R. A. J. (Robert Alfred John) Walling

Born in Exeter in 1869, Robert Alfred John Walling built his career first in journalism before becoming known as a writer of detective fiction. He published under the name R. A. J. Walling and later lived in the Plymouth area, where he died in 1949.

Walling came to fiction relatively late. His first novel appeared in 1927, and he went on to write a long run of mysteries, especially the books featuring Philip Tolefree, an upper-class investigator often described as working in insurance but really functioning as an amateur detective. That background helped give his crime novels a neat mix of professional observation, social detail, and puzzle-plot storytelling.

Alongside his crime writing, Walling also wrote nonfiction, including a book on George Borrow. Today he is chiefly remembered as part of the British Golden Age tradition: a dependable, intelligent mystery author whose books reward readers who enjoy careful clues and an unhurried, thoughtful style.