author

Francis Everton

1883–1956

Best known for classic British mysteries, this writer balanced a career in engineering with a short run of sharply constructed detective novels. His books have a Golden Age feel, with careful clues, country-house tension, and a practical eye for detail.

1 Audiobook

The Dalehouse murder

The Dalehouse murder

by Francis Everton

About the author

Francis Everton was the pen name of Francis William Stokes (1883–1956), a British crime novelist. Reliable catalog and library-style sources connect the name Francis Everton with Stokes, and identify him as an engineer as well as a writer.

He appears to have written six mystery novels between 1927 and 1936, including The Dalehouse Murder. Several sources note that his engineering background informed his fiction, which helps explain the neat, methodical quality readers often associate with his work.

Although he is not as widely known today as some other Golden Age detective writers, his novels have continued to circulate through projects like Project Gutenberg and LibriVox, suggesting a small but lasting afterlife among mystery readers who enjoy overlooked British crime fiction.