author

John Ironside

Best known as the pen name of Euphemia Margaret Tait, this British crime writer published mystery and detective fiction in the early 20th century. Her books, including The Red Symbol, helped build a small but lasting reputation among readers of classic suspense.

2 Audiobooks

The 'Phone Booth Mystery

The 'Phone Booth Mystery

by John Ironside

The Red Symbol

The Red Symbol

by John Ironside

About the author

Writing as John Ironside, Euphemia Margaret Tait was a British author born in Liverpool in 1866 and died in 1945. She is chiefly remembered for crime and mystery novels published under a male pseudonym.

Her work appeared in the first half of the 20th century, and The Red Symbol is one of the titles most often associated with her today. Modern library and public-domain listings continue to preserve her books, which has helped keep her name alive for readers interested in vintage detective fiction.

Very little widely confirmed biographical detail seems easy to verify from major public sources beyond her identity, dates, and the fact that John Ironside was her pseudonym. That scarcity gives her a slightly elusive place in literary history, but it also adds to the appeal for readers who enjoy rediscovering overlooked crime writers.