He is widely regarded as one of the earliest pioneers of the thriller and spy-fiction genre as it is recognised today. Oppenheim’s incredible literary success meant that his own life soon began to mirror that of his opulent characters.

Oppenheim's skillful storytelling and deft characterizations make this book a defining example of early espionage literature, offering not only a suspenseful tale but also a glimpse into the cultural anxieties of the period during which it ...

"This habit of becoming late for breakfast," Lady Ashleigh remarked, as she set down thecoffee-pot, "is growing upon your father.

A Millionaire of Yesterday Edward Phillips Oppenheim

Intriguing Edwardian spy novel with a dramatic denouement The sinister atmosphere and suspense was almost unbearable. A cracking good read.

Edward Phillips Oppenheim (22 October 1866 - 3 February 1946) was an English novelist, in his lifetime a major and successful writer of genre fiction including thrillers.

This novel, in particular, may draw from Oppenheim's own brushes with the glittering Mediterranean high society and the darker undercurrents that often accompanied it.

With the police hot on his tail, Peter Ruff decides to turn from a life of crime to the more lucrative (and personally safer) life of a private investigator.