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Sydney Horler (18 July 1888 – 27 October 1954) was a prolific British novelist specialising in thrillers. He was born in Leytonstone, Essex, and educated at Redcliffe School and Colston School in Bristol.
His first job was with Western Daily Press and Allied Newspapers in Bristol started in 1905. This lasted until 1911 when he left to become a special writer on the staff of Edward Hulton and Co. in Manchester. He moved to London to work on the Daily Mail and Daily Citizen in Fleet Street, although he also worked in the propaganda section of Air Intelligence towards the end of the First World War. When it ended he joined the editorial staff of George Newnes Ltd as a sub editor of the John O'London's Weekly. He didn't see eye to eye with the editor and after a big row in 1919 his employment was terminated.
He decided to become a full-time writer. He became a popular author with the publication, in 1925, of his first crime novel, The Mystery of No.1, and with novels such as Checkmate (1930). Horler's work was influenced by other popular thriller writers such as Edgar Wallace and "Sapper". His main hero was "Tiger" Standish, a character similar to Sapper's Bulldog Drummond.[1] Horler's work began to be commercially successful after being serialised in the News of the World.[2] By the 1930s, Horler's books had sold an estimated two million copies.[3]
- ^ Marvin Lachman, "Horler, Sydney" in Twentieth Century Crime and Mystery Writers, edited by James Vinson and D.L. Kirkpatrick. (p.474-77).
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
cwwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Turnbull, Malcolm J. Victims or villains: Jewish images in classic English detective fiction. Popular Press, 1998 (p. 62-4, 118–9)