Michael Arlen
Description
An Armenian, born Dikran Kouyoumdjian in Bulgaria, Arlen became a popular writer in England in the '20s (Wikipedia, Tartarus). After coming to England to complete his education, Kouyoumdjian adopted the name Michael Arien following his decision to become a British citizen and pursue a literary career. Although Arlen published his first book at the early age of eighteen, it was not until eleven years later that he achieved real success with The Green Hat (1924). A fashionable series of best-selling society novels and short stories followed, perfectly capturing the hedonistic spirit of the times. Arlen eventually married into the English upper-class society he so often satirised and moved first to France and later to Hollywood to develop his career. Among his fictional works, Arlen wrote a number of supernatural pieces which demonstrate a variety of literary infuences ranging from Saki and Oscar Wilde to Arthur Machen. [Source: Shadows in the Attic: A Guide to British Supernatural Fiction 1820-1950, Neil Wilson (2000).] Michael J Arlen, who also appears in Open Library (here) is probably the son mentioned in the Wikipedia link.
Books
Ghost Stories
Man's mortality
The timely theme of a personal crusade against a global monopolistic trust '. [biblion.com website 29 July 2002]. A futuristic story about air travel, international peace and the search for personal happiness.' [abebooks.com website 29 July 2002].
The green hat
The Green Hat perfectly reflects the atmosphere of the 1920s—the post-war fashion for verbal smartness, youthful cynicism, and the spirit of rebellion of the "bright young things" of Mayfair. Iris Storm, femme fatale, races around London and Europe in her yellow Hispano-Suiza surrounded by romantic intrigue, but beneath the glamour she is destined to be a tragic heroine. A perfect synecdoche, in fact: as the hat is to the woman, so the words of the title are to an entire literary style. The success of the novel when it was first published in 1924 led to its adaptation for the screen, with Greta Garbo starring as Iris Storm.
Hell! Said the Duchess
A female killer stalks the streets of London, sleeping with young men before slashing their throats and mutilating their bodies. The crimes have baffled the police and enraged Londoners, who demand the murderer's arrest. Mary, Duchess of Dove, a gentle young widow who is beloved by all who know her, seems an unlikely suspect, but the clues all point to her. The police have a variety of theories - perhaps the Duchess has been hypnotized or drugged, maybe she has an evil double, or could it be a Communist plot to discredit the peerage? Inspector Basil Icelin is determined to solve the mystery, but the true explanation is far more shocking and terrifying than anyone could ever imagine. Michael Arlen (1895-1956) became a rich and world-famous celebrity after the publication of his bestseller The Green Hat in 1924. Hell! said the Duchess (1934) is a delightfully bizarre book, telling a "bedtime story" in a light, humorous style that contrasts oddly with its gruesome and horrific subject matter. This first-ever reprinting of what Karl Edward Wagner has called the best supernatural horror novel ever.
The Great Book of Thrillers
A bumper anthology divided into “Stories of Mystery and Adventure”, “Stories of Crime and Detection” and “Stories of the Supernatural”.