Roy Glashan's Library
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Irish barrister and author of detective and mystery stories Bodkin was appointed a judge in County Clare and also served as a Nationalist member of Parliament. His native country and years in the courtroom are recalled in the autobiographical Recollections of an Irish Judge (1914).
Bodkin's witty stories, collected in Dora Myrl, the Lady Detective (1900) and Paul Beck, the Rule of Thumb Detective (1898), have been unjustly neglected.
Beck, his first detective (when he first appeared in print in Pearson's Magazine in 1897, he was named "Alfred Juggins"), claims to be not very bright, saying, "I just go by the rule of thumb, and muddle and puzzle out my cases as best I can."
...In The Capture of Paul Beck (1909) he and Dora begin on opposite sides in a case, but in the end they are married. They have a son who solves a crime at his university in Young Beck, a Chip Off the Old Block (1911).
Other Bodkin books are The Quests of Paul Beck (1908), Pigeon Blood Rubies (1915), and Guilty or Not Guilty? (1929).
— Encyclopedia of Mystery and Detection, Steinbrunner & Penzler, 1976.
* The Adventures of Mr. Alfred Juggins (Paul Beck) (Pearson's Weekly series) (qv) Contains the stories: 01. The Vanishing Diamonds (23 Jan 1897) 02. By a Hair's Breadth (30 Jan 1897) 03. Murder by Proxy (6 Feb 1897) 04. Greased Lightning (13 Feb 1897) 05. The Dog and the Doctor (20 Feb 1897) 06. The Poisoner (27 Feb 1897) 07. Under His Own Hand (6 Mar 1897) 08. The Slip Knot (13 Mar 1897) 09. The Miniature Halter (20 Mar 1897) 10. The Two Kings (3 Apr 1897) 11. Cabinet Secrets (10 Apr 1897) 12. The Slump in Silver (17 Apr 1897) Collected as Paul Beck, The Rule of Thumb Detective, C. Arthur Pearson, London, 1898 * "Attention!" (story) The Royal Magazine, #34, Aug 1901 * The Baffling of Baffles [Paul Beck] (story) The Story-teller, #23, Feb 1909 Short Stories, April 1918 * A Bear Squeeze: or Her Second Self (novel?) Co-authors: Harold Copping and Margaret Bodkin Ward, Lock & Company Limited, London, 1901 * The Beck-Myrl Family Omnibus Shelburne, Ontarion : Battered Silicon Dispatch Box, 1999 Contents: 1. Paul Beck, the Rule of Thumb Detective 2. Dora Myrl, the Lady Detective 3. The Quests of Paul Beck 4. The Capture of Paul Beck 5. Young Beck: A Chip of the Old Block 6. Pigeon Blood Rubies 7. Paul Beck, Detective * Behind the Picture (collection of love stories) Ward, Lock & Company, 1914 * A Bird of Prey [Paul Beck] (story) The Novel Magazine, #112, Jul 1914 Collected in Paul Beck, Detective, Talbot Press, Dublin, 1929 * Blessed Bernadette (booklet) The Irish Messenger, Dublin, 1929 * Bluff (story) The Royal Magazine, #20, Jun 1900 * A Bolt from the Blue (story) The Journal. Adelaide, Australia, 8 Feb 1919 * Borrowed Days (novel) Browne & Nolan, Dublin, 1942 * By a Hair's Breadth [Paul Beck] (story) Pearson's Weekly, 30 Jan 1897 Short Stories, Jun 1917 * Cabinet Secrets [Paul Beck] (story) Pearson's Weekly, 10 Apr 1897 Short Stories, October 1917 Collected in Paul Beck, The Rule of Thumb Detective, C. Arthur Pearson, London, 1898 * The Capture of Paul Beck (novel) T. Fisher Unwin, London, 1909 Little, Brown, & Company, Boston, 1911 Chapter Titles: 01. A Proposal 02. A Friend in Need 03. Boom and Crash 04. A Rescue 05. A Transformation 06. Lost And Found 07. A Rich Revenge 08. Attack 09. Defence 10. The Signed Photograph 11. To The Rescue 12. A False Alarm 13. Turning the Tables 14. A Warning 15. "Love's Young Dream" 16. A Game of Bridge 17. An Armistice 18. Plotting 19. Counter-Plotting 20. An Encounter 21. Outwitted 22. Triumphant 23. A Truce 24. A Woman's Will 25. Trapped 26. In a Hurry * The Casebook of Paul Beck. See Paul Beck, Detective * The Choice of Weapons (story) Pan: The Fiction Magazine, #6, Dec 1921 * A Considered Judgement: A Report (booklet) Talbot Press, Dublin, 1921 * The Consolation Stakes (story) The Royal Magazine, #48, Oct 1902 * Counsel and Culprit (story) The Harmsworth London Magazine, Aug 1901 * Cupid in a Bunker (story) The Novel Magazine, #68, Nov 1910 * The Dead Hand [Paul Beck] (story) The Novel Magazine, #109, Apr 1914 Collected in Paul Beck, Detective, Talbot Press, Dublin, 1929 * Diamond Cut Diamond (story) The Western Mail, Perth. Australia 3 Dec 1931 * The Dog and the Doctor [Paul Beck] (story) Pearson's Weekly, 20 Feb 1897 Short Stories, Mar 1918 Collected in Paul Beck, The Rule of Thumb Detective, C. Arthur Pearson, London, 1898 * A Dog's Death [Paul Beck] (story) The Novel Magazine, #148, Jul 1917 Collected in Paul Beck, Detective, Talbot Press, Dublin, 1929 * Dora Myrl — The Lady Detective (collection) Chatto & Windus, London, 1900 Contains the stories: 01. The False Heir and the True 02. The Hidden Violin 03. How He Cut His Stick 04. The Palmist 05. The Last Shall Be First 06. Clue 07. A Railway Race 08. The Pauper's Legacy 09. Was it a Forgery? 10. Hide and Seek 11. Weighed and Found Wanting 12. The Wings of a Bird * The Dream and the Waking [Paul Beck] (story) The Novel Magazine, #146, May 1917 Collected in Paul Beck, Detective, Talbot Press, Dublin, 1929 * Driven Home [Paul Beck] (story) The Royal Magazine, #108, Oct 1907 * A Drop Of Blood (story) The Age, Melbourne, Australia, 8 Jan 1926 * Drowned Diamonds [Paul Beck] (story) The Royal Magazine, #103, May 1907 * The Electric Trap [Paul Beck] (story) The Detective Magazine, #21, 31 Aug 1923 * The Eye of the Microscope [Paul Beck] (story) The Detective Magazine, #13, 11 May 1923 * Famous Irish Trials (non-fiction) James Duffy, Dublin, 1928 * Find the Forger (story) The Saturday Journal, Adelaide, Australia, 17 Nov 1928 * The Fortune-Teller (story) The Royal Magazine, #15, Jan 1900 Everybody's Magazine, Mar 1900 * Golf for Duffers, (??) Fry's Magazine, #67, Oct 1909 * The Grand Slam (story) The Smart Set, May 1911 * Greased Lightning [Paul Beck] (story) Pearson's Weekly, 13 Feb 1897 Short Stories, Dec 1917 Collected in Paul Beck, The Rule of Thumb Detective, C. Arthur Pearson, London, 1898 * Halt, Invader! (non-fiction) Browne & Nolan, Dublin, 1940 * Her Second Self (novel?) See A Bear Squeeze: or Her Second Self * His Brother's Keeper (novel?) Hurst & Blackett, London, 1913 * His Hand and Seal [Paul Beck] (story) The Royal Magazine, #111, Jan 1908 * Hunt the Hare: A Humorous Play in Two Scenes James Duffy, Dublin, 1926 * In Defence of the Detective Story (article) The Detective Magazine, #62, 27 Mar 1925 * In the Days of Goldsmith (historical novel?) John Long, London, 1903 * In Safe Keeping (story) The Herald (Tamworth), 30 May 1931 * Irish Characters and Irish Wit (article) The Strand Magazine, #302, Feb 1916 * Kitty the Madcap. A Romance of To-day Talbot Press, Dublin, 1927 * Laughter in Court, (ar) Pearson's Magazine, #287, Nov 1919 * The Leaden Casket [Paul Beck] (story) The Detective Magazine #14, 25 May 1923 Collected in Paul Beck, Detective, Talbot Press, Dublin, 1929 * The Locked Door [Paul Beck] (story) The Royal Magazine, #141, Jul 1910 * Lord Edward Fitzgerald: An Historical Romance Phoenix, Dublin, 1986? * Lord Edward: A Tragedy in Five Acts, Four Scenes (play) James Duffy, Dublin, 1918 * The Lottery; A Comedy in One Act James Duffy, Dublin, 1927 * A Madcap Marriage (novel) John Long, London, 1906 * The Matchmaker (story) The World's News, Sydney, Australia, 29 Jun 1918 * The Miniature Halter (story) Pearson's Weekly, 20 Mar 1897 Collected in Paul Beck, The Rule of Thumb Detective, C. Arthur Pearson, London, 1898 * A Modern Miracle (novel?) Co-Authors: Henry Austin and Margaret Bodkin Ward, Lock & Company, London, 1902 * A Modern Robyn Hood (book) Ward, Lock & Co., London, 1903 Contains the stories: Run to Win (no further data found) * Murder by Proxy [Paul Beck], (nv) Pearson's Weekly, 6 Feb 1897 Short Stories, Jan 1918 * The Murder on the Golf Links [Paul Beck] (story) The Royal Magazine, #105, Jul 1907 * My Best Story — A Wrong Turning (story) The Novel Magazine, #27, Jun 1907 * The New Departure in Catholic Liberal Education (non-fiction) Gill, Dublin, 1878 * Old Rowley (novel) Co-author: Margaret Bodkin Holden & Hardingham Limited, London, 1916 * Only a Voice (story) The World's News, Sydney, Australia, 13 Mar 1920 * Overruled (story) The Canadian Magazine, Sep 1922 * The Passion of Mary (booklet) Clonmore & Reynolds, Dublin, 1962 Burns & Oates, London, 1962 * Patsey the Omadaun (novel) Chatto & Windus, London, 1904 * Paul Beck, Detective (collection) Talbot Press, Dublin, 1929 Black Heath Editions, 2019, as The Casebook of Paul Beck Contains the Stories 01. The Leaden Casket 02. The Pearl in the Pill Box 03. Two Penny Stamps 04. A Wedding Tragedy 05. The Phoenix 06. A Dog's Death 07. The Dream and the Waking 08. The Dead Hand 09. A Snapshot 10. A Bird of Prey * Paul Beck, The Rule of Thumb Detective (book) C. Arthur Pearson, London, 1898 First published in Pearson's Weekly as The Adventures of Mr. Alfred Juggins Contains the stories: 01. The Vanishing Diamonds 02. The Miniature Halter 03. By a Hair's Breadth 04. Murder by Proxy 05. Greased Lightning 06. The Dog and the Doctor 07. Under His Own Hand 08. The Poisoner 09. The Slip Knot 10. The Slump in Silver 11. Cabinet Secrets 12. The Two Kings * The Pearl in the Pill Box [Paul Beck] (story) The Novel Magazine, #147, Jun 1917 Collected in Paul Beck, Detective, Talbot Press, Dublin, 1929 * The Phoenix [Paul Beck] (story) The Novel Magazine, #108, Mar 1914 Collected in Paul Beck, Detective, Talbot Press, Dublin, 1929 * Peggy Dillon, the Midwife, and the Brave Mr. Balfour (pamphlet) W.P. Swan, Dublin, 1889 * Pigeon-Blood Rubies [Paul Beck] (novel) Eveleigh Nash, London, 1915 Detective Story Magazine, 5 Jun-5 Aug 1916 (5 parts) Chapter Titles: 01. Sudden Death 02. "Like Father, Like Son" 03. A Discovery 04. Suicide or Murder? 05. Again 06. A Trap 07. The Arrest 08. Committed 09. Temptation and Evasion 10. Alex as a Detective 11. The Clues Accumulate 12. Free 13. Son and Heir 14. A Motiveless Murder 15. Lord Wickham 16. The Black Pearls 17. A Thief in the Night 18. On the Track 19. Death and Desertion 20. Peter's Guardian Devil 21. A Fascinating Danger 22. Failure, Flight and Fall 23. A Pantomime on the Golf Links 24. A Disconcerting Resemblance 25. Lip-Reading 26. The Awaking of Love 27. Rosie Finds Her Father 28. The Time at Hand 29. Algernon Is Turned Down 30. The Ordeal of Algernon 31. Beck Meets With an Accident 32. Peter Disappears 33. "The Game Is Up!" 34. A Candid Scoundrel 35. Way Out * The Poisoner [Paul Beck] (story) Pearson's Weekly, 27 Feb 1897 Short Stories, Feb 1918 Collected in Paul Beck, The Rule of Thumb Detective, C. Arthur Pearson, London, 1898 * Poteen Punch (collection) Irish after-dinner stories (mostly from Christmas numbers of United Ireland M.H. Gill, Dublin, 1890 * The Quests of Paul Beck (The Royal Magazine series) Contains the stories: 01. The Voice from the Dead (Mar 1907) 02. Trifles Light as Air (Apr 1907) 03. Drowned Diamonds (May 1907) 04. The Spanish Prisoner (Jun 1907) 05. The Murder on the Golf Links (Jul 1907) 06. The Rape of the Ruby (Aug 1907) 07.The Ship's Run (Sep 1907) 08. Driven Home (Oct 1907) 09. 'Twixt the Devil and the Deep Sea (Nov 1907) 10. The Unseen Hand (Dec 1907) 11. His Hand and Seal (Jan 1908) 12. Quick Work (Feb 1908) * The Quests of Paul Beck (book) T. Fischer Unwin, London, 1908 Contains the stories: 01. The Voice from the Dead 02. Trifles Light as Air 03. Drowned Diamonds 04. The Spanish Prisoner 05. The Murder on the Golf Links 06. The Rape of the Ruby 07. The Ship's Run 08. Driven Home 09. 'Twixt the Devil and the Deep Sea 10. The Unseen Hand 11. His Hand and Seal 12. Quick Work * Quick Work [Paul Beck] (story) The Royal Magazine, #112, Feb 1908 Collected in The Quests of Paul Beck, T. Fischer Unwin, London, 1908 * The Rape of the Ruby [Paul Beck] (story) The Royal Magazine, #106, Aug 1907 Short Stories Sep 1917, as "The Ravished Ruby" Collected in The Quests of Paul Beck, T. Fischer Unwin, London, 1908 * The Ravished Ruby [Paul Beck] (story) The Royal Magazine, #106, Aug 1907, as "The Rape of the Ruby" Short Stories, Sep 1917 Collected as "The Rape of the Ruby" in The Quests of Paul Beck, T. Fischer Unwin, London, 1908 * The Rebels: A Romance of Ireland in 1798 (novel) Talbot Press, Dublin, 1921 * Recollections of an Irish Judge (autobiography) Hurst & Blackett, London, 1914 Dodd, Mead, New York, 1914 * The Rod and the Ring (story) The Grand Magazine, #89, Jul 1912 * Run to Win (story) A Modern Robyn Hood, Ward, Lock & Co., London, 1903 The Monthly Story Magazine, Jun 1906 * Safe Bind, Safe Find (story) The Chronicle, Adelaide, Australia 19 Sep 1929 * Science or Superstition (article) The Cornhill Magazine, #297, Mar 1921 * Shillelagh and Shamrock (novel?) Chatte & Windus, London, 1902. * The Ship's Run [Paul Beck] (story) The Royal Magazine #107, Sep 1907 Collected in The Quests of Paul Beck, T. Fischer Unwin, London, 1908 * A Singular Duel (story) The Royal Magazine #31, May 1901 * The Slip Knot (story) Pearson's Weekly, 13 Mar 1897 Collected in Paul Beck, The Rule of Thumb Detective, C. Arthur Pearson, London, 1898 * The Slump in Silver (story) Pearson's Weekly, 17 Apr 1897 Collected in Paul Beck, The Rule of Thumb Detective, C. Arthur Pearson, London, 1898 * A Snapshot [Paul Beck] (story) The Novel Magazine, #111, Jun 1914 Collected in Paul Beck, Detective, Talbot Press, Dublin, 1929 * The Sniper Sniped (story) The Royal Magazine, #224, Jun 1917 * So Much Excellence: The Life of Saint John de Brébeuf, S.J. (booklet) The Irish Messenger, Dublin, 1950 * The Spanish Prisoner [Paul Beck] (story) The Royal Magazine, #104, Jun 1907 Collected in The Quests of Paul Beck, T. Fischer Unwin, London, 1908 * A Stolen Life (collection of Irish stories) Co-authors Frances A.E. Ewan and Margaret Bodkin Ward Lock & Company Limited, London, 1899 * The Test (novel?) Everett & Company, London, 1914 * The Torpedo (story) The World's News, Sydney, Australia, 13 Oct 1923 * Trifles Light as Air [Paul Beck] (story) The Royal Magazine, #102, Apr 1907 Collected in The Quests of Paul Beck, T. Fischer Unwin, London, 1908 * A Trip Through the States and a Talk with the President (booklet) James Duffy, Dublin, 1907 * Trueman and Traitor; or The Rising of Emmet (novel) Talbot Press, Dublin, 1921 * 'Twixt the Devil and the Deep Sea [Paul Beck] (story) The Royal Magazine, #109, Nov 1907 Collected in The Quests of Paul Beck, T. Fischer Unwin, London, 1908 * The Two Kings [Paul Beck] (story) Pearson's Weekly, 3 Apr 1897 Short Stories, Jul 1917 Collected in Paul Beck, The Rule of Thumb Detective, C. Arthur Pearson, London, 1898 * Two Penny Stamps [Paul Beck] (story) The Novel Magazine, #110, May 1914 Collected in Paul Beck, Detective, Talbot Press, Dublin, 1929 * Ulster's Opportunity: A United Ireland (booklet) James Duffy & Company Limited, London, 1917 * Under His Own Hand [Paul Beck] (story) Pearson's Weekly, 6 Mar 1897 Short Stories, Aug 1917 Collected in Paul Beck, The Rule of Thumb Detective, C. Arthur Pearson, London, 1898 * The Unseen Hand [Paul Beck] (story) The Royal Magazine, #110, Dec 1907 Collected in The Quests of Paul Beck, T. Fischer Unwin, London, 1908 * The Vanishing Diamonds [Paul Beck] (novelette) Pearson's Weekly, 23 Jan 1897 Short Stories May 1917 Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine (USA), #69, Aug 1949 Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine (Australia), #36, Jun 1950 Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine, Oct 1973 Collected in Paul Beck, The Rule of Thumb Detective, C. Arthur Pearson, London, 1898 * The Voice from the Dead [Paul Beck] (story) The Royal Magazine #101, Mar 1907 Collected in The Quests of Paul Beck, T. Fischer Unwin, London, 1908 * A Wedding Tragedy [Paul Beck] (story) The Novel Magazine, #107, Feb 1914 Collected in Paul Beck, Detective, Talbot Press, Dublin, 1929 * White Magic (novel) Chapman and Hall, London, 1897 * The Will and the Man (story) The Blue Book Magazine May 1907 * A Wrong Turning (story) The Novel Magazine, #27, Jun 1907 The World's News, Sydney, Australia, 27 Jul 1907 * Young Beck: A Chip of the Old Black (episodic novel) T. Fisher Unwin, London, 1911 The Copp Clark Company Limited, Toronto, 1912 Little, Brown & Company, Boston, 1912 24 chapter with 12 stories of 2 chapters each Chapter titles: 01. The Bertram Twins 02. The Grand Slam 03. A Derby Favourite 04. A Close Shave 05. Flight 06. Capture 07. A Panic in Parliament 08. The Understudy 09. Fairy Lilian 10. "Two Are Company" 11. Gertrude's Queer Lover 12. The Locked Door 13. The Blue Diamond 14. Hide and Seek 15. The Finger-Marks on the Cuff 16. The Alibi 17. Death's Threshold 18. Nurse Elinor 19. An Epidemic of Murder 20. In the Grip of the Hypnotist 21. Held Up 22. "Flat Burglary" 23. Margery Says "No" 24. The "Glacier"
Roy Glashan's Library
Non sibi sed omnibus
Go to Home Page