Peter Cheyney part 2: The Slim Callaghan novels

The second part of our Peter Cheyney cover gallery concentrates on his other major character, Slim Callaghan. Criticised for his inability to capture an authentic American gangster drawl in his Lemmy Caution novels—although it made no difference to their terrific sales—Cheyney created Rupert Patrick 'Slim' Callaghan for his 1938 novel The Urgent Hangman. Callaghan's adventures were set in the gaming rooms and nightclubs of London, which Cheyney knew intimately from his years as a journalist.

The Urgent Hangman (London, Collins, 1938)
White Circle 270, Apr 1941
Penguin 724, 1949, 222pp, 1/6. Cover: typographical
Fontana Books 45, 1955, 2/-. Cover by John Rose
----, 2nd imp.
White Circle 396m, Jul 1959
Fontana Books 481, 3rd imp., Jan 1961, 2/6. Cover by Eileen Walton
Pan Books G667, (May) 1964, 189pp, 2/6. Cover by Sheldon
Fontana Books 7355, 1986, 224pp, £2.95. Cover by unknown

Dangerous Curves (London, Collins, 1939)
White Circle 283, c.1944
Penguin 721, 1949
White Circle 232m, Jun 1952
Fontana Books 209, Oct 1957, 188pp, 2/6. Cover by unknown
Fontana Books 7356, 1986, 192pp, £2.95. Cover by unknown

You Can't Keep the Change (London, Collins, 1940)
Pan Books 172, (Aug) 1951, 185pp, 2/-. Cover by Allen Pollack
----, 2nd imp., 1952, 185pp, 2/-.[same cover as above, b/g colour on title altered]
----, 3rd imp., 1952, 185pp, 2/-. Cover by Sax.
Fontana Books 161, Apr 1957, 254pp, 2/6.
----, Apr 1962.
Fontana Books 1719, 3rd imp., 1969, 254pp, 3/6. Cover: photo by George Coral [design by Douglas Merritt]

It Couldn't Matter Less (London, Collins, 1941)
White Circle 298, Feb 1948
Fontana Books 385, Feb 1960, 222pp, 2/6. Cover by Eileen Walton?
Fontana Books 7540, 1988, 240pp, £2.95. Cover: photo

Sorry You've Been Troubled (London, Collins, 1942; US as Farewell to the Admiral)
Pan Books 139, Jun 1950
----, 2nd imp., 1951
----, 3rd imp., 1951
----, 4th imp., 1952, 192pp, 2/-. Cover by John Keay
White Circle 362m, May 1956
Fontana Books 521, 1961, 2/6. Cover by Eileen Walton

They Never Say When (London, Collins, 1944)
White Circle 304, Mar 1950
White Circle 345m, Feb 1955
Fontana Books 188, Aug 1957, 192pp.
----, 2nd imp., 1960.
----, 3rd imp., Feb 1963
Fontana Books 1479, [4th imp.] Jun 1967, 192pp, 3/6. Cover: photo by George Coral [design by Douglas Merritt]

Uneasy Terms (London, Collins, 1946)
White Circle 306, Apr 1950
White Circle 354m, Jan 1956
Fontana Books 247, Jul 1958, 192pp.
Pan Books G280, 1959. Cover by Sam Peffer
Fontana Books 885, 1964.
Fontana Books 1775, c.1968. Cover: photo
Fontana Books 7539, 1988, 239pp, £2.95. Cover: photo

SHORT STORIES

Dance Without Music (chap)
Vallancey Press, 1944, 6d.

Vengeance with a Twist, and other stories
Vallancey Press, 1946.

Date After Dark, and other stories
Todd, 1946.

A Spot of Murder, and other stories
Todd, 1946.

Calling Mr. Callaghan
Todd, Oct 1953.
Ace Books H293, (Sep) 1959, 176pp, 2/6. Cover by Robert McGinnis (rpts Fawcett Crest s288, 1959)
Four Square Books 1116, 1962
----, 1964
----, Apr 1965, 172pp, 3/6. Cover: photo
NEL Four Square 1116, (1968?), 3/6. Cover: photo