STEELEY AND THE MISSING PAGE
First Published in book form in Norway in 1939 - 96 pages
First Published in book form in the English Language in 2000 -
187 pages
THE 2000 VERSION OF THIS BOOK CONTAINS THREE STORIES
THE MISSING PAGE
Which was originally published in THE THRILLER magazine (no. 454)
on 16th October 1937
NAZIS IN THE NEW FOREST
Which was originally published in the WAR THRILLER magazine (no.
586) on 27th April 1940
THE RAVENSDALE MYSTERY
Which was originally published in the GIRL'S OWN PAPER - Volume
62 - in 1941
THE FIRST TWO STORIES ARE UNCOLLECTED "STEELEY" STORIES
AND THE THIRD IS UNRELATED
STORY SUMMARIES
THE MISSING PAGE
This story was originally only published in book form in 1939 in
Norway as
'DET FORSVUNNE DAGBOKSBLAD'
This had been the only previous book publication of this
particular story. This first edition
book itself is incredibly rare.
This book is the only foreign language edition first edition
mentioned in the bibliography of W. E.
Johns books at the end of the biography of W. E. Johns.
Tom Ridgely is visited by his
wife whilst in the condemned cell in prison. He has been convicted of the
murder of a policeman and is due to be hanged in a week. He tells his wife that
his gang boss has framed him, a man called Croaker. Tom tells his wife that
Croaker keeps a book, where he writes down exactly what everybody in the gang
does, to ensure that he has a hold over his gang members. Tom suspects that the
truth as to who really killed the policeman is written in that book and
suggests that his wife goes to see a man called Steeley who works with Scotland
Yard, Steeley being the only person he can think of who may help him. Steeley
and Tubby investigate the matter after being approached by Mrs. Ridgely. They
go to Chorlton House in Dulwich, the gang's headquarters. Here they discover a
strange woman and also see a man visit and leave in a hurry. Breaking into the
house, Steeley and Tubby search for the incriminating book. They find the place
where it has been hidden, but the vital page has been torn out! They work out
that gang member Alf Brommett must have torn the page out. He was the man who
they saw visit the house. Enquiries reveal that Alf intends to give the vital
information to Mrs. Ridgely in order to save her husband from the gallows.
Steeley and Tubby go to the Cow and Partridge Public House to meet with Alf and
he is quite willing to hand the evidence over to the police. However, on
leaving the pub, Alf is shot dead by Croaker, an event that is depicted on the
cover of the book. Steeley and Tubby know the vital page has been hidden in
Chorlton House, but as to where, Alf's dying words are only to say "yellow
room". Returning to Chorlton House, there is a shoot out with the gang
members and the strange evil woman who looks after their house. Steeley and
Tubby hunt high and low for the yellow room, but no room is yellow or could be
described as yellow. With time running out and Ridgely facing the drop, Steeley
and Tubby must use all of their wits to solve the mystery and find the vital
evidence.
NAZIS IN THE NEW FOREST
This is the only book publication of this particular story which
originally appeared in 'The War Thriller' (number 586) on 27th April
1940.
The first half of this story was rewritten by W. E. Johns and
published in 1942 as 'Sinister
Service' with the
Steeley character becoming Lance Lovell and the Tubby Wilde character becoming
Rodney Lovell.
Steeley and Tubby are driving
through the New Forest when they almost run over a woman who runs out in front
of their car. Two men are chasing this woman, whose name is ascertained to be
Julia Ashton-Harcourt. The two men are armed and dangerous. Taking Julia back
to her house, Steeley and Tubby find out that she has suspicions about gliders
silently landing in the night. On investigating her suspicions, Julia had then
found herself being pursued by the two armed men. Steeley's car is stolen and
our heroes are forced to use Julia's car. On returning to Julia's empty cottage
a bomb is discovered in her kitchen. The following day, investigations are
carried out and Steeley, Tubby and Julia go to Garthstone Manor, where they are
suspicious of Mr. Smith, the owner, particularly as he has been burning things in
his back garden, such as glider parts. After a meal at a hotel, Julia returns
home alone to get her belongings as she intends to move out. When she doesn't
return, Steeley and Tubby return to her house to find her car on the drive.
Julia has disappeared and our heroes fear that she has been kidnapped. Steeley
and Tubby take the car and intend to go back to Garthstone Manor to look for
Julia but they begin to feel sleepy. Steeley realises just in time that an
attempt is being made to try to gas them by turning the exhaust back into the
car. After smashing the windscreen to get fresh air and then pretending to
crash they are approached by a car containing two men. Steeley and Tubby
overpower the men and find Julia tied up in the back of their car. Arrangements
are made for a police raid on Garthstone Manor. Steeley, Tubby and Julia return
to the Manor in advance of the raid and see a glider land and hear German being
spoken. A shoot out occurs and the baddies escape in three cars. Steeley and
Tubby manage to hijack a fourth car in order to pursue them. The chase leads to
Conway in Wales where the Germans are planning to meet a waiting submarine.
Steeley has managed to organise naval support and the Navy arrives in time to
ram the German's submarine causing it to sink. The day is saved but there is
still to be a surprise in store for Julia.
THE RAVENSDALE MYSTERY
This is the only book publication of this particular story which
had originally appeared in 'The Girls Own Annual - Volume 62' in 1941.
Joan Scott is a 16 year old
schoolgirl at Bretton School in Kent. When she defies school rules and goes to
the a mysterious sea cliff gorge called Ravensdale, she meets a boy called Jack
Fraser, whose father has disappeared into the inaccessible gorge a few days
before and not returned. Joan agrees to help Jack search for his father next
week and they arrange to meet up when they have the necessary equipment. Back
at school, Joan is suspicious of Mademoiselle Armande, the French Mistress,
whom Joan has previously seen at Ravensdale. Secretly watching Mademoiselle
Armande, Joan sees her receive some letters that she puts in a bucket and
lowers down a well. On going to meet with Jack, Joan finds he is not there so
she descends into the Ravensdale gorge alone. Here she is astonished to find
Germans! Jack later descends and Joan is able to save him from being shot. Jack
and Joan go into a cave at the bottom of the gorge. Jack hears his father's
voice in the cave and goes running in to save him. Joan hides and overhears
Mademoiselle Armande talking to a man referred to as Hauptmann Kliener.
Mademoiselle Armande returns to the school via a secret underground passage and
Joan follows her. The passage ends at the bottom of the well and Joan finds
that there are rungs to enable people to climb out. Joan returns to the school
to raise the alarm. Joan asks the headmistress to telephone her father who
works at the war office. Mademoiselle Armande escapes and flees back down the
well pursued by Joan and half the school. Leaving many girls with stones and
bricks to prevent anybody climbing out the well, Joan takes a dozen girls back
to Ravensdale gorge to attempt to block up the cave entrance before anybody can
escape. This they succeed in doing. Soldiers arrive and the Germans are caught.
The Germans are sailors who have come from a submarine, which is duly sunk by
the Navy. Jack and his father are rescued.
Steeley and the Missing Page
Subtitle - & Other Stories
Publication Details - First book edition of 'The Missing Page'
was originally published by Leif Borthen, Forlagshuset, Oslo, Norway, in 1939.
This collection of three stories was published by Norman Wright in
2000.
First (English) Edition