Hutchinson Publicity Material

What Dennis Wheatley thought of his own books

Dennis Wheatley was a very candid author, and wrote interesting critiques of his own output. These can be found not only in his autobiography but also in a few inscribed copies of his books.

I’ve collated below those opinions I have come across.

If anyone has anything they can add to the list, I would be most grateful if they would contact me

Note : The date shown in the ‘Comment in’ column is the date of the edition in which the comment has been inscribed. Sometimes the comment may have been written some time after the publication of the book.

DAI = ‘Drink and Ink’

Title	First published	Comment in	Comment
The Forbidden Territory	1933	Inscribed 1st of Three Inquisitive People (1940) – see also below	A much better book [than Three Inquisitive People]
		DAI p113	I thought it much better than my murder story [i.e. Three Inquisitive People] and Hutchinsons agreed
Such Power is Dangerous	1933	Inscribed 7th Thousand (circa 1936)	This is I think my worst book yet but some people who like straight gangster stuff thought it not too bad
Old Rowley	1933	DAI p119	A very light biography of that clever and lovable King
Black August	1934	Inscribed 1st	This is really good
The Fabulous Valley	1934	DAI p131	Although the book sold well, I never thought much of it. One reviewer said rightly: ‘Mr Wheatley should make up his mind whether he is going to write a thriller or a guide-book’
The Devil Rides Out	1934	Inscribed 1st	This is a good one
		Inscribed 136th Thousand (circa 1948)	Published 1935 & quite a classic now. 1954.
They Found Atlantis	1936	DAI p142	One of the best I have ever written
Uncharted Seas	1938	Inscribed 1st	Not a patch on They Found Atlantis
The Golden Spaniard	1938	Inscribed 1952edn	A very good story. The four friends being on opposite sides was taken from Dumas "Twenty Years After"
		DAI p154	The book .... is one of the best I have ever written
The Quest of Julian Day	1939	Letter to his friend Loder Downing dated 11.03.39	(I) agree not up to the standard of the Golden Spaniard. I was a bit tired when I sat down to Julian Day
The Scarlet Impostor	1940	DAI p169	One hundred and seventy two thousand words in seven weeks and one of the best books I have ever written
		DAI p175	I thought The Scarlet Impostor the best book I had ever written
Three Inquisitive People	1939/1940	DW’s first written book. Those Modern Musketeers (1939) p xiv	... I do not consider it up to the standard of my other books
		Inscribed 1st ( 1940)	M.S. accepted by Hutchinson for publication in 1932, But I had by then written The Forbidden Territory, a much better book and I had that published instead. D.W.'
The Black Baroness	1940	Inscribed 1st	The best of my Gregory Sallust War Stories
		Inscribed 1st	If not the best, certainly one of the best of my Gregory Sallust stories
Strange Conflict	1941	DAI p 214	How, during that winter, with Total War, After the Battle, and all these other activities on my hands, I ever managed to write it I cannot now imagine.
V for Vengeance	1942	Inscribed 1st	Not one of my best Gregory Sallust stories
Come into my Parlour	1946	Inscribed 1st	One of my best Gregory Sallust stories
The Haunting of Toby Jugg	1948	Inscribed 1st	Many people say that although there is little action in this tale it has more suspense than any other occult story I have ever written.
		Inscribed 1st	Perhaps not as exciting as some of my other occult stories, but a pretty good study of the psychology of fear.
The Second Seal	1950	Inscribed 1st	One of my best books - covering a wonderfull (sic) period.
		DAI p252	I consider it my best book
The Man Who Killed the King	1951	Inscribed 1st	The best of my Roger Brook stories
Curtain of Fear	1953	Inscribed 1st	[in his wife’s copy] One of my worst books !
The Dark Secret of Josephine	1955	Inscribed 1st	A good Roger Brook story but not up to "The man who killed the King"
Dangerous Inheritance	1965	Inscribed 1st	I think the Duke's ruse to save his friends makes a really good end to his [fascinating career] (last two words indistinct)
They Used Dark Forces	1964	Inscribed galley proof	Perhaps the best of the Gregory Sallust series
Evil in a Mask	1969	Inscribed 1st	This is the 9th of my Roger Brook series. Poor Roger got into a fine mess, owing to his enforced trip to Brazil; but the end of the story is a good one.