Grouser Beeke stories

Chief Inspector William "Grouser" Beeke and Detective Sergeant Eustace Cavendish

With the decline of the story paper, Edwy Searles Brooks attempted to break into the hardback novel market. He negotiated with Harraps to publish a series of detective novels featuring the Scotland Yard detective Inspector "Grouser" Beeke. Beeke, together with his assistant, Sergeant Eustace Cavendish, made only two appearances before Brooks fell out with Harraps and transferred the characters to Detective Weekly. His relationship with Collins, however, was far more satisfactory and, building on the success of the Norman Conquest novels, he made an agreement with Collins to introduce a new character, Chief Inspector Bill "Ironsides" Cromwell with his assistant, Sergeant Johnny Lister. In fact, these were the Beeke and Cavendish characters (and some of the stories) given a new name for the new publisher. Given the success of the Cromwell and Lister characters in the following years, it is ironic to consider that but for Brooks' differences with Harraps, they would not have existed as such.

The "Grouser" Beeke novels

1          The Strange Case of the Antlered Man
                (Rewritten from UJ 2/1357 and Dixon Hawke Lib 366,
                                   rewritten as DW serial 304-317)
       The first story by a well-known popular short-story writer shows him as an author who can introduce a love interest into a detective story as an integral part of the plot, and who can write with never-failing humour. In Chief Detective-Inspector "Bill" Beake, known as "the Grouser," and Detective-Sergeant Eustace Cavendish, he has invented a pair of sleuths who are refreshingly different from average detectives of fiction. The Tale is concerned with the strange reappearance of a legendary "antlered man" in an Essex village, and the eventual uncovering of a smugglers' plot. It is brimful of action, and moves at lightning speed to a logical conclusion.
      Mr Brooks challenges the late Edgar Wallace's reputation for being the world's fastest writer of popular fiction. He began hi writing career while still in his teens, and is well-known to tens of thousands of schoolboys and schoolgirls of some years ago who are now part of the novel-reading public. For he used to turn out a school-story for many years for a popular magazine; and he has written a vast number of detective-stories. During a recent period of ten years he has produced no less than a million and a half words yearly. On one occasion he wrote eight short stories in a week--and his editor told him they were among his best.

British Publishing History:
1st           George G. Harrap, Feb-35, 328pp, 7s/6d
2nd         George G. Harrap, Jan-36, 328pp, 3s/6d
3rd          George G. Harrap, Feb-37, 328pp, 2s/6d

2          The Grouser Investigates
              (Rewritten as DW serial 343-350)

Introduces a pair of sleuths who are refreshingly different from the average detectives of fiction. The story is brimful of action and moves at lightning speed.

British Publishing History:
1st           George G. Harrap, Apr-36, 288pp, 7s/6d
2nd         George G. Harrap, Nov-36, 288pp, 3s/6d
3rd          George G. Harrap, Feb-39, 288pp, 2s

DETECTIVE WEEKLY
Amalgamated Press

The “Grouser” Beeke stories

179	25-Jul-36	Cyclists’ Rest	Rewritten as part of “Ironsides Sees Red”(1943) by Victor Gunn
210	27-Feb-37	The Mystery of the Wailing Pool	Rewritten as part of “Ironsides Smells Blood”(1946) by Victor Gunn
217 - 230 (serial)	1937	Mr Nemesis	Rewritten as “Footsteps of Death” by Victor Gunn 1939. Would have been 3rd “Grouser” novel if ESB had not had difference of opinion with Harrap’s.
235	21-Aug-37	The Holiday Camp Mystery	Rewritten as part of “Ironsides Sees Red”(1943) by Victor Gunn
252	18-Dec-37	The Fantastic Affair at Cloon Castle	Rewritten as part of “Ironsides Sees Red”(1943) by Victor Gunn
304 - 317 (serial)	1939	The Strange Case of the Antlered Man	R/P from UJ 2/1357, & novel 1935
343 - 350 (serial)	1939	The Grouser Investigates	R/P from 1936 novel