author
J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
1863–1935
A prolific English writer of more than 230 books, J. S. Fletcher moved effortlessly between Yorkshire history, rural fiction, journalism, and fast-paced detective stories. His mysteries, including The Middle Temple Murder, helped popularize the journalist-sleuth and remain engaging examples of early crime fiction.
31 Audiobooks
The Orange-Yellow Diamond
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
The Paradise Mystery
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
The Middle of Things
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
The Rayner-Slade Amalgamation
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
Dead Men's Money
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
Lucian the dreamer
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
The Talleyrand Maxim
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
Scarhaven Keep
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
In the Mayor's Parlour
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
Ravensdene Court
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
The Middle Temple Murder
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
The copper box
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
Miljoonan dollarin timantti
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
Lynne Courtin salaisuus
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
In the Days of Drake
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
The Charing Cross Mystery
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
Kuparilipas
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
The Chestermarke Instinct
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
Välkehtivä Rubiini
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
Mazaroffin murhajuttu
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
The Borough Treasurer
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
Mr. Poskitt's Nightcaps: Stories of a Yorkshire Farmer
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
Kadonnut mies
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
The Herapath Property
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
The Markenmore Mystery
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
The Root of All Evil
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
Baden-Powell of Mafeking
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
Markenmoren salaisuus
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
Kellanpunainen timantti
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
Lukkoneula
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
The wolves and the lamb
by J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
About the author
Joseph Smith Fletcher (1863–1935) was an English journalist, historian, poet, and novelist born in Halifax, Yorkshire. Raised by his grandmother after his father’s early death, he studied at Silcoates School and began working in journalism at the age of 20, writing for publications including the Leeds Mercury and Yorkshire Post.
Fletcher first published poetry before turning to historical fiction, regional writing, biographies, and studies of Yorkshire. His historical work earned him recognition as a fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and he became known for bringing both rural Yorkshire and urban England vividly to life.
From 1914 onward, detective fiction became the main focus of his career. He wrote more than one hundred crime novels, including The Middle Temple Murder (1919), and created investigators such as Frank Spargo and Ronald Camberwell. Fletcher died in Dorking, Surrey, on January 30, 1935, leaving behind a remarkably varied and extensive body of work.