Customer Reviews

The Ace of Knaves

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book, from 1937, comprises three short novels (or novellas).

"The Spanish War" is in fact the Civil War, and the story concerns a scheme to finance Franco with forged bonds.

The background is, as usual, accurate. Charteris was actually in the Canary Islands when Franco was there plotting with the Germans. At that time, the British government was bent on appeasement (or more accurately, as subsequently declassified documents now show, active collaboration). But the author (as shown by the Saint's embittered opening speech, which -- characteristically -- also manages to embrace the British licensing laws) was a fan of neither Franco nor Hitler. Charteris (along with Tolkien and H.J. Eysenck) was one of those known later as "premature anti-Nazis".

In "The Unlicensed Victuallers", the Saint deals drastically with smugglers, and in "The Beauty Specialist" with a particularly vicious blackmailer. These two stories are somewhat grimmer than usual, but the last especially is among my favourites.

Hoppy Uniatz figures prominently, and Pat, Orace, Peter and Claud Eustace are all here.

P.S. For a list of -- and discussion of -- all Charteris's Saint books, see my So You'd Like To... Guide.