Changes

These used to be called 'novelettes' - nowadays we call them novellas - substantial stories which don't quite add up to a full-length book in their own right but when the three of them are put together they each make for the sort of read which occupies a longish train journey or an enjoyable evening at home. They're ideal for the new fan who wants to go back to the original Saint stories. Thankfully they've not been revised - the dated topicalities remain and anchor the stories firmly in their period. I loved the idea of a criminal who made a decent living through doing time for someone else's crime at the rate of £10 a week with an extra £2 for hard labour. He was hoping to save up enough to retire before too long. Even better is the fact that the phrase ''gay buccaneering'' didn't have any sexual subtext.

The final novella in this book, ''The Lawless Lady'' is unusual in that the Saint makes only a brief appearance with the major part being taken by Dicky Tremaine who infiltrates a gang of criminals intent on a major robbery only to fall for the female leader. We've seen in the two earlier stories that Templar is not averse to using physical violence, but this is the first story in which we actually see Templar kill. A substantial part of the story takes place abroad or at sea - paving the way for many more stories with an international setting.

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[[Category:Leslie Charteris]]

[[Category:John Telfer]]

[[Category:Crime (Historical)]]

[[Category:Short Stories]]