And talking of which.....

Talking of gung-ho adventure tales brings me on to 2 short stories that also made it on to my e-reader. Both are in the series The Boy detectives by M.E. Pargeter. These were recommended to me by Adrian Wright, who I suspect may have a little more input into the series than just "uncovering" the forgotten Pargeter tales.

Cousins, Francis and Gordon Jones, live in a blissful 1950s world far removed from food rationing or any nastiness. Britain still rules the waves, tea is still eaten regularly (with bloater sandwiches and lashings of lemonade), policeman are a bit thick, and schoolboys can change the world.

We're firmly in Enid Blyton land, but less Five go off in a caravan, more Five go mad in Dorset, although it is much gentler in its satirical tone.

I read two of the short stories (you can read them for free at The boy detectives link above) : The problem at St. Mildred's, and The embers of truth. Both are brilliantly funny, poking gentle fun at the mores of the period. This is what I said to Adrian about the first one....

"... I'm very slowly getting used to reading books on a Kindle type device, and having finished my current read yesterday nervously dipped a toe into e-books by reading "The problem at St. Mildred's". 

Got to say that I was not in a good mood when I started it....So not a good day to start a work by an unknown author ;-)

However within 2 pages I was chortling, a sort of silent chortle followed by a continuous stream of laugh out loud ones. The dogs were seriously alarmed, and had to come up on the sofa and examine the Kindle-type-device closely just in case it was attacking me. It was an absolute tonic.

Many many thanks.....It was every bit as good as a large gin, and should be available on prescription."

Deliciously wicked and thoroughly enjoyable.