W J Burley - Wycliffe Cover Gallery

William John Burley will be remembered for his novels featuring Superintendent Charles Wycliffe, although he did write a number of novels that did not feature the character. Wycliffe featured in his second novel and was subsequently portrayed by Jack Shepherd in a popular TV series in 1993 which is still being broadcast nearly twenty years later.

Little was known about Burley during his lifetime. He was born in 1914 and died in 2002 but his death received no mention in any paper. In fact, it was years before his publisher was able to confirm that he had died. He was 6,000 words into another novel, Wycliffe's Last Lap, at the time of his death.

A good resource for all things Burley can be found at WJBurley.com, which also includes some biographical essays and an interesting piece written by his son.

Three Toed Pussy (London, Gollancz, 1968)
Arrow Books 0099-08200-4, 1973, 187pp.
Corgi Books 0552-14205-0, 1995, 220pp.
Orion 0752-88084-5, 2006, 221pp, £6.99. Cover photo: Getty Images / des. Nick Castle

To Kill a Cat (London, Gollancz, 1970)
Arrow Books 0099-12050-X, 1976, 223pp.
Corgi Books 0552-14117-8, 1993, 219pp.
Orion 0752-88082-9, 2006, 219pp, £5.99. Cover photo: Getty Images / des. Nick Castle

Guilt Edged (London, Gollancz, 1971)
Arrow Books 0099-08370-1, 1974, 192pp.
Corgi Books 0552-14115-1, 1994, 221pp.
---- [2nd imp.] 1995
---- [3rd imp.] 1997, 221pp, £4.99. Cover photo by Mike Alsford. TV tie-in.
Orion 0752-88083-7, 2006, 221pp, £6.99. Cover photo by Trevillion

Death in a Salubrious Place (London, Gollancz, 1973)
Arrow Books 0099-12040-2, 1976, 191pp.
Corgi Books 0552-14116-X, 1995, 221pp, £3.99. TV Tie-in.
Orion 0752-86535-8, 2005, 221pp.

Death in Stanley Street (London, Gollancz, 1974)
Corgi Books 0552-13689-1, 1990, 219pp.
---- [2nd imp.] 1992
---- [3rd imp.] 1993
---- [4th imp.] 1994, 219pp, £3.99. Cover photo by Mike Alsford. TV tie-in.
Orion 0752-84969-7, 2003, 220pp.

Wycliffe and the Pea-Green Boat (London, Gollancz, 1975)
Corgi Books  0552-12804-X, 1987, 207pp.
Orion 0752-88186-8, 2007, 206pp, £6.99. Cover photo by Richard Jenkins

Wycliffe and the Schoolgirls (London, Gollancz, 1976; as Wycliffe and the School Bullies, London. Orion, 2006)
Corgi Books 0552-12805-8, 1987, 203pp
---- [2nd imp.] 1991, 203pp, £2.99. 
Orion 0752-88085-3, 2006, 203pp.

Wycliffe and the Scapegoat (London, Gollancz, 1978)
Corgi Books 0552-12806-6, 1987, 169pp.
Orion 0752-94971-9, 2003, 169pp, £5.99. Cover photo by Trevillion Picture Library

Wycliffe in Paul's Court (London, Gollancz, 1980)
Keyhole Crime 0263-74129-X, 1982, 191pp.
Corgi Books 0552-13433-3, 1988, 206pp.
---- [2nd imp.] 1991
---- [3rd imp.] 1993, 206pp, £2.99.
Orion 0752-84932-?, 2002.

Wycliffe's Wild-Goose Chase (London, Gollancz, 1982)
Corgi Books 0552-13434-1, 1989, 205pp
---- [2nd imp.] 1993, 205pp, £2.99.
Corgi Books 0552-14269-7, 1994.
Orion 0752-86491-2, 2005, 205pp.

Wycliffe and the Beales (London, Gollancz, 1983)
Corgi Books 0552-13232-2, 1988, 191pp.
---- [2nd imp.] 1988
---- [3rd imp.] 1991
---- [4th imp.] 1993, 191pp, £2.99.
Orion 0752-85872-6, 2004, 191pp, £5.99

Wycliffe and the Four Jacks (London, Gollancz, 1985)
Corgi Books 0552- 13231-4, 1988, 220pp.
---- [2nd imp.] 1991, 220pp, £2.99.
Corgi Books 0552-14267-0, 1994, 220pp.
Orion 0752-84970-0, 2005, 224pp.

Wycliffe and the Quiet Virgin (London, Gollancz, 1986)
Corgi Books 0552-13435-X, 1989, 204pp.
---- [2nd imp.] 1991
---- [3rd imp.] 1994, 204pp, £3.99.
Orion 0752-84933-6, 2002, 205pp.

Wycliffe and the Winsor Blue (London, Gollancz, 1987)
Corgi Books 0552-13436-8, 1989, 221pp.
---- [2nd imp.] 1991, 221pp, £2.99.
Orion 0752-85873-?.

Wycliffe and the Tangled Web (London, Gollancz, 1988)
Corgi Books 0552-13519-4, 1990, 221pp.
Orion 0752-84446-6, 2001, 191pp, £5.99. Cover photo by Tony Stone

Wycliffe and the Cycle of Death (London, Gollancz, 1990)
Corgi Books 0552-13733-2, 1991, 223pp.
Corgi Books 0552-14109-7, 1993.
Orion 0304-36525-4, 2001
---- [2nd imp.] 2001, 192pp, £5.99. Cover photo by Tony Stone

Wycliffe and the Dead Flautist (London, Gollancz, 1991)
Corgi Books 0552-13861-4, 1992, 200pp.
Orion 0752-86490-4, 2005, 221pp, £5.99. Cover photo: Richard Jenkins / des. Nick Castle

Wycliffe and the Last Rites (London, Gollancz, 1992)
Corgi Books 0552-14004-X, 1993, 219pp.
---- [2nd imp.] 1994, 219pp, £3.99.
Orion 0752-84931-X, 2002, 219pp.
---- [2nd imp.]
---- [3rd imp.] 2004, 219pp, £5.99. Cover photo by Richard Jenkins

Wycliffe and the Dunes Mystery (London, Gollancz, 1993)
Corgi Books 0552-14221-2, 1994, 219pp, £3.99.
Orion 0752-88185-X, 2007, 219pp.

Wycliffe and the House of Fear (London, Gollancz, 1995)
Corgi Books 0552-14437-1, 1996, 235pp, £3.99. TV tie-in.
Orion 0752-88144-2, 2007, 235pp.

Wycliffe and the Redhead (London, Gollancz, 1997)
Corgi Books 0552-14661-7, 1998, 256pp.
---- [2nd imp.]
---- [3rd imp.] n.d., 255pp, £4.99. TV tie-in.
Orion 0752-88143-4, 2007, 255pp.

Wycliffe and the Guild of Nine (London, Gollancz, 2000)
Orion 0752-84384-2, 2001, 201pp.
---- [2nd imp.]
---- [3rd imp.] 2002, 201pp, £5.99. Cover photo: National Trust Photographic Library/ des. Nick Castle