Cecil M. Wills

Cecil M. Wills was born Maitland Cecil Melville Wills on 30 November 1891. He was the son of Walter Melville Wills and Louisa Gertrude Wilson. He was educated at Charterhouse School, Godalming, Surrey, and at Manchester University, Manchester, Lancashire.

He married Gladys Amy Fothergill Hughes, daughter of Reginald Hughes, on 5 May 1915. He gained the rank of Captain in the Royal Engineers in the First World War, receiving the Military Cross in 1915. He held the office of Justice of the Peace (J.P.) for Hampshire in 1937. During World War II he gained the rank of Major-General in the Staff of the War Office. He lived at Sherfield Court, Basingstoke, Hampshire, until his death on 12 March 1966 at age 74.

Over a 27-year period (1934-1961) Wills published 26 novels, mainly detective novels. His best-known series detective character is Geoffrey Boscobell.