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.