Dennis Wheatley’s first published novel was The Forbidden Territory, a thriller set in Russia, published in 1933. It was an immediate success, being reprinted seven times in seven weeks and the film rights were bought by Alfred Hitchcock. This was the start of a spectacular literary career.
Wheatley’s main output, was adventure novels, many in a series of linked works set in an historical or thematic setting, which had been methodically researched. So the ‘Roger Brook’ series is set in the French Revolution with interactions between his characters and historic individuals and events, whilst the ‘Roger Day’ series are based around espionage. He also wrote short stories, historical works and autobiographical accounts.
In the 1930s Wheatley devised a series of mysteries as case files including evidence and testimonials, which the reader could use as evidence to solve the case before opening an envelope revealing the answer.
Each was a realistic dossier, with ‘real’ police reports, witness statements and clues – bits of hair, fingerprints, bloodstained material and so on. Readers could go through them, decide who was the culprit, and then break a seal on the back of the dossier, and find out if they were right.
Murder off Miami, published in 1936, was the first of four Crime Dossiers Wheatley produced with his friend Joe Links.
He also created a number of board games.
The gallery below contains more information about his novels, dossiers and board games.
The dust jacket was the work of Wheatley’s wife Joan. ©DW 
The endpapers were drawn by Wheatley himself. ©DW 
Some of Dennis Wheatley’s books: The Fabulous Valley published 1934 (Fiction: Adventure) Black August published 1934 (Fiction: Science Fiction/Adventure) They Found Atlantis published 1936 (Fiction: ‘Lost World’ Adventure) Red Eagle published 1937 (Historical Non-Fiction) Uncharted Seas published 1938 (Fiction: ‘Lost World’ Adventure) The Scarlet Imposter published 1940 (Fiction: Espionage). ©DW 
The Malinsay Massacre, published in 1938, was the third Crime Dossier Wheatley produced with Joe Links. Shown here is the cover and some of the material from inside the dossier. 
Family Tree of the Raeburns of Malinsay. One of the items of evidence inside The Malinsay Massacre. 
Photograph of the 5th Earl dead in bed. One of the items of evidence inside The Malinsay Massacre. 
a Post Office Telegraph to Henry Raeburn with the news: ‘LORD MALINSAY FOUND DEAD NO INDICATION OF CAUSE PLEASE COME IMMEDIATELY STOBART VALET’ One of the items of evidence inside The Malinsay Massacre. 
Charles Beck and attendees of the 2016 Dennis Wheatley Convention with Wheatley’s own copy of his 1953 board game ‘Alibi’. ©DW 
Alibi box art. ©DW 
Wheatley’s first board game ‘Invasion’, 1938. It was a serious war game that was noted for its complexity and realism. ©DW 
Wheatley’s second board game ‘Blockade’, 1939. The game was similar to ‘Invasion’ but managed to be humorous whilst also dealing with a serious theme. ©DW
