Sax Rohmer (pseudonym of Arthur Henry "Sarsfield" Ward; 1883–1959) was a British writer of songs sketches, plays and stories. Born in Birmingham to Irish immigrant parents, the family moved to London in about 1886, where Rohmer was schooled. His formal education finished in 1901, following the death of his alcoholic mother. After attempting careers in the civil service, as well as the banking, journalism and gas industries, Rohmer began writing comic songs, monologues and sketches for music hall performers, including Little Tich and George Robey. Rohmer's first book was Pause!, a series of sketches conceived by Robey and written by Rohmer, which was published anonymously in 1910; his second book was the ghost-written biography of Little Tich, published with Tich's real name, Harry Relph.

In 1913 The Mystery of Dr. Fu-Manchu was published, a novel that introduced Dr. Fu Manchu, described by Rohmer as "the yellow peril incarnate in one man". The book brought the author popularity and wealth; in total he wrote 13 Fu Manchu books during his lifetime and, although he killed the character off more than once, public pressure always demanded his return. Fu Manchu is the character with which Rohmer "remains most strongly identified" and was described by Rohmer's biographer Will Murray as one of the literary characters that "has achieved universal acceptance and popularity which will not be forgotten", along with Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan and Dracula. From 1951 onwards, Rohmer published five novels with Sumuru as the central antagonist; she was a female counterpart of Fu Manchu and her novels, too, were both popular and successful.

Rohmer contracted the Asian flu in 1958 and died the following year after related complications. His best-known character has outlived him through numerous film, radio and television interpretations.

Songs and monologues

+ Songs and musical monologues by Rohmer Title Year of firstpublication First edition publisher Notes Francis, Day and Hunter, London Francis, Day and Hunter, London Francis, Day and Hunter, London Written and composed by R. Noel, Rohmer & T. W. Thurban Ascherberg, Hopwood & Crew, London Later arranged for military band by M. Retford. None listed Written by Rohmer and T. W. Thurban Reynolds & Co, London Musical monologue; written and composed by Rohmer. Transcription for piano arranged by T. W. Thurban Reynolds & Co, London Musical monologue

Non-fiction

+ Non-fiction works by Rohmer Title Year of firstpublication First edition publisher Category Notes Pause! Greening (London) Stories and essays Published anonymously; some material co-conceived with George Robey Little Tich: A Book of Travels and Wanderings Greening (London) Anecdotes and sketches Ghostwriter collaborator on autobiography of Little Tich, published under Tich's name only Methuen Publishing, London Occult history A history of the occult and its main practitioners Apologia Alchymiae John M. Watkins, London Occult A re-statement of Alchemy by Richard Watson Councell, M.D. with a preface by Sax Rohmer

Novels and short story collections

+ Novels and story collections by Rohmer Title Year of firstpublication First edition publisher Notes Methuen Publishing, London In later editions the hyphen was dropped from Fu Manchu's name and the book's title. Published in the U.S. as The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu. Cassell, London McBride, New York Published in the UK by Methuen Publishing, London (1915) Methuen Publishing, London also published as The Return of Dr Fu-Manchu Jarrold Publishing, London Short story collection Methuen Publishing, London also published as The Hand of Fu-Manchu Brood of the Witch-Queen Pearson, London Tales of Secret Egypt Methuen Publishing, London Short story collection Methuen Publishing, London Pearson, London Dope: A Story of Chinatown and the Drug Traffic Cassell, London Methuen Publishing, London Jarrold Publishing, London Short story collection Cassell, London Pearson, London Short story collection Bat-Wing Cassell, London Fire-Tongue Cassell, London Tales of Chinatown Cassell, London Short story collection Grey Face Cassell, London Yellow Shadows Cassell, London Moon of Madness Doubleday, Page, Garden City, NY Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1927) She Who Sleeps Doubleday, Doran, Garden City, NY Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1928) Doubleday, Doran, Garden City, NY Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1929) Doubleday, Doran, Garden City, NY Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1930) Daughter of Fu Manchu Doubleday, Doran, Garden City, NY Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1931) Yu'an Hee See Laughs Doubleday, Doran, Garden City, NY Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1932) Tales of East and West Cassell, London Short story collection Doubleday, Doran, Garden City, NY Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1933) Fu Manchu's Bride Doubleday, Doran, Garden City, NY Published in the UK as The Bride of Fu Manchu, Cassell, London (1933) Doubleday, Garden City, NY Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1934) Doubleday, Doran, Garden City, NY Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1935) President Fu Manchu Doubleday, Doran, Garden City, NY Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1936) White Velvet Doubleday, Doran, Garden City, NY Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1936) Salute to Bazarada and Other Stories Cassell, London Short story collection Doubleday, Garden City, NY Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1939) Doubleday, New York Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1941) Seven Sins McBride, New York Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1944) Egyptian Nights Hale, London Short story collection Shadow of Fu Manchu Doubleday, Doran, New York Published in the UK by Jenkins, London (1949) Hangover House Random House, New York Published in the UK by Jenkins, London (1950) Nude in Mink Fawcett Books, New York Published in the UK as The Sins of Sumuru, by Jenkins, London (1950) Wulfheim Jarrold Publishing, London Published under the pseudonym Michael Furey Sumuru Fawcett Books, New York Published in the UK as The Slaves of Sumuru, by Jenkins, London (1952) Fawcett Books, New York Published in the UK as Virgin in Flames, by Jenkins, London (1953) Jenkins, London Return of Sumuru Fawcett Books, New York Published in the UK as Sand and Satin, by Jenkins, London (1955) Sinister Madonna Jenkins, London Re-Enter Fu Manchu Fawcett Books, New York Published in the UK as Re-Enter Dr. Fu Manchu, by Jenkins, London (1957) Emperor Fu Manchu Jenkins, London Ace Books, New York Published posthumously; short story collection Stacey, London Published posthumously; short story collection

Series Dr. Fu Manchu There are 13 novels, 4 short stories, and a play about Dr. Fu Manchu and his nemesis, Denis Nayland Smith. The Mystery of Dr. Fu-Manchu (The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu) (1913) The Devil Doctor (The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu) (1916) The Si-Fan Mysteries (The Hand of Fu-Manchu) (1917) Fu Manchu: A Chinese Melodrama (1919) - play written with Willard Mack The Daughter of Fu Manchu (1931) The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932) The Bride of Fu Manchu (1933) The Trail of Fu Manchu (1934) President Fu Manchu (1936) The Drums of Fu Manchu (1939) The Island of Fu Manchu (1941) The Shadow of Fu Manchu (1948) "The Wrath of Fu Manchu" (1973) Re-Enter Dr. Fu Manchu (1958) "The Eyes of Fu Manchu" (1973) "The Word of Fu Manchu" (1973) "The Mind of Fu Manchu" (1973) Emperor Fu Manchu (1959) Denis Nayland Smith

There are 3 short stories featuring Denis Nayland Smith in which Dr. Fu Manchu does not appear

"The Blue Monkey" in The Haunting of Low Fennel (1920) (The identities of Nayland Smith and Dr. Petrie are strongly hinted, though not explicitly stated in this story.) "The Mark of the Monkey" (Brittania & Eve, April 1931) "The Turkish Yataghan" (Colliers's, January 1932) Gaston Max

There are 4 novels featuring the Parisian detective, Gaston Max.

The Yellow Claw (1915) The Golden Scorpion (1919) The Day the World Ended (1930) Seven Sins (1943)

Sumuru Nude in Mink (The Sins of Sumuru) (1950) The Slaves of Sumuru (1951) Virgin in Flames (The Fire Goddess) (1952) Sand and Satin (The Return of Sumuru) (1954) Sinister Madonna (1956) John Robert Colombo compiled the Sumuru Omnibus in 2011.

Red Kerry Dope: A Story of Chinatown and the Drug Traffic (1919) "The Daughter of Huang Chow" in Tales of Chinatown (1922) "Kerry's Kid" in Tales of Chinatown (1922) Yellow Shadows (1925)

Paul Harley Bat-Wing (1921) Fire-Tongue (1921) "The House of the Golden Joss" in Tales of Chinatown (1922) "The Man with the Shaven Skull" in Tales of Chinatown (1922)

The Crime Magnet There are 15 short stories and a novel featuring Major Bernard de Treville, better known as the Crime Magnet, collected in The Complete Cases of the Crime Magnet

"The Black and White Bag" September 11 and 12, 1937. "The Broken Ikon" September 18 and 19, 1937. "An Egyptian Romance" September 25 and 26, 1937. "The Five Musketeers" December 31, 1937 and January 2, 1938. "Count D'Ambra's Widow" January 8, 1938. "The Persian Portfolio" January 15 and 16, 1938. "Cinderella's Slipper" February 26 and 27, 1938. "The Dutch Cheese" 18 June 1938 The Panama Plot (10 September-1 October 1938) - 4 parts "The Mystery of the Panelled Room" July 29 and 30, 1939. "Exit the Princess" August 5 and 6, 1939. "The Mystic Turban" August 12 and 13, 1939. "The Elusive Jackdaw" August 19 and 20, 1939. "The Oversized Trunk" October 21, 1944. "The Stolen Peach-Stone" November 18, 1944. A rewritten version of "The Green Scarab" (written 1935, published posthumously June 1966 in Edgar Wallace Mystery Magazine) "The Secret of the Ruins" May 13, 1945

Bimbashi Baruk There are 10 short stories featuring this Egyptian major, collected in Bimbashi Baruk of Egypt (Egyptian Nights) (1944)

"Mystery Strikes at Ragstaff Hill" (Collier's, May 31, 1941 as "A Heart in Her Hands") "The Bimbashi Meets Up with A 14" (Collier's, August 23, 1941 as "Pool-o'-the-Moon"') "Murder Strikes in Lychgate" (Collier's, April 11, 1941 as "Four and Twenty Cobblers") "The Laughing Buddha Finds a Purchaser" (Collier's, February 21, 1942 as "Laughing Buddha") "Warning from Rose of the Desert" "Lotus Yuan Loses Her Vanity Case" (Collier's, September 19, 1942 as "Blue Anemones") "The Scarab of Lapis Lazuli" (Collier's November 7, 1942 as "Serpent Wind") "Vengeance at the Lily Pool" (Collier's, February 13, 1942 as "The Man Who Killed Blackbirds") "Adventure in the Libyan Desert" "Pool-o'-the-Moon Sees Bimbashi Baruk"

Moris Klaw

There are 10 short stories featuring this detective and ghost-breaking hero, collected in The Dream Detective (1920)

"Case of the Tragedies in the Greek Room" (The New Magazine, April 1913) "Case of the Potsherd of Anubis" (The New Magazine, May 1913) "Case of the Crusader's Ax" (The New Magazine, June 1913) "Case of the Ivory Statue" (The New Magazine, July 1913) "Case of the Blue Rajah" (The New Magazine, August 1913) "Case of the Whispering Poplars" (The New Magazine, September 1913) "Case of the Chord in G" (The New Magazine, October 1913) "Case of the Headless Mummies" (The New Magazine, November 1913) "Case of the Haunting Of Grange" (The New Magazine, December 1913) "Case of the Veil of Isis" (The New Magazine, January 1914)

Plays + Plays by Rohmer Title First performance Notes Round in Fifty by Rohmer and Julian & Lauri Wylie; first performed at the Cardiff Empire, Cardiff First performed at the New Theatre, London. Revived: Scala Theatre, 16 January 1933 by Rohmer and Willard Mack; originally written for Broadway in 1919, but not performed until Grand Opera House, Cincinnati, OH. Produced and directed by Stuart Walker Secret Egypt First performed at the Q Theatre, London by Rohmer and Michael Martin Harvey; first performed at the Prince's Theatre, London

References

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