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Freckled fugitive Smiler is never far from trouble. After hitching
a ride south, Smiler finds his way to North Devon and the estate of
the 'The Duchess' - a former fairground fortune-teller who now runs
a farm. Here, he stays and tends to circus animals housed for the
winter. When a peregrine falcon, Fria, escapes, Smiler must search
for ways of helping and recapturing the bird. In doing so, can he
solve the problem that has kept him in hiding for so long? Or does
more trouble await?
Mr Edgar Finchley, unmarried clerk, aged 45, is told to take a
holiday for the first time in his life. He decides to go to the
seaside. But Fate has other plans in store... From his abduction by
a cheerful crook, to his smuggling escapade off the south coast,
the timid but plucky Mr Finchley is plunged into a series of the
most astonishing and extraordinary adventures. His rural adventure
takes him gradually westward through the English countryside and
back, via a smuggling yacht, to London. This gentle comedy trilogy
was a runaway bestseller on first publication in the 1930s and
retains a timeless appeal today. It has been dramatized twice for
BBC Radio, with the 1990 series regularly repeated. What people are
saying about the Mr Finchley series: 'Wonderful character from a
kinder slower England between the wars.' 'An overlooked gem. An
innocent picaresque novel set in an arcadian version of mid 20th
century England. The literary equivalent of naive painting, it
narrates the adventures of a respectable upper middle-aged man who
takes retirement.' 'An antidote to the rush of the early 21st
century.' 'A thoroughly enjoyable stroll through a vanished England
with some lovable characters. Don't expect modern, fashionable
agonisings, here there is good, evil, and understanding. A lovely
reminiscent wallow of a read.' 'Gentle well told simple story, full
of pleasant surprises, and a mild mannered believable hero. Loved
it to bits.' 'So gentle, it hurts.' 'There is a freshness about the
writing which is charming and that disarms criticism. Don't expect
any great profundities, a gripping plot or inter-character tensions
- these books are of the world of Billy Bunter and William Brown -
but do expect a very well-written and enjoyable romp through early
twentieth-century England in the company of an engaging
protagonist.' 'A delightful story of a man who finds himself jolted
out of his comfort zone and taken on a journey beyond his wildest
imaginings.' 'Another lovely book detailing the adventures of Mr
Finchley in altogether far too short a series. Full of humour and a
book I was sorry to finish as I wanted it to go on and on.' 'Highly
recommended for anyone seeking an entertaining amusing read.' 'A
delight to be transported to an England I never knew despite
growing up in the 1950s and to experience the countryside through
the sharp eyes of the author who obviously had a great love of all
things rural.' Editorial reviews: 'Quite delightful, with an
atmosphere of quiet contentment and humour that cannot fail to
charm ... The longer we travel with Mr Finchley, the better we come
to love him. He makes us share his bread and cheese, and beer and
pipe. His delight at the beauties of the countryside and his mild
astonishment at the strange ways of men are infectious.' Daily
Telegraph 'His gift of story-telling is obviously innate. Rarely
does one come on so satisfying an amalgam of plot, characterisation
and good writing.' Punch 'A paean to the beauties of the English
countryside and the lovable oddities of the English character...
[Mr Finchley] runs into one astonishing situation after another,
sticking gamely to his resolve that he must take things as they
come and accept them.' New York Times 'What counts for most in the
story, as it did for Mr Finchley, is his mounting pleasure in
vagabondage and the English scene.' The Times 'There is such a
gentle humour in the book ... Mr Finchley is the ideal Englishman.'
Daily Sketch
Fifteen-year-old Smiler is still on the run. Smiler is aiming to
evade the police until his father, a ship's cook, comes home to
clear him of a crime he hasn't committed. Hitching a train to
Scotland, he finds work as an animal caretaker within the grounds
of a castle occupied by 'the Laird', Sir Alec Elphinstone. When the
Laird leaves on a trip to London, Smiler discovers that thieves are
planning to invade his employer's castle. Dare he go to the police
for help?
Book 2 of the classic trilogy of humorous adventures An ebullient
Mr Finchley is about to propose marriage to a lady he had rescued
from mishap, when he is sent to Paris by his firm. There he manages
to upset a boat, adopt a stray orphan and get himself kidnapped.
The fine tangle he gets into takes some unravelling! Only when
eventually back in London does he complete the proposal of marriage
that was interrupted at the start. This gentle comedy trilogy was a
runaway bestseller on first publication in the 1930s and retains a
timeless appeal today. It has been dramatized twice for BBC Radio,
with the 1990 series regularly repeated. What people are saying
about the Mr Finchley series: 'Wonderful character from a kinder
slower England between the wars.' 'An overlooked gem. An innocent
picaresque novel set in an arcadian version of mid 20th century
England. The literary equivalent of naive painting, it narrates the
adventures of a respectable upper middle-aged man who takes
retirement.' 'An antidote to the rush of the early 21st century.'
'A thoroughly enjoyable stroll through a vanished England with some
lovable characters. Don't expect modern, fashionable agonisings,
here there is good, evil, and understanding. A lovely reminiscent
wallow of a read.' 'Gentle well told simple story, full of pleasant
surprises, and a mild mannered believable hero. Loved it to bits.'
'So gentle, it hurts.' 'There is a freshness about the writing
which is charming and that disarms criticism. Don't expect any
great profundities, a gripping plot or inter-character tensions -
these books are of the world of Billy Bunter and William Brown -
but do expect a very well-written and enjoyable romp through early
twentieth-century England in the company of an engaging
protagonist.' 'A delightful story of a man who finds himself jolted
out of his comfort zone and taken on a journey beyond his wildest
imaginings.' 'Another lovely book detailing the adventures of Mr
Finchley in altogether far too short a series. Full of humour and a
book I was sorry to finish as I wanted it to go on and on.' 'Highly
recommended for anyone seeking an entertaining amusing read.' 'A
delight to be transported to an England I never knew despite
growing up in the 1950s and to experience the countryside through
the sharp eyes of the author who obviously had a great love of all
things rural.' Editorial reviews: 'Quite delightful, with an
atmosphere of quiet contentment and humour that cannot fail to
charm ... The longer we travel with Mr Finchley, the better we come
to love him. He makes us share his bread and cheese, and beer and
pipe. His delight at the beauties of the countryside and his mild
astonishment at the strange ways of men are infectious.' Daily
Telegraph 'His gift of story-telling is obviously innate. Rarely
does one come on so satisfying an amalgam of plot, characterisation
and good writing.' Punch 'A paean to the beauties of the English
countryside and the lovable oddities of the English character...
[Mr Finchley] runs into one astonishing situation after another,
sticking gamely to his resolve that he must take things as they
come and accept them.' New York Times 'What counts for most in the
story, as it did for Mr Finchley, is his mounting pleasure in
vagabondage and the English scene.' The Times 'There is such a
gentle humour in the book ... Mr Finchley is the ideal Englishman.'
Daily Sketch
On a night of wild storms, two troubled figures escape from
captivity. One is a 15-year-old boy, Samuel Miles, a.k.a. 'Smiler',
wrongly convicted of theft and sent to a young offenders
institution. The other is a cheetah, Yarra, a restless resident of
Longleat Wildlife Park. Both are in danger from the outside world -
and each other - but somehow their lives become inextricably bound
up as they fight for survival on the edge of Salisbury Plain. A
fast-moving and compassionate adventure story, The Runaways is the
first book in Victor Canning's classic children's trilogy.
Book 3 of the classic trilogy of humorous rural adventures through
pre-war England Mr Finchley takes a fancy to a horse-drawn caravan
that he sees for sale, but his new wife does not relish the
prospect of a caravan journey so she goes to visit her brother,
while he sets out to explore the countryside and go house-hunting.
While learning to handle the horse and the caravan, he encounters a
variety of eccentrics and country characters, and several
unsuitable houses. It gradually emerges that the caravan contains a
secret, and Mr Finchley finds himself in real trouble - until his
wife comes to the rescue. This gentle comedy trilogy was a runaway
bestseller on first publication in the 1930s and retains a timeless
appeal today. It has been dramatized twice for BBC Radio, with the
1990 series regularly repeated. What people are saying about the Mr
Finchley series: 'Wonderful character from a kinder slower England
between the wars.' 'An overlooked gem. An innocent picaresque novel
set in an arcadian version of mid 20th century England. The
literary equivalent of naive painting, it narrates the adventures
of a respectable upper middle-aged man who takes retirement.' 'An
antidote to the rush of the early 21st century.' 'A thoroughly
enjoyable stroll through a vanished England with some lovable
characters. Don't expect modern, fashionable agonisings, here there
is good, evil, and understanding. A lovely reminiscent wallow of a
read.' 'Gentle well told simple story, full of pleasant surprises,
and a mild mannered believable hero. Loved it to bits.' 'So gentle,
it hurts.' 'There is a freshness about the writing which is
charming and that disarms criticism. Don't expect any great
profundities, a gripping plot or inter-character tensions - these
books are of the world of Billy Bunter and William Brown - but do
expect a very well-written and enjoyable romp through early
twentieth-century England in the company of an engaging
protagonist.' 'A delightful story of a man who finds himself jolted
out of his comfort zone and taken on a journey beyond his wildest
imaginings.' 'Another lovely book detailing the adventures of Mr
Finchley in altogether far too short a series. Full of humour and a
book I was sorry to finish as I wanted it to go on and on.' 'Highly
recommended for anyone seeking an entertaining amusing read.' 'A
delight to be transported to an England I never knew despite
growing up in the 1950s and to experience the countryside through
the sharp eyes of the author who obviously had a great love of all
things rural.' Editorial reviews: 'Quite delightful, with an
atmosphere of quiet contentment and humour that cannot fail to
charm ... The longer we travel with Mr Finchley, the better we come
to love him. He makes us share his bread and cheese, and beer and
pipe. His delight at the beauties of the countryside and his mild
astonishment at the strange ways of men are infectious.' Daily
Telegraph 'His gift of story-telling is obviously innate. Rarely
does one come on so satisfying an amalgam of plot, characterisation
and good writing.' Punch 'A paean to the beauties of the English
countryside and the lovable oddities of the English character...
[Mr Finchley] runs into one astonishing situation after another,
sticking gamely to his resolve that he must take things as they
come and accept them.' New York Times 'What counts for most in the
story, as it did for Mr Finchley, is his mounting pleasure in
vagabondage and the English scene.' The Times 'There is such a
gentle humour in the book ... Mr Finchley is the ideal Englishman.'
Daily Sketch
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Venetian Bird (DVD)
Richard Todd, Eva Bartok, John Gregson, George Coulouris, Margot Grahame, …
1
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R155
Discovery Miles 1 550
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Out of stock
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1950s mystery thriller adapted by Victor Canning from his novel
about a detective who gets caught up in a murder plot. Private
detective Edward Mercer (Richard Todd) travels to Venice on a
mission to find an Italian veteran who is due to be rewarded for
his efforts in the Second World War. When he arrives, however,
Mercer realises he is being set up with both the police and a group
of partisans hot on his trail.
Romantic comedy in three acts, first performed in April 1940,
concerning a group of beggars who are forced to change their ways.
The setting is "Wearemouth", a fictional blend of Plymouth and
Dartmouth. We are introduced to five children who, on a walk to the
cinema, pass a local landmark, the Wooden Angel, made from a ship's
figurehead and stand holding hands, making a wish. The rest of the
book follows their careers to see how far the wishes come true.
This was the only book written by Victor Canning under the pen name
Julian Forest. The time is during and immediately after the Great
War, and the book tells us a great deal about social attitudes and
class in a west country city of that era. It is one of the best of
Victor Canning's early novels.
A life-affirming story of family and personal self-discovery When
George, the eldest son of Matthew Silverman, announces he won't
follow his father's footsteps as editor of the family-owned local
newspaper, the family finds itself on a course for change. The
newspaper has been going for nearly 100 years. With younger brother
Alexander and sisters Loraine and Alison growing up fast too, and
gradual progress in the world around them, can Matthew do what's
best for them all? This beautifully observed story of a loving
family navigating generational change retains a timeless appeal
today. Praise for Victor Canning: 'His gift of story-telling is
obviously innate. Rarely does one come on so satisfying an amalgam
of plot, characterisation and good writing.' Punch 'Quite
delightful ... with an atmosphere of quiet contentment and humour
that cannot fail to charm.' Daily Telegraph 'A swift-moving novel,
joyous, happy and incurably optimistic.' Evening Standard 'There is
such a gentle humour in the book.' Daily Sketch 'What counts for
most in the story ... is his mounting pleasure in vagabondage and
the English scene.' The Times 'A paean to the beauties of the
English countryside and the lovable oddities of the English
character.' New York Times
A classic travelogue that brilliantly conjures 1930s Britain. In
this series of pen-portraits of England from the 1930s, Victor
Canning 'evocatively captures the pattern and colour of English
life' (The Bookseller), from Cumbria to Cornwall. Canning's
heart-warming and humorous observations of sleepy villages,
pastoral scenes and busy industries are a delightful time capsule
into life in England during the interwar years. 'What does the word
England mean to you? To all of us England means something
different, and yet I think there is for every man and woman some
little corner which is more England than anywhere else...'
***PRAISE FOR EVERYMAN'S ENGLAND*** 'Wonderful... elegant,
humorous, exuberant essays.' Guardian 'Evocatively captures the
pattern and colour of English life.' The Bookseller 'Canning finds
beauty everywhere, but never sentimentalises, and is consistently
honest enough to highlight poverty and social inequality...
Canning, at his very best when waxing lyrical about landscapes,
offers vivid images of the English countryside...' The Daily Mail
The Minerva Club might look like any other London gentlemen's club
but behind its respectable and discreet facade, some of the most
ambitious schemes for heists, money-making and evasion of the law
are being worked out. It's an exclusive club for criminals. Entry
qualification: members must have served a prison sentence of two
years minimum. Though the club's criminal ventures don't always go
as planned... From trying to break into an old prison cell and
stealing a stash of jewels hidden during a previous incarceration,
love getting in the way during a hideout from the police, a
cleverly planned break-in being interrupted by an unexpected guest,
to figuring out where to steal a last-minute wedding cake - the
club's amiable criminals somehow always achieve their goal in the
most surprising ways. This collection of five short stories follows
the Minerva Club's (mis)adventures and evokes the very best of
humorous classic crime fiction. Praise for Victor Canning: 'His
gift of story-telling is obviously innate. Rarely does one come on
so satisfying an amalgam of plot, characterisation and good
writing.' Punch 'Quite delightful ... with an atmosphere of quiet
contentment and humour that cannot fail to charm.' Daily Telegraph
'A swift-moving novel, joyous, happy and incurably optimistic.'
Evening Standard 'There is such a gentle humour in the book.' Daily
Sketch 'What counts for most in the story ... is his mounting
pleasure in vagabondage and the English scene.' The Times 'A paean
to the beauties of the English countryside and the lovable oddities
of the English character.' New York Times
An exuberant, life-affirming novel of taking your chances After a
spur-of-the-moment day out with his boss' daughter in celebration
of his 21st birthday, Polycarp Jarvis decides to quit his
Bristol-based junior government worker job. Newly emboldened, he
embarks on an erratic, engaging and not always strictly legal
course through life. Going from bus driver for the Red Dragon Motor
Company to co-owner of a flying company, to seller of quack
medicines, and eventually to media tycoon, Polycarp makes much of
his luck along the way. Through ups and downs, his exuberance and
charm carry him through. But what kind of person will he be by the
end? This gentle coming-of-age story was hugely popular on first
publication in the 1930s and retains a timeless appeal today.
Praise for Victor Canning: 'Quite delightful ... with an atmosphere
of quiet contentment and humour that cannot fail to charm.' Daily
Telegraph 'There is such a gentle humour in the book.' Daily Sketch
'What counts for most in the story ... is his mounting pleasure in
vagabondage and the English scene.' The Times 'A paean to the
beauties of the English countryside and the lovable oddities of the
English character.' New York Times 'His delight at the beauties of
the countryside and his mild astonishment at the strange ways of
men are infectious.' Daily Telegraph 'A swift-moving novel, joyous,
happy and incurably optimistic.' Evening Standard 'His gift of
story-telling is obviously innate. Rarely does one come on so
satisfying an amalgam of plot, characterisation and good writing.'
Punch
What's going on behind the doors of Fountain Inn? When her employer
suddenly disappears, young Grace Kirkstall finds herself accepting
a new job at a new company in the same building - an oasis of
tranquillity off the streets of London. Ben and Helen Brown's
startup company's pitch is that, for a small consideration, they
will help people out of their major and minor fixes. Their first
big commission initiates Ben into the gentle art of house-breaking,
and Helen into the mysteries of the Society for Progressive
Rehabilitation... But for Grace, it will plunge her into more
danger than she could ever have imagined. This leisurely,
beautifully observed thriller marked Victor Canning's entree into
crime fiction, and rewards with a thrilling finale - sure to
delight fans of Agatha Christie's Tommy and Tuppence. Praise for
Victor Canning: 'His gift of story-telling is obviously innate.
Rarely does one come on so satisfying an amalgam of plot,
characterisation and good writing.' Punch 'Quite delightful ...
with an atmosphere of quiet contentment and humour that cannot fail
to charm.' Daily Telegraph 'A swift-moving novel, joyous, happy and
incurably optimistic.' Evening Standard 'There is such a gentle
humour in the book.' Daily Sketch 'What counts for most in the
story ... is his mounting pleasure in vagabondage and the English
scene.' The Times 'A paean to the beauties of the English
countryside and the lovable oddities of the English character.' New
York Times
How far could you go living in another's shoes? In a mid-life
moment, Paul Morison travels from America to England to discover
his mother's roots. A chance encounter and uncanny resemblance
leads him to agree to assume the identity of a famous singer for a
while. But it's not just the unnerving attentions of the adoring
public that he must deal with. Seeking to regain his freedom, Paul
flees the length of Britain from Southampton to the Scottish Isles.
On the run, he discovers he has let himself in for much more than
he bargained. This gentle comic caper and love story was hugely
popular on first publication in the 1930s and retains a timeless
appeal today. Praise for Victor Canning: 'Quite delightful ... with
an atmosphere of quiet contentment and humour that cannot fail to
charm.' Daily Telegraph 'There is such a gentle humour in the
book.' Daily Sketch 'What counts for most in the story ... is his
mounting pleasure in vagabondage and the English scene.' The Times
'A paean to the beauties of the English countryside and the lovable
oddities of the English character.' New York Times 'His delight at
the beauties of the countryside and his mild astonishment at the
strange ways of men are infectious.' Daily Telegraph 'A
swift-moving novel, joyous, happy and incurably optimistic.'
Evening Standard 'His gift of story-telling is obviously innate.
Rarely does one come on so satisfying an amalgam of plot,
characterisation and good writing.' Punch
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