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Robert Budd Mystery

The Beard of the Prophet: A Mr. Budd Classic Crime Tale

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The murder is as impossible as it is horrible. Archeologist Reuben Hayles, following written threats to his life, receives police protection at his home. Superintendent Budd stations himself outside the door of his bedroom, while Sergeant Leek remains on alert outside the room's only external window. Yet Hayles is found dead, his head battered by some tremendous blow. Apart from his corpse, the room is empty, devoid of any possible weapon. A search reveals no hidden panels, so how has the man been killed? A classic impossible crime novel featuring Verner's most famous detective!

57 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 30, 2013

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9 people want to read

About the author

Gerald Verner

114 books19 followers
Gerald Verner is one of the pseudonyms used by John Robert Stuart Pringle, who was born in Streatham, London, on 31 January 1897.

In his early writing days he used the name Donald Stuart, under which name he wrote 44 stories for the Sexton Blake Library as well as six stories for Union Jack and three for the Thriller magazine. In addition he wrote two stage plays, 'Sexton Blake' and 'The Shadow', two films, 'The Man Outside' (1933) and 'The Shadow' (1933) under the Stuart name. Later a number of his books were adapted for radio serials, stage plays and films.

He became a hugely successful thriller writer, producing more than 120 novels that were translated in 35 languages. The Duke of Windsor was a big Verner fan and at one time he was presented with 15 volumes specially bound.

Heavily influenced by Edgar Wallace, he wrote extensively for magazines such as Detective Weekly, the Sexton Blake Library, Union Jack and The Thriller. He also adapted Peter Cheyney's 'Meet Mr Callaghan' and Agatha Christie's 'Towards Zero' for the stage.

He also used the pseudonyms Thane Leslie, Derwent Steele and Nigel Vane.

He died at Broadstairs, Kent, of natural causes on 16 September 1980.

Gerry Wolstenholme
July 2013



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966 reviews6 followers
November 13, 2024
A Superintendent Budd short story. A classic locked room mystery (almost). The door isn't locked but with the Superintendent sat outside it and with his lugubrious sidekick Leek outside no-one could have got in to kill the victim. So how was it done? Really quite cleverly. An excellent short read.
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