The Hooded Gunman

The Hooded Gunman was the sinister figure who, having appeared in various guises on the covers of Collinsâe(tm) various series of Mystery and Detective books in the 1920s, finally gained recognition with the launch of Collinsâe(tm) Crime Club, becoming the definitive imprint stamp on more than 2,000 books published by that august imprint between 1930 and 1994. From Agatha Christie to Reginald Hill, the Hooded Gunman was a guarantee of a first-class crime novel for almost 65 years, and those books are now as sought after and collectable and almost any other book series, with many commanding high prices and almost impossible to find.

In the year that Collins âe” the publisher founded by William Collins in Glasgow in 1819 âe” is enjoying its 200th birthday, this book celebrates probably its most famous publishing imprint. Written and researched by Agatha Christie writer, expert and archivist Dr John Curran, this sumptuous coffee table book looks back at the history of the Crime Club and its authors, showing the jackets of every book published by the imprint over seven decades, and the descriptive âe~blurbsâe(tm) of every book, running to more than 350,000 words.

With facts, figures and lists, and drawing on rare archival photos, correspondence and marketing materials, it is the first time that anyone has attempted to chronicle the publishing of the Crime Club âe” the ultimate book for fans of crime fiction and also of twentieth century book jacket design.

The Hooded Gunman won the H.R.F. Keating Award for best 2019 biography or critical book related to crime fiction, and was also nominated for an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America.