Pseudonym of Henry Cecil Leon (1902-1976), UK barrister and later County Court judge who wrote numerous witty, legally knowledgable stories, generally revolving around courtrooms, ingenious crimes and eccentric lawyers. The most famous is Brothers in Law (1955), which was filmed in 1957. Two late novels include sf elements. A psychoactive Drug carried by pollen in The Buttercup Spell (1971) temporarily transforms England into a woozy Utopia where judges impose only the lightest punishments and police reward speeding motorists with hugs. In Cross Purposes (1976), a family's large football pools win proves to be fraudulent: the Scientist son, creator of various Inventions, altered the pools form via remote-control Rays after the match results were known. A moral and legal dilemma ensues. [DRL]
Henry Cecil Leon
born Norwood Green, London: 19 September 1902
died Brighton, Sussex: 23 May 1976
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