Edgar Wallace (1875-1932) was an English writer. Born into poverty as an illegitimate London child, Wallace left school at 12. Joining the army at 21, he was a war correspondent during the Second Boer War for Reuters and The Daily Mail. Struggling with debt, he left South Africa, returned to London and began writing thrillers to raise income, publishing books such as The Four Just Men (1905). ). This is one of Wallace's extraordinary thrillers with an over the top villain. The unctuous master criminal Colonel Boundary. The Colonel receives an envelope in the mail that contains a playing card, knave of clubs and wrote on it Jack o'Judgment. Stafford King had devoted his time to smashing the Colonel's gang. The Colonel was accused of robbing a merchant of sixty thousand pounds by means of card tricks. Cocaine, dope fiends, gambling, show girls, and stage-door Johnnies add tricky obstacles and frightening drama. The action is fast paced and justice is done.
