Gerald Verner is one of the pseudonyms used by John Robert Stuart Pringle, who was born in Streatham, London, on 31 January 1897.

In his early writing days he used the name Donald Stuart, under which name he wrote 44 stories for the Sexton Blake Library as well as six stories for Union Jack and three for the Thriller magazine. In addition he wrote two stage plays, 'Sexton Blake' and 'The Shadow', two films, 'The Man Outside' (1933) and 'The Shadow' (1933) under the Stuart name. Later a number of his books were adapted for radio serials, stage plays and films.

He became a hugely successful thriller writer, producing more than 120 novels that were translated in 35 languages. The Duke of Windsor was a big Verner fan and at one time he was presented with 15 volumes specially bound.

Heavily influenced by Edgar Wallace, he wrote extensively for magazines such as Detective Weekly, the Sexton Blake Library, Union Jack and The Thriller. He also adapted Peter Cheyney's 'Meet Mr Callaghan' and Agatha Christie's 'Towards Zero' for the stage.

He also used the pseudonyms Thane Leslie, Derwent Steele and Nigel Vane.

He died at Broadstairs, Kent, of natural causes on 16 September 1980.

Gerry Wolstenholme
July 2013