Dornford Yates was the pseudonym of the English novelist Cecil William Mercer (7 August 1885 – 5 March 1960), whose novels and short stories – some humorous tales (the 'Berry' books) and some serious thrillers (the 'Chandos' books) – were best-sellers in the period between the First and Second World Wars.

This categorization of Yates's books is based on the list that appears in his last published work, B-Berry and I Look Back. All are full-length novels except where noted. Almost all of the tales in the short story collections were also published separately, often in slightly different form and with different titles in The Windsor Magazine: see the corresponding book article for details.

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'Berry' books

The 'Berry' books are comic novels and short stories narrated in the first person by Boy Pleydell. They feature the family group of Berry Pleydell (Boy's cousin), Daphne Pleydell (Boy's sister and Berry's wife), Jonathan 'Jonah' Mansel (Boy's cousin) and Jill Mansel (Boy's cousin and Jonah's sister).

+ The 'Berry' books Title Year of firstpublication First edition publisher NotesThe Brother of Daphne 1914Ward Lock & Co Short stories, originally published in The Windsor MagazineThe Courts of Idleness 1920Ward Lock & CoShort stories, originally published in The Windsor MagazineBerry and Co. 1921Ward Lock & CoShort stories, originally published in The Windsor MagazineJonah and Co. 1922Ward Lock & CoShort stories, originally published in The Windsor MagazineAdèle and Co. 1931Hodder and StoughtonNovel. Prepares for some of the events in Red in the Morning. The British Library gives the date as "" but both the H&S and the later Ward Lock editions state that it was first printed in July 1931.And Berry Came Too 1936Ward Lock & Co Short stories, originally published in The Windsor MagazineThe House That Berry Built 1945Ward Lock & CoNovelThe Berry Scene1947Ward Lock & CoShort storiesAs Berry and I Were Saying 1952Ward Lock & Co Fictionalised memoirsB-Berry and I Look Back1958Ward Lock & CoFictionalised memoirs

'Chandos' books

The 'Chandos' books are adventure novels narrated in the first person by Richard William Chandos. They often feature Jonathan Mansel (from the 'Berry' books), George Hanbury, and their respective menservants Bell, Carson and Rowley.

+ The 'Chandos' books Title Year of firstpublication First edition publisher NotesBlind Corner 1927Hodder and Stoughton Published in abridged form in Short Stories magazine as "The Treasure of the Well". Perishable Goods 1928Hodder and StoughtonSequel to Blind Corner. Its writing is satirized in the ‘Berry’ story “Letters Patent” (found in the story collection “Maiden Stakes”).Blood Royal 1929Hodder and StoughtonNovel, set in the fictional Principality of Riechtenburg. Fire Below 1930Hodder and StoughtonBy Royal Command in the US. Sequel to Blood Royal.She Fell Among Thieves 1935Hodder and StoughtonNovel. Serialised in Woman's Journal.An Eye for a Tooth 1943Ward Lock & CoNovel, set immediately after the events of Blind Corner.Red in the Morning 1946Ward Lock & CoWere Death Denied in the US. Follows on directly from Gale Warning. References events from Adele & Co.Cost Price1949Ward Lock & CoThe Laughing Bacchante in the US. Sequel to Safe Custody. References events from Blind Corner.

Other Volumes + Other Volumes Title Year of firstpublication First edition publisher NotesAnthony Lyveden 1921Ward Lock & Co Originally published in The Windsor MagazineValerie French 1923Ward Lock & CoSequel to Anthony Lyveden. Originally published in The Windsor MagazineAnd Five Were Foolish 1924Ward Lock & CoShort stories, originally published in The Windsor MagazineAs Other Men Are 1925Ward Lock & Co Short stories, originally published in The Windsor MagazineThe Stolen March 1926Ward Lock & Co Fantasy novel, originally published in The Windsor MagazineSummer Fruit 1929Minton, Balch & Company, New YorkUS omnibus edition of Anthony Lyveden and Valerie FrenchMaiden Stakes 1929Ward Lock & CoShort stories, originally published in The Windsor Magazine. Includes the 'Berry' story Letters Patent, which satirises the creation of the ‘Chandos’ story Perishable GoodsSafe Custody 1932Hodder and StoughtonSerialised in The Saturday Evening Post (as Your Castle of Hohenems)Storm Music 1934Hodder and Stoughton Serialised in Woman's Journal and in Woman's Home Companion (as Bright with Peril)She Painted Her Face 1937Ward Lock & CoSerialised in Woman's Journal and in Woman's Home Companion (as Counterfeit Coin)This Publican 1938Ward Lock & CoSerialised in Woman's Journal as She Knew Not Mercy. Published as The Devil in Satin in the USGale Warning 1939Ward Lock & Co Serialised in Woman's Home Companion. First person narrative by John Bagot, includes Chandos and Mansel as characters. Part of the plot is continued in ‘Red in the Morning’.Shoal Water 1940Ward Lock & Co Serialised in Blue Book as When the Devil Drives. First person narrative by Jeremy Solon. Includes Mansel as a character. Period Stuff 1942Ward Lock & Co Short stories, some originally published in The Windsor Magazine and others in The Strand MagazineLower than Vermin 1950Ward Lock & CoNovelNe'er-Do-Well 1954Ward Lock & Co Yates's only detective story. First person narrative by Chandos, includes Mansel as a character Wife Apparent 1956Ward Lock & Co Originally intended to be called Lady in Waiting but the title was changed after the dust-cover had been printed due to another book with that title being published. First editions had the title over-printed with an explanatory note from the author

Other works + Other works Title Year of firstpublication First edition publisher NotesTemporary Insanity1910PunchUncollected short story, published 25 May 1910. The attribution to Yates appears in the June half-yearly index for Volume CXXXVIII (5 January to 29 June 1910)Like A Tale That Is Told1910Red MagazineUncollected short story, published 15 July 1910 (Volume VI issue 31) The Babes In The Wood1910Pearson's MagazineUncollected short story, published September 1910 (Volume XXX issue 177). The first story to feature 'Berry & Co'Rex-v-Blogg1912Pearson's MagazineUncollected short story, published February 1912 (Volume XXXIII issue 194) What I Know 1913Mills & Boon Ghost-written for C. W. Stamper (1876-1956), who acknowledges Yates' contribution in the foreword U.S. title King Edward As I Knew HimValerie1919The Windsor MagazineUncollected short story, published October 1919 (volume L issue 298)Eastward Ho 1919(Unpublished) Musical comedy, written with Oscar AscheCourt Cards1927The Windsor MagazineUncollected short story, published December 1926 (volume LXV issue 384) The Real Thing1937The Windsor Magazine Uncollected short story, published April 1937 (volume LXXXV issue 508). Reprinted in Twelve Tales of Murder edited by Jack Adrian, Oxford University Press 1998 Adventure in Publishing 1954Ward Lock & Co Preface to The House of Ward Lock 1854 to 1954 by Edward GD Liveing.The Best of Berry 1989 J.M.Dent & Sons Ltd A selection of stories from The Courts of Idleness, Berry & Co, Jonah & Co, Maiden Stakes and And Berry Came Too, edited by Jack Adrian

Publishers The eight books originally published in the United Kingdom by Hodder & Stoughton were re-issued by Ward Lock in 1943.

References

Bibliography

External links

Dornford Yates – ABfaR The Life and Works of Dornford Yates – ibooknet