author
Rufus King
1893–1966
A clever American mystery writer with a taste for intricate whodunits, he is best remembered for stories featuring Lieutenant Valcour and other recurring sleuths. His life ranged from military service in World War I to screenwriting work in Hollywood, giving his fiction an unusually varied backdrop.
1 Audiobook
Murder by the clock
by Rufus King
About the author
Born in New York City in 1893, Rufus Frederick King became a prolific writer of detective fiction, especially during the golden age of the whodunit. He wrote novels, short stories, and plays, and created several recurring investigators, with Lieutenant Valcour becoming his best-known character.
Before and alongside his writing career, he served in World War I and later worked in film. Screen credits linked to his work include Murder at the Vanities, The Hidden Hand, and Secret Beyond the Door..., showing how comfortably his storytelling moved between page and screen.
King died in Hollywood, Florida, in 1966. Though he is not as widely read today as some of his contemporaries, his books are still appreciated by classic-crime fans for their puzzle-like plots, theatrical flair, and polished, old-school suspense.