Photo of W. J. Burley
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W. J. Burley

1914–2002

1 series 22 books in order

William John Burley was a Cornish crime writer, best known for his books featuring the detective Charles Wycliffe, which became the basis of the popular television series Wycliffe, shown from 1994 to 1998. He was born in 1914 and died in 2002. Burley wrote crime fiction and was also known by the pen name W. J. Burley.

Born
1914
Known for
Charles Wycliffe

Series by W. J. Burley

Charles Wycliffe

22 books in order · 1968–2000

  1. Cover of Wycliffe and the Three-Toed Pussy

    Wycliffe and the Three-Toed Pussy

    1968 · W. J. Burley

    Wycliffe and the Three-Toed Pussy is a crime novel by W. J. Burley, part of a series featuring the detective Charles Wycliffe. The book is set in the…

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  2. Cover of Wycliffe and How to Kill a Cat

    Wycliffe and How to Kill a Cat

    1970 · W. J. Burley

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  3. Cover of Wycliffe and the Guilt Edged Alibi

    Wycliffe and the Guilt Edged Alibi

    1971 · W. J. Burley

    When Caroline Bryce's body is found in the estuary, Detective Chief Superintendent Wycliffe is assigned to the case amid warnings to proceed…

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  4. Cover of Wycliffe and Death in a Salubrious Place

    Wycliffe and Death in a Salubrious Place

    1973 · W. J. Burley

    Wycliffe and Death in a Salubrious Place is a crime novel by W. J. Burley, featuring the detective Charles Wycliffe. The book is part of a series…

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  5. Cover of Wycliffe and Death in Stanley Street

    Wycliffe and Death in Stanley Street

    1974 · W. J. Burley

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  6. Wycliffe and the Pea-Green Boat

    1975 · W. J. Burley

    Wycliffe and the Pea-Green Boat is a crime novel by W. J. Burley, part of a series featuring the detective Charles Wycliffe. The book is set in…

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  7. Wycliffe and the Schoolgirls

    1976 · W. J. Burley

    Wycliffe and the Schoolgirls is a crime novel by W. J. Burley, featuring the detective Charles Wycliffe. The book is part of a series that inspired…

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  8. Cover of Wycliffe and the Scapegoat

    Wycliffe and the Scapegoat

    1978 · W. J. Burley

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  9. Wycliffe in Paul's Court

    1980 · W. J. Burley

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  10. Cover of Wycliffe's Wild Goose Chase

    Wycliffe's Wild Goose Chase

    1982 · W. J. Burley

    William John Burley was a Cornish crime writer who created the detective character Charles Wycliffe. His novels featuring this character were adapted…

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Show all 22 Charles Wycliffe books in order →

Frequently asked questions

How many books has W. J. Burley written?

We list 22 books by W. J. Burley across 1 series, published between 1968–2000 — each shown in full reading order.

What order should I read W. J. Burley's books?

Read each series in publication order. A good place to start is “Wycliffe and the Three-Toed Pussy.” Open any series above for its complete numbered reading order.

Where can I buy W. J. Burley's books?

Every title links to Amazon from its series page — see our affiliate disclosure in the footer for how that supports the site.

Reading order compiled from author/publisher guidance and verified bibliographic data. Spotted a wrong order, a missing book, or any other mistake? and we'll correct it.

Some summaries adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.