Ernest Robertson Punshon (born East Dulwich, London 25 June 1872 – died Streatham, London 23 October 1956) was an English novelist and literary critic of the early to mid 20th century. He also wrote under the pseudonyms Robertson Halkett and Robertson Halket.[1] Primarily writing on
crime and deduction, he enjoyed some literary success in the 1930s and 1940s. Today, he is remembered, in the main, as the creator of Police Constable Bobby Owen, the protagonist of many of Punshon's novels, who was eventually promoted to sergeant, inspector, superintendent and, finally, commander. A popular Scotland Yard detective, Owen appeared in 35 novels from 1933 to 1956. Punshon reviewed many of
Agatha Christie's novels for The Guardian on their first publication.[2] Punshon was also a prolific writer of short stories, and a selection of his crime and horror fiction has recently been collected together.[3]
Novels
Stand-alone
Earth's Great Lord (1901)
Constance West (1905)
’’Ensnared: The Mystery of the Iron Room (1905). Serialised, Scraps
’’Mr Nugent’’ (1906)
Rhoda in Between (1906)
The Mystery of Lady Isobel (1906)
The Choice (1908)
’’The Spin of the Coin, or Love Conquers Crime’’ (1909). Serialised, Hartlepool Daily Mail
Footprints in Red. Serialised: Staffordshire Sentinel (1931) (This would appear to be a serialisation of "Proof, Counter Proof")
The Cottage Murder (1932)
Genius in Murder (1932)
Truth Came Out (1932)
Short stories
God's Will. Pearson's Magazine, August 1899
Priscilla and the Duke. Cassell's Magazine, October 1903
Veronica’s Captuve. The Idler, November 1903
The Brantingham Ghost. Cassell's Magazine, December 1903
Sir Harry's Wager. Royal Magazine, May 1904
The Little Red Devil. The Smart Set, August 1904. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
Two Gentlemen in Armour. Cassell's Magazine, November 1904
A Bit of Gossip. The Bystander, 1 August 1906
’’Annabel Fights’’. Grand Magazine, March 1907
’’An Old Time Love Story’’. Midland Counties Tribune, 16 March 1907
’’Professor Kenyon’s Engagement’’. Cassell’s, May 1907
’’A Seaside Singer’’. Weekly Irish Times, 25 May 1907
’’The Alphabet Toast’’. The Idler, October 1907
A Fairy Visit. The Sphere, 27 December 1913
Blind Trails. Flynn's, July–August 1925
Too Late for His Hat and Coat. Best Detective Magazine, November 1934
The Living Stone. Cornhill Magazine, September 1939. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
Good Beginning. MacKill's Mystery Magazine, October 1952 (Owen). Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
Dead Man's Hand. MacKill's Mystery Magazine, April 1953. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
Find the Lady. MacKill's Mystery Magazine, May 1953. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
The Tide Runs Strongly. MacKill's Mystery Magazine, August 1954 (Owen). Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
Three Sovereigns for a Corpse. The Saint Detective Magazine, April 1955 (Owen). Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
A Study in the Obvious (Owen). Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
Making Sure (Owen). Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
The Haunted Chessmen. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
Black Magic. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
The Long Lane. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
The Last Ascent. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
From Beyond the Barrier. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
The Unknown Quantity. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
The Elixir of Life. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
The Miracle Worker. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
My Day of Vengeance. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
The Camp Fire. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
Lady Betty and the Burglars. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
The Avenging Phonograph. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
References
^"E. R. Punshon". Crime and Mystery Fiction. Retrieved 26 April 2012.
Ernest Robertson Punshon (born East Dulwich, London 25 June 1872 – died Streatham, London 23 October 1956) was an English novelist and literary critic of the early to mid 20th century. He also wrote under the pseudonyms Robertson Halkett and Robertson Halket.[1] Primarily writing on
crime and deduction, he enjoyed some literary success in the 1930s and 1940s. Today, he is remembered, in the main, as the creator of Police Constable Bobby Owen, the protagonist of many of Punshon's novels, who was eventually promoted to sergeant, inspector, superintendent and, finally, commander. A popular Scotland Yard detective, Owen appeared in 35 novels from 1933 to 1956. Punshon reviewed many of
Agatha Christie's novels for The Guardian on their first publication.[2] Punshon was also a prolific writer of short stories, and a selection of his crime and horror fiction has recently been collected together.[3]
Novels
Stand-alone
Earth's Great Lord (1901)
Constance West (1905)
’’Ensnared: The Mystery of the Iron Room (1905). Serialised, Scraps
’’Mr Nugent’’ (1906)
Rhoda in Between (1906)
The Mystery of Lady Isobel (1906)
The Choice (1908)
’’The Spin of the Coin, or Love Conquers Crime’’ (1909). Serialised, Hartlepool Daily Mail
Footprints in Red. Serialised: Staffordshire Sentinel (1931) (This would appear to be a serialisation of "Proof, Counter Proof")
The Cottage Murder (1932)
Genius in Murder (1932)
Truth Came Out (1932)
Short stories
God's Will. Pearson's Magazine, August 1899
Priscilla and the Duke. Cassell's Magazine, October 1903
Veronica’s Captuve. The Idler, November 1903
The Brantingham Ghost. Cassell's Magazine, December 1903
Sir Harry's Wager. Royal Magazine, May 1904
The Little Red Devil. The Smart Set, August 1904. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
Two Gentlemen in Armour. Cassell's Magazine, November 1904
A Bit of Gossip. The Bystander, 1 August 1906
’’Annabel Fights’’. Grand Magazine, March 1907
’’An Old Time Love Story’’. Midland Counties Tribune, 16 March 1907
’’Professor Kenyon’s Engagement’’. Cassell’s, May 1907
’’A Seaside Singer’’. Weekly Irish Times, 25 May 1907
’’The Alphabet Toast’’. The Idler, October 1907
A Fairy Visit. The Sphere, 27 December 1913
Blind Trails. Flynn's, July–August 1925
Too Late for His Hat and Coat. Best Detective Magazine, November 1934
The Living Stone. Cornhill Magazine, September 1939. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
Good Beginning. MacKill's Mystery Magazine, October 1952 (Owen). Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
Dead Man's Hand. MacKill's Mystery Magazine, April 1953. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
Find the Lady. MacKill's Mystery Magazine, May 1953. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
The Tide Runs Strongly. MacKill's Mystery Magazine, August 1954 (Owen). Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
Three Sovereigns for a Corpse. The Saint Detective Magazine, April 1955 (Owen). Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
A Study in the Obvious (Owen). Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
Making Sure (Owen). Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
The Haunted Chessmen. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
Black Magic. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
The Long Lane. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
The Last Ascent. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
From Beyond the Barrier. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
The Unknown Quantity. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
The Elixir of Life. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
The Miracle Worker. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
My Day of Vengeance. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
The Camp Fire. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
Lady Betty and the Burglars. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
The Avenging Phonograph. Collected in Bobby Owen, Black Magic, Bloodshed & Burglary: Selected Short Stories of E. R. Punshon
References
^"E. R. Punshon". Crime and Mystery Fiction. Retrieved 26 April 2012.