Sexton Blake

Sexton Blake is a fictional British detective, whose adventures captivated readers for over eight decades from 1893 to 1978. Blake featured in more than 4,000 stories by approximately 200 different authors, making him one of the most prolifically chronicled characters in English literature. The detective's adventures spanned multiple formats including comic strips, novels, radio serials, silent films, and a 1960s ITV television series, reaching audiences across Britain and internationally in various languages.

Initially conceived as a Victorian gentleman detective, Blake evolved significantly over time, acquiring now-iconic elements like his Baker Street residence, his young assistant Tinker, his bloodhound Pedro, and his housekeeper Mrs. Bardell. While often compared to Sherlock Holmes, Blake's adventures typically featured more action-oriented plots and colourful adversaries, including memorable villains like Zenith the Albino, George Marsden Plummer, Dr. Huxton Rymer, Leon Kestrel, Waldo the Wonderman and the Criminals' Confederation. The character reached his peak popularity during the 1920s and early 1930s, particularly through publications like The Union Jack and The Sexton Blake Library, which at its height published five times monthly.