Perusing in a second hand bookshop I noticed many many books by John Creasey (ok he is famous but I had never heard of him). Intrigued I flicked it open and I saw this:
THE TOFF...
He's cool...
He's rich...
He's debonair...
He has friends in Mayfair - and
frriends in Bow. He can use a gun, or
use his fists, but prefers to use his wits,
And no one in trouble, young or old,
rich or poor, is ever refused the help
of the Hon. Richard Rollison - alias -
The Toff...


Well of course I had to buy it. So does it live up to the promise?

Well bearing in mind that it was written in 1949 it's not too bad. The setup's ok: The Toff is hard on the heels of a murderer who escapes by err cruise ship. Sadly he isn’t an over the top aristocrat but he does have a highly intelligent butler (I find that sort of thing amusing). There is a good number of potential villains, some menacing thugs and beautiful women (bonus points for the gorgeous love interest being 40). No one is what they seem and it's all one big, fun, conspiracy. I don't tend to try and work these things out so no idea how the mystery plot holds but it seemed ok to me, more parcelled out info than hidden clues but that’s ok. It moves along at a brisk pace interspersed with cocktails, threats and the odd quaint bits of violence.

I might not be seeking the next one out straight away but if I ever need a very quick, light read and I am near that bookshop again I think I would try another, there are 21 of them. ( )