Peter Cheyney authored the Crime Club card game, which was first published by Pepys (Castell Brothers Limited) in 1935. Peter Cheyney was a top author of British detective and mystery books in the 1930s and 40s, and to have him get personally involved in the creation of a card game for The Crime Club was quite a coup.
The set comes in a wonderful gold-lined box, featuring a sharp padded lid. The top of the box is embossed in gold, and a special card for Peter Cheyney is glued to the bottom of the box.
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| 1935 (left) and 1939 editions of The Crime Club Card Game |
The card game was released with two color varieties: the 1935 first edition features a padded dark purple box, with card backs of purple. The second edition, around 1939, had a dark green box with green-backed cards, so there wouldn't be any confusion.
The game contains 50 cards, mostly made of characters from Peter Cheyney's books (such as Lemmy Caution), however there are exceptions, such as Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot. The cards are made up of 6 suits with 8 cards in each suit. There are 3 detective suits, and 3 crook suits. Each suit features characters, objects, and locations. There are also two jokers included in the set, as well as the instruction booklet and 4 value reminder slips. The back of each card features the masked Crime Club gunman on a geometric pattern. The card illustrations of Cheyney's Lemmy Caution and Carlotta are reissues of the classic architypes taken from John Pisani’s book cover artwork for the Collins editions of “This Man is Dangerous” and “Poison Ivy”.
The Detectives
- Lemmy Caution, assisted by Carlotta
- Hercule Poirot, assisted by Superintendent Battle
- Inspector Macdonald, assisted by Peter Vernon
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| The Detectives and their Assistants |
The Crooks
- Mr. Colbeck, assisted by Dr. Harlow
- Mr. Woodspring, assisted by Mr. Glapthorne
- Mr. Evans, assisted by Janet Murch
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| The Crooks and their Assistants |
How To Play The Crime Club Card Game
Setup: Gather the 50 cards included in the game, which are divided into 6 suits, with 8 cards in each suit. Each suit features characters, objects, and locations. Additionally, there are two jokers.
Deal: Shuffle the cards thoroughly and deal a predetermined number of cards to each player, depending on the number of players participating. The goal is to collect and make up a good hand.First Part of the Game: In this phase, players focus on building the best hand. They strategically select and play cards from their hand, aiming to create combinations that will be advantageous in the second part of the game.Second Part of the Game: Once all players have built their hands, the objective shifts to taking as few tricks as possible. A trick is won by playing the highest-ranking card of the suit led. However, players can strategically play lower-ranking cards to avoid winning tricks that may carry negative points.Winning Strategy: As the game progresses, players will learn which combinations and card plays lead to the best hands and winning strategies. It is through experience and observation that players refine their approach and aim to score the fewest points by the end of the game.Number of Players: The Crime Club card game requires at least two players and can accommodate up to six players using a single pack of cards. For more than six players, it is recommended to use two packs of cards.
Enjoy the game as you navigate the world of characters, objects, and locations from famous crime novels, and strive to outwit your opponents by collecting the best hands and taking the fewest tricks possible!
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| The Crime Club Card Game, 1935 purple edition |
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