The Conquest Novels
The Norman Conquest books, written under the name Berkeley Gray, appeared between 1938 and 1969. William Vivian Butler, writing in The Durable Desperadoes said: "I have read several thousand thrillers in my time, of all types, genres and eras, but never have I come across anything that matched the sheer high-spirited gusto of the first Conquest books."
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1 Mr Mortimer Gets the Jitters (1938)
2 Vultures Ltd. (1938)
3 Miss Dynamite (1939)
4 Conquest Marches On (1939)
5 Leave It To Conquest (1939)
6 Conquest Takes All (1940)
7 Meet The Don (1940)
8 Six To Kill (1940)
9 Convict “1066” (1940)
10 Thank You Mr Conquest (1941)
11 Six Feet of Dynamite (1942)
12 Blonde for Danger (1943)
13 The Gay Desperado (1944)
14 Cavalier Conquest (1944)
15 Alias Norman Conquest (1945)
16 Mr Ball of Fire (1946)
17 Killer Conquest (1947)
18 The Conquest Touch (1948)
19 The Spot Marked “X” (1948)
20 Duel Murder (1948)
21 Dare-Devil Conquest (1950)
22 Seven Dawns To Death (1950)
23 Operation Conquest (1951)
24 Conquest in Scotland (1951)
25 The Lady Is Poison (1952)
26 The Half-Open Door (1953)
27 Target For Conquest (1953)
28 Follow the Lady (1954)
29 Conquest Goes West (1954)
30 Turn Left For Danger (1955)
31 Conquest In Command (1956)
32 The House of the Lost (1956)
33 Conquest After Midnight (1957)
34 Conquest Goes Home (1957)
35 Conquest In California (1958)
36 Death on the Hit Parade (1958)
37 The Big Brain (1959)
38 Murder & Co (1959)
39 Nightmare House (1960)
40 Conquest On The Run (1960)
41 Get Ready To Die (1961)
42 Call Conquest For Danger (1961)
43 Conquest in the Underworld (1962)
44 Count Down for Conquest (1963)
45 Castle Conquest (1964)
46 Conquest Overboard (1964)
47 Calamity Conquest (1965)
48 Conquest Likes It Hot (1965)
49 Curtains For Conquest? (1966)
50 Conquest Calls the Tune
51 Conquest In Ireland (1969)
2 Vultures Ltd. (1938)
3 Miss Dynamite (1939)
4 Conquest Marches On (1939)
5 Leave It To Conquest (1939)
6 Conquest Takes All (1940)
7 Meet The Don (1940)
8 Six To Kill (1940)
9 Convict “1066” (1940)
10 Thank You Mr Conquest (1941)
11 Six Feet of Dynamite (1942)
12 Blonde for Danger (1943)
13 The Gay Desperado (1944)
14 Cavalier Conquest (1944)
15 Alias Norman Conquest (1945)
16 Mr Ball of Fire (1946)
17 Killer Conquest (1947)
18 The Conquest Touch (1948)
19 The Spot Marked “X” (1948)
20 Duel Murder (1948)
21 Dare-Devil Conquest (1950)
22 Seven Dawns To Death (1950)
23 Operation Conquest (1951)
24 Conquest in Scotland (1951)
25 The Lady Is Poison (1952)
26 The Half-Open Door (1953)
27 Target For Conquest (1953)
28 Follow the Lady (1954)
29 Conquest Goes West (1954)
30 Turn Left For Danger (1955)
31 Conquest In Command (1956)
32 The House of the Lost (1956)
33 Conquest After Midnight (1957)
34 Conquest Goes Home (1957)
35 Conquest In California (1958)
36 Death on the Hit Parade (1958)
37 The Big Brain (1959)
38 Murder & Co (1959)
39 Nightmare House (1960)
40 Conquest On The Run (1960)
41 Get Ready To Die (1961)
42 Call Conquest For Danger (1961)
43 Conquest in the Underworld (1962)
44 Count Down for Conquest (1963)
45 Castle Conquest (1964)
46 Conquest Overboard (1964)
47 Calamity Conquest (1965)
48 Conquest Likes It Hot (1965)
49 Curtains For Conquest? (1966)
50 Conquest Calls the Tune
51 Conquest In Ireland (1969)
1 Mr Mortimer Gets the Jitters (1938)
(Reprinted from The Thriller 417, 423, 435) READ, in this book, how Norman Conquest sets out to crush the human sharks who robbed his father, and who caused his mother to die of a broken heart. Read how a tiny elfin-faced girl, secretary to Mr. Mortimer (he of the jitters) takes one look at the quartz-grey eyes of the dashing " 1066," and falls so hard that she blithely takes a header into a maelstrom of excitement and thrills without giving a hoot for the consequences. This is a fast-moving story of mystery and death and High Adventure, with the lilting laughter of the Gay Desperado ringing through every page. British Printing History: 1st Collins, Aug-38, 316pp, 7s/6d 2nd Collins, Oct-39, 316pp, 3s/6d 3rd Collins War-Time Thriller, Jun-40, 316pp, 2s 4th Collins, Jan-41, 316pp, 3s Paperback Collins White Circle Thriller, Mar-42, 316pp, 9d (Image courtesy of Ananth Kaitharam) |
2 Vultures Ltd. (1938)
(Reprinted from The Thriller 452, 458, 467) FROM the opening paragraph of this new story, when a pretty girl in Hyde Park intrigues the Gay Desperado by slapping him in the face, to the final boodle-collecting page, Norman Conquest battles his way through danger, with his little partner Joy Everard blithely aiding and abetting his lawless activities. In Count Rurik Voegler, the millionaire financier, known throughout Europe as the Herr Director, we are introduced to a deadly and dynamic personality. He reigns supreme until he looks into the mocking eyes of the rake-hell " ro66 "—and then the fun begins. In some extraordinary way, Mr. Gray also contrives to infuse the story with a homely and human touch ; as, for example, when he writes of the Rev. Augustus Murray and his family, of Steepleton Vicarage; the lovable and unworldly little parson, with his sweetly trusting wife, and his two sons. And Sweet William . . . otherwise Chief - Inspector Williams of Scotland Yard. You'll like him too. British Printing History: 1st Collins, Dec-38, 318pp, 7s/6d 2nd Collins, Feb-40, 4s 3rd Collins War-Time Thrillers, Jun-40, 318pp, 2s |
3 Miss Dynamite (1939)
(Reprinted from The Thriller 475, 480, 485) WHEN Norman Conquest shared a poacher's meal in a quiet Suffolk field, even his razor-edged sixth sense could not have seen the sinister events which were to ensue from that casual meeting. From the murder of the unpleasantly efficient Sergeant Roper to the thrilling boodle-collecting finish, the Gay Desperado finds an opponent worthy of his steel in the lovely but unscrupulous Primrose Trevor. To him she is just a helpless girl in the power of a crooked father and badly in need of a knight-errant. But fortunately Joy Everard is there to checkmate this other feminine influence and finally saves her Man from extinction at the hand of her rival. British Printing History: 1st Collins, Mar-39, 288pp, 7s/6d 2nd Collins, May-40, 283pp, 4s, 3rd Collins War-Time Thrillers, 284pp, Jul-40, 2s 4th Collins, Mar-41, 252pp, 3s Kindle Edition December 2015 |
4 Conquest Marches On (1939)
(Reprinted from The Thriller 490, 495, 502) HERE comes the New Norman Conquest novel, charged with thrills and laughter. When Conquest discovers that little Mary Langford is the victim of a mysterious blackmailer known as The Voice, he goes charging into hell-for-leather adventure. Meet again Chief-Inspector Williams of the Yard—" Sweet Williams " to you—and watch the sparks fly when he and the Gay Desperado get going ! Norman Conquest not only marches on—he positively whizzes, and high-speed action is the result. British Printing History: 1st Collins, Jun-39, 252pp, 7s/6d 2nd Collins, Jul-40, 252pp, 4s 3rd Collins War-Time Thrillers, Aug-40, 252pp, 2s 4th Collins, May-52, 252pp, 6s |
5 Leave It To Conquest (1939)
(Reprinted from The Thriller 508, 513, 517) IN this new Norman Conquest novel Berkeley Gray again breaks fresh ground, taking us into the heart of the Welsh mountains for our thrills and excitement. . . . Joy Everard thought she was going for a nice quiet holiday when her hell-for-leather partner lounged at the wheel of the powerful Hispano and headed for the West country. What a hope ! Before the dusk of the stormy autumn day arrived they were both in hospital, their beautiful car wrecked by mysterious enemies.. . . A rock-girt valley in the heart of Brecknockshire, its two entrance-passes guarded by enormous iron gates ; a mysterious phantom train which comes from nowhere and disappears into thin air ; a black and sinister lake where the bodies of murdered men are cast into the depths. . . . But Mr. Gray infuses his story with a chuckle lurking on every page. If you're keen on thrills and laughter—Leave It To Berkeley Gray British Printing History: 1st Collins, Oct-39, 252pp, 7s/6d 2nd Collins, Nov-40, 252pp, 4s 3rd Collins, Sep-49, 252pp, 6s |
6 Conquest Takes All (1940)
(R/P from The Thriller 518, 522, 525) IT WAS a coincidence that a cheap little crook called "Splits" Tyler should jay-walk into Norman Conquest's car as the Outlaw was driving down Piccadilly, but it was simply Norman's sense of curiosity that induced him to explore the mysterious house in Park Lane. These two incidents seemed quite unrelated at the time, but nevertheless they were to set on foot a savage feud between Conquest and General Paul Stefanovich, night-club proprietor and Czar of the Soho underworld. The feud culminates in a lonely Yorkshire castle, where the Outlaw traps the General and his gang and turns them over to the police. But the crooks escape and besiege' the castle, which is isolated by a heavy fall of snow. One against six! But these are the sort of odds that Norman Conquest loves, and a black armour-clad figure hurtling from an upper Njndow proves to the General and his friends that Norman Conquest is plain poison to crooks. British Printing History: 1st Collins, Jan-40, 252pp, 8s/3d 2nd Collins, Mar-41, 252pp, 4s 3rd Collins, Sep-49, 252pp, 6s/0d |
7 Meet The Don (1940)
(R/P from The Thriller 527, 530, 533) MEET the Don! Those who have accompanied Norman Conquest on his earlier breathless adventures will recognise in the Don—an old enemy. Joy Everard, "Sweet William" and Mandeville Livingstone are again very much to the fore, and you will also meet the fat-headed Sir Bartholomew Jenkins, ship-owner, and his lovely blonde daughter Cecilia, a self-willed little miss with a determination to make good in the movies. Mr. Berkeley Gray has maintained his streamline speed in this latest Norman Conquest novel, which deals with a million pound conspiracy, involving widespread bank robberies which completely baffle Scotland Yard, and a Swindle Ship loaded to the Plimsoll line with guns, tanks, ammunition, war 'planes and hell generally. This is the stuff to give the troops! British Printing History: 1st Collins, May-40, 252pp, 7s/6d 2nd Collins, Jun-41, 252pp, 4s |
8 Six To Kill (1940)
(R/P from The Thriller 536, 538, 545) IN Six To Kill Mr. Berkeley Gray writes his fastest-ever thriller of daring Norman Conquest, alias the Gay Desperado, to whom Danger, Mystery and High Adventure come unsought but ever welcome. Here in the heart of London's West End a. mysterious masked killer strikes down with cowardly knife-thrust his first victim of the half-dozen he has callously planned to kill. In a dramatic opening scene the redoubtable Conquest finds himself at grips with the slayer, but the latter makes a successful getaway. Through a story that hurtles along at a terrific pace Norman Conquest keeps on the killer's track, until at last the cold-blooded criminal is brought to bay. British Printing History: 1st Collins, Aug-40, 252pp, 7s/6d 2nd Collins, Jan-50, 252pp, 4s/6d (Image courtesy of Ananth Kaitharam) |
9 Convict “1066” (1940)
(R/P from The Thriller 550, 552, 554) CONVICT 1066 was an outlaw from justice when Norman Conquest started to do battle on his behalf. And the way he did it makes one think that if he'd been on Harold's side there'd have been no Norman Conquest. An outlaw himself from police rule and Yard measures, Conquest in this amazing new victory march defies the law of gravity and shows up the silly rule that says a man can't be in two places at the same time. Conquest could, and then he wasn't where he was —or where Inspector Williams (Sweet William) thought he was. This latest rush of Conquest is fully mechanised and leaves the Yard force and the reader short of breath and gasping for air, as they try to keep up with the surging, supercharged, conquering drive of 1o66 in vindication of his number-sake. An expedition full of thrills and laughter, of dangerous corners and hair-raising moments which carries the Gay Desperado of the Thriller World to his latest and greatest triumph. British Printing History: 1st Collins, Nov-40, 252pp,7s/6d 2nd Collins, Mar-42, 252pp,4s (Image courtesy of Ananth Kaitharam) |
10 Thank You Mr Conquest (1941)
(R/P from The Thriller 567, 569) MR. BERKELEY GRAY puts his famous character, Norman Conquest, through his paces again in this high-speed thriller, and the performance is super. A girl is stabbed on his own doorstep, a girl who had obviously come to see him on some desperate mission, but whose lips were suddenly sealed for ever by the slayer's knife. A slender clue sends him speeding along the moonlit Great West Road, alert at the wheel of his Hispano, supremely con-fident in the knowledge that he was again on the borders of High Adventure. The trusty sixth sense of his had never double-crossed him yet. What double-crossing was to be done was at that moment being planned by a couple of mysterious gentlemen in a lonely part of the Mendip Hills. Thank You, Mr. Conquest is a streamline thriller that provides superlative entertainment. Thank you, Mr. Gray. British Printing History: 1st Collins, Mar-41, 252pp,7s/6d Paperback Collins White Circle Thriller, May-53, 252pp, 1s/6d |
11 Six Feet of Dynamite (1942)
(Rewritten partly from The Thriller 588, 590) NORMAN CONQUEST, six feet of dynamite, has his greatest adventure in this exciting war-time thriller. He has certain scores to settle and takes a smack at the rats himself, carries out a single-handed invasion of Germany in circumstances when, as the Germans say, only a mad dog of an Englishman would attempt it, and actually suc-ceeds in getting into and out of the terrible Nazi prison camp of Buchenwald. There are scenes of terrific excitement before the indomitable Gay Desperado reaches Lisbon and safety with some priceless information. British Printing History: 1st Collins, Nov-41, 192pp, 7s/6d 2nd Collins, Jan-42, 192pp, 7s/6d 3rd Collins, Dec-45, 192pp, 4s/6d 4th Collins, May-46, 192pp, 4s/6d 5th Collins, Jul-47, 192pp, 4s/6d 6th Collins, Feb-48, 192pp, 4s/6d Paperback Collins White Circle Thriller, Jan-51, 192pp, 1s |
12 Blonde for Danger (1943)
(Based on Sexton Blake Library 2/559) NORMAN CONQUEST doesn't need to look for trouble. He attracts it—just as a lightning conductor attracts lightning. Now travelling blithely to Bournemouth on a perfectly innocent mission to buy a new car, Conquest was unconsciously heading into one of the most exciting dramas of his career: A few hours later he was making the return journey in amazing and unexpected circumstances. Racing through the night, he crouched at the wheel of a great motor lorry roaring its way along the main road to London. Ahead lay the darkness of the New Forest—darkness—danger—death. Norman grinned. His sixth sense had never let him down—and his sixth sense told him that he was on the trail of high adventure. In Blonde for Danger Mr. Berkeley Gray touches a new high spot in his famous Norman Conquest stories. British Printing History: 1st Collins, Jan-43, 192pp, 7s/6d 2nd Collins, Aug-48, 192pp, 4s/6d 3rd Collins, Jan-52, 192pp, 2s (Green wrapper/blue board) Paperback Collins White Circle Thriller, Sep-49, 192pp, 1s (Image courtesy of Ananth Kaitharam) |
13 The Gay Desperado (1944)
(Based on Union Jack 2/1219-1222) INTO this new Norman Conquest story Mr. Berkeley Gray packs about 1066 thrills. It begins with the daredevil Norman dropping by parachute from a burning plane into the grounds of Hilton Old Manor. The mansion house is the property of Sir John Gallory, who lives there in seclusion and obviously in fear of some unknown danger, for he has sur-rounded his estate with walls as high as the battlements of the Bastille.' It is a pretty hefty job that Norman Conquest takes on when he contracts to rid Sir John of sundry rats who are gnawing at his peace of mind. How the Gay Desperado plays cat and mouse with his enemies and eventually gets them is told in Mr. Berkeley Gray's latest feast of high-tension thrills. British Printing History: 1st Collins, 1944, 192pp, 7s/6d Paperback Collins White Circle Thriller, Apr-47, 192pp, 1s |
14 Cavalier Conquest (1944)
(Based on Union Jack 2/1131-1132) THAT impetuous, daredevil young man Norman Conquest starts his latest adventure on a windswept moorland road in Yorkshire where he is fortunately able to render some assistance to a very attractive girl cyclist who has met with an accident. The girl turns out to be the daughter of an earl and when Norman drives her home to the nearby parental castle he finds her father an irascible old nobleman, just the sort of character who arouses his interest. Obviously there is something far wrong in the castle, which is in an almost ruinous state, with a mysterious west wing into which entry is forbidden. Norman in his usual hell-for-leather style rushes right into more than a peck of trouble and uncovers a story of villainy—an adventure which, had he needed medical advice, would have been just what the doctor ordered. British Printing History: 1st Collins, Nov-44, 158pp, 7s/6d Paperback Collins Fontana, Aug-63, 158pp, 2s/6d |
15 Alias Norman Conquest (1945)
(Based partly on Union Jack 2/1528) MEET Norman Conquest in a new role. Mr. Berkeley Gray's dashing hero, inveterate trouble-seeker and sworn enemy of the criminal classes, takes a job in a London store. His department is Watches and Clocks, and Norman is a super-salesman. But his eye is not on the clocks but on the jewels, the fabulous precious stones that stud the throne of Massana, now on special exhibition at the store. And of course jewels of such value attract some curious customers—just the sort that were likely to engage the attention of the redoubtable Norman. Berkeley Gray's exciting new thriller moves at breathless pace from one highly dramatic situation to another, enlivened always with that breezy humour typical of a Norman Conquest story. British Publishing History: 1st Collins, Aug-45, 160pp, 7s/6d Paperback Collins White Circle Thriller, May-50, 160pp, 1s |
16 Mr Ball of Fire (1946)
(Based on The Gem serial 1436-1448) EVER met Mrs. Norman Conquest ? In Berkeley Gray's new book the reckless Norman at last gets hitched up to Joy Everard, his game little partner in many an earlier adventure. This is the story of their honeymoon—and if you are thinking of a quiet, placid love episode, you couldn't be more wrong. It's a honeymoon all right, but a honey-moon which includes mysterious dead bodies, a grim old house in sinister wooded surroundings, determined attempts on Conquest's life—and Sweet William. Out of a blue sky, the trouble-hunting Gay Desperado runs slap-bang into one of his old enemies, and through various thrill-packed chapters, uncovers one of the most dangerous and evil plots he has ever encountered. This is Berkeley Gray at his highest temperature. British Printing History: 1st Collins, Jun-46, 192pp, 8s/6d 2nd Collins, Feb-51, 192pp, 5s/0d Paperback Collins White Circle Thriller, Jun-58, 192pp, 2s |
17 Killer Conquest (1947)
(Based on Union Jack 2/1499, 2/1118) Norman Conquest—killer ! The fact that the deceased is a double-dyed skunk does not make Conquest's position any the less precarious. The Gay Desperado has been in many a tight corner before, but never one quite so tight as this. It takes all the efforts of his pretty young wife, Pixie, aided by Superintendent Williams—Sweet William to you —to hoist him out of the soup. A miniature earth-quake in Mayfair involving the sticky end of Double-Dyed Skunk No. 2 and lots of high-pressure action lead to the breathless sort of climax for which Mr. Gray is justly popular. British Printing History: 1st Collins, Apr-47, 192pp, 8s/6d 2nd Collins, Mar-51, 192pp, 2s/0d, (Green wrapper/blue board) 3rd Collins, Feb-59, 192pp, 6s/0d Paperback Collins White Circle Thriller, Jan-58, 192pp, 2s |
18 The Conquest Touch (1948)
(Based on Detective Weekly 48 and Union Jack 2/1530) SUDDENLY, out of the misty October night, a girl flung herself into the headlights of Norman Conquest’s swiftly approaching car. Only by a violent wrench of the wheel did Conquest avoid the slim, dishevelled figure. Attempted suicide ? No—a girl blind with fear. Providence itself must have thrown Roberta Oliphant in the path of the only man in England fit to grapple with the devilish cunning of her pursuer, Lord Everdon. Even Superintendent Williams had to close one eye at the unofficial methods by which the Gay Desperado, after a month of breakneck sleuthing, was to corner his quarry. This is Berkeley Gray in top form with a high-voltage thriller which crackles on every page. British Printing History: 1st Collins, Jan-48, 192pp, 8s/6d 2nd Collins, Apr-51, 192pp, 2s, (Green wrapper/blue board) Paperback Collins White Circle Thriller, Feb-57, 192pp, 1s/6d 2nd Paperback Collins Fontana, Jul-61, 192pp, 2s/6d |
19 The Spot Marked“X” (1948)
(Based on Detective Weekly 145, 201) NEVER in all his dare-devil career has Norman Conquest, the Gay Desperado, taken the law into his own hands so dangerously, so recklessly and so effectively as in "The Spot Marked 'X'". In order to land a particularly slippery customer within the law, Conquest himself has to go outside it, or very nearly—he even marks the spot himself! Courageously supported by his lovely young wife Pixie, and by our old friend Sweet William, Conquest scares an outsize skunk into a public confession by a masterstroke of ingenuity. From the opening sentence to the last astounding scene, the story runs as swiftly and surely as Norman’s Pace Special. For top-speed thrills, grim humour and high spirits, Mr. Berkeley Gray has beaten his own fine record. British Publishing History: 1st Collins, Oct-48, 192pp, 8s/6d 2nd Collins, Feb-51, 192pp, 5s Paperback Collins White Circle Thriller, Mar-54, 192pp, 1s/6d |
20 Duel Murder (1948)
(Based on Detective Weekly 19, 28) THEY were an odd couple to find in an out-of-the-way Suffolk village, the eccentric Captain Trafford, bullying, sadistic and evil-tempered, and his quiet, sedate little wife, whose one aim in life was to send her husband to the gallows. To that end Mrs. Trafford implored the help of Norman Conquest—a queer job for the Gay Desperado, accustomed as he was to strange people and strange requests. But Norman scented a story here, and right nobly did he rise to the occasion in an episode that was one of the most exciting in his career. British Printing History: 1st Collins, Jul-48, 192pp, 8s/6d 2nd Collins, Sep-52, 192pp, 2s (Green wrapper/blue board) Paperback Collins White Circle Thriller, Jun-59, 192pp, 2s |
21 Dare-Devil Conquest (1950)
Basis of film “Park Plaza 605” 1954 NORMAN CONQUEST is an established favourite with readers who like their thrillers to be streamlined and fast-moving. No one has ever accused the redoubtable Norman of pulling his punches or lingering on the draw. The present story is no exception. It plunges into a whirlwind of adventure from the very beginning, when Conquest picks up a dead homing pigeon on the golf course and reads the mysterious message which was to him like the crack of the starter’s pistol and sent him racing back to town in pursuit of the best things in life for Norman—excitement, thrills and a tough scrap. British Printing History: 1st Collins, Feb-50, 192pp, 8s/6d 2nd Collins, Apr-52, 192pp, 6s Paperback Collins White Circle Thriller, Apr-58, 192pp, 2s |
22 Seven Dawns To Death (1950)
THAT tough he-man, that dare-devil lover of trouble, Norman Conquest, slips up badly in this new adventure. Carelessness, over-confidence—call it what you like—results, just after he has witnessed a brutal murder, in a moment of relaxed vigilance ... and he is next best thing to a corpse. Yes, the irre-pressible Conquest is tossed into the Thames Estuary to drown, complete with a whacking great bullet hole in his chest. All of which leads up to a tensely exciting chase across France to sun-drenched Spain, for Norman returns to circulation to find that his would-be murderer, a human disease named Ricardo Soriano, has been doing some extremely dirty work during his enforced absence. Seven more dawns, and Victim No. 2 is scheduled for death! Mr. Berkeley Gray carries us on at his usual breathless pace, piling on the tension and leading up to a climax that will satisfy the most blase reader of thrillers. British Printing History: 1st Collins, Nov-50, 192pp, 8s/6d 2nd Collins, May-53, 192pp, 6s Paperback Collins White Circle Thriller, Jul-55, 192pp, 1s/6d |
23 Operation Conquest (1951)
WHEN Norman Conquest, that six-foot length of trouble, finds a dead body on the Portsmouth road, guarded by a policeman, and the said policeman asks him to report the matter to the nearest police station, he hardly expects Superintendent Williams of the Yard to ring him up next morning, accusing him of playing idiotic tricks on the police. This is the beginning of one of the Gay Desperado's most exciting and breathless adventures. Operation Conquest, which is directed on a stately old house in Surrey, develops into a cyclone of action and excitement, with Norman, for once, making an out-size blunder and finding himself in a tangle of trouble in consequence. This is one of Mr. Berkeley Gray's most sizzling, jet-propelled novels .. . and jet-propelled is right ! British Printing History: 1st Collins, Mar-51, 192pp, 8s/6d 2nd Collins, Mar-53, 192pp, 6s Paperback Collins White Circle Thriller, May-55, 192pp, 1s/6d |
24 Conquest in Scotland (1951)
AN evening's jaunt to the theatre with his wife Pixie, and Norman Conquest is plunged into a new and bizarre mystery featuring a beautiful red-haired young actress, a young man with his head in the gas oven, and a body which mysteriously vanishes. When Norman, hot on the trail, and trouble-hunting as usual, finds himself at Glenfeg House, the lonely home of Alexander McNairn in the Grampian Mountains, he has a hunch that events will soon pitchfork him into a turmoil of battle, murder and sudden death. And how right he is ! This is one of Mr. Berkeley Gray's most intriguing mystery novels, with thrills and breathless tension from the first chapter to the last. British Printing History: 1st Collins, Oct-51, 192pp, 9s/6d 2nd Collins, Feb-54, 192pp, 6s Paperback Collins Fontana, Jun-62, 192pp, 2s/6d |
25 The Lady Is Poison (1952)
WHEN a young man comes to Norman and Joy Conquest for help, late at night, and tells them that he has fallen in love with a delightful blonde French girl, it does not seem to Joy that her dare-devil husband's assistance is either required or prudent. It is only when Guy Hunter reveals that his lovely fiancée is the notorious Mass Murderess of Grandfort, in Southern France, that the affair becomes charged with grim interest. It is hardly the kind of meat that appeals to Conquest, but he becomes intrigued when he discovers his guest behaving in the most eccentric manner in the dead of night. He does all he can in a kindly spirit . . . until a certain French blighter nearly succeeds in murdering him. Then the Desperado's kindly spirit evaporates, and he goes into action in his own swift, inimitable way ; and the story moves rapidly to the Sunny South—and a thrill-packed conclusion. This is a Norman Conquest story, with Berkeley Gray at the top of his form. British Printing History: 1st Collins, May-52, 192pp, 9s/6d Paperback Collins White Circle Thriller, Feb-56, 192pp, 1s/6d |
26 The Half-Open Door (1953)
IMAGINE the gay and mischievous Norman Conquest, because of his reputation as a lawless trouble-hunter, being invited—quite seriously—to commit deliberate murder! It goes without saying that the valiant young " 1o66 " takes a poor view of the proposition ; however, the suggestion interests him so much that he decides to look further into it. Almost before he can take a couple of breaths he is discovering a dead girl, brutally and savagely murdered, in a Mayfair flat. He cannot help being struck by the fact that this crime is an exact replica of one which took place twelve years earlier, and presumably committed by the same hand—the hand of the party he has been commissioned to eliminate From this point onwards Conquest and his game little wife are involved in one of the most breathless packets of trouble that Mr. Berkeley Gray has ever unfolded . . . and that, as followers of Conquest's earlier adventures will admit, is saying plenty! British Printing History: 1st Collins, Feb-53, 192pp, 9s/6d 2nd Collins, Feb-55, 192pp, 6s Paperback Collins White Circle Thriller, May-59, 192pp, 2s |
27 Target For Conquest (1953)
A PANIC-STRICKEN man is threatened with death one night, and Norman Conquest knows about it . . . yet he fails to intervene. The next morning—MURDER! It's an ugly word, and young Pixie is fighting mad when Superintendent Williams arrives before breakfast, set on arresting her trouble-hunting husband for a ruthless and cold-blooded killing. In getting himself out of this deadly trap, Conquest obeys one of his inspired hunches and finds his target to be a dangerous and unscrupulous enemy. Thereafter events move rapidly. A mild, inoffensive man disappears in mysterious circumstances ; and Conquest, in attempting to trace him, finds he has a daughter both blonde and beautiful —only to have her, too, disappearing just as suddenly. How the daring " 1o66 " rescues the pair and foils a determined enemy is told in this new Berkeley Gray thriller, which starts with a bang and never lets up. British Printing History: 1st Collins, Oct-53, 192pp, 9s/6d 2nd Collins, Jan-56, 192pp, 6s Paperback Collins White Circle Thriller, Feb-57, 192pp, 1s/6d 2nd Paperback Collins Fontana, Jul-61, 192pp, 2s/6d |
28 Follow the Lady (1954)
A BEAUTIFUL young Yugoslavian girl standing on the sill of an eighth-floor window of Conquest Court, on the point of throwing herself to death. An alarming state of affairs to face Norman Conquest on returning with young Pixie from the theatre ! He deals with this tricky situation with all his characteristic efficiency—and then finds himself involved in a desperate tangle with a mysterious corpse and a runaway girl. The suggestion that she is the victim of that giant Yugoslavian bandit, General Paul Stefanovich . . . causes the adventure-loving Conquest to pack hurried bags and . . . Follow The Lady. There is plenty of excitement, involving a hectic motor chase across Europe to the wild, gaunt mountains of Yugoslavia, where matters really get going at breathless pace . . . and where Con-quest again has a battle of wits with his old enemy, Steve the Croat, as picturesque a rogue as ever came from the inventive pen of Berkeley Gray. This is a different kind of Norman Conquest story, and, as usual, it will keep you enthralled from the first page to the last. British Printing History: 1st Collins, May-54, 192pp, 9s/6d |
29 Conquest Goes West (1954)
An appeal for help from a blonde and beautiful damsel in distress sends Norman Conquest on a strange and apparently trivial quest . . . but it isn't long before the affair develops into one of " 1066's" most hectic adventures, taking him, in fact, from a flat in Chelsea to a grim old house perched on the cliffs of Cornwall. A preliminary adventure here, during which Conquest has an encounter with a most unpleasant character, takes the Desperado back to London with a nasty head wound . . . only to have Superintendent Williams, of Scotland Yard, on his doorstep at breakfast-time with some embarrassing questions. This, of course, is just Conquest's meat, and he thoroughly enjoys himself until certain nasty customers involve him in deep waters. Exactly what happens to Sweet William is so deplorable that even Joy is convinced that her trouble-hunting husband has at last, to use her own unique expression, " cooked his own goose." With police nets spreading all over the place, Norman is compelled to go to earth . . . and where else but in Tregartha Mount? And then the pace really sizzles until we reach one of Mr. Berkeley Gray's most thrilling climaxes. British Printing History: 1st Collins, Nov-54, 192pp, 9s/6d Paperback Collins Fontana, Sep-62, 192pp, 2s/6d |
30 Turn Left For Danger (1955)
WHEN Norman Conquest, on holiday with young Pixie at picturesque Cavalaire, in the South of France, finds a beautiful blonde Austrian girl in acute distress he naturally rallies to her assistance. Joy is not so enthusi-astic, particularly when this trifling incident leads to a dead body by the roadside—and the necessity for making a quick exit out of France. This is only the beginning of the trouble, for they are no sooner home than Superintendent Williams, of New Scotland Yard, turns up with his usual quota of awkward questions . . . and from then on Conquest plunges into a devil's brew of truly, steaming-hot quality. Is Dr. Bruno Hoffnung, the High Priest of a strange new sun-worshipping cult, the kind and benevolent man he seems, or is he something dangerously sinister ? Even Conquest does not know. . . . But the mysterious death of Conrad Paxa, unscrupulous night-club owner, and an ugly attempt on Conquest's own life, urge Norman to go into action with all that speed and vigour for which he is celebrated. Followers of Norman Conquest's earlier adventures will be left breathless after reading this new exploit of the " Gay Desperado," for Mr. Berkeley Gray has never written a better yarn. British Printing History: 1st Collins, May-55, 192pp, 9s/6d 2nd Collins, Apr-57, 192pp, 6s |
31 Conquest In Command (1956)
WHEN a certain unscrupulous multi-millionaire attempts to hire Norman Conquest to take on a kidnapping job, he asks for trouble in no uncertain voice—and gets it. For the daring young adventurer, although ever ready to flout the law draws the line at kidnapping—especially when the subject to be kidnapped is an innocent child of four, and the subject's mother is a slim and beautiful blonde of twenty-three. Having refused the commission, Conquest is subjected to a succession of violent body blows, and readers of this exciting novel will be enthralled by the way in which he not only retains full command of the situation, but also turns the tables devastatingly on his enemies at the very moment when the outlook seems at its blackest. There are many unexpected and ingenious twists in this fast-moving story, and old friends like Mandeville Livingstone and Superintendent Bill Williams of Scotland Yard are well to the fore. British Printing History: 1st Collins, Jan-56, 192pp, 9s/6d 2nd Collins, Apr-58, 192pp, 6s Paperback Collins Fontana, July-60, 192pp, 2s/6d |
32 The House of the Lost (1956)
MEET Zofka Pokachic—known to the London under-world as Jim Poker—the most ruthless and murderous character ever to cross the path of Norman Conquest. Meet Hugh Templeton Craddock, suave ne'er-do-well son of a good county family . . . and Sergius Menzel, tough gangster . . . and Elsa Braun . . . all drawn into a scheme of robbery and murder on the grand scale because of Jim Poker's strange love for one woman. It is a comparative trifle which determines the enterprising Conquest to go into battle against this formidable array of antagonists ; but other and more alarming considerations urge him to continue the One Man War—as, for example, the kidnapping of a young and beautiful blonde. Very soon the trail leads to the French Riviera —and a lonely old chateau in the mountains north of Grasse. In this House of the Lost, where Jim Poker finds refuge, ugly happenings crowd one on top of another, and it is not until Norman Conquest arrives on the scene that deliverance comes to those who are looking death in the face. British Printing History: 1st Collins, Sep-56, 192pp, 10s/6d 2nd Collins, Jan-60, 192pp, 6s |
33 Conquest After Midnight (1957)
How would you react if, on driving along a rural Essex lane late at night, you suddenly found a full-grown lioness leaping straight at your car? This is what happens to Norman Conquest and his wife, Joy. Thus begins a series of strange and mysterious events which conspire to involve Conquest in a dangerous battle of wits against a crafty and ruthless foe. The fact that Fiona Taggert is young, blonde, and devastatingly pretty, adds spice to Norman's interest—particularly as she and he come within a toucher of death after only a few hours' acquaintance. There is a desperate, lightning dash to the Dolomites, in Italy, where Fiona is made prisoner on a mountain top, and where Conquest puts in some of his most spectacular maiden-in-distress technique. All we need add is—one of Mr. Berkeley Gray's best. British Printing History: 1st Collins, May-57, 192pp, 10s/6d 2nd Collins, May-59, 192pp, 6s |
34 Conquest Goes Home (1957)
IN this new novel, Berkeley Gray breaks entirely fresh ground. In a word, Conquest Goes Home—to the wild land of his ancestors. Trouble begins on his very doorstep, where murder nearly takes place ; on the Great North Road out of London, where sundry evil-minded gentry get busy with machine-guns—only to find that the wily Desperado has an ace up his sleeve. The real fun and games begin, however, when he arrives at Altonmere Hall, the lonely home of his cousin. Black Roger Gaunt, of Hellwyth Mount, named after a notorious ancestor, is there to provide Norman with opportunities for indulging in his characteristic hellfire activities. Not only Black Roger, but his cold-eyed German wife, Anna, his lout of a son, Paul. What was the Thing that appeared before the old shepherd, Joey Simms, one dark night on the fells, and drove him out oY his mind ? What is the grim secret of Black Roger's Folly ? Read this action-packed story, and find out. British Printing History: 1st Collins, Oct-57, 192pp, 10s/6d 2nd Collins, May-60, 192pp, 6s 3rd Lythway Press, May-74, 192pp, 1.85 |
35 Conquest In California (1958)
A FLASHLIGHT snapshot, taken one dark and rainy night in far-off California, plunges Norman Conquest into the hottest adventure of his career. Not that the gay young trouble hunter has any idea of this when he goes to the aid of bronze-haired Anita Duncan outside Clement's Hotel, in Bloomsbury. He takes her home to the penthouse on the roof of Conquest Court, and almost before he can look round killers have invaded the premises. How Conquest deals with these undesirable elements is one of the high spots of this fast-moving story. The scene then shifts to Hollywood, California, and the irrepressible Norman finds himself up against the ruthless Bart Shingler, Boss of Clam City, with its crooked Police Department and tough boys. Single-handed, Conquest gives battle, and the manner in which he blasts through the formidable opposition is told with breathless interest. This is Berkeley Gray in a new exciting vein—his fastest and raciest novel to date. British Printing History: 1st Collins, Jun-58, 192pp, 10s/6d Paperback Collins Fontana, July-60, 192pp, 2s/6d |
36 Death on the Hit Parade (1958)
NORMAN CONQUEST is highly amused when a visiting American, the uncle and manager of the fabulous Tenn Dacey, attempts to hire him as a bodyguard for the Tennessee boy who has topped the Hit Parade with his sensational rock 'n' roll singing. But Conquest is no longer amused when he makes an unexpected and startling discovery concerning young Dacey. When, on top of this, he finds himself opposed to Reed Lonson, gunman, an old and bitter enemy, he knows that he is booked for a hell-brew after his own heart. There is an extraordinary secret connected with Tenn Dacey—which Conquest discovers by accident, but which is known to others, less scrupulous where secrets are concerned. These vultures are out to make capital from their knowledge, and Norman ' rightly considers that tossing a spanner into the works is the correct order of the day. This topical, thrill-packed novel moves so swiftly that the action covers no more than forty-eight hours, and the reader is carried on breathlessly to the dramatic climax. A vintage Berkeley Gray. British Printing History: 1st Collins, Nov-58, 192pp, 10s/6d |
37 The Big Brain (1959)
NORMAN CONQUEST in Paris. It goes without saying that the daring young adventurer is soon up to his eye-brows in as nasty a hell-brew as he ever encountered. Nothing particularly lurid at first, merely the discovery of a lovely young girl, entirely unclothed, in his hotel bed, but this situation, interesting enough in itself, soon develops into a clash with a dangerous bunch of Parisian gangsters, led by Pierre Dacca, the enormously fat, greasy Corsican brigand who is known as the Big Brain. Round One in this battle goes to the enterprising Conquest, but with the introduction of a murderous vendetta, and the kidnapping of a gentle American evangelist named James F. Vincent, Round Two swings in the favour of the Big Brain, and Conquest lands well and truly in the soup. Does he extricate himself from this sticky situation ? Does he rescue the enchanting Nicolette and the bewildered American hot gospeller? The Big Brain, as fast and action-packed as the adventures of Norman Conquest always are, gives you the answer at the end of a thrilling book. British Publishing History: 1st Collins, May-59, 192pp, 10s/6d 2nd Collins, 1961, 192pp, 6s Large Print, Lythway Press, Oct-75, 344pp, 4.35 |
38 Murder & Co (1959)
WHEN a wealthy young man falls to his death out of a ninth-story window at Conquest Court, it is not surprising that Norman Conquest takes a lively interest in the tragedy. " Accidental death " is the general opinion, but Norman is more inclined to think in terms of murder. When he finds that a beautiful blonde Society girl is involved he goes into action. The results are truly surprising, for he is soon convinced that he is opposed to a highly efficient gang which makes murder its business. Clients pay their money, and the subject is quietly, and unobtrusively liquidated. It is the kind of hunt that appeals to the reckless young adventurer's love of danger, and he delivers blow after blow with such devastating effect that he soon has the opposition bewildered and frightened and, after many fast and thrilling episodes, brings things up to a storming finish. Berkeley Gray's famous character, now translated into almost every European language, again provides first-class entertainment for discerning readers of quick action adventure novels. British Publishing History: 1st Collins, Nov-59, 192pp, 10s/6d 2nd Collins, Oct-61, 192pp, 6s Large Print, Lythway Press, Jun-76, 336pp, 4.35 |
39 Nightmare House (1960)
THE corpse of a murdered man lay in the abandoned house, with the wind howling through the neglected garden and rain beating against the windows. Was it a real corpse ? Was it even a real house ? Was it all part of a terrible nightmare ? Sandra McNeill, twenty, blonde, and pretty, arrives from Canada to claim her inheritance—a large dignified house in Chilton Square, Bayswater, left to her by her grandfather, eccentric old Alexander McNeill. But that first night Sandra experiences a nightmare of such macabre horror that, on awakening, she plans to instruct her grandfather's lawyer to sell. But she goes first to see her old friend Joy Everard—now married, and the wife of that trouble-hunting young firebrand, Norman Conquest. Sandra's breathless story of the dignified old house turning into a mouldering, age-rotted ruin—only to change back to its grace and dignity in the morning—intrigues Conquest so much that he suspects work of the dirtiest, and immediately goes into action—with results which we can anticipate. Do not begin to read this story last thing at night, or you will never get to bed ; for, once having started, you'll have to finish the book at a sitting. British Publishing History: 1st Collins, Jun-60, 192pp, 10s/6d 2nd Collins, Jul-62, 192pp, 7s/6d |
40 Conquest On The Run (1960)
NORMAN CONQUEST wanted for murder and on the run ! A grim and alarming situation for the daring young adventurer. But before matters reach this critical stage, Conquest is persuaded by two lovely girls to act as contact man in a kidnapping case—and by so doing pitchforks himself and Joy, his charming little wife, into as sticky a hell-brew as they ever encountered. With the ex-tramp Mandeville Livingstone to complete the Conquest Attacking Force, the pace grows hot and dangerous. For once Joy acts on her own initiative, and it is largely owing to her courage and enterprise that the lawless Norman is able to register another of his sensational successes. Needless to say, Superintendent Bill Williams, of Scotland Yard, comes well into the picture, to achieve (as usual) nothing but additional grey hairs for his pains. Berkeley Gray in top gear with another action-packed story to thrill his multitude of readers. British Publishing History: 1st Collins, Oct-60, 192pp, 10s/6d 2nd Collins, Oct-62, 192pp, 7s/6d Paperback Four Square Books, Apr-63, 192pp, 2s/6d |
41 Get Ready To Die (1961)
WHEN Norman Conquest, that carefree young adventurer, is warned by a Hyde Park tub orator to Get Ready to Die, he naturally treats the matter as an amusing trifle . . . particularly as the orator, in monk's robes, is revealed as an emissary of Dr. Boris Zakaros, the True Prophet of Zeus, who is busily predicting the end of the world in a cataclysmic holocaust of nuclear violence. It is when a blonde and beautiful girl denounces the True Prophet as a fake and a fraud, and is manhandled by toughs, that Conquest really sits up and takes notice. Following his usual lighthearted custom, he butts in—and this leads to violence of quite another kind ; to wit, the Chicago-type tommy-gunning of himself and Joy in Park Lane. Now he goes into quickfire action, and the opposition is soon, regretting their folly in provoking the enmity of the dangerous " 1066." A grim and desperate battle of wits follows, with Conquest keeping just one move ahead of death until the final dramatic showdown. A rousing and up-to-the-minute thriller. British Publishing History: 1st Collins, Jun-61, 192pp, 10s/6d |
42 Call Conquest For Danger (1961)
WHEN, late one evening, a mysterious caller on the telephone begs Norman Conquest to come to the aid of the party, he responds at once, and finds himself pitchforked into bad trouble. He finds that no such appeal for help emanated from the address given ; and he narrowly escapes being knifed. By an adroit move he gets the better of the would-be killer, and when he encounters a beautiful Scottish girl named Suzanne Macdonald, he finds that the person in danger is her fiancé, James Britton, a highly respect-able young banker. The trail leads to a disreputable eating house in Notting Hill, and to two tough American gangsters, with whom Britton seems to be entangled. Some fast work on Conquest's part so, unnerves these men that they contact their boss, one of New York's most powerful and dangerous racketeers. Norman Conquest and his lively wife whisk off to New York to carry on the fight. Here, it is a race against time, and the way in which the re-doubtable young Trouble Hunter carries the battle right into the enemy's camp is punched home with all the speed and brilliance that Mr. Berkeley Gray has led his readers to expect. British Publishing History: 1st Collins, Nov-61, 192pp, 12s/6d 2nd Collins, Jun-64, 192pp, 8s/6d Paperback Four Square Books, Feb-63, 192pp, 2s/6d |
43 Conquest in the Underworld (1962)
NORMAN CONQUEST, always on the alert for adventure spiced with danger, finds more than enough to satisfy even his trouble-hunting urge when he goes to the rescue of an airman who has baled out of his blazing plane. For the airman falls into the grounds of Ashingdon Manor, a stately home in Surrey, and then disappears as though the earth has swallowed him up. This is the starting point of an exploit which takes Conquest and his wife into an underworld of strange and sinister mystery. What is the secret of the weird and apparently meaningless granite structures in the grounds of Ashingdon Manor, erected by an eccentric American millionaire, now dead ? After a ruthless attempt on his life, Conquest gets tough, and the way in which he harries and hounds his enemies until he finally defeats them is told with breath-taking speed and in Berkeley Gray's well-known lighthearted and racy style. British Publishing History: 1st Collins, Jul-62, 192pp, 12s/6d 2nd Collins, Feb-64, 192pp, 8s/6d |
44 Count Down for Conquest (1963)
COULD anything be more respectable and sedate than the Chelsea Flower Show ? Not, apparently, when Norman Conquest takes young Pixie to see the exhibits ! It is just the cussedness of things that a clergyman gets stabbed in the back by a pretty, dark-haired girl in the big marquee—and that Conquest's trained and alert eye, alone of all the eyes in the crowd, spots this act of mayhem. It is only natural that the reckless young adventurer should interest himself in the mysterious affair—and he and his elfin-faced little wife are soon plunged into a gathering crescendo of additional crime. The trail unexpectedly leads to a young Italian girl, freshly arrived in London from the Adriatic coast, and caught in a mesh of sinister villainy. How Conquest finds this lead provides tense and exciting reading—particularly as he comes one of the worst croppers of his hectic career. It is this painful episode which arouses the young Trouble Hunter to volcanic action, and he throws himself into the fight with dire and disastrous results to his enemies. The final trap is a typical example of Conquest's uncanny ability to turn the tables on the ungodly at the moment when they least expect it—to the astonished and grudging admiration of his old friendly-enemy, Superintendent Bill Williams, of Scotland Yard. British Publishing History: 1st Collins, May-63, 192pp, 12s/6d |
45 Castle Conquest (1964)
WHEN Norman Conquest goes on to the roof garden of his Park Lane penthouse at five-thirty in the morning, his observations from the roof of Conquest Court have startling results; he is immediately thrown into one of his most exciting and dangerous adventures. Saving the lovely film star, Catherine Lincoln, from determined criminals is a mere preliminary to a fast-moving running fight against ruthless professional gangsters. Bombs and poison are two of the unpleasant methods adopted by the ungodly, and Conquest enjoys himself immensely as he out-wits these attempts on his life. Finally, within the crumbling walls of a half-ruined Dorsetshire castle, he fights the last battle, aided by his faithful troops—to wit, his charming little wife, Joy, and his henchman Mandeville Livingstone. This new, gripping and light-hearted suspense novel will delight the many fans of Norman Conquest and Berkeley Gray. British Publishing History: 1st Collins, Jan-64, 192pp, 12s/6d |
46 Conquest Overboard (1964)
A WASP—and a dying wasp at that—is sufficient to start Norman Conquest off on one of his most intriguing adventures. Attracted by the lithe, graceful walk of an unknown blonde girl, the lawless Norman is astonished to find himself saving her from a killer's knife. What connection can there be between this mystery girl and the surprising appearance of a so-called flying saucer on a long-abandoned airfield in Hampshire? Conquest, always ready to hunt for trouble, finds a very direct connection, and he is thereafter engaged in a breathless battle of wits with a ruthless and determined opposition. A violent storm at sea, with the irrepressible Norman getting himself thrown overboard, leads up to a thrilling climax—in which Joy, his plucky little wife, takes a vitally important part. This exciting story is Berkeley Gray at his best. British Publishing History: 1st Collins, Nov-64, 192pp, 13s/6d |
47 Calamity Conquest (1965)
WHEN Norman Conquest unexpectedly inherits an old country house in Spain, mysterious things happen. But strange things have already happened in London—such as the attempt, by persons unknown, to frame Conquest for a bullion robbery. Then there is the Spanish girl who makes an appointment with Conquest at a quiet Kensington hotel—with tragic results. It becomes apparent that these persons un-known are desperately anxious to keep Conquest away from Spain and his surprising legacy. Before he and his wife Joy can reach the villa their car is held up by a trick on the road from Barcelona to Sitges. They meet the famous Egyptologist, Professor Septimus Merryweather, who also has an interest in the Villa Rosa Conchita. No sooner are the Conquests in residence than they stalk a mysterious intruder, who gets in despite the fact that every door and window is fitted with a foolproof burglar alarm. Thereafter, the pace increases. Even the hardened Conquest is staggered by certain bewildering discoveries. More surprises follow, and the dramatic action leads to a thrill-packed climax. British Publishing History: 1st Collins, Feb-65, 192pp, 13s/6d Paperback Five Star Paperback, 1973, 192pp, 25p |
48 Conquest Likes It Hot (1965)
WHEN Norman Conquest takes a leap off Westminster Bridge at midnight it is not because he fancies a swim in the Thames, but to save the life of a woman who doesn't want it. The shock he gets when he sees what he has rescued is enough to give even the iron-nerved Conquest sleepless nights, and he decides that further drastic action is urgently required. This is what marks the beginning of one of the strangest adventures he has ever encountered, and he soon finds himself at war with a determined and ruthless enemy. But Conquest likes it hot, and he reacts with his usual dare-devil coolness. After two vicious attempts on his life he follows the trail to far-off Cumberland—his own boyhood country—and among the fells he discovers a situation which calls for all his skill and ingenuity—particularly as his beautiful young cousin, Rowena Conquest, is in grave danger, and in need of immediate help. What he uncovers in this remote and peaceful spot is extraordinary. He has to abandon his customary fighting methods and resort to guile and cunning. A change for the lawless young trouble-hunter, but one in which he revels with all his brilliant enterprise. British Publishing History: 1st Collins, Sep-65, 192pp, 13s/6d |
49 Curtains For Conquest? (1966)
When a prominent young nuclear scientist, with the aggressive nature and massive physique of an all-in wrestler, objects to being protected by security guards, he starts a nation-wide alarm which involves Norman Conquest in arrest at the hands of Superintendent Bill Williams, of Scotland Yard. Incensed by this officious blundering, Conquest acts on his own initiative, and, assisted by his charming little wife, and his ex-tramp Man Friday, he picks up a hot trail—only to find himself pitted, absolutely alone, against a whole shipload of enemies, headed by the sinister and powerful Maximilian Zagora. It looks like Curtains for Conquest, indeed—until the enterprising young adventurer adroitly turns the tables by unique methods of his own ingenious invention. Thereafter the pace becomes so hectic that even the swashbuckling Conquest is more than satisfied. We are sure that readers of this typically racy Berkeley Gray thriller will be equally satisfied. British Publishing History: 1st Collins, 1966, 192pp, 13s/6d |
50 Conquest Calls the Tune (1968)
(by Frances Brooks and Lionel Brooks) Was it fate or his famous sixth sense which led Norman Conquest to stop at Alf Mercer's garage at midnight, only to find the friendly All battered almost unconscious? From then on, the trouble hunting " 1066 " finds him-self engulfed in a powerful protection racket, strewing battle, murder and sudden death in its wake. Who is the mysterious master mind of this band of strong-arm men? Vicious attempts are made on Conquest's life, but when Joy, his lovely little wife and partner, is kid-napped, he goes for the ungodly as though he were jet-propelled. Mandy, his ex-tramp Man Friday is there to help, with Superintendent Bill Williams, of Scotland Yard, but-ting in as usual. The pace becomes fast and furious, working up to an exciting climax which grips the reader to the very last line. British Publishing History: 1st Robert Hale, 1968, 190pp, 16s |
51 Conquest In Ireland (1969)
(by Lionel Brooks) Had the dare-devil adventurer Norman Con-quest and his charming wife, Joy, not been unexpectedly presented with an umbrella on the flight from Cannes, their holiday at Kilmullen in Ireland might have been calm and uneventful. As it is, Norman and Joy are soon plunged into one of the most perilous adventures of their lives. An ancient Irish castle, a Texas oil millionaire and smuggled art treasures all play their part, as well as a vicious nest of crooks. Once again the swashbuckling Conquest finds himself dicing with danger and the threat of sudden death, aided and abetted by Joy and his ever-faithful henchman, Mandeville Livingstone. British Publishing History: 1st Robert Hale, Apr-69, 192pp, 18s |