Charles Beadle (1881–1957) was a prolific novelist and pulp fiction writer whose adventurous life heavily influenced his literary output. Born at sea to a ship captain, Beadle grew up in London before leaving home as a teenager to travel the world. His early wanderlust led him to serve in the British South Africa Police during the Boer War, travel through East Africa, and live in Morocco. These experiences provided rich material for his early writing career, which began with travel articles and his debut novel, The City of Shadows: A Romance of Morocco, in 1911.
In 1916, Beadle immigrated to New York City, where he quickly established himself as a prominent contributor to American pulp magazines such as Adventure, Argosy, and Short Stories. He became highly regarded for his authentic, atmospheric adventure tales set in Africa, as well as his sea stories. His most successful work, Witch-Doctors, was originally published as a four-part serial in Adventure in 1919 before being released as a standalone novel in both the United States and London in 1922.
By 1920, Beadle relocated to Paris, which became his primary residence for the next two decades. During this period, his focus shifted toward chronicling the city's vibrant bohemian scene, culminating in works like The Esquimau of Montparnasse. With the onset of World War II, he returned to England, residing in Hertfordshire, before spending his final years in Nice, France, where he died in 1957.
