MCNEILLY, WILFRED.

Case of the Siamese Cat. (Schoolgirls Own Library No.403).

London: Fleetway Publications, 1963. Published 4th July 1963. A Jancy Girl Sleuth Story. Jancy Martin, 'Private Detective' - her father is a real live 'Private Eye' and he calls her his secretarial assistant. 18.5cms x 11.5cms. Pp.64, toning to pages, minor creasing to corner tips. Illustrated paper cover has creases to corners. Scarce. Good.** "Wilfred Glassford McNeilly was born in Georgetown, Strathclyde, Scotland, on 8 March 1921. He was an army cadet in school, and was commissioned into the army shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War, serving with the Lothian and Borders Horse, then in India with the 2nd Royal Lancers, and finally as a Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Indian Navy. He met his wife, a Scottish nurse, in India. In 1947 he returned to live with his parents, who had moved to County Antrim. He became a journalist, working on the Northern Whig and then the News Letter. He moved from Belfast to Ardglass, County Down, and published his first novel, Dark Amazon, in 1957. Numerous novels followed, including Sexton Blake detective stories, war, adventure and occult stories, under a variety of pseudonyms, over the next two decades. He had a weekly poetry slot on Ulster Television, proclaiming himself the "Bard of Ardglass". He also wrote a children's cartoon serial, The Adventures of Gabbety Goose, every Saturday in the News Letter for about 15 years. Although quiet when sober, he was something of a hedonist and frequently found himself in court following an unrestrained night out. He was keen on sailing and walking his Irish wolfhound, Brian Boru, who he had incidentally acquired from the owner of a yacht he was negotiating to buy. After separating from his wife he moved to Jersey, but in the second quarter of 1983, while staying in Bexleyheath in Kent to negotiate a publishing contract, he died of a heart attack. His ashes were taken on a pub crawl, and then scattered in the Irish Sea halfway between Scotland and Northern Ireland." (IrishComicsWiki).

Chilton BooksProfessional seller

Book number: 47194

Catalogue: Fiction: : Crime: : Magazines

Keywords: Wilfred Mcneilly Case Siamese Cat Jancy Martin Girl Sleuth Schoolgirs Own Library Series Fleetway Children Junior Crime Fiction Mystery 48719 Fiction: : Crime: : Magazines

WIT PUBLICATIONS.

WIT (No.1). Modern Mirth and Mysterry.

London: BCM/Bizarresque, nd. (1947). Despite the title, this magazine, subtitled "Modern Mirth and Mystery" mainly contains a detective story about sleuths Rex Dimond and Sally Dexter - "The Quicksilver Clue" by Martin Thomas. Plus some wit and satire (of its time) including a strip cartoon "Curlilock Ohms - Original Highly Moronic Sleuth" and "Ambiguities" - a non-pc illustration (No1. Double Exposure) both by :Tony". 7" x 4.75". Pp.50, pages tanned and with a 0.25" horizontal tear to the margin affecting pages 1-32, creases to corner tips. Illustrated paper cover has corresponding tear and has creases to edges and wear to spine. A scarce publication. Fair.** Thomas Hector Martin (1913-1985) (stories)Cartoonist and commercial artist turned novelist and short story writer, who also wrote as "Peter Saxon" a "house author" pseudonym used by multiple different authors.

Chilton BooksProfessional seller

Book number: 47241

Catalogue: Fiction: : Crime: : Magazines

Keywords: Wit No. 1 Modern Mirth Mystery Rex Dimond Sophisticated Sleuth Sally Dexter Crime Quicksilver Clue Magazine Humour Curlilock Ohms Tony Illustrated 48756 Fiction: : Crime: : Magazines

WIT PUBLICATIONS.

WIT (No.2). Modern Mirth and Mysterry.

London: BCM/Bizarresque, nd. (1947). Despite the title, this magazine, subtitled "Modern Mirth and Mystery" mainly contains two detective stories about sleuths Rex Dimond and Sally Dexter - "Cause Celebre" and "The Return of the Maestro" by Martin Thomas. Plus some wit and satire (of its time) including a strip cartoon "Curlilock Ohms - Original Highly Moronic Sleuth" and "Ambiguities" - a non-pc illustration (No.2. Turkish-Delight) all illustrations by "Tony". 7" x 4.75". Pp.67, pages tanned, minor creasing to corner tips. Illustrated paper cover has creases to corner tips and minor wear to spine. A scarce publication. Good.** Thomas Hector Martin (1913-1985) (stories)Cartoonist and commercial artist turned novelist and short story writer, who also wrote as "Peter Saxon" a "house author" pseudonym used by multiple different authors.

Chilton BooksProfessional seller

Book number: 47242

Catalogue: Fiction: : Crime: : Magazines

Keywords: Wit No. 2 Modern Mirth Mystery Rex Dimond Sophisticated Sleuth Sally Dexter Crime Return Maestro Magazine Humour Curlilock Ohms Tony Illustrated 48757 Fiction: : Crime: : Magazines