The Toff is the Honourable Richard Rollison. He is an expert thief turned gentleman's adventurer and has many qualities in common with Leslie Charteris's ‘The Saint’, although he is sometimes more sure footed and realistic. Handsome and debonair, with an amorous nature, his thrilling exploits are fast and usually dangerous, with the police always in the background. He can demonstrably use a gun, and his fists, but will always prefer to solve mysteries using just his wits and intelligence.
An educated man, with a decided sense of wellbeing and what might be termed solid middle class behaviour and mannerisms, he is nonetheless perfectly at home with people of all classes and has several exploits and partnerships amongst the ‘ordinary’ people of London’s East End, as well as the more well-to-do of Mayfair set. He has a particular liking for the game of cricket, and carries through the notion of ‘fair-play’ into many of the complex situations he has to deal with.
Regardless of his ability to mix, he personally maintains a liking for high living, beautiful women, and cruises, with his pursuits in these directions often providing the background for some of his near sixty adventures. Nonetheless, many of his cases concern, or comment, upon taxing social problems that are enduring and remain as valid today as when chronicled.
A valet, cum butler, cum secretary, by the name of Jolly is often to be found assisting, although in true gentleman's gentleman fashion, never in the way.
The Toff is one of John Creasey's enduring characters that continues to surprise and delight readers, particularly in Europe and North America.
The Toff Series
The Titles can be read as a series, or randomly as standalone novels
Title | Alternative | Year | |
1 | Introducing the Toff | It's the Toff! | 1938 |
2 | The Toff Goes On | 1939 | |
3 | The Toff Steps Out | 1939 | |
4 | Here Comes the Toff | 1940 | |
5 | The Toff Breaks In | 1940 | |
6 | Salute the Toff | 1941 | |
7 | The Toff Proceeds | 1941 | |
8 | The Toff Goes to Market | 1942 | |
9 | The Toff Is Back | 1942 | |
10 | The Toff on the Trail | (Short stories) | 1942 |
11 | The Toff among the Millions | 1943 | |
12 | Accuse the Toff | 1943 | |
13 | The Toff and the Deadly Priest | The Toff and the Curate | 1944 |
14 | The Toff and the Great Illusion | 1944 | |
15 | Feathers for the Toff | 1945 | |
16 | The Toff and the Lady | 1946 | |
17 | Poison for the Toff | The Toff on Ice | 1946 |
18 | Hammer the Toff | 1947 | |
19 | The Toff in Town | 1948 | |
20 | The Toff Takes Shares | 1948 | |
21 | The Toff and Old Harry | 1949 | |
22 | The Toff on Board | 1949 | |
23 | Fool the Toff | 1950 | |
24 | Kill the Toff | 1950 | |
25 | A Knife for the Toff | 1951 | |
26 | A Mask for the Toff | The Toff Goes Gay | 1951 |
27 | Hunt the Toff | 1952 | |
28 | Call the Toff | 1953 | |
29 | The Toff Down Under | Break the Toff | 1953 |
30 | Murder Out of the Past | short stories | 1953 |
31 | The Toff at Camp | The Toff at Butlins | 1954 |
32 | The Toff at the Fair | 1954 | |
33 | A Six for the Toff | A Score for the Toff | 1955 |
34 | The Toff and the Deep Blue Sea | 1955 | |
35 | Kiss the Toff | Make-Up for the Toff | 1956 |
36 | The Toff in New York | 1956 | |
37 | Model for the Toff | 1957 | |
38 | The Toff on Fire | 1957 | |
39 | The Toff and the Stolen Tresses | 1958 | |
40 | Terror for the Toff | The Toff on the Farm | 1958 |
41 | Double for the Toff | 1959 | |
42 | The Toff and the Runaway Bride | 1959 | |
43 | A Rocket for the Toff | 1960 | |
44 | The Toff and the Kidnapped | The Kidnapped Child | 1960 |
45 | Follow the Toff | 1961 | |
46 | The Toff and the Toughs | The Toff and the Teds | 1961 |
47 | A Doll for the Toff | 1963 | |
48 | Leave It to the Toff | 1963 | |
49 | The Toff and the Spider | 1965 | |
50 | The Toff in Wax | 1966 | |
51 | A Bundle for the Toff | 1967 | |
52 | Stars for the Toff | 1968 | |
53 | The Toff and the Golden Boy | 1969 | |
54 | The Toff and the Fallen Angels | 1970 | |
55 | Vote for the Toff | 1971 | |
56 | The Toff and the Trip-Trip-Triplets | 1972 | |
57 | The Toff and the Terrified Taxman | 1973 | |
58 | The Toff and the Sleepy Cowboy | 1975 | |
59 | The Toff and the Crooked Copper | 1977 |