Arthur Somers Roche Autographs, Memorabilia & Collectibles

Arthur Somers Roche (1883-1935) was an American mystery thriller writer who was the son of James Jeffry Roche, a prominent Irish-American author and journalist; after graduating with a law degree from Boston College in 1904, he soon grew tired of the profession. He began contributing short stories to national magazines in 1910, and in 1916 published his first novel Loot. His career was put on hold while serving as a Captain in WWI, but after Roche became one of the more prolific writers of the period, writing twenty-three novels, scores of short stories and two plays. His novel A Day of Faith (1921) impressed Governor of Arkansas Thomas G. McCrea so much that he declared November 21, the day it was published, a state holiday.