Freeman, R Austin as Clifford Ashdown - The Further Adventures of Romney Pringle (1969)

“This delightful bundle of adventures” (House of Stratus Cover) makes an amusing read, as Romney Pringle, who lives at 'Furnival's' Inn' and runs an elusive Literary agency close to the Embankment and the Strand in London, fulfills two roles at the same time: he is capable of very observant detection (which is often directed against other criminals) and he is a crook himself, as he steals and keeps the loot. The setup of the stories is mostly the same: Pringle runs into some oddly behaving person, his curiosity is aroused and he ends up invariably with some valuables. In the “Submarine Boat” after overhearing a conversation in a restaurant he manages to interfere with the sale of secret government documents, and though the documents are passed on, he ends up with the cash from the transaction. A rather cynical story with Pringle using a disguise (“in his official guise as the sham literary agent, with smooth face, fair hair, and the fugitive port - wine mark staining his right cheek; again this morning with blackened hair and an unblemished face.”) and not giving much for his country's security. In “The Kimberley Fugitive” he meets a cyclist in need of assistance and as the other (crook) lies about his previous journey, Pringle gets curious again.A newspaper report points to some shady diamond business and Pringle doesn't let loose until he has the loot.

Twoshed