J. J. Connington

J. J. Connington was the pen name of Alfred Walter Stewart (1880–1947), a Scottish chemist and academic who built a second career as a mystery writer. Born in Glasgow, he studied chemistry at Glasgow, worked in research in Marburg and London, and later taught at Queen's University Belfast and the University of Glasgow before returning to Belfast as professor of chemistry.

He began writing fiction in the 1920s, apparently as a form of relaxation alongside his scientific work. Under the Connington name, he became known for cleverly constructed detective novels, including the long-running Sir Clinton Driffield series. His first novel, Nordenholt's Million (1923), was an early science-fiction disaster story, and his later crime novels earned admiration from fellow mystery writers for their careful logic and strong puzzle elements.

That unusual double life helps explain the appeal of his fiction. Connington's novels often feel precise, orderly, and quietly ingenious, with mysteries solved by close reasoning rather than theatrics. For listeners who enjoy classic British detective stories with brains at the center, he remains a rewarding writer to discover.