Roger May

The Toff on Ice Roger May

"Must there be a crowd?" asked Rollison glumly. "On this occasion I think it would he wise, sir," said Jolly, his man. "If you remember, there was a time when your birthday was always celebrated by a family gathering of some distinction. After all, it is an event."

"I seem to be the only one who doesn't think so," said Rollison, leaning back in an arm-chair.

Flo Hardy and some east end villains test the sleuthing veracity of the Hon Richard Rollison, aka the Toff.

"The King of Crime" wrote an astonishing number of crime and mystery books, selling more than 80 million copies worldwide in 28 languages over five decades. His most famous characters include The Baron, Inspector West, and Gideon. The Creasey Dagger is the UK's top award for first time crime novelists with winners including Patricia Cornwell and Minette Walters. Creasey is an inspiration to the aspiring but as-yet-unpublished author. He had 743 rejection slips before his first book was accepted. He never stopped believing in himself and he never gave up. He wasn't afraid to take risks either--writing under 10 different names and changing styles with each character.