The Four Just Men

Written by Edgar Wallace

Narrated by Bill Homewood

The mysterious Four Just Men are wealthy Europeans who move easily in high society but, capable of convincing disguise and brilliant acting, are as likely to be found on the street corners of London as at the dinner tables of Paris and Rome. They are the ultimate vigilantes. Their job is to exact justice where governments and police are hamstrung. They work outside the law – and set about their business with grim precision.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Naxos Audiobooks
• Release date: May 1, 2011
• ISBN: 9781843794561

Edgar Wallace

Edgar Wallace (1875-1932) was a London-born writer who rose to prominence during the early twentieth century. With a background in journalism, he excelled at crime fiction with a series of detective thrillers following characters J.G. Reeder and Detective Sgt. (Inspector) Elk. Wallace is known for his extensive literary work, which has been adapted across multiple mediums, including over 160 films. His most notable contribution to cinema was the novelization and early screenplay for 1933’s King Kong.

Reviews for The Four Just Men

[therebelprince · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Not really worth it. A dimestore novel, but it's outlived its usefulness. Too many characters, and a plot which is promoted as "one of the great puzzles of crime fiction" but really hangs entirely on contrivance. Points, though, for some of the unexpected deviations - the story of Billy Marks is affectingly handled - and for its surprising timeliness: a story about well-meaning activists who become terrorists in their bid to stop an illegal immigration bill planned by self-righteous-but-decent politicians. Interesting, but unworthy.

[bradkautz · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Four Just Men is a mystery by Edgar Wallace, one of the most popular writers in England in the early 20th century. The self-named Four Just Men are vigilantes of a sort, traveling to various parts of the world to correct what they perceive as slights to justice. They are in the business of righting wrongs, fatally so.In the particular tale told by Wallace they are acting atypically. They are proclaiming their intent publically and being pro-active, i.e. they threaten to commit an act of murder on a certain high minister in the British government, should the government pursue what they perceive to be an unjust course of action.As Wallace's tale unfolds we see the history of the Four Just Men emerge and begin to understand the motives for their actions. Cases of curious deaths now find that there is a thread linking them. That the Four Just Men are murderers is not in doubt, but the cases in which they have acted to appear to be egregious miscarriages of justice. Perhaps there is a just purpose in their course of action.Wallace's tale is well-told. There is a steady level of suspense but crafted in such a way as to be reasonably plausible. The outcome is never clear until the tale's very end. And you'll have to read for yourself, because it is too good to give away in a review!

[kristelh_15 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was an enjoyable read. An audio from the free summer program and I enjoyed the story and the narrator. The Four Just Men are a group of men who are seek to set right injustices even if death is required. It is a fun mystery thriller.

[eyejaybee · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Really rather tedious. Sadly this novel hasn't aged well.

[antiquary_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Wallace frct ig success as a writre, about a group of men who take it upon themselves to might out what they regard as justice

[devenish_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

'The Four Just Men' of the title are a criminal group that only kill their victims under strict rules. Those who commit crimes,which are perhaps not seen as crimes by all,are their prey. They work under the most stringent codes of conduct such as delivering a number of warnings that if their crimes or conduct is changed,then the death threats will be removed.The British Foreign Secretary intends to pass a Bill which is thought by many to be flawed and which will do much harm. The Just Men give him his warnings which he intends to ignore although he is badly frightened.Edgar Wallace has once more given us a superb thriller of the 'Locked Room' type. An excellent read and one in which the Just Men excel.

[leslie398 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Interesting twist to the mystery format - the book starts with the "4 just men" (vigilantes) planning the death of English minister Ramon and the murder doesn't occur until almost the very end.

[irishholger · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

THE FOUR JUST MEN was Edgar Wallace's first foray into mystery writing. Initially self published, the public was then invited to supply the solution to the mystery for prices amounting to a total of £1000 (incidentally the same amount that was offered for the capture of the four just men in the novel itself).The marketing campaign Wallace had designed was ingenious and quite ahead of its time, though crippled him financially for quite some time.The book is a quick and fast read with an interesting concept: A group of men serve as judges and executioners for injustices worldwide that would otherwise not be captured. Trouble is that the case in this novel really doesn't make all that much sense. A politician is threatened with his execution unless he drops a controversial new bill. One would think that a bill could be passed whether or not one single politician is alive or dead and in actual fact, although the sympathies are supposed to be lying with our anti-heroes, it is indeed the smug politician who ends up getting the reader's sympathies for his head strong insistence on going on with what he considers to be the right thing.Still, this is a Must Read for anyone even remotely interested in Edgar Wallace.