Crime Club

aka/ Collins Crime Club, White Circle Crime Club, Collins White Circle Crime Club

William Collins & Sons (London, Glasgow, UK)
Series dates: 1936-1994
Size: 7.25″ x 4.25″ (paperback)

The story of publisher Collins & Sons Crime Club series is nicely documented by Paperback Revolution in an article entitled “The Crime Club goes Paperback.” Launched as a hardcover reprint series in May of 1930, it was not an actual book club, but a list of interested readers on a mailing list.

The series was impacted by the success of Penguin paperbacks, and developed a paperback version of the series, mimicking some of the key attributes of Penguin books: smaller format paperbacks, in jackets with a common cover and jacket design to enhance brand recognition.

The common jacket and cover design borrowed the series logo from the earlier hardcover series, which also included the price of the books (6d., same as the Penguin series). The primary design consisted of striking green and black graphics with two abstract marauders and a white circle including the book title and author. This general design was used for the paperback series until its demise in 1959.

The first six titles were published in March of 1936. The “White Circle” designation came later, on titles issued in July of 1937. About 80 titles had been issued by 1939. In the end, just under 300 titles were issued when the paperback series was discontinued in 1959 (see a list below). The hardcover series continued until 1994.

Philip Macdonald’s R.I.P was published in June of 1936, among the second group of titles published, as series number 8. Jackets are common to the series and include the price on the jacket spine and front. The front jacket flap quotes from reviews of the book. Later paperback jackets add “A White Circle Crime Club” at the top of the jacket and book.

The back of the jacket describes the series in general and lists titles up through #12. A biography of the author is included on the rear jacket flap. The price is included twice at the bottom of the back of the jacket around a secondary series logo.

The book covers mimic the jacket, except for the absence of a price anywhere (and, of course, the information on the jacket flaps). While difficult to see below, there is no price on the book spine (only the author and title). The price on the front cover is replaced by a secondary series logo and the statement “Sign of a Good Detective Novel.”

The initial page in the book is the half-title page. The title, series number, and title are included.

The back of the half-title page describes and story and includes a list of additional titles by Macdonald. The title page includes the secondary series logo, and indicates “Published for The Crime Club by Collins Forty-Eight Pall Mall, London.”

The copyright page indicates that this is the sixth printing. It is the first in the Crime Club series (although that is not indicated).

The book ends with “Other Crime Club Novels in this Series” and includes five titles with quotes from reviews.

A list of titles in the series (below) has been slightly modified and reproduced from the Brass Penguin website, on their Collins White Circle Crime Club page.

1. Christie, A – Murder On The Orient Express
2. Crofts, FW – Mystery In The Channel
3. Porlock, M – X v. Rex
4. Macdonald, P – The Crime Conductor
5. Rhode, J – Shot At Dawn
6. Wallace, E – The Devil Man
7. Rhode, J – The Corpse In The Car
8. Macdonald, P – R.I.P.
9. Christie, A – Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?
10. Cole, GDH – End Of An Ancient Mariner
11. Abbot, A – Murder Of Geraldine Foster
12. Holt, H – Calling All Cars
13. Christie, A – Three Act Tragedy
14. Macdonald, P – The Wraith
15. Rhode, J – Poison For One
16. Crofts, FW – Sudden Death
17. Cole, GDH – Corpse In The Constable’s Garden
18. Ferguson, J – Death Comes To Perigord
19. Christie, A – Murder Of Roger Ackroyd
20. Abbot, A – Murder Of The Circus Queen
21. Rhode, J – Hendon’s First Case
22. Campbell, A – Desire To Kill
23. Cole, GDH – Death In The Quarry
24. Ferguson, J – Right In Glengyle
25. Crofts, FW – The Cask
26. Campbell, A – The Murder Of Caroline Bundy
27. Strange, JS – The Man Who Killed Fortescue
28. Holt, H – The Scarlet Messenger
29. Macdonald, P – The Rynox Mystery
30. Porlock, M – Mystery In Kensington Gore
31. Brock, L – The Kink
32. Christie, A – Murder At The Vicarage
33. Holt, H – Murder At The Bookstall
34. Macdonald, P – The Noose
35. Ferguson, J – The Grouse Moor Mystery
36. Footner, H – Murder Runs In The Family
37. Cole, GDH – Big Business Murder
38. Rhode, J – Mystery At Greycombe Farm
39. Adams, H – A Word Of Six Letters
40. Brock, L – The Dagwort Combe Murder
41. Christie, A – Lord Edgware Dies
42. Porlock, M – Mystery At Friar’s Pardon
43. Rhode, J – The Motor Rally Mystery
44. Cole, GDH – Death Of A Star
45. Footner, H – Dangerous Cargo
46. Macdonald, P – The Choice
47. Christie, A – The Seven Dials Mystery
48. Brock, L – The Mendip Mystery
49. Farjeon, JJ – Detective Ben
50. White, EL – The Lady Vanishes
51. Christie, A – Death In The Clouds
52. Eberhart – The House On The Roof
53. Rhode, J – The Robthorne Mystery
54. Holt, H – Tiger Of Mayfair
55. Footner, H – Murder Of A Bad Man
56. Brock, L – Murder On The Bridge
57. Cole, GDH – Scandal At School
58. Farjeon, JJ – Thirteen Guests
59. Ferguson, J – Death Of Mr Dodsley
60. Penny, R – Policeman’s Holiday
61. Macdonald, P – The Maze
62. Adams, H – Fate Laughs
63. Christie, A – The ABC Murders
64. Gilbert, A – An Old Lady Dies
65. Campbell, A – The Click Of The Gate
66. Cole, GDH – Dead Man’s Watch
67. Burton, M – Death Of Mr Grantley
68. Farjeon, JJ – Mountain Mystery
69. Holt, H – The Unholy Terror
70. Strange, JS – The Clue Of The Second Murder
71. Loder, V – The SHop Window Murders
72. Footner, H – The Owl Taxi
73. Rhode, J – Mystery At Olympia
74. Gilbert, A – The Musical Comedy Crime
75. Christie, A – The Sittaford Mystery
76. Footner, H – The New Made Grave
77. Macdonald, P – Murder Gone Mad
78. Rhode, J – The Venner Crime
79. Cole, GDH – Poison In The Garden Suburb
80. Farjeon, JJ – Holiday At Half Mast
81. Gilbert, M – Death In Fancy Dress
82. Whitechurch, VL – Murder At The College
83. Macdonald, P – The Noose
84. Macdonald, P – The Wraith
85. Cole, GDH – Death In The Quarry
86. Macdonald, P – The Rynox Mystery
87. Christie, A – Murder At The Vicarage
88. Christie, A – Lord Edgware Dies
89. Blake, N – A Question Of Proof
90. Blake, N – There’s Trouble Brewing
91. Brock, L – The Slip Carriage Mystery
92. Brock, L – Colonel Gore’s Second Case
93. Burton, M – The Platinum Cat
94. Christie, A – Murder In Mesopotamia
95. Cole, GDH – Last Will And Testament
96. Cole, GDH – The Missing Aunt
97. Eberhart – The Glass Slipper
98. East, R – Detectives In Gumboots
99. Farjeon, JJ – Dark Lady
100c. Farjeon, JJ – Mystery In White
101c. Fielding, A – Black Cats Are Lucky
102c. Fielding, A – Case Of The Two Pearl Necklaces
103c. Footner, H – Substitute Millionaire
104c. Footner, H – The Dark Ships
105c. Gilbert, A – Courtier To Death
106c. Gilbert, A – The Long Shadow
107c. Holt, H – The Whispering Man
108c. Holt, H – There Has Been A Murder
109c. Holt, H – Wanted For Murder
110c. Penny, R – Policeman’s Evidence
111c. Palmer, S – Puzzle Of The Blue Banderilla
112c. Rhode, J – Death On The Road
113c. Rhode, J – In Face Of The Verdict
114c. Wakefield, HR – Belt Of Suspicion
115c. Whitechurch, VL – Murder At The College
116c. Footner, H – The New Made Grave
117c. Cole, GDH – Scandal At School
118c. Farjeon, JJ – Holiday At Half Mast
119c. Christie, A – Appointment With Death
120c. Gilbert, A – Murder Has No Tongue
121c. Rhode, J – Death At Breakfast
122c. Footner, H – Murder In The Sun
123c. Taylor – Figure Away
124c. Fielding, A – Mystery At The Rectory
125c. Crofts, FW – Crime At Guildford
126c. Brock, L – Two Of Diamonds
127c. Farjeon, JJ – Exit John Horton
128c. Strange, JS – Rope Enough
129c. Christie, A – Murder At The Vicarage
130c. Crofts, FW – The Loss Of The Jane Vosper
131c. Gilbert, A – Murder By Express
132c. Christie, A – Mystery Of The Blue Train
133c. Rhode, J – The Bloody Tower
134c. Cole, GDH – Doctor Tancred Begins
135c. Footner, H – Death Of A Celebrity
136c. Eberhart, MG – Murder Of My Patient
137c. Wakefield, HR – Belt Of Suspicion
138c. Adams, H – Black Death
139c. Holt, H – Mystery Of The Smiling Doll
140c. Farjeon, JJ – End Of An Author
141c. Brock, L – The Stoat
142c. Gilbert, A – The Bell Of Death
143c. Cole, GDH – Off With Her Head
144c. Footner, H – The Murder That Had Everything
145c. Christie, A – Murder Is Easy
146c. Farjeon, JJ – Seven Dead
147c. Christie, A – Sad Cypress
148c. Rhode, J – Murder At Lilac Cottage
149c. Christie, A – Hercule Poirot’s Christmas
150c. Lorac, ECR – Case In The Clinic
151c. White, EL – While She Sleeps
152c. Farjeon, JJ – The Third Victim
153c. Stout, R – Double For Death
154c. Burton, M – The Three Corpse Trick
155c. Taylor – Going Going Gone
156c. Strange, JS – Look Your Last
157c. Gilbert, A – He Came By Night
158c. Farjeon, JJ – Black Castle
159c. Ford, L – Siren In The Night
160c. Christie, A – Towards Zero
161c. White, EL – The Man Who Loved Lions
162c. Christie, A – N Or M?
163c. Christie, A – The Body In The Library
164c. Christie, A – The Moving Finger
165c. Farjeon, JJ – Greenmask
166c. Lorac, ECR – Checkmate To Murder
167c. Campbell, A – Ringed With Fire
168c. Christie, A – Five Little Pigs
169c. Farjeon, JJ – The Judge Sums Up
170c. Lorac, ECR – The Sixteenth Stair
171c. Marsh, N – Colour Scheme
172c. Gilbert, A – The Case Of The Tea-Cosy’s Aunt
173c. Eberhart, MG – The Man Next Door
174c. Burton, M – Murder M.D.
175c. Farjeon, JJ – The House Of Shadows
176c. Stout, R – Bad For Business
177c. Lorac, ECR – Rope’s End, Rogue’s End
178c. Blake, N – The Case Of The Abominable Snowman
179c. Christie, A – Sparkling Cyanide
180c. Gilbert, A – The Mouse Who Wouldn’t Play Ball
181c. Lorac, ECR – Death Came Softly
182c. Christie, A – Death Comes As The End
183c. Burton, M – Four-Ply Yarn
184c. Farjeon, JJ – The Oval Table
185c. Stout, R – The Broken Vase
186c. Christie, A – One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
187c. Gilbert, A – The Scarlet Button
188c. Eberhart, MG – Unidentified Woman
189c. Christie, A – Evil Under The Sun
190c. Ford, L – Crack Of Dawn
191c. Lorac, ECR – Fire In The Thatch
192c. Campbell, A – Travelling Butcher
193c. Burton, M – This Undesirable Residence
194c. Farjeon, JJ – The House Of Shadows
195c. Lorac, ECR – Murder By Matchlight
196c. Gilbert, A – The Black Stage
197c. Christie, A – Five Little Pigs
198c. Christie, A – The Body In The Library
199c. Farjeon, JJ – Prelude To Crime
200c. Christie, A – Hercule Poirot’s Christmas
201c. Christie, A – Three Act Tragedy
202c. Ferrars, E – Murder Among Friends
203c. Smith, S – He Died Of Murder
204c. Ferrars, E – The March Hare Murders
205c. Stout, R – Too Many Women
206c. Christie, A – Taken At The Flood
207c. Smith, S – This Is The House
208c. Stout, R – Alphabet Hicks
209c. Christie, A – Appointment With Death
210c. Farjeon, JJ – Room Number Six
211c. Ferrars, E – With Murder In Mind
212c. Christie, A – Murder At The Vicarage
213c. Christie, A – N Or M?
214c. Eberhart, MG – Wings Of Fear
215c. Stout, R – The Silent Speaker
216c. Christie, A – Evil Under The Sun
217c. Christie, A – The ABC Murders
218c. Farjeon, JJ – The Third Victim
219c. Christie, A – Why Didn’t They Ask Evans
220c. Christie, A – Peril At End House
221c. Garve, A – A Press Of Suspects
222c. Ferrars, E – Hunt The Tortoise
223c. Stout, R – More Deaths Than One
224c. Burton, M – Heir To Lucifer
225c. Lorac, ECR – Relative To Poison
226c. Christie, A – Murder On The Orient Express
227c. Farjeon, JJ – Peril In The Pyrenees
228c. Gilbert, A – Death Knocks Three Times
229c. Smith, S – The Man With The Calico Face
230c. Eberhart, MG – House Of Storm
231c. Christie, A – Partners In Crime
232c. Christie, A – Death In The Clouds
233c. Christie, A – Towards Zero
234c. Lorac, ECR – Death Before Dinner
235c. Carmichael, H – Death Leaves A Diary
236c. Eberhart, MG – Another Woman’s House
237c. Christie, A – Ten Little Niggers
238c. Garve, A – No Tears For Hilda
239c. Smith, S – Man Alone
240c. Carnac, C – It’s Her Own Funeral
241c. Stout, R – The Second Confession
242c. Ferrars, E – The Clock That Wouldn’t Stop
243c. Gilbert, A – Lift Up The Lid
244c. Farjeon, JJ – The Shadow Of Thirteen
245c. Rhode, J – Dead On The Track
246c. Carr, JD – Death On Milestone Buttress
247c. Lorac, ECR – Part Of A Poisoner
248c. Christie, A – The Sittaford Mystery
249c. Smith, S – An Afternoon To Kill
250c. Carmichael, H – The Vanishing Trick
251c. Gilbert, A – Murder Comes Home
252c. Eberhart, MG – The Unknown Quantity
253c. Burton, M – Death In Shallow Water
254c. Christie, A – Taken At The Flood
255c. Lorac, ECR – Fire In The Thatch
256c. Lorac, ECR – Still Waters
257c. Christie, A – Murder At The Vicarage
258c. Christie, A – Five Little Pigs
259c. Eberhart, MG – Dead Men’s Plans
260c. Eberhart, MG – The Unidentified Woman
261c. Ferrars, E – Alibi For A Witch
262c. Ferrars, E – Murder Among Friends
263c. Christie, A – Towards Zero
264c. Burton, M – Devil’s Reckoning
265c. Gilbert, A – Footsteps Behind Me
266c. Gilbert, A – He Came By Night
267c. Christie, A – Crooked House
268c. Carmichael, H – Deadly Nightcap
269c. Stout, R – Out She Goes
270c. Stout, R – The Broken Vase
271c. Christie, A – The Listerdale Mystery
272c. Ferrars, E – Enough To Kill A Horse
273c. Stout, R – Even In The Best Families
274c. Christie, A – The Moving Finger
275c. Carmichael, H – School For Murder
276c. Christie, A – Murder In The Mews
277c. Gilbert, A – Snake In The Grass
278c. Lorac, ECR – The Dog It Was That Died
279c. Carnac, C – Murder As A Fine Art
280c. Ferrars, E – The Lying Voices
281c. Eberhart, MG – Escape In The Night
282c. Gilbert, A – Miss Pinnergar Disappears
283c. Lorac, ECR – Murder In The Mill Race
284c. Christie, A – Taken At The Flood
285c. Lorac, ECR – Let Well Alone
286c. Christie, A – The Mysterious Mr Quinn
287c. Lorac, ECR – Shroud Of Darkness
288c. Christie, A – The Labours Of Hercules
289c. Gilbert, A – Don’t Open The Door
290c. Carnac, C – A Policeman At The Door
291c. Gilbert, A – Death In The Wrong Room
292c. Christie, A – Parker Pyne Investigates
293c. Ferrars, E – Murder Moves In
294c. Carmichael, H – Why Kill Johnny
295c. Stout, R – Murder By The Book
296c. Eberhart, MG – Five Passengers From Lisbon
297c. Ferrars, E – Always Say Die