Lemmy Caution! The wise-cracking super-sleuth (FBI agent really) who delighted countless readers around the world...since his adventures/cases are always written in the first person. Okay, we all know that the praise actually belongs to author Peter Cheyney, a superb "realistic" writer in his pomp. We Africans familiar with his work have always believed though, that Cheyney's major characters, plots - and dialogue in particular - resonate largely with Africans. I mean the incredibly talkative nature of the protagonists, the "spiel", the over-done humour... Could anybody do it better than Cheyney? Like in his other novels, all the ingredients are present here; the wisecracking by good old Lemmy, the sparkling "naughty" dialogue, the excellent twists and turns. And the gratuitous "philosophies" and quotations from the great minds, like Confucious. Interesting quotes almost always pertaining to women and their wiles. No other author could introduce women - "dames" as Cheyney did, especially thorough his mouthpiece, Lemmy Caution. Apparently every female dotting his adventures is always the most beautiful and alluring, and they are described in such colourful, allusive language that the reader can not but be captivated. "I see a dame! I'm telling you that there's nothing like it...". The plot here is quite ingenious as usual, as Caution leads us along into believing that his reputation is somewhat tarnished, and he might no longer be at his best. Until the moment late on, when unexpectedly he-that-seemed to be his "ally" is exposed as the culpable individual by Lemmy in his nigh-nonpareil manner. Lots of fun...and those lucky enough to have this book will find themselves re-reading it time and again.
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