A kind of Prisoner of Zenda out of The Thirty Nine Steps, Skeggs's old-fashioned novel is full of rococo artefacts, leering noblemen, devious spies and poverty-stricken though re sourceful young girls. At least it seems like that. In fact, the plot concerns the efforts of one poverty-stricken though resourceful young maiden to get what is rightfully hers - in this case, the remains of a palace called Fetevis in Hungary, with its vast estate of lands. Disputing her ownership is multi-millionaire Zoltan, mad, bad and full of mischief, while springing to her aid is suave diplomat Max Anderson, slight of build, but durable. Time and again, while reading this one, I twirled an imaginary a moustache.
Vincent Banville