Dennis Wheatley’s Books Republished by Bloomsbury
Dennis Wheatley (1897 – 1977) was and is an English author who doesn’t need much introduction – at least not to the fans of mysteries who are also interested in the Gothic and the occult. Back in the day when I was reading lots of occult/black arts related books, dabbing in magic and learning all I could about the ‘hidden knowledge’, I found several of his books in a used bookshop and managed to read them literally within the week. I was hooked. I just discovered a new author that would stay with me forever, long after his death.
His books sold over 50 million copies worldwide, making him one of the most popular mystery author of his time. Did you know that at the time of his death, he literally outsold the famous Agatha Christie in books? Hard to believe, but it’s true. Sadly shortly after his death his name became forgotten, just like those books I found hidden on the used bookstore shelf.
While my interests no longer concern the occult these days, Wheatley has remained one of my favorite authors in mystery fiction. When I learned that the Dennis Wheatley collection of books is re-released in a new edition by Bloomsbury I was really pleased to hear that he would be getting a new face-lift, allowing his name to be discovered (and re-discovered) by lovers of gothic crime, pulp fiction, thriller and mystery novels. This is a writer that needs to be placed into the spotlight once again and I applaud Bloomsbury for doing so.
The publishing company offers quite a large selection of out of print and hard to find books and it’s worth checking out their website for something great to read. Wheatley’s books are being offered in print as well as in eBook format, which is great news for those who love to read their books on their favorite device that reads the ePub format.
The first novels have been already published on the 10th of October, with 20 of his best loved works including also titles such as The Forbidden Territory, The Devil Rides Out, and To The Devil a Daughter. Btw The Devil Rides Out, and To The Devil a Daughter have been made into movies back in 1967 and 1976 with Sir Christopher Lee, the popular actor well known all over the world.
I am actually thrilled that Dennis Wheatley’s books are offered in eBook format, since as much as I love reading paperbacks, my shelves are overflowing and I literally have no place where to put more of them. However my iPad can hold thousands of eBooks without a scratch.
Throughout the year the rest of Dennis Wheatley’s novels will be released one by one, so if you want to complete your collection, you can easily do so now, especially since all the books have now the same cover format and layout, perfect for book collectors.
To read more about the author and to check out which books have been already republished and in which format, head over to Bloomsbury’s Dennis Wheatley page.
If you can’t read ePub books on your Kindle, Amazon has them so check them out on Kindle instead.
Image credits: Wikimedia Creative Commons
I’ve never read any of his books, but have caught bits of film versions on television. He was a big household name at one time, but is largely forgotten now. I used to be quite interested in books on science fiction/UFOs/ghosts but rarely read them any more. What is it about Wheatley that you find makes them so good? It is certainly good that forgotten authors are published again for new generations to discover.
I remember being really captivated by his writing style and of course the fact that at the time I was really into all things occult (*khm* and all things magic), made it so much easier to like him. I love reading books written by English authors, they have a charm attached to their style (with all those different words and phrases) that I can’t find in the US writers. Also he has a very flowing writing style, it’s simple and I find it easy to follow. Now his books have a slower pace than you’ll usually find in modern crime thrillers, but that again (at least for me) adds to the charm of re-reading some of his novels. Plus the memories of being a teenager around the time I was enjoying this author so much…:)
I had heard Dennis Wheatley’s name but have never read his books. This is a great opportunity to catch up. He must have been one of the leaders in occult writings.