales. His ambition was to write full time and by 1935 he achieved this, some three years after the appearance of his first crime novel ‘Seven Times Seven’. From the outset, he was an astonishingly prolific and fast writer, and it was not unusual for him to have a score, or more, novels published in any one year. Because of this, he ended up using twenty eight pseudonyms, both male and female, once explaining that booksellers otherwise complained about him totally dominating the ‘C’ section in bookstores. They Gordon Ashe, M E Cooke, Norman Deane, Robert Caine Frazer, Patrick Gill, Michael Halliday, Charles Hogarth, Brian Hope, Colin Hughes, Kyle Hunt, Abel Mann, Peter Manton, JJ Marric, Richard Martin, Rodney Mattheson, Anthony Morton and Jeremy York. As well as crime, he wrote westerns, fantasy, historical fiction and standalone novels in many other genres. It is for crime, though, that he is best known, particularly the various detective ‘series’, including Gideon of Scotland Yard, The Baron, The Toff, and Inspector Roger West, although his other characters and series should not be dismissed as secondary, as the likes of Department ‘Z’ and Dr. Palfrey have considerable followings amongst readers, as do many of the ‘one off’ titles, such as the historical novel ‘Masters of Bow Street’ about the founding of the modern police force. With over five hundred books to his credit and worldwide sales approaching one hundred million, and translations into over twenty-five languages, Creasey grew to be an international sensation. He travelled widely, promoting his books in places as far apart as Russia and Australia, and virtually commuted between the UK and USA, visiting in all some forty seven states. As if this were not enough, he also stood for Parliament several times as a Liberal in the 1940’s and 50’s, and an Independent throughout the 1960’s. In 1966, he founded the ‘All Party Alliance’, which promoted the idea of government by a coalition of the best minds from across the political spectrum, and was also involved with the National Savings movement; United Europe; various road safety campaigns, and famine relief. In 1953 Creasey founded the British Crime Writers’ Association, which to this day celebrates outstanding crime writing. He won the Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for his novel ‘Gideon’s Fire’ and in 1969 was given the ultimate Grand Master Award. There have been many TV and big screen adaptations of his work, including major series centred upon Gideon, The Baron, Roger West and others. His stories are as compelling today as ever, with one of the major factors in his success being the ability to portray characters as living – his undoubted talent being to understand and observe accurately human behaviour. John Creasey died at Salisbury, Wiltshire in 1973.

Toff investigates the mysterious dissapearance of Fey Gretton's boss. The search leads him to a London flatand a man strangled with a soiled stocking. Danger for Fey.and for the Toff.

One of the earliest entries in the Toff series, this was originally published in 1941. ~ ~ Take two beautiful girls who look enough alike to pass for twin sisters; add one very large fortune about to be inherited by a ne'er-do-well; stir in a generous amount of uncontrolled greed, and you have the recipe for murder. ~ ~ Richard Rollison - The Toff to the police and underworlds of a dozen countries - was in the mood for a weekend of fun and games. He was NOT prepared to be the stand-in for a murder victim!

It’s a time of shortage and rationing. The Honourable Richard Rollison (aka ‘The Toff’) is in the army, but gets permission to visit his aunt, Lady Matilda Wirrington, who is supposedly on her death bed. Had she died, things would have been different, but as it was a recovery led from one thing to the other and ‘The Toff’ found himself involved in an investigation of the black market – profiteering by dishonest ‘businessmen’ in order to earn huge amounts of money out of people’s needs in times of inadequate supply. This, though, went beyond that and wholesale murder raised its ugly head as both ‘The Toff’ and Scotland Yard battle it out with those involved. A 1942 crime thriller novel by the British writer John Creasey. It was the eighth in his long-running featuring the gentleman amateur detective The Toff. It was one of a number of novels produced in the era that featured the booming wartime black market as a major plotline. It has been republished on a number of occasions. -Wikipedia

The Toff - or the Honourable Richard Rollison - was "born" in the twopenny weekly Thriller in 1933. Five years later, in the first book featuring him, the Toff took on characteristics all his own and became a kind of "Saint with his feet on the ground" - a Mayfair man-about-town who could get on with the rough diamonds of the East End.

New Parson, Ronald Kemp, seeks the help of The Honourable Richard Rollison, alias the Toff, after one of Kemp's parishioners is accused of murder.

Too many killers spoil the murder ... until the Toff is marked as the next victim!

Sheila has an exaggerated view of the Richard Rollison’s (aka ‘The Toff’) influence with Scotland Yard. Her friend Danny Bond had been arrested for the ‘Chelsea Robbery’, but she proclaims his innocence. When Rollison meets Danny he is both hostile and states he doesn’t want anything to do with Sheila. Thus begins a mystery which inevitable sees Rollison drawn in and put in danger – but this time from a very unusual source.

The letter was addressed simply to "The Toff, London W1." Inside it was a photograph of a lovely woman. The lady herself had arrived at a society ball the previous night, looking deadly pale in black satin and mink. She said she had lost her memory and nobody knew who she was. Within days, murder and intrigue had followed her.

Book by Creasey, John

Frightened for the safety of her playboy cousin Alice Hellier stows away in the Toff's car - and the debonair detective becomes caught up in a desperate financial plot.

Available as digital audio for the very first time, The Toff Series from Grand Master of fiction John Creasey. John Creasey (1908-1973) published over 600 books under 20+ different pseudonyms. In 1969 he was given the the Mystery Writers of America's highest Honour, the Grand Master award.

Judith Lorne is distraught; her finace, James Mellor, has disappeared. He's accused of murder - something she finds impossible to believe. But the man Clarissa Arden also knows as James Mellor is quite capable of committing murder. James, meanwhile, is in a dingy bedsitter in a state of panic and about to take his own life. Into this confusion steps The Toff. Moving with denonair charm between the country houses of the gentry and low dives of the East End, he must disentangle the threads of blackmail and hatred if he is to succeed in preventing the deaths of innocent men.

When the Toff travels to South Africa his unconventional welcome proves that someone suspects the true purpose of his visit - someone determined to confirm their suspicions and commit murder if necessary!

The Honourable Richard Rollison (aka ‘The Toff’) finds himself involved in a search for a lost relative – there is a large inheritance at stake. However, the aunt of the beautiful heiress is found murdered and the search for who might be prepared to go to such lengths in order to get their hands on the fortune leads to him and the heiress travelling all the way to Australia. There, the mystery deepens and there is clearly significant danger if the enquiry is pursued any further. An exciting finish to the hunt brings this adventure to a surprising finale.

The Toff had agreed to pose as a "Redcoat" at the Butlin's holiday camp amid the beautiful countryside of Pwllheli, North Wales. But this particular Redcoat was not there to keep the campers happy, or to play games with the children. He was there to discover what had happened to the three Redcoats who had suddenly disappeared without a trace in the height of the summer season ...

Richard Rollison - The "Toff" to the underworld and Scotland Yard alike - was disliked but respected by those on the wrong side of the law. Lady Luck seemed always to smile his way, and the smart crook would stay out of his path. But his family considered him nothing more than a silly playboy, and not quite respectable - until the unhappy day when the family found itself deep in an evil mess of blackmail, drugs and perhaps murder!

NB: This is the American title.

Book by John Creasey

Make-up for the Toff

'Say, Miss Hall, I hope that brother of yours hasn't run into any trouble.' But Will Hall had been kidnapped and the Honourable Richard Rollison, known by many by the apt if absurd soubriquet of the 'Toff' is soon on the scene, but not before a murdered man had fallen into Valerie Hallís arms. There's lots of action in 'millionaire surroundings', with a rich private eye and the NYPD all on the case, whilst the Toff tracks Dutch Himmy, surely the worst man in New York ...

A baby is abandoned at the Toff's residence with a pencilled note, which leads back to the flame-throwing terror of London's east End, a master sadist - the Doc.

MysteryLarge Print EditionThree lovely heads have been shorn long, silken hair has been cut off and the Toff is faced with one of the most ingenious gangs of criminals that he has ever encountered. Clue after clue blazes a twisting and unexpected trail. And the Honourable Richard Rollison is drawn into an exciting climax deep in the heart of the East End, as he attempts to find a solution to the problem of the stolen tresses . . .

A farm is for sale and the Toff is interested. But the owner then disappears and two excessively high offers are received. Murder is afoot and a deep mystery remains to be solved. The Toff is stretched to the limit in finding an answer to the several conundrums.

Within a few minutes of each other, two puzzling yet unconnected cases are presented to The Honourable Richard Rollison (aka ‘The Toff’), with requests for help. The beautiful Isabel Cole’s fiancée is accused of murder and she needs to save him from what seems an unjust fate, whilst Cedric Dwight is being pursued by a gang of murderous hoodlums. Both are urgent and complex cases and for a moment it seems that ‘The Toff’ will have to choose between them. There is absolutely no connection between the cases and yet ….

The Honourable Richard Rollison (aka 'The Toff') reluctantly agrees to attend a wedding. Is he the only one that notices something strange about the bride? Murder and blackmail follow with Rollison seeking a first wife, a discovery in the Thames, and him as a suspect. He is Paris bound when the police stop him, but that is not allowed to get in his way as he attempts to solve the mystery and reveal the murderer's identity.

When Richard Rollison, alias the Toff, decides to investigate the disappearance of Eve Kane's husband he has no idea of what he is likely to uncover. Then, the daughter is kidnapped and a chilling message received with a lock of hair. Should Eve pay - she thinks she should - but have the kidnappers underestimated the Toff?

Dedicated to helping both the young and beautiful as well as the old and needy The Honorable Richard Rollison was now being entertained by Katherine Dangerfield in a fancy bistro on the Champs Elyse'es. Beyond was the noisy throng that swarmed and added to the din at the Arc de Triomphe beyond their table. The Toff had been shadowed in the spring in Paris and young artists were starting to die. Under his bed an engraver Simon Roy Shawn was becoming more dead all the time. Mrs. Dangerfield's art-dealer husband was missing and she was reluctant to notify the police especially when threatened. Reluctantly the Toff agreed to help was already implicated because he was the last person to see those artists killed alive. Did he do it—-many will wonder.

When the Honorable Richard Rollison, aka The Toff, receives a voodoo doll in the mail with a knife stuck through her chest the detective becomes involved in a bizarre case in which crime and black magic seemed to be inextricably mixed.

MysteryLarge Print EditionThe stars tell dark fortunes as the Toff meets astrology . . . and murder-by-horoscope!Mona Lister was young, beautiful, very much in love . . . and cursed with the ability to see into the future. Second sight was a terrible curse to Mona, for the tomorrows that she saw meant only trouble and death to her loved ones. It took the intervention of the Toff the Honorable Richard Rollison to save the future from becoming a bitter yesterday.

There is an outbreak of robberies with threatened violence on small tobacconist shops in London. Gangs of long-haired youths are involved, led by someone known as ‘Golden Boy’. The Toff (the Honourable Richard Rollison) is curious as no one really understands the motive for these crimes which at first seem petty in objective, albeit serious. However, as he gets dragged deeper into the mystery, The Toff discovers there is much more at stake, and he is caught up in a rising crescendo of violence, mayhem and attempted murder.

Murder strikes at a home for unwed mothers, and the Toff takes on an incredible challenge!

The Toff is usually above politics. He’s an independent and dislikes party regimentation. But when a favorite MP is murdered immediately before the elections, friends urge him to run for Parliament. An old girl friend is particularly persistent She’s just arrived from America and her surefire journalistic instinct tells her that feature articles on the famed Toff’s launch into politics would sell well back home. Those who have known him, those who have shared his lifetime devotion to justice, those who have risked death at his side, know that Rollison is not joking. But there are others who think that his desire to contest a parliamentary election is just a playboy’s whim, a passing fancy, while others react with vicious threats and brutal murder because they believe his politicking is just an excuse to find the late MP’s murderers and expose a ring of dangerous drug peddlers.

The Honourable Richard Rollison (aka ‘The Toff’) receives a telephone call from a seemingly charming and very enticing girl late at night, and as a result sets off to rescue her. He takes her back to his apartment where, to his great surprise he meets an identical person. The following morning there is a knock on the door, and there she is again! What is going on and why is ‘The Toff’ involved, and was the first girl, or any other quite as charming as she sounded? This question is only the start of what turns out to be a hair-raising adventure worthy of ‘The Toff’s’ undoubted talents and attention.

The 56th book to feature the Honourable Richard Rollison, this one finding our hero trying to straighten out a 10,000-pound mistake in his tax assessment, only to find that the tax inspector and other officials are apparently terrified of him.

Cowboy Thomas E. Loman arrived in London, but was not as he should be. He had been drugged on both stages of his flight from Arizona to London, via New York. Now in the Airport hospital, all he knows is that The Honourable Richard Rollison (alias ‘The Toff’) has requested he travel to England, where his Grandpa came from, and ‘become rich’. The mystery deepens as it turns out ‘The Toff’ had not invited Loman, and so he must now investigate and find out who is impersonating him, why, and what their motive is. It soon becomes clear he is up against a ruthless gang who will stop at nothing to prevent him finding out.