Anthony Berkeley English writer, author of psychological detective stories Date of Birth: 05.07.1893 Country: Great Britain

Biography of Anthony Berkeley

Anthony Berkeley was an English writer and author of psychological detective novels, who also wrote under the pseudonyms Francis Iles. He was born in Watford, into a family of doctors. Among his maternal ancestors were both the Earl of Monmouth and a smuggler named Francis Iles.

After finishing Sherborne School and the University College London, Berkeley participated in World War I, where he suffered from gas poisoning that severely affected his health. After the war, he began his literary career, working as a journalist. Initially, he was the author of a humorous column in the magazine "Punch" and also dealt with real estate operations, but without much success.

His first experience as a detective fiction author was associated with the novel "The Layton Court Mystery," written in 1925, which introduced the character Roger Sheringham. In his detective novels, Berkeley sought to avoid the conventional narrative forms.

The main character in most of Berkeley's detective stories is the writer Roger Sheringham, a best-selling author and the creator of the Crimes Circle. Sheringham preferred to rely on intellect and intuition in solving criminal mysteries, often making mistakes in his deductions. Sheringham's character significantly differs from the classical detective figures in detective literature, as he is unpleasant, ill-mannered, intrusive, and rude.

Anthony Berkeley was one of the initiators and founding members of the Detection Club. However, in the early 1940s, long before his death, Berkeley stopped writing detective novels. He was also the author of numerous humorous sketches, fantasy stories, and several non-fiction works.

From 1938, Berkeley worked as a critic and reviewer of detective literature, usually signing his reviews with the pseudonym Francis Iles. He closely collaborated with publications such as John O’London’s Weekly, Daily Telegraph, and Sunday Times. From the mid-1950s until 1970, Berkeley worked with the Manchester Guardian, later renamed The Guardian.