author
Philip MacDonald
1900–1980
A sharp, fast-moving storyteller of classic crime and suspense, he wrote ingenious mysteries and Hollywood screenplays with equal ease. Best known for the Anthony Gethryn novels, he brought a clean, clever style to thrillers on both page and screen.
1 Audiobook
The rasp
by Philip MacDonald
About the author
Born in London on November 5, 1900, Philip MacDonald came from a notably literary family: he was the son of writer Ronald MacDonald and the grandson of novelist George MacDonald. He served with the British cavalry during the First World War, an experience that fed into the pace and toughness of his later fiction.
MacDonald became one of the standout British crime writers of the interwar years. He is especially remembered for his detective Colonel Anthony Gethryn, introduced in The Rasp in 1924, and for tightly constructed thrillers that helped shape modern suspense writing. He also wrote under several pen names, including Oliver Fleming, Martin Porlock, and Anthony Lawless.
In the 1930s he moved into screenwriting and worked in Hollywood as well as in fiction, building a career that crossed easily between novels and film. He died in California on December 10, 1980. His books are still admired for their wit, speed, and ingenious plotting.