Crooks Tour (Retro Press Cover & Spine)

The Retro Press cover and spine are the original illustrations from the Collins hardback that was published in 1962. The front cover was totally redrawn for the later Children's Press edition with the laminated boards, and the girls' clothes were updated to suit 1969 fashions, with narrower skirts. The spine illustration depicts a scene from Chapter 2, Crook in the Station, when Ricky mistakes a young man dashing to catch his train for a crook fleeing the scene of a crime.  However, this drawing is a little unusual. First of all, the man is described as being young and fair, but here he looks older and dark. Secondly, as the scene takes place in the early afternoon, it is strange that the man is wearing a tuxedo.

Quote of the Day

"Tea doesn't inspire Odile la cuisinière as other meals do," said Mr. Manson, handing out thick slices of bread and butter and slabs of chocolate. "We should have asked you to get some cakes this morning when you were at St. Brioc."

"Oh, this is wonderful," said Fiona. "I never thought of eating chocolate with bread and butter before."

From THE MOOCHERS ABROAD, Chapter 6, A Great Light Dawns.

Fivepenny Mystery

An illustration by Gilbert Dunlop from Chapter 8 of Fivepenny Mystery, Defeat of a Greek. Penny's character has developed well and she is no longer the shy girl she used to be. Here she stands up to Agamemnon and questions him about Ainros. Agamemnon is not prepared for her questions and begins to splutter and go pale. Penny remarks to herself that it was "interesting to see him go green and red like that, like a traffic light".

Crooks Tour Retro Press Blurb

Quote of the Day

The next day my mother was back on the attack again. "Have you seen the paper? Clapping people into jail without trial, that's the next thing in South Africa-"

"Yes, but they're hardly likely to clap the girls into jail," said Aunt Nan. "That sort of thing would wreck the tourist trade. It couldn't possibly happen to Alison."

"Not to Alison, I dare say," said My mother. But what about Dizzy? You know Dizzy. You must admit that Dizzy has an infinite capacity for getting into strange situations."

"I couldn't agree more," said Dizzy's mother. "But not actually into prison, I'm certain."

From NOTHING HAPPENED AFTER ALL, Chapter 1, The Chance of a Lifetime. 

Susan's Helping Hand (spine)

The spine of the Children's Press edition of Susan's Helping Hand. The illustration shows an unusually pensive Susan examining the Folding Letter. During my recent visit to the Crail Book Sale in Scotland, I came across two Children's Press editions: Susan's Helping Hand and Susan Interferes. I now have four of the five books published with laminated boards, the only one missing being Susan Pulls the Strings. The laminated edition of Susan's Helping Hand was published in 1968 and Susan Interferes a year later. This is interesting because despite the fact that the books were clearly enjoying a second wind in these more inexpensive, mass market editions, the new books published by Collins in the late 1960s were not very enthusiastically marketed.

Susan's Helping Hand has one of the the most tightly packed plots in the series. In addition to the theft of the Folding Letter and the other antics of the Mad Collector, we also have the mysterious Belle and her two young siblings and their possible relationship with Mrs. Forester, plus the adventures that take place on Cousin Barbara's farm. There are nice little sub plots laced throughout the story as well. The policeman, Mr. Bristow would like to solve the crime wave and outdo the "la-di-da" Sergeant Botting. And of course there is a great deal of comedy with Susan and Bill's efforts to drum up a little extra business for Miss Frame's shop by diverting the traffic on the bank holiday. The huge traffic jam and all the chaos that ensues are hilarious. Susan's fascination with the Kent countryside and its contrast to her drab native Glasgow are also delightful features of the story. And we can't forget Bill's enthusiasm when it comes to learning how a farm operates.

The book ends on a strong note too. The identity of the master criminal, the Mad Collector, is a great surprise to the reader. And I can't recall any other Jane Shaw story in which characters begin in such miserable conditions and end up so happy, as occurs with Belle, Robert and Mary. This is one of Jane Shaw's strongest stories.

Quote of the Day

"Oh, I know you said that," said Midge, "but then you say some perfectly foolish things."

"Sometimes they're not potty," said Susan.

"No," agreed Midge, beginning to waver a little. "I must say that you do come away with a sort of inspired guess sometimes."

"Inspired guess!" said Susan indignantly. "Masterly piece of deducation!"

From SUSAN'S HELPING HAND, Chapter 9, Curious Behaviour of an Antique Dealer.