Stephen James Walker presents a complete visual history of the Hank Janson crime fiction range, from its inception in 1946 through to the last of the original novels in 1971, and beyond. Showcased within its pages are pristine reproductions of every single cover – including, in full-page size, all of the classic Reginald Heade-painted pieces of the 1940s and 1950s. Also illustrated, amongst a wealth of other Hank Janson ephemera, are the Hilary Brand spin-off range, the books’ North American editions and plentiful examples of their many foreign-language translations.
This revised paperback edition includes 22 more pages than the original hardback, including a bonus reprinted Hank Janson short story!
A gloriously nostalgic celebration of a vintage British publishing sensation!
‘This covers the whole Janson saga, all the way through his Compact days, and also covers foreign reprints from across Europe and Scandinavia, so there is an astonishing array of styles on show.’ Steve Holland.
‘A quite fantastic labour of love … a useful historic footnote in the story of British crime fiction.’ Mike Ripley.
278pp. Large format 22cm x 28cm paperback. Fully illustrated in full colour throughout.
ISBN 978-1-84583-252-0
Published 1 August 2025
The Hank Janson name, logo and silhouette device are registered trademarks of Telos Publishing Ltd.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stephen James Walker has authored or co-authored an average of one book per year since the early 1990s, many of them about the BBC’s acclaimed Doctor Who series. Hank Janson Under Cover was his thirtieth title. He has a BSc (Hons) degree in Applied Physics from University College London, and his many other interests include cult TV, film noir, vintage crime fiction, Laurel and Hardy and an eclectic mix of soul, jazz, R&B and other popular music. Between July 1983 and March 2005 he acted as an adviser to successive Governments, responsible for policy on a range of issues relating mainly to individual employment rights. His working time is now taken up by his writing projects and by his role as co-owner and director of Telos Publishing. He lives in Kent with his wife and family.
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