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Books by Victor Canning

Novels, writing as Victor Canning

Mr. Finchley discovers his England, Hodder and Stoughton, 1934. Published in the USA by Reynal and Hitchcock as Mr. Finchley's holiday, 1935.

Polycarp's progress, Hodder and Stoughton, 1935.

Fly away Paul, Hodder and Stoughton, 1936. US edition New York, Reynal & Hitchcock, 1936.

Matthew Silverman, Hodder and Stoughton, 1937.

Mr. Finchley goes to Paris, Hodder and Stoughton, 1938. US edition New York, Carrick and Evans, 1938.

Fountain Inn, Hodder and Stoughton, 1939.

Mr. Finchley takes the road, Hodder and Stoughton, 1940. US edition New York, Carrick and Evans, 1940.

Green battlefield, Hodder and Stoughton, 1943.

The chasm, Hodder and Stoughton, 1947. US edition New York, M. S. Mill Co., 1947.

Panthers' moon, Hodder and Stoughton, 1948. US edition New York, M. S. Mill Co., 1948, re-issued as Hunter’s Moon 1950. Also appeared in comic strip form in Super Detective Library No 58, 1956.

The golden salamander, Hodder and Stoughton, 1949. US edition New York, Mill, 1949. Also appeared in comic strip form in Super Detective Library No 72, 1956. Dales Large Print 2002 edition available.

A forest of eyes, Hodder and Stoughton, 1950. US edition New York, Mill, 1950. Serialised in John Bull in eight parts, 21 January to 11 March 1950. Also appeared as a supplement to the Toronto Star Weekly on 22 July 1950, and in comic strip form in Super Detective Library No 84, 1957.

Venetian bird, Hodder and Stoughton, 1951. Serialised in John Bull in seven parts, 16 June to 27 July 1951. Appeared as a supplement to The Toronto Star Weekly as Bird of prey on 23 December 1950, and published in the USA under that title, New York, M. S. Mill Co. and W. Morrow, 1951. Reprinted by Hodder and Stoughton in 1968 with an introduction by Michael Gilbert. Dales Large Print 2002 edition available.

The House of the Seven Flies, Hodder and Stoughton, 1952. US edition New York, M. S. Mill Co. and W. Morrow, 1952. Serialised in John Bull in six parts, 6 September to 11 October, 1952. Serialised as House of fear in Saturday Evening Post, 2 August to 6 September 1952. Also appeared in comic strip form in Super Detective Library No 60, 1956.

The man from the Turkish Slave, Hodder and Stoughton, 1954. US edition New York, Sloane, 1954. First published as Trial by Water in the Toronto Star Weekly, 14 November 1953. Serialised in John Bull in six parts, 5 December 1953 to 9 January 1954. Also appeared in comic strip form in Super Detective Library No 95, 1957.

Castle Minerva, Hodder and Stoughton, 1955. Published in the USA as A handful of silver, New York, W. Sloane Associates, 1954, and as a supplement to The Toronto Star Weekly on 11 September 1954. Serialised in John Bull in six parts, 30 October to 2 December 1954. Included in the combined book club edition Castle Minerva and The Hidden Face, Companion Book Club, 1957.

His bones are coral, Hodder and Stoughton, 1955. Published in the USA as Twist of the knife, New York, W. Sloane Associates, 1955, and in a combined volume with Knight The Robineau look and Carleton Vanished, Detective Book Club, Walter J Black, 1955. Republished in paperback by New English Library as The shark run, 1968.

The hidden face, Hodder and Stoughton, 1956. Published in the USA as Burden of proof, New York, W. Sloane Associates, 1956 and in a combined volume with Tucker The man in my grave and Nielsen Borrow the night, Detective Book Club, Walter J Black, NY, 1956. Serialised in Everybody's, March 12, 19, 26 and April 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30, 1955. Serialized by the Chicago Tribune under the title The hidden face, exact date unknown, probably 1956. Included in the combined book club edition Castle Minerva and The Hidden Face, Companion Book Club, 1957. Chivers Large Print 2003 edition available.

The Manasco road, Hodder and Stoughton, 1957. First published with this title in the USA New York, W. Sloane Associates, in 1957 and later as The forbidden road, Perma Books paperback in 1959. Serialised in Argosy Jan, Feb, Mar 1957.

The dragon tree, Hodder and Stoughton, 1958. Serialised in John Bull as Treason Rock from December 1957. US edition New York, W. Sloane Associates, 1958. Re-published in the USA as The captives of Mora Island, 1959. Abridged version in Readers' Digest compilation with Trumpets over Merriford by Reginald Arkell, Dunbar's Cove by Borden Deal and The Big X by Hank Searls, 1960.

The burning eye, Hodder and Stoughton, 1960. US edition New York, W. Sloane Associates, 1960. Serialised in John Bull in four parts from 6th to 27th February 1960. Appeared in condensed form in Ladies Home Journal, January 1960. Also published in an Odhams Man's Book compilation with Psycho by Robert Bloch and Send a Gunboat by Douglas Reeman in 1961.

A delivery of Furies, Hodder and Stoughton, 1961. US edition New York, W. Sloane Associates, 1961. Included in the omnibus Victor Canning: Three of the Best, Ravette Ltd, 1986. Serialised in Today, the new John Bull in four parts, 14th January to 5th February, 1961.

Black flamingo, Hodder and Stoughton, 1962. US edition New York, W. Sloane Associates, 1963. Also appeared as a supplement to the Toronto Star Weekly on 29 December 1962. Included in an Odhams Man's Book compilation in 1963 with From the City, from the Plough by Alexander Baron and Prison Feud by James Preston.

The Limbo Line, Heinemann, 1963. US edition New York, W. Sloane Associates, 1964. Serialised in Today in six parts, 19 January to 23 February 1963. Also appeared in a condensed form as "Margin of Peril" in Ladies Home Journal (USA), No. 80, May 1963.

The Scorpio letters, Heinemann, 1964. US edition New York, W. Sloane Associates, 1964. Serialised in Today in seven parts, 21 September to 2 November 1963.

The whip hand, Heinemann, 1965. US edition New York, Morrow, 1965. (The first Rex Carver story).

Doubled in diamonds, Heinemann, 1966. US edition New York, W. Morrow, 1967. Also appeared in two parts as a supplement to the Toronto Star Weekly, 28 January and 5 February 1967. (The second Rex Carver story).

The python project, Heinemann, 1967. US edition New York, Morrow, 1968. Included in the omnibus Victor Canning: Three of the Best, Ravette Ltd, 1986. (The third Rex Carver story). Also appeared in an abridged version in two parts in the Toronto Star Weekly Magazine, 8 and 15 June 1968.

The melting man, Heinemann, 1968. US edition New York, W. Morrow, 1969. Included in the omnibus Victor Canning: Three of the Best, Ravette Ltd, 1986. (The fourth and last Rex Carver story).

Queen's pawn , Heinemann, 1969. US edition New York, Morrow 1970. Also appeared in two parts as a supplement to the Toronto Star Weekly, 24 and 31 January 1970.

The great affair, Heinemann, 1970. US edition New York, Morrow, 1971. Heron Books collectors' edition, 1970. Pan paperback 1972. Also appeared in two parts as a supplement to the Toronto Star Weekly, 19 and 26 December 1970.

Firecrest, Heinemann, 1971. US edition New York, Morrow, 1972. Issued in a combined volume with Lynn The Professor and Lees The Rainbow Conspiracy, Odhams Man Books, 1972. Also appeared in two parts as a supplement to the Toronto Star Weekly, 23 and 30 September 1972.

The Rainbird pattern, Heinemann, 1972. Published in the USA in 1973 by Wm. Morrow. Also appeared in two parts as a supplement to the Toronto Star Weekly, 30 December 1972 and 6 January 1973.

The finger of Saturn, Heinemann, 1973. US edition New York, Morrow, 1974.

The mask of memory, Heinemann, 1974. US edition New York : Morrow, 1975, paperback by Collier Books, 1990.

The Kingsford mark, Heinemann, 1975. US edition New York : Morrow, 1976. Also appeared in a combined volume with Judson Backlash and Foley Where Helen Lies, Detective Book Club, Walter J Black, New York, 1976.

The doomsday carrier, Heinemann, 1976. US edition New York : Morrow, 1977. Issued in a combined volume with Simenon Maigret and the spinster and Wetering Death of a Hawker, Detective Book Club, Walter J Black, 1977. Serialised in Woman's Own, October 1976.

Birdcage, Heinemann, 1978. US edition New York : W. Morrow, 1979. Also in a combined volume with Bagley Flyaway and Pentecost Random Killer, Detective Book Club, Walter J Black, New York, 1979. Serialised in Woman's Own, October 1978.

The Satan sampler, Heinemann, 1979. US edition New York : Morrow, 1980. Also issued in a combined volume with Johnston A presence in an Empty Room and Gatenby The Third Identity by Detective Book Club, Walter J Black, New York, 1979.

Fall from grace, Heinemann, 1980. US edition New York: Morrow, 1981.

The boy on Platform One, Heinemann, 1981. Published in the USA as Memory boy, New York : Morrow, 1981, and in a combined volume with McMullen Better off Dead and Gash The Vatican Rip, Detective Book Club, Walter J Black, 1982.

Vanishing point, Heinemann, 1982. US edition New York : Morrow, 1983, and in a combined volume with James The skull beneath the skin and Charteris Fantastic Saint, Detective Book Club, Walter J Black, 1983.

Raven's wind, Heinemann, 1983. US edition New York : W. Morrow, 1983. (Historical novel.)

Birds of a feather, Heinemann, 1985. US edition New York : Morrow, 1985. Also issued in a combined volume with Francis Proof and Babson Trail of Ashes, Detective Book Club, Walter J Black, New York, 1985.

Table number seven, Heinemann, 1987. (Posthumous work, completed by his wife and sister).

Short story collections

Young man on a bicycle, Hodder and Stoughton, 1958. Published in the USA as Oasis Nine; four short novels, New York, W. Sloan Association, 1959. Contents: "Young man on a bicycle", "Oasis Nine", "The Goldini bath", and "Adriatic crossing".

Delay on Turtle and other stories, New English Library, 1962, reissued in the uniform edition, Heinemann, 1971. Contents: "Delay on Turtle", "This bride is dangerous", and "Don't talk to me about women".

Comedies and whimsies, Collection of sixteen short stories edited by John Higgins. Published by Lulu.com, October 2007. Contents: "The Aberdyll Onion", "The White Spell", "Fighting Cockerel", "Arabella's Last Petticoat", "Copy Coupon", "Through the Wall", "Flight of Fancy", "Sanctuary for the General", "Vintage Vendetta", "The Ballerina and the Pigs", "Star Stuff", "Death Wore Green", "Trouble in the City", "A Friend of the Family", "Through the Eyes of Love", and "The Daffodil Day".

The Minerva Club. Collection of twenty-four stories edited by John Higgins. Published by Crippen and Landru, Norfolk, Virginia, USA, 2009. Contents: "The Trojan crate", "Flint's diamonds", "The ransom of Angelo", "A stroke of genius", "Three Heads are better than one", "The Doomdsday pattern", "Nine little fishermen", "Tattoo pattern", "Carnation pattern", "Chicken breast pattern", "The botany pattern", "Baskets of apples and roses", "Death in China", "Shadow in the dark", "Stranger who called at Room 13", "Voyage of fear", "A toast to treachery", "A voice from the past", "Murder at the sixth green", "A question of tailoring", "The slasher slips up", "The prisoner in the embassy", "Lady in distress", and "Find my son".

Crime and Detection, Collection of thirty-seven stories from newspapers and magazines, published by Lulu.com, 2010. Contents: "Breakaway", "It never pays off", "The emerald necklace", "Disappearing trick", "Message from the mainland", "Chinese triangle", "The coral tree", "Spotting the winner", "A question of character", "The cautious safecracker", "Monkey tricks", "A question of trust", "The leaning man", "A matter of time", "Chance at the wheel" "Cook wanted", "Edge of fear", "The vanishing victim", "The pawn", "The crown jewels robbery", "Lady in the dark", "The woman in Suite 47", "Heavenly twins", "Who murdered Grogan the poet?", "Mr. Flynn finds out", "The golf widower", "Dick Whittington's cat", "Fall of a sparrow", "Everything of the finest", "Exit for an eccentric", "Death of a Boar", "The mystery of Kela Ouai", "Quarrel at sea", "Emergency case", "Food for thought", "The Napoleonic clue", "To whoever finds this".

Italy and the Balkans, twelve short stories and a novella set in the area where Canning served in WW2, published by Lulu.com, 2010. Contents: "Wall of death", "Two good men", "Don't be a hero", "Wet stepping stones", "Let sleeping dogs lie", "Death in the tunnel", "Fill the night with murder", "Curtains for Mario", "The sleeping man", "Possessed by a dream", "You are a spy", "Dialogue behind a curtain/The smuggler", "Portrait of a Leader", "The key".

The Exotics, three novellas and nine short stories set in exotic locations, published by Lulu.com, 2011. Contents: "Gemma-two-five", "Trouble in Limoy", "The survival man", "A son for M'Lassa", "The gorilla that died twice", "The girl and the bearded beachcomber", "A case of dollars", "The Sleigman letter", "The girl from the Argola", "Give and take", "With love from a bad man", "The captain's farewell".

Young man on a bicycle, Farrago Books, 2020. Contents: "Young man on a bicycle" and "The Goldini bath".

The Aberdyll Onion and other mysteries, Farrago Books, 2020. Contents: A matter of time, A question of trust, Cook wanted, Food for thought, The cautious safecracker, Monkey tricks, The gorilla that died twice, Lady in the dark, Star stuff, Death wore green, The Aberdyll onion, The white spell, Dialogue behind a curtain, Watch your step, Fighting cockerel, Fill the night with murder, Sanctuary for the general, Vintage vendetta, and The ballerina and the pigs.

The Smiler trilogy (for children)

The runaways, Heinemann, 1972. Reprinted in Smiler; a trilogy, Heinemann 1975. Abridged version with illustrations by Thomas Beecham issued in a combined volume with Pearson Sarah Whitman, Pryde Nunaga, and Wouk The Winds of War, and in the USA with Gilman The Amazing Mrs Pollifax and Wouk The Winds of War, Readers Digest, 1972. Serialised in Woman's Own from 31 March 1972.

Flight of the grey goose, Heinemann, 1973. Reprinted in Smiler; a trilogy, Heinemann 1975.

The painted tent, Heinemann, 1974. Reprinted in Smiler; a trilogy, Heinemann 1975. Issued in a combined volume with Slesar The thing at the door and Underwood A pinch of snuff, Detective Book Club, Walter J Black, NY, 1974.

The Arthurian trilogy

The crimson chalice, Heinemann, 1976. US edition New York : Morrow, 1978.Reprinted in The crimson chalice trilogy, Penguin, 1980.

The circle of the gods, Heinemann, 1977. Reprinted in The crimson chalice trilogy, Penguin, 1980.

The immortal wound, Heinemann, 1978. Reprinted in The crimson chalice trilogy, Penguin, 1980.

Travel Book

Everyman's England, Hodder and Stoughton, 1936.

Novels, writing as Alan Gould

Two men fought, Collins, 1936.

Mercy Lane, Collins, 1937.

Sanctuary from the dragon, Collins, 1938.

Every creature of God is good, Hodder and Stoughton, 1939.

The viaduct, Hodder and Stoughton, 1939. (Historical novel set in 1870).

Atlantic company, Hodder and Stoughton, 1940.

Novel, writing as Julian Forest

The wooden angel. Hodder and Stoughton, 1938.

The listing of translations is believed to be complete for Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German and Italian but not for other languages. The listing of serialisations may be incomplete.

Listings compiled by John Higgins, last updated: October 2018