George Bellairs books

George Bellairs was the pen name of Harold Blundell, a British mystery author who wrote over 60 detective novels featuring Inspector Littlejohn from the 1940s through the 1980s.

Standalone Novels

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Death Stops the Frolic / Turmoil In Zion 1943 Buy
Murder at Morning Prayers 1947 Buy
Circle Round a Corpse 1948 N/A
Choose Your Own Verdict 1949 N/A
Exit Sir Toby Belch 1950 Buy

Thomas Littlejohn Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Littlejohn on Leave 1941 N/A
The Four Unfaithful Servants 1942 N/A
Death of a Busybody 1942 Buy
Murder Will Speak 1942 N/A
The Dead Shall be Raised & Murder of a Quack 1942 Buy
The Murder of a Quack 1943 N/A
The Case of the Seven Whistlers 1944 Buy
He’d Rather Be Dead 1945 Buy
Calamity at Harwood 1945 Buy
Death in the Night Watches 1946 Buy
The Case of the Scared Rabbits 1946 Buy
The Crime at Halfpenny Bridge 1946 Buy
Death on the Last Train 1948 Buy
Outrage on Gallows Hill 1949 Buy
The Case of the DeMented Spiv 1949 Buy
The Case of the Famished Parson 1949 Buy
Half-Mast for the Deemster 1950 Buy
The Case of the Headless Jesuit 1950 Buy
Dead March for Penelope Blow 1951 Buy
Crime in Lepers’ Hollow 1952 Buy
Death in Dark Glasses 1952 Buy
A Knife for Harry Dodd 1953 Buy
Corpses in Enderby 1954 Buy
The Cursing Stones Murder 1954 Buy
Death in Room Five 1955 Buy
Death Drops the Pilot 1956 Buy
Death Treads Softly 1956 Buy
Death in High Provence 1957 Buy
Morte in Provenza 1957 N/A
Death Sends for the Doctor 1957 Buy
Corpse at the Carnival 1958 Buy
Murder Makes Mistakes 1958 Buy
Bones in the Wilderness 1959 Buy
Toll the Bell for Murder 1959 Buy
Death in the Fearful Night 1960 Buy
Death of a Tin God 1961 Buy
The Body in the Dumb River 1961 Buy
Murder Masquerade 1961 Buy
Death Before Breakfast 1962 Buy
The Tormentors 1962 Buy
Death in the Wasteland 1963 Buy
Death of a Shadow 1964 Buy
Surfeit of Suspects 1964 Buy
Death Spins the Wheel 1965 Buy
Strangers Among the Dead 1966 Buy
Intruder in the Dark 1966 Buy
Death in Despair 1960 N/A
Death in Desolation 1967 Buy
Single ticket to Death 1967 Buy
Fatal Alibi 1968 Buy
Murder Gone Mad 1968 Buy
Tycoon’s Death-Bed 1970 Buy
The Night They Killed Joss Varran 1971 Buy
Pomeroy Deceased 1971 Buy
Murder Adrift 1972 Buy
Devious Murder 1973 Buy
Fear Round About 1975 Buy
All Roads to Sospel 1977 Buy
The Downhill Ride Of Leeman Popple 1979 Buy
An Old Man Dies 1980 Buy

George Bellairs was the pen name used by Harold Blundell, a bank manager from Lancashire who spent decades writing detective novels in his spare time. His main creation was Inspector Littlejohn of Scotland Yard, a patient and methodical detective who appeared in sixty books between 1941 and 1980. Bellairs set his mysteries in a range of English locations, from small villages to seaside towns, giving each book a strong sense of place.

Bellairs was part of the golden age of British detective fiction, though he continued writing well past that era’s peak. His books are lighter and more character-driven than some of his contemporaries, with a focus on local color and the social dynamics of small communities. Many of his titles went out of print after his death but have been reissued in recent years, finding a new audience among readers who enjoy classic British mysteries.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has George Bellairs written?

George Bellairs has written 65 books across two series.

What was George Bellairs's first book?

George Bellairs’s first book is Littlejohn on Leave, published in 1941.

What is the real name of George Bellairs?

George Bellairs was the pen name of Harold Blundell (1902-1982), a Lancashire-born bank manager who wrote detective fiction on the side. He published under the Bellairs name to keep his writing career separate from his banking work.

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