 Cleve Franklin Adams was born in Chicago, Illinois. He worked as a copper miner, detective, life insurance executive and art director for films before becoming a full-time writer. He also wrote under the pseudonym 'John Spain', and together with Robert Leslie Bellem under the joint pseudonym 'Franklin Charles'. |
Titles and year of publication:
| 1) And Sudden Death | 1940 |
| 2) Sabotage (UK Title: Death at the Dam [1946]) (Also published as: Death Before Breakfast [1942]) | 1940 |
| 3) Decoy | 1941 |
| 4) The Black Door | 1941 |
| 5) The Private Eye | 1942 |
| 6) What Price Murder | 1942 |
| 7) Up Jumped the Devil (Also published as: Murder All Over [1950]) | 1943 |
| 8) The Crooking Finger | 1944 |
| 9) No Wings on a Cop (completed by Robert Leslie Bellem) | 1950 |
| 10) Contraband (UK Title: Borderline Cases [1952]) (completed by Robert Leslie Bellem) | 1950 |
| 11) Shady Lady (completed by Robert Leslie Bellem) | 1955 |
| As 'John Spain' | |
| 1) Dig Me a Grave | 1942 |
| 2) Death Is Like That | 1943 |
| 3) The Evil Star | 1944 |
| As 'Franklin Charles' (with Robert Leslie Bellem) | |
| 1) The Vice Czar Murders | 1941 |