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TIMOTHY TERREL

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Full Name: Timothy Terrel
Nationality: British
Organization: British Intelligence
Occupation Agent

Creator: Stephen Maddock
Time Span: 1933 - 1946

ABOUT THE SERIES

Timothy Terrel is an agent with the British Secret Service.

Described as "a dark, quite attractive sort of person in some ways, and in years could have been anything from an old thirty to a very young forty".

For the most part, Terrel is a quiet, unassuming man who, though in quite good health and shape, tends to move deliberately and calmly. Certainly when people are doing unfriendly acts like pointing guns at him, he can and does do whatever he must to remain alive. However, when not in immediate danger, he presents himself as a man prone to un-excitement.

As stated, Terrel works for the Secret Service of his country but he is far more likely to just state that he "works for the government". If pressed, he will admit to being an "intelligence officer" but he is reticent to be more descriptive. He is similarly closed-mouth about his name, or rather his real name; he is more likely to be using an alias than his true identity.

It is said of Terrel by different folk that he has a suspicious mind which is undoubtedly true and could well be caused by the fact that he is very prone to walking into a room and finding a dead body there. It certainly happens a fair amount of times.

It is a bit ironic then that it can be said of Terrel that he really does not care for the use of guns. That is not to say that he does not make use of them when the situation warrants but he is not the sort to be the first to draw and fire. More often than not he is likely to be content with standing with his hand in his pocket leading people to believe, as is stated in one event, that should his hand come out of that pocket, it would be holding something.

Most of the adventures that exists of Timothy Terrel are told from other people's viewpoints. It is not uncommon for the troubles, whatever they might be, to be well underway before Terrel makes his presence known. It is pretty obvious by the way he acts, he prefers it that way; his use of the shadows and the background is quite common.

Good Lines:
"Stoning the prophets is by no means an obsolete sport."
"I'm not an information bureau. People seem to think I am, though. They keep coming and asking me. I'm getting rather tired of it all."


BOOKS

Number of Books:18
First Appearance:1933
Last Appearance:1946

1 A Woman of Destiny A Woman of Destiny
Written by Stephen Maddock
Copyright: 1933

A little boy on Wimbledon Commons knocks down a carrier pigeon with a slingshot. Joan Meredith picks up the injured bird and discovers a note attached to its legs. This act of kindness will result in Meredith up to her neck in trouble and intrigue and needing the help of Timothy Terrel who in turn needs her assistance.

2 The White Siren The White Siren
Written by Stephen Maddock
Copyright: 1934

[plot unknown]

3 Danger After Dark Danger After Dark
Written by Stephen Maddock
Copyright: 1934

[plot unknown]

4 Gentlemen of the Night Gentlemen of the Night
Written by Stephen Maddock
Copyright: 1934

It is a lovely summer evening in Naples and Anna West, on her first pleasure cruise, is out for a stroll. Getting lost and trying to find her way back to the ship, she nears an alley when a man races out and collides with her. A moment late a shot from the darkness drops the man and sends West into an adventure where she needs Timothy Terrel to get her out.

5 Conspirators in Capri Conspirators in Capri
Written by Stephen Maddock
Copyright: 1935

[plot unknown]

6 The Eye at the Keyhole The Eye at the Keyhole
Written by Stephen Maddock
Copyright: 1935

[plot unknown]

7 Conspirators Three Conspirators Three
Written by Stephen Maddock
Copyright: 1936

[plot unknown]

8 Forbidden Frontiers Forbidden Frontiers
Written by Stephen Maddock
Copyright: 1936

[plot unknown]

9 Conspirators at Large Conspirators at Large
Written by Stephen Maddock
Copyright: 1937

[plot unknown]

10 Lamp-Post 592 Lamp-Post 592
Written by Stephen Maddock
Copyright: 1938

[plot unknown]

11 Doorway to Danger Doorway to Danger
Written by Stephen Maddock
Copyright: 1938

In Austria and actually not on duty at the time, Timothy Terrel heads out for an evening meal with a friend from the Embassy. When that friend is called away on duty, Terrell rounds up his buddy, Bisket, for a night of drink but upon returning to his hotel room finds a murdered man in his bed.

12 Spies Along the Severn Spies Along the Severn
Written by Stephen Maddock
Copyright: 1939

[plot unknown]

13 Spades at Midnight Spades at Midnight
Written by Stephen Maddock
Copyright: 1940

[plot unknown]

14 Date with a Spy Date with a Spy
Written by Stephen Maddock
Copyright: 1941

Traveling under an alias, Timothy Terrel is on a Spanish-bound ship heading to that country to find a way to stop that country from entering the War on the side of the Axis. His mission is made even harder when his ship is sunk by a submarine, likely Italian in origin. With the other survivors, he is ferried to Gibraltar giving him another chance to complete the assignment.

15 Drums Beat at Dusk Drums Beat at Dusk
Written by Stephen Maddock
Copyright: 1943

In the heart of Africa, elements of both the Axis and the Allies are about to go at each other and Timothy Terrel is in place to push the advantage to his side. Others do not feel so inclined.

16 Something on the Stairs Something on the Stairs
Written by Stephen Maddock
Copyright: 1944

[plot unknown]

17 I'll Never Like Friday Again I'll Never Like Friday Again
Written by Stephen Maddock
Copyright: 1945

Meeting a lovely young woman liked Nan should have been a pleasant occurrence even if it happened on a Friday which everyone knew was an unlucky day. Timothy Terrel did not think much of it, though, when it happened in an apartment where there was already a dead man.

18 Overture to Trouble Overture to Trouble
Written by Stephen Maddock
Copyright: 1946

[plot unknown]

NOVELLAS AND SHORT STORIES

Number of Stories:1
First Appearance:1938
Last Appearance:1938

1 The Uncounted Factor The Uncounted Factor
short story
Written by Stephen Maddock
Copyright: 1938

8th of 19 stories in the anthology My Best Spy Stories. 
[plot unknown]

MY COMMENTS

Obviously by the gaps in the book list, there are challenges to getting hold of some of the Terrel adventures. I have been able to procure and enjoy just over a half dozen of them but there are more that I am missing than that I have.

Still, with those that I have had the pleasure of reading, I am able to say that I enjoyed the Terrel adventures but am surprised at the subtle way he is used. I was far more used to the flamboyant Colonel Ormiston or the bombastic Oliver Keene characters the author created under his real name.

Granted, for a clandestine operative, Terrel's approach seems more appropriate.

GRADE

My Grade: B

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